John Moore Robinson
Encyclopedia
John Moore Robinson, born in Ontario, Canada in 1855, was a pioneer
, rancher, prospector
, politician
and orchardist who helped shape British Columbia
's Okanagan Valley region through, among other things, the establishment of such communities as Naramata, Summerland
, and Peachland
.
in 1897 as a prospector. While in Manitoba, he had worked as a newspaper editor, teacher, and member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. Inspired by early local ranchers such as John Carmichael Haynes
and James and Fred Gartrell, Robinson purchased a ranch, which he renamed "Peachland", and took up selling parcels of arable land for the establishment of orchards. Unlike other ranchers of the time, who grew but a few fruit trees on their property to serve the family and workmen, the Gartrells harvested some of their fruit for sale, and expanding on this concept with dedicated orchards, Robinson is credited with founding the soft fruit industry.
After establishing the town of Peachland in 1899, Robinson founded Summerland, south of Peachland, in 1902, with the patronage of then-CPR
president, Sir Thomas Shaughnessy
. In 1907, Robinson founded the hillside town of Naramata.
Upon incorporating the Peachland Townsite and Irrigation Company in 1899, Robinson implemented a new water management system, laying out creek-fed irrigation to supply 1000 acres (4 km²) of orchard, which he had subdivided into 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) lots.
Robinson employed the same land development formula in Summerland and Naramata, encouraging other land development companies to follow in his footsteps, heralding a new era of corporate land management and irrigation.
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
, rancher, prospector
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and orchardist who helped shape British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
's Okanagan Valley region through, among other things, the establishment of such communities as Naramata, Summerland
Summerland, British Columbia
Summerland is a community on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south...
, and Peachland
Peachland, British Columbia
Peachland is a district municipality of approximately 5000 residents in the Okanagan Valley, on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, although the region had long been home to the Okanagan people...
.
Work in British Columbia
Robinson arrived in the Okanagan Valley from ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
in 1897 as a prospector. While in Manitoba, he had worked as a newspaper editor, teacher, and member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. Inspired by early local ranchers such as John Carmichael Haynes
John Carmichael Haynes
John Carmichael Haynes was an Irish-born rancher, judge and public servant in British Columbia.He was born in Landscape, County Cork, the son of Jonas Haynes and Hester Carmichael, and came to Victoria, British Columbia by way of Panama in 1858...
and James and Fred Gartrell, Robinson purchased a ranch, which he renamed "Peachland", and took up selling parcels of arable land for the establishment of orchards. Unlike other ranchers of the time, who grew but a few fruit trees on their property to serve the family and workmen, the Gartrells harvested some of their fruit for sale, and expanding on this concept with dedicated orchards, Robinson is credited with founding the soft fruit industry.
After establishing the town of Peachland in 1899, Robinson founded Summerland, south of Peachland, in 1902, with the patronage of then-CPR
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
president, Sir Thomas Shaughnessy
Thomas Shaughnessy, 1st Baron Shaughnessy
Thomas George Shaughnessy, 1st Baron Shaughnessy, KCVO was an American-born Canadian railway administrator who rose from modest beginnings as a clerk and bookkeeper for the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Thomas George Shaughnessy, 1st Baron Shaughnessy, KCVO (6 October 1853 – 10 December...
. In 1907, Robinson founded the hillside town of Naramata.
Upon incorporating the Peachland Townsite and Irrigation Company in 1899, Robinson implemented a new water management system, laying out creek-fed irrigation to supply 1000 acres (4 km²) of orchard, which he had subdivided into 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) lots.
Robinson employed the same land development formula in Summerland and Naramata, encouraging other land development companies to follow in his footsteps, heralding a new era of corporate land management and irrigation.