It was September 16th of the year 1868, and a long hot Summer day in the gold rush town of Barkerville. According to the story passed from one generation to the next, that afternoon saw a man make an unwanted move on a woman at the back of Adler and Berry’s New Fashion Saloon. A scuffle ensued and a stovepipe was knocked over, resulting in a fire. Within minutes the town of Barkerville was in flames.
Tag: Barkerville
The Canadian Weather Stick
Growing up in Canada, we didn’t have televisions or radios. News came by way of dogsled. The only way to know the weather was to stick your head outside. If you got wet then it was a sure sign it was raining.
Barkerville Post Office
Because the old Gold Rush town of Barkerville was so remote, its residents struggled to keep correspondence up with loved ones back home. Initially letters were sent with friends traveling between Victoria and nearby Quesnel. It wasn’t very reliable, and I imagine it didn’t help with feelings of homesickness.
Wells Barkerville Cemetery
Mine cave-ins, accidents, assaults, disease and old age. Life in a gold rush camp was difficult. Many of those who passed were buried in one of the areas four cemeteries.
Dr. Hugh Watt
Dr. Wyatt, great-grandson of James Watt (he patented the steam engine) moved to Barkerville with his wife in 1882 where they set up house.
Nicol Hotel Museum
Not unlike modern times, the buildings and properties of Barkerville were regularly bought and sold taking on different forms. The history of a single building can often make you dizzy with its twists and turns.
Fashionable Haircutting, Gold Rush Style
Before visiting Barkerville, I naively thought the town was full of hairy unsavoury types who worked all day and drank all night. Hygiene and keeping up appearances never crossed my mind. So it was interesting to learn about the town’s barbershop owned by Mr. Wellington Delaney Moses.
Let’s take a closer look at the sign..
Sorry it’s blurry. It reads, “If your hair is falling call and have it restored before you are bald headed.”. Mr. Moses promoted his Hair Invigorator, which supposedly could restore thinning hair – as well as relieving headaches, and changing the colour and richness of your hair. Basically, a big fat lie that I’m sure insecure locals lapped up while handing over their hard-earned cash.
But aside from questionable business practices, Mr. Moses also made a name for himself by solving a murder. Yep, that’s right. To read more about his impressive sleuthing skills, check out the Royal BC Museum‘s article here.
Bonne journée!
Marla
Wake Up Jake
Dining options in Barkerville are limited, but James and I enjoyed our lunch of simple home-style comfort food at Wake Up Jake.
Wilf Thomson’s Cabin
Today let’s take a quick peek into a cabin built way back in the 1890’s. It was home to several people before ultimately being purchased by Wilf Thomson in 1931.
Columbian Ground Squirrels
Here’s my newest favourite creature – the Columbian Ground Squirrel. They look like the squirrels I’m used to seeing here in Vancouver, just bigger. Much bigger.
Columbian Ground Squirrels have been known to hibernate for up to 220 days (!), waking every few weeks to eat some of the food they’d previously stockpiled – as well as going to the bathroom.
They’re inquisitive and quite chatty, making little chirpy noises while standing on their hind legs looking around. They run rampant in Barkerville and are the bane of existence of anyone working there. It’s not uncommon to see them trying to sneak through the open door of the town’s candy shop, and hear the staff shouting as the squirrels were chased back out. But to a city dweller like me, I wanted to catch them all to bring home as pets.
BECAUSE LOOK AT IT!
I think I’m in love.
Bonne journée!
Marla
John Bibby’s Tin Shop
Because Barkerville is so remote (even today the nearest city is over an hour’s drive away), much of the necessary supplies were produced onsite. A real community was built by craftsmen looking for a way to create a living for themselves while providing the products and services the citizens would need for their daily lives.
A Place to Lay Your Head
At its peak during the mid 1860’s, the town of Barkerville was home to approximately 5000 people. Much of its population was in town temporarily, hoping to get rich quick before leaving with pockets full of gold.
Rust
The historic gold rush town of Barkerville consists of a main road and a secondary road. It’s on that secondary road that James and I noticed a collection of old pieces of machinery lying out in the elements.
Thursday Doors – Barkerville
This week, let’s take a look at the entrance to St. Saviour’s Anglican Church in Barkerville. It’s easily one of the most recognizable buildings in the historic gold rush town.
Cameron & Ames Blacksmith Shop
Barkerville’s blacksmiths were vital to the old gold rush town, making both household and mining supplies as well as horseshoes.
Doctor Jones, At Your Service
I have a coworker who actually enjoys going to the dentist. Which is super weird to me, because the mere thought of visits to the dentist make me break out in a cold sweat.
Toilet Humour
If the title of this post has you worried, I understand. But fret not. I just want to share some of the toilet signs I’ve come across on my travels both near and far.
