Originally known to the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley as Khiluk, which was- and remains today revered as a sacred site producing therapeutic waters. During World War I the minerals of Spotted Lake were used in manufacturing ammunition. Later the area came under the control of the Ernest Smith Family, for a term of about 40 years. In 1979 Smith attempted to create interest in a spa at the lake. The First Nations responded with an effort to buy the lake; in October 2001 they finally struck a deal. First Nations arranged the purchase of 22 hectares of land for a total of $720,000, and contributed about 20% of the cost. The Indian Affairs Department paid the remainder.

People wear face masks while participating in the annual Memorial Day Parade on May 25, 2020 in the Staten Island borough of New York City. Dozens of cars and nearly 100 members of the patriotic motorcycle group Rolling Thunder joined the event. This year’s parade was diminished in size and in person-to-person contact due to the coronavirus outbreak. Across the country, events honoring the nation’s veterans have been cancelled or scaled back as America continues to experience high numbers of deaths and new cases of COVID-19. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Yawalapiti children play during the preparations for the celebration of “quarup”, a ritual held to honor in death a person of great importance to them, in the Xingu National Park, Mato Grosso State, May 7, 2012. (Photo by Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

Australian TV personality and singer, Dannii Minogue at the reveal of her wax figure to feature at Madam Tussauds Sydney on February 9, 2012 at the Sofitel, Melbourne, Australia. Madam Tussauds will officially open in Darling Harbour Sydney in May 2012. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

A person enter in sauna on the peak of Mount Lagazuoi in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy January 16, 2018. Picture taken January 16, 2017. (Photo by Stefano Rellandini/Reuters)

English reality television personality and country music singer Megan Elizabeth McKenna is seen at Soho House on May 24, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

A person waits for donations at the exit from the Fred Meyer parking lot on South 19th street in Tacoma, Friday, February 8, 2019. (Photo by Peter Haley/The News Tribune via AP Photo)