Saint Anne’s Church Cemetery

In 1886, Cornelius O'Keefe, an Irish Catholic, traversed the Okanagan Valley seeking donations for a Roman Catholic church to be built on his ranch. Despite differing affiliations and beliefs, residents from across the valley generously contributed to the cause.

The fruition of this collective effort was St. Ann's Church, completed in 1889 and consecrated during a Christmas Midnight Mass that same winter. Embodying the "Carpenter Gothic" style, the church has retained its original form since its construction.

Operating without a resident priest, the church received services from the Oblates from Okanagan Mission until the 1940s, marking the cessation of regular Masses held within its walls.

Adjacent to the church lies the cemetery, established either contemporaneously with or before the church's inception. While the cemetery has been officially closed for further burials, allowances remain solely for the descendants of Cornelius O'Keefe.

For information on the graves located in the Saint Anne’s Church Cemetery, visit here.