Falkland, British Columbia
Falkland is an unincorporated community located in the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District of British Columbia, Canada between Vernon and Kamloops.
Falkland | |
|---|---|
Community | |
 Downtown Falkland, near the intersection of Highway 97 and the Chase-Falkland Road. | |
  Falkland Location in British Columbia  Falkland Falkland (Canada) | |
| Coordinates: 50°30′05″N 119°33′30″W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional district | Columbia-Shuswap |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| Postal code | |
| Area code(s) | 250 / 778 / 236 |
| Highways |  Hwy 97 |
Falkland is recognized for one of Canada's largest Canadian flags, which is located on Gyp Mountain and can be seen from up to 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) away.[1] The Falkland area has a wide array of lakes, often used for fishing and recreation.[2] The Falkland Stampede begins on the Victoria Day holiday each year. This stampede is one of Canada's oldest. [3][4]
Town history
The members of the Salish tribes frequently stayed in the region during the summer to gather the tribe's food for the winter. It was the women's job to prepare the fish and meat for drying beside the fire. Where to put the meat caused slight disagreement among the women because the ever-changing breeze would cause the wind to blow in changing directions. As a result, the valley was named Slahaltkan, meaning "meeting of the winds."[5]
The name Slahaltkan was never used among those who eventually settled in the area, although the sub-post office bore the name.[6] When the settlement developed, it required a postal address. The government asked if Colonel Falkland G.E. Warren, R.H.A.; C.M.G.; C.B. (an early European pioneer in the valley) would object to his name being used. The postal records from 1894 indicated that the proposals for the new post office in the area would either be "Falkland" or "Salmon River."
Rodeo
The Falkland Stampede was first held on March 24, 1919, in the gyp field in the northwest corner of the townsite. The early years of the rodeo introduced numerous changes to the grounds, including a fence to protect the spectators and a small corral to hold the horses. The first site chosen for more permanent facilities was, at the time, the old mill site. Early events included chuckwagon racing, bull riding, bucking horse riding, and many small games intended for children and women.
Falkland's Canadian flag
The purpose of Falkland's Canadian flag was to support the 'I Care' campaign, which received international attention after the people of Falkland challenged the rest of Canada to fly the Canadian flag.[7] With a height of 8.5 m (28 ft), and a width of 17.1 m (56 ft), the Falkland flag is considered to be the biggest Canadian Flag in Western Canada. The flag's structure includes eight 14 m (46 ft) telephone poles, 83.7 t (185,000 lb) cement blocks, and 3,500 screws. The flag's colours are heated onto enamel.
The Canadian flag is located 152.4 metres (500 feet) above the valley floor, on Gyp Mountain. It is illuminated at night, allowing visitors of Falkland to view the flag at any time. The power reaches the flag from a 7,000 m (23,000 ft) extension cord.[7] A total of 19 corporate sponsors donated material, equipment and labour for the flag's construction. The total cost of the flag was $42,493, including $33,960 for construction, $3,343 for lighting, and $5,190 for lettering.
Location
Falkland is nestled in the confluence of three valleys and two rivers, the Salmon River and the Bolean Creek. It is cradled by Tuktakamin Mountain to the south, and Estekawalan Mountain to the west.[1]
References
- "Falkland, British Columbia, Canada". BritishColumbia.com. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- "Things to do". Falkland, BC. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
- "Falkland Stampede". Falkland, BC. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
- "Falkland Stampede draws record breaking crowd for 102nd year - Okanagan | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
- "About Our Community". Falkland, BC. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
- Parliament, Canada (1914). Sessional Papers.
- "Big Things". BritishColumbia.com. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
External links
- Falkland, British Columbia at BritishColumbia.com
- "Falkland (Community)". BC Geographical Names.
- BritishColumbia.com Falkland