A Monument to a Pioneer

Plaque on the Zosel Dam adjacent to the mill

William Zosel constructed a dam on the Okanagan River flowing south out of Canada in 1927 to create a mill pond and to provide water for the steam-powered machinery for the sawmill.  The modest dam William built functioned well, however it backed water up into Canada and therefore required approval of the International Joint Commission.  As a result, the dam was replaced by a new one which carries on the Zosel name.  The new structure, upstream of the original, includes a fish ladder to allow passage of spawning salmon.