This is in response to Mel Rothenburger’s comment in which questioned the renaming of McCuddy Street and asked if anyone had any information on the McCuddy family.  In addition to Jack’s note that Mr. Rothenburger is a 1962 graduate of SOHS, retired editor of the Kamloops Daily News and a former mayor of Kamloops, he is also the author of several books about the history of British Columbia.

The McCuddy’s were definitely a pioneer family in our area.  John McCuddy was born around 1855 in Ontario but moved to United States as a young man for work and adventure.  While there he met his wife Sarah.   John, Sarah and son Arthur, born 1892 in Portland, moved to the South Okanagan in 1892 or 1893.  They briefly had a store in Okanagan Falls but in 1893 moved to their homestead on the road between Camp McKinney and Fairview.  This was the beginning of the McCuddy Ranch.  This property became a very busy stopping point for freight wagons and travelers on this road.

When the Cariboo Amelia mine at Camp McKinney shut down in 1903 and with activity at Fairview slowing down, the need for a roadhouse decreased as well.   In 1904 the McCuddy’s purchased an existing grocery business at Fairview.  In addition to the store they had the post office and also acquired the telephone exchange when service became available in 1906.  Mrs. McCuddy acted as the Fairview telephone operator for the years 1906–1917.  The store, the post office and the telephone exchange at Fairview in conjunction with the ranch that now totaled 1,200 acres must have kept the family busy.

In 1921 the McCuddy’s closed their business at Fairview and purchased land east of the river in Oliver.  This land was later subdivided.  John McCuddy passed away in 1937 and Sarah followed him in 1941.  The ranch was sold in 1964.  Arthur never married and continued to live in their Oliver home until 1978 when he moved into extended care.  Arthur passed away in 1988.   He was considered a very fine gentleman by all that knew him.

Much of the information in this comment was taken from an article by Bob Iverson that was published in the 37th report of the Okanagan Historical Society.

Submitted by Larry Shannon