Naramata is an unincorporated community in the Okanagan region of south central British Columbia. On the eastern shore of southern Lake Okanagan, the locality is by road about north of Penticton. Name origin In November 1906, John Moore Robinson purchased land. Over the following nine months, the name changed from Nine Mile Point to East Summerland, to Brighton Beach, and finally to Naramata. Robinson claimed the name came in a séance, but more likely, he knew the value of a good story in promoting the sale of home sites and orchard lots. Alternative theories have suggested the name derives from a First Nations word or an Australian Aboriginal one, but supporting evidence is lacking. First Nations The Syilx name for the area is “Citxws Peqlqin," or "Eagle's House." The Naramata bench provided a seasonal camp site for elk hunting and food gathering. Early community Robinson advertised and sold parcels of land to people from other parts of Canada as well as the British Isles. At the time Naramata became known as a cultural centre. People from across the Okanagan would arrive by boat for concerts, plays, operas, regattas- and as Robinson and his wife were spiritualists-seances. Paddlewheelers regularly stopped at the local wharf carrying freight and passengers up and down Lake Okanagan. Ferry In March 1908, an east–west Summerland–East Summerland charter ferry service commenced. The first two operators proved unsatisfactory. That October, Summerland Trust Co. took over. In 1911, the Okanagan Lake Boat Co. implemented a run via Penticton. The 1913 tender charter continued to name the locality as East Summerland. In July 1926, the service ceased. Railway In 1914, Naramata received a new link with the rest of Canada when the Kettle Valley Railway was completed on the hillside above the village. Due to the intense volume of rock work it gained the reputation as one of the most difficult stretches of KVR construction. It was in operation until 1974. Today, remnants of the KVR make for great exploration, such as the train tunnels, rock ovens, and the railway right-of-way which clings to the hillside high above. The lake and is now part of the Trans-Canada Trail. Economy The many orchards have included varieties of peach, plum, pear, cherry, apricot and apple. Naramata is more known now, however, as a top wine-producing region in the country and its wineries have begun to attract international acclaim. The decline in the