Osoyoos History

Osoyoos is crawling with people, culture and life on the northern tip of the Sonora Desert. Rattlesnakes may now be endangered, but fruits have blossomed since the Irrigation Canal was first built in the late 1920’s. Prior to the planting of 30 acres of peaches, cherries, pears, and other fruits in 1907, fur, cattle and gold sowed the seeds of Osoyoos’ growth as a community. Fruit production remains a major industry, but Osoyoos has grown into a hot tourist destination since its first hotel was established in the 1920’s. In the 1800’s, Osoyoos was merely a rest stop for fur traders seeking a better route for sending their furs back to Europe. Today, visitors plan to stay a while, swim and boat on Lake Osoyoos, camp in Haynes Point Provincial Park, and learn about life in the desert at the Osoyoos Desert Centre and Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. Osoyoos is located only five minutes from a Washington State U.S. border crossing and is a convenient destination for American tourists. According to Statistics Canada’s most recent Osoyoos Community Profile, the town of Osoyoos’ population is approximately 4,755; its annual family median income is $50,367.