Billy Barkerville Research Paper

Barkerville is one of the most, if not the most well known historic towns in British Columbia. It was the largest town in the Cariboo, conveniently located on the western edge of the Cariboo Mountains. It grew rapidly, before suddenly becoming almost forgotten, with a ghost town emerging in its place. How could such a thriving town, that was so full of life, be forgotten, to be allowed to die??The tale of Barkerville began with a young sailor form England; Billy Barker. After some time searching, he finally struck it rich in eighteen- sixty two when he uncovered gold in Williams Creek in the Cariboo area. The news of his finding spread like wild fire, and miners flocked to the area, hoping that they too might strike it rich. The miners travelled to the area and found the town newly christened as
Its population increased to nearly five thousand people. It was now the largest town north of San Francisco and west of Chicago. The temporary housing units transformed into houses, general stores, restaurants, and barber shops that also cut womens hair. There were soon enough children in Barkerville to establish a school. A road was constructed from the mines to Barkerville, making transportation much easier. The road, named the Cariboo Road, was soon known as the eighth wonder of the world by the miners. The road allowed supplies to be transported fast and easily by freight carts. The cost of supplies decreased considerably. Barkerville was truly at its greatest. However, on September sixteenth, eighteen-sixty eight, the town was burned down by a massive fire, nearly destroying all that had been built. Reconstruction of the community was put into action immediately, and within a month, seventy buildings were restored. It seemed that Barkerville was indestructible, that the booming community would, unlike the fire that burned through the town, never be