Barkerville

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title: "Barkerville" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1862-establishments-in-the-british-empire", "protected-areas-established-in-1959", "hudson's-bay-company-trading-posts", "ghost-towns-in-british-columbia", "museums-in-british-columbia", "british-columbia-gold-rushes", "geography-of-the-cariboo", "national-historic-sites-in-british-columbia", "former-provincial-parks-of-british-columbia", "open-air-museums-in-british-columbia"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barkerville" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameBarkerville
native_name
settlement_typeHistoric site
image_skylineBarkerville at 150 - 22 (7987539796).jpg
image_captionBarkerville's main street, 2012
pushpin_mapCanada British Columbia
pushpin_map_captionLocation of Barkerville
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameCanada
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1British Columbia
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Cariboo Regional District
established_titleFounded
established_date1862
established_title2Historical town
established_date21958
unit_pref
area_total_km2
area_land_km2
population_blank1_title1863
population_blank1~10,000 (Peak)
elevation_footnotes
elevation_m1,230
postal_code_type
area_codes250, 236, 778
blank_nameHighways
blank_info
websitewww.barkerville.ca
footnotes
named_forWilliam Barker
::

| name = Barkerville | other_name = | native_name = | nickname = | settlement_type = Historic site | motto = | image_skyline = Barkerville at 150 - 22 (7987539796).jpg | image_caption = Barkerville's main street, 2012 | pushpin_map = Canada British Columbia | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Barkerville | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Canada | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = British Columbia | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Cariboo Regional District | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1862 | established_title2 = Historical town | established_date2 = 1958 | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = | population_density_km2 = | population_blank1_title = 1863 | population_blank1 = ~10,000 (Peak) | timezone = | utc_offset = | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 1,230 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_codes = 250, 236, 778 | blank_name = Highways | blank_info = | website = www.barkerville.ca | footnotes = | named_for = William Barker

Barkerville was the main town of the Cariboo Gold Rush in British Columbia, Canada, and is preserved as a historic town. It is located on the north slope of the Cariboo Plateau near the Cariboo Mountains 80 km east of Quesnel. BC Highway 26, which follows the route of the Cariboo Wagon Road, the original access to Barkerville, goes through it.

History

Founding

Barkerville is located on the western edge of the Cariboo Mountains in British Columbia. It was named after Billy Barker from Cambridgeshire, England, who was among those who first struck gold at the location in 1862. His claim was the richest and the most famous.

Barkerville was built up almost overnight, and was a case of "growth via word of mouth". It grew as fast as the word of Barker's strike spread. His claim would eventually yield 37,500 ounces (1,065 kg/2,350 lb) of gold.

Before the construction of the Cariboo Wagon Road, people hauled their own supplies to Barkerville, either on their backs or in a pack train. Because supplies were scarce, the prices of even the most everyday items were extremely high. High prices for goods in Barkerville did not ease up until the Cariboo Road had been finished, when goods could be transported by huge freight wagons. Soon, movers of freight boasted that they could pack and carry a set of champagne glasses without any breakage—for a price, of course. More women came to Barkerville after the construction of the Cariboo Road.

Cattle were driven north up the Okanagan valley via what is now Highway 97 into Canada to provide meat for the miners and residents of Barkerville.

Growth

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Barnard_Express.jpg" caption="Barkerville (1865)"] ::

At first, Barkerville was a lone building built by Billy Barker and the prospectors who traveled with him. The town would then rapidly grow, filling out with homes, water wheels and flumes. In 1863, the town would reach reach a population of roughly 10,000 people.

Even though its population was transient and largely dependent on mining, Barkerville was becoming more of a real community. It had several general stores and boarding houses, a drugstore that also sold newspapers and cigars, a barbershop that cut women's as well as men's hair, the "Wake-Up Jake Restaurant and Coffee Salon", a theatre (the Theatre Royal),{{cite web | url = http://www.theatreroyal.ca/ | title = Theatre Royal, Barkerville | publisher = Newman & Wright Theatre Co. | access-date = 2012-12-19 | archive-date = 2012-06-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120614062854/http://www.theatreroyal.ca/ | url-status = dead

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Gold-gld1a.jpg" caption="oz}}."] ::

Horse racing and prize fighting were common entertainments. Among the so-called "sober set," church services were extremely well attended. The general stores were the most profitable of the merchants. As they had the only source of food, the store owners could increase the price of foods and supplies. In the height of the gold rush, the stores sold flour for as high as $1.25 per pound. Beans, meat, and dried fruit were sold for a dollar a pound. But as the gold rush ended, the stores went bankrupt and finally out of business.

People of Chinese descent were an important part of Barkerville life for almost a hundred years. They established a number of businesses, including the Kwong Lee Company of Victoria., a general store that sold groceries, clothing, hardware, and mining tools. The company had stores in other parts of British Columbia, but the Barkerville store was one of the most impressive in town. The Chinese community also built cabins (for Chinese miners, who saved money by sharing four or five to a cabin) and Tai Ping (the "Peace Room"), the equivalent of a modern nursing home. Chinese benevolent associations provided social services to the Chinese community, and also resolved disputes within the Chinese community without the use of BC courts.

Decline

On September 16, 1868, Barkerville was destroyed by a fire that spread quickly through the wooden buildings. Rebuilding began immediately, and at an impressive pace. Within six weeks, ninety buildings had been rebuilt. Boardwalks were improved, and the narrow and winding main street was widened and straightened. By 1880, there were enough children in the area to build the Barkerville School. It had thirteen pupils and one piece of school equipment—a chalkboard.

Nevertheless, Barkerville's population was declining by the end of the 19th century and it eventually had only a few residents. The HBC store closed in 1884.

Preservation

On 12 January 1959, BC Parks established Barkerville Historic Park by Order-in-Council with an initial area of 64.84 ha. This was increased in 1973 to 457.29 ha.

In 1998, Barkerville Historic Park was dissolved and two properties were created: Barkerville Provincial Park and Barkerville Historic Town (Provincial Heritage Property). Barkerville Provincial Park converted from Order In Canada to statute designation in 2000; the whole area consisted of roughly 55 ha. However, in 2006, the BC Ministry of the Environment repealed "Barkerville Provincial Park" and transferred ownership of it to the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts to create Barkerville Historic Town and Park.

In 2008, Barkerville's Chee Kung Tong Building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. The two-storey board and batten structure was completed in 1877 and originally used by the Chee Kung Tong organization, a benevolent association for recent arrivals. It is representative of the community building among immigrant Chinese labourers and merchants in new settlements throughout Canada.

Barkerville Historic Town and Park

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/ST._SAVIOUR'S_ANGLICAN_CHURCH,_BARKERVILLE,_BRITISH_COLUMBIA.jpg" caption="St. Saviour's Anglican Church"] ::

Barkerville Historic Town and Park Camping Sites consists of three sites: Government Hill Site (7.4 acres), Lowhee Site (49.4 acres), and Forest Rose Site (79 acres), all of which are operated by Barkerville Historic Town and Park.

The restoration of Barkerville was not a quick process. In the 1940s some of the buildings were torn down, considered fire hazards. Several people passing through Barkerville stole from the decrepit town, as to them it was fully abandoned. Despite this, the Barkerville Historic and Development Company, started by Fred Luditt, Ted Barnes, and their lawyer, would be established to repair and rejuvenate the town as a tourist attraction. Several years went by before substantial progress would be made. By 1958, Barkerville Historic Provincial Park was established, and the town would see its restoration, partly due to the provincial government of British Columbia choosing Barkerville as the major project for the province's Centennial. The Barkerville Historic and Development Company disagreed with some of the choices the provincial government made to restore the town, but the final result of the restoration was a faithful return to the town of Barkerville, circa 1869-1885.

In 1980 part of the western movie Harry Tracy, Desperado was made here. The 2022 Punjabi film, Chhalla Mud Ke Nahi Aaya, directed by Amrinder Gill, was also shot here.

Climate

Barkerville has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc), which makes it have long, cold and snowy winter and short and cool summers due to its high altitude and latitude. Its growing season averages only 66 days.

| location = Barkerville (1981-2007 normals, extremes 1888-2007) | metric first = Y | single line = Y | Jan record high C = 10.0 | Feb record high C = 15.0 | Mar record high C = 17.2 | Apr record high C = 27.8 | May record high C = 31.5 | Jun record high C = 33.0 | Jul record high C = 35.6 | Aug record high C = 33.9 | Sep record high C = 32.5 | Oct record high C = 26.7 | Nov record high C = 18.9 | Dec record high C = 14.4 | year record high C = 35.6 | Jan high C = -2.9 | Feb high C = -0.5 | Mar high C = 3.0 | Apr high C = 7.2 | May high C = 12.5 | Jun high C = 16.2 | Jul high C = 18.8 | Aug high C = 19.0 | Sep high C = 14.0 | Oct high C = 7.2 | Nov high C = -0.3 | Dec high C = -3.5 | year high C = 7.6 | Jan mean C = -7.5 | Feb mean C = -5.9 | Mar mean C = -2.8 | Apr mean C = 1.4 | May mean C = 6.2 | Jun mean C = 10.0 | Jul mean C = 12.3 | Aug mean C = 12.1 | Sep mean C = 8.0 | Oct mean C = 2.4 | Nov mean C = -4.3 | Dec mean C = -7.8 | year mean C = 2.0 | Jan low C = -12.1 | Feb low C = -11.2 | Mar low C = -8.5 | Apr low C = -4.4 | May low C = 0.0 | Jun low C = 3.8 | Jul low C = 5.8 | Aug low C = 5.3 | Sep low C = 2.1 | Oct low C = -2.3 | Nov low C = -8.3 | Dec low C = -12.0 | year low C = -3.5 | Jan record low C = -46.7 | Feb record low C = -43.3 | Mar record low C = -37.2 | Apr record low C = -26.1 | May record low C = -15.0 | Jun record low C = -6.7 | Jul record low C = -3.9 | Aug record low C = -7.8 | Sep record low C = -13.3 | Oct record low C = -30.5 | Nov record low C = -42.0 | Dec record low C = -41.7 | year record low C = -46.7 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 96.0 | Feb precipitation mm = 60.7 | Mar precipitation mm = 66.4 | Apr precipitation mm = 58.2 | May precipitation mm = 77.7 | Jun precipitation mm = 101.9 | Jul precipitation mm = 100.0 | Aug precipitation mm = 80.6 | Sep precipitation mm = 81.7 | Oct precipitation mm = 92.3 | Nov precipitation mm = 111.2 | Dec precipitation mm = 95.0 | year precipitation mm = 1021.7 | rain colour = green | Jan rain mm = 8.2 | Feb rain mm = 3.4 | Mar rain mm = 8.6 | Apr rain mm = 25.6 | May rain mm = 66.0 | Jun rain mm = 101.1 | Jul rain mm = 100.0 | Aug rain mm = 80.6 | Sep rain mm = 80.4 | Oct rain mm = 64.6 | Nov rain mm = 19.3 | Dec rain mm = 2.5 | year rain mm = 560.3 |snow colour = green | Jan snow cm = 87.8 | Feb snow cm = 57.3 | Mar snow cm = 57.8 | Apr snow cm = 32.6 | May snow cm = 11.7 | Jun snow cm = 0.8 | Jul snow cm = 0.0 | Aug snow cm = 0.0 | Sep snow cm = 1.3 | Oct snow cm = 27.7 | Nov snow cm = 91.9 | Dec snow cm = 92.6 | year snow cm = 461.4 | unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm | Jan precipitation days = 16.6 | Feb precipitation days = 12.5 | Mar precipitation days = 13.8 | Apr precipitation days = 14.3 | May precipitation days = 18.7 | Jun precipitation days = 20.6 | Jul precipitation days = 19.2 | Aug precipitation days = 16.0 | Sep precipitation days = 16.3 | Oct precipitation days = 18.0 | Nov precipitation days = 18.7 | Dec precipitation days = 17.1 | year precipitation days = 201.7 | unit rain days = 0.2 mm | Jan rain days = 1.4 | Feb rain days = 1.2 | Mar rain days = 2.9 | Apr rain days = 8.2 | May rain days = 17.6 | Jun rain days = 20.5 | Jul rain days = 19.2 | Aug rain days = 16.0 | Sep rain days = 16.2 | Oct rain days = 13.9 | Nov rain days = 3.8 | Dec rain days = 1.0 | year rain days = 121.9 | unit snow days = 0.2 cm | Jan snow days = 15.9 | Feb snow days = 11.8 | Mar snow days = 12.2 | Apr snow days = 8.4 | May snow days = 3.0 | Jun snow days = 0.3 | Jul snow days = 0.0 | Aug snow days = 0.0 | Sep snow days = 0.6 | Oct snow days = 6.5 | Nov snow days = 16.4 | Dec snow days = 16.6 | year snow days = 91.8 | source 1 = |date=17 April 2016

Notable people

Notes

:1. There is no longer active weather monitoring at Barkerville as of 2007.

References

References

  1. (1961). "Barkerville: A Guide To The Fabulous Cariboo Gold Camp". Mitchell Press.
  2. (1991). "The West Beyond the West: A History Of British Columbia". University Of Toronto Press.
  3. "Places to Fly – Barkerville".
  4. [http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/11124.html BC Names entry "Barkerville (community)"]
  5. "John Cariboo Cameron".
  6. (1998). "Barkerville: A Gold Rush Experience". Sandhill Book Marketing Ltd..
  7. "Hudson's Bay Company: Barkerville". Archives of Manitoba - Keystone Archives Descriptive Database.
  8. Dawson, Brian. (1991). "Moon Cake in Gold Mountain". Detselig Enterprises Ltd..
  9. It had a revival in the 1930s, when the [[Great Depression]] caused widespread unemployment, and the price of gold skyrocketed. But as the depression turned for the better, Barkerville declined to a very small village.Barkerville.ca
  10. (2006). "MISCELLANEOUS STATUTES AMENDMENT ACT, 2006". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
  11. "Four New Class A Parks for British Columbia".
  12. "Barkerville Park".
  13. {{CRHP. 11971. Chee Kung Tong Building. 29 October 2011
  14. {{BCGNIS. 49538. Barkerville Historic Park
  15. (1980). "Barkerville Days". Mitchell Press Ltd..
  16. "Barkerville Historic Town". Interactive Broadcasting Corporation.
  17. "Barkerville National Historic Site of Canada".
  18. (2013-09-25). "Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data". Environment Canada.

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1862-establishments-in-the-british-empireprotected-areas-established-in-1959hudson's-bay-company-trading-postsghost-towns-in-british-columbiamuseums-in-british-columbiabritish-columbia-gold-rushesgeography-of-the-cariboonational-historic-sites-in-british-columbiaformer-provincial-parks-of-british-columbiaopen-air-museums-in-british-columbia