Barkerville, Historic gold rush town and open-air museum in the Cariboo region, British Columbia, Canada
Barkerville is an old mining town in the Cariboo region that is preserved today as an open-air museum. The site includes original and reconstructed 19th century buildings, such as homes, shops, churches, and other public structures that show what daily life was like during the gold rush.
The town started in the 1860s as the center of the gold rush in British Columbia. It grew rapidly into one of the largest cities in the province, but after the gold ran out, it was abandoned and nearly fell into ruin.
The place reflects life during the gold rush, when thousands of people came here seeking fortune. The buildings and street layout show how a mining town was organized and how people lived together back then.
Barkerville lies 80 km east of Quesnel on BC Highway 26, which follows the old Cariboo Wagon Road. The historic town and its campgrounds sit on the western edge of the Cariboo Mountains, so plan for cool nights even in summer. The restoration of the townsite was a long process, and some buildings may still be closed while work continues.
The 1868 fire destroyed most of the wooden town, yet ninety buildings were rebuilt within six weeks. The narrow, winding main street was widened and straightened in the process, and boardwalks were improved. The Chee Kung Tong Building, completed in 1877, is a two-storey board-and-batten structure later designated a National Historic Site.
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