Olalla, British Columbia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Olalla
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 Olalla, British Columbia
Location in British Columbia
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province | BC/BCE |
| Area code(s) | 250, 778 |
Olalla is a small community in British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the southern part of the province, southwest of a larger city called Penticton. Olalla is also just north of Keremeos.
This quiet community is known as a place where many people choose to live after they retire from work.
Learning in Olalla
The main school for students in the Olalla area is the Similkameen Elementary Secondary School. It is located in the nearby town of Keremeos. This school serves as the primary place for education in the region.
Olalla's Name and Past
The name Olalla comes from a local word meaning "berries." This word is from the Salishan and Chinook Jargon languages. It refers to the many Saskatoon berries that grow in the area. You might see the word spelled as olallie or ollalie in old dictionaries.
In the 1890s, Olalla became a busy place because of a mining boom. People thought there was a lot of valuable ore to be found. For a short time, it was a lively center for several mines. However, the amount of ore was not as much as expected. Because of this, the town became much smaller. Today, Olalla is a small group of homes along the highway between Keremeos and Penticton.
