Prairie Valley.

How Prairie Valley took shape

Prairie Valley is the broad farming valley west of downtown Summerland, once William Conkle's cattle range and then part of George Barclay's ranch. CPR era investors planted orchards on its Millionaires' Row, the Kettle Valley Railway arrived in 1915, and today its steam railway, orchards and acreages are recovering from the 2026 Bald Range fire.

Prairie Valley is the open, gently sloping valley west of downtown, drained by Prairie Creek. The creek was once called Keremous Creek, from the nsyilxcən k̓ərmiw̓s, a creek that horses can cross. The earliest maps called the wider Summerland area Nicola Prairie, after Grand Chief Nicola. American rancher William Conkle ran cattle across the whole valley until George Barclay bought his land in 1891. When Sir Thomas Shaughnessy's syndicate bought the Barclay ranch in 1902, Shaughnessy convinced wealthy partners to invest in Prairie Valley, and the stretch they financed became known as Millionaires' Row. Small settlements such as Balcomo took shape. H. Agur, an early reeve, built Balcomo Lodge on Rutherford Avenue in 1906, a valley school ran from 1906 to 1911, and St.

Stephen's Anglican Church went up on Prairie Valley Road in 1909 and 1910. The Kettle Valley Railway curved through the valley on its way to the Trout Creek Bridge, with trains running through Summerland from 1915. Passenger service ended in 1964 and freight in 1989, but a heritage society formed that year, and steam returned on September 17, 1995. Today the Kettle Valley Steam Railway boards at its station on Bathville Road. In August 2026 the Bald Range wildfire hit Prairie Valley hard. Crews moved the locomotive out of harm's way, the railway's buildings and track survived, and excursions resumed on September 5. The valley remains a place of orchards, vineyards, hobby farms and rural homes on larger lots, with some properties now rebuilding.

The homes & their setting

Mostly rural: orchard and vineyard properties, hobby farms and ranchers on larger lots, almost all freehold. The 2026 OCP limits rural areas to one principal dwelling per hectare, lists the Dale Meadows area as an established neighbourhood for small scale infill, and names West Summerland's Cartwright Mountain area as an emerging neighbourhood.

Building age, tenure, amenities and permitted uses vary by address. Explore the actual property documents with Elaine and the appropriate specialists.

Places with a story

• St. Stephen's Anglican Church — Built 1909 to 1910 at 9311 Prairie Valley Road, valued for its exterior, memorial gardens and stained glass. History source
• Kettle Valley Steam Railway, Prairie Valley Station — At 18404 Bathville Road, running steam excursions on the old Kettle Valley line since 1995. History source
• Rippin Ranch barn — Barn from the 1920s Rippin Ranch, still standing at Dale Meadows Road and Rutherford Avenue. History source