• Age: 15
• Grade: 10

The stories of the men and women who dug for gold on Williams Creek are told in this revised and updated edition of a Canadian bestseller.

 

The legendary town of Barkerville is flourishing today, just as it did more than 150 years ago, but this time under the care of professional and amateur historians. Richard Thomas Wright peels back the pages of history as he unearths the area’s history and chronicles the fortunes and the follies of gold-rush-era Barkerville. The result of years of around-the-world research, Barkerville and the Cariboo Goldfields brings to life the men and women of the creeks who came in search of gold and left their mark on BC history. Wright mined the archives to bring forth new information on the development of the Cariboo goldfields and nearby places of interest.

 

Barkerville includes dozens of little-known historical photos and a complete index. It is the best, most comprehensive source of detailed information on this important national heritage site.

Richard Thomas Wright is an historical and outdoors writer and photographer. He has published 22 books and countless magazine and newspaper articles. For several years, Wright has operated the Theatre Royal in Barkerville with Newman and Wright Theatre Co. He now lives in Wells, the heart of gold country, just eight kilometres from Barkerville.

Richard Thomas Wright's profile page

"Not only is this an excellent introduction to the history of Barkerville and surrounding regions, it puts the region and its people into the greater context of British Columbian history." —Susan Smith-Josephy, The Past Is Present, Blogger

"An extensive walking tour of historic Barkerville and a detailed description of all the buildings and landmarks make this an excellent visitor guide." —BC Books for BC Schools

"Here one reads of the lives and pursuits, challenges and solutions, failures and successes of those who ventured to the Cariboo in the great 1850s gold rush. Who arrived, how they got there, how they were supplied and what they did when not searching for gold—these stories are told in intriguing detail." —BC Books for BC Schools, 2014-15

"Wright has carried out Cariboo Gold Rush research in archives all over the world, and his detailed knowledge of Barkerville’s past is unparalleled. His detailed popular narrative provides a modern account of Cariboo Gold Rush history that reflects the steadily improving academic understanding of this event." —BC Studies

Barkerville and the Cariboo Goldfields

This book, considered the most comprehensive source on the area, is a revised and updated edition to the Canadian bestseller. Wright, well known author, historian and researcher, provides new information on Barkerville, the centre of the Cariboo goldfields. Its historic importance was recognized in 1958 when it was declared a provincial historical park. Through the work of curators and historians, today it is a national heritage site. The author chronicles life in the goldfields along Williams Creek. He reveals how the little-known miner, Chinese shopkeeper and hurdy-gurdy dancer lived side-by-side the significant, Cameron, Barker and Begbie each leaving their mark. An extensive walking tour of historic Barkerville and a map of the town accompanied by a detailed description of all the buildings and landmarks make this an excellent visitor guide.