The Girouard Cabin and Park is a small park at the west end of downtown Vernon, northwest of 30th Ave. It includes the restored log cabin of Luc Girouard, built circa 1867 and a memorial stone acknowledging early settlers. The property was home to other newcomer families, including early Vernon jeweller, F. B. Jacques and W. F. Cameron, Vernon’s first mayor. This historic place is valued for its association with the process of establishing the community of Vernon.

Luc Girouard, a Quebecer who came from the California gold fields around 1861 to prospect for gold on Cherry Creek, planted Vernon’s first commercial orchard and established irrigation through a ditch from the creek. He is known as the first permanent non-Indigenous resident of the newly established community and was appointed the community’s first Postmaster, running the post office from the cabin until 1891. In his later years, Girouard donated land for Vernon’s first cemetery. He was buried there in 1895.

The Girouard Cabin is further valued for its association with civic efforts to recognize, restore and conserve it. Following 75 years of use as a clubhouse for the Vernon Lawn Bowling Club, the cabin was designated as a municipal heritage site in 1981. Despite being moved in 1921 and again in 1997, and enduring fire damage and repeated restoration, the cabin retains its original form and scale, as well as many of its original dovetailed logs.