The Past

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Transportation
 ~ Bridges
 ~ Canals
 ~ Paddlewheelers
 ~ Roads
 ~ Trains
 ~ ~ Shuswap Okanagan Railway
 ~ ~ Construction of Railway
 ~ ~ Railway Station
 ~ ~ 1st Rolling Stock
 ~ ~ Growth from Railway
 ~ ~ Memories of the trains

Museum page

In 1886, Lambly's Landing was a small community, occupied by nothing more than a store, a hotel, and a failing flour mill. In 1887, it was decided that Enderby would be the base of construction for the Shuswap & Okanagan Railway. To facilitate the payment of wages to the crews, a post office was incorporated into the store.

By 1890, homesteading was thick and heavy, railway construction had begun, and Enderby was a minor boom town. Railway workers were living in the Lambly Hotel and spending their paychecks in town, thus giving cause for a large service and agricultural industry.

After the railway was established Enderby saw a resurgence of growth from the flour mill as it found a dependable route for its flour out of the valley. In fact, in 1905 The Columbia Flour Mill was the first in the province to export flour to Japan. Also, A.M. Baird started a brickyard in 1892, and in 1909 Enderby Brick and Tile is reputed to have sold the best brick in B.C. Finally, with rail access, a lumber mill came to Enderby. Smith and McLeod Sawmill was eventually sold to A.R. Rogers of Minneapolis and grew to be one of the largest sawmills in the valley.

After World War I, in 1921, several more sawmills and poleyards started up and continued to keep Enderby on the map.

Thanks to the Shuswap & Okanagan Railway, these businesses were established and gave the growth and vitality to Enderby which was so evident at the turn of the century.

Robert Henry
ALF School 1989