Keremeos () is a village in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, Canada. The name originated from the Similkameen dialect of the

Okanagan language Okanagan, Colville-Okanagan, or Nsyilxcən (n̓səl̓xcin̓ or n̓syilxčn̓) is a Salishan languages, Salish language which arose among the Indigenous peoples of the southern Interior Plateau region based primarily in the Okanagan River, Okanaga ...

word "Keremeyeus" meaning "creek which cuts its way through the flats" referring to Keremeos Creek which flows down from the Upper Benchlands to the Similkameen River that flows past the village.

History

With K Mountain as a backdrop, Keremeos is a community whose "Wild West" looks date back to 1909 when the postmaster of the now-abandoned community of Upper Keremeos, Mr. George Kirby, purchased land alongside the Similkameen River in anticipation of the V.V. & E. Railway passing through the area. Eventually the Great Northern Railway from the US built a branch line up to Hedley and other businesses soon followed. Keremeos was incorporated in 1956.

Geography

The geography of the Keremeos area ranges from cottonwood groves along the river, to dense orchards and farms, to desert-like landscapes along the bases of the surrounding mountains, up to alpine peaks and plateaux on top.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Keremeos had a population of 1,608 living in 809 of its 852 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 1,502. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Keremeos included: *

Irreligion Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, religious skepticism, ...

(770 persons or 52.7%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(630 persons or 43.2%) *

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

(20 persons or 1.4%) *Other (15 persons or 1.0%)

Economy

Keremeos' main industries are

horticulture Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

ranching A ranch (from /Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of farm. These terms are most often applied to li ...

, and

wine making Winemaking, wine-making, or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. There is ...

, among others. Fruit stands are also a major component of the local economy, making it the self-titled "fruit stand capital of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

." All sorts of soft fruits, apples, cherries, peaches and vegetables are grown in the South Similkameen's dry warm climate, and vineyards and wineries are quickly being added as the valley's wine-growing potential is being recognized.

Attractions

Attractions include the Keremeos Grist Mill.

Climate

Keremeos has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''BSk'') with cool but short winters and hot, dry summers. Precipitation is low at and evenly distributed throughout the year.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Keremeos is served by public transit in the South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System along Route 50 thrice weekly year round. Buses go as far as Coalmont, British Columbia to the west and

Penticton Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley of the British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan Lake, Okanagan and Skaha Lake, Skaha lakes. In the 2021 Canadian Census, its population was 36,885, while its Census geographic un ...

in the East, with connections on

BC Transit BC Transit is a provincial Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation responsible for coordinating the delivery of public transportation within British Columbia, Canada, outside Greater Vancouver. BC Transit is headquartered in Victoria, Bri ...

Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley in the British Columbia Interior, southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna ...

and

Osoyoos Osoyoos (, ) is the southernmost town in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia between Penticton and Omak. The town is north of the United States border in the Washington State and is adjacent to the Osoyoos Indian reserve. The origin of ...

. The thrice-weekly public transit service is the only intercity transportation available to residents after

Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets. Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...

terminated their services along the

Hope, British Columbia Hope is a district municipality at the confluence of the Fraser River, Fraser and Coquihalla River, Coquihalla rivers in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Hope is at the eastern end of both the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland regio ...

-Penticton corridor on June 1, 2019. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is the Penticton Regional Airport 41 km to the north. The nearest major airport with international flights is

Kelowna International Airport Kelowna International Airport is a Canadian airport located approximately 10 minutes or northeast of Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley in the British Columbia Interior, southern interior of Bri ...

. Keremeos historically had a train station, though no tracks remain in the Similkameen Valley with either the Great Northern Railway or the Kettle Valley Railway.

Education

Keremeos is located in School District 53 Okanagan Similkameen. There is one school in the village, Similkameen Elementary Secondary School, which serves students from Grades 5-12.

References

External links

* * {{authority control Villages in British Columbia Populated places in the Similkameen