Barkerville Historic Town

BARKERVILLE HISTORIC TOWN is a heritage site in the CARIBOO MTS 88 km east of QUESNEL. Founded in 1862 after a prospector named Billy BARKER struck GOLD below the canyon on Williams Crk, it quickly grew into the largest community in BC, with a floating population that peaked at about 5,000. In Sept 1868 it was largely destroyed by fire. Rebuilt, it settled into its role as a supply centre to the mines of the Cariboo. The Barkerville area boomed 3 times: 1862–72, 1898–1910 and 1932–42. Declared a heritage site in 1958, the 100 original and 20 reconstructed buildings house over 110 display rooms celebrating BC HISTORY and it has become one of the province's most popular visitor destinations. In 2005 the government ceded management of the site to a non-profit local society.