This summer has been full of efforts to create family memories. One of our most memorable days was a trip to Barkerville in August. If you have no idea what Barkerville is, then this is what you need to know.
Barkerville is a National Historic Site located approximately two hours south of Prince George. We usually take the short cut so that we can to shave off a bit of travel time. Barkerville covers over 1,130 acres, contains 107 heritage buildings, and welcomes over 50,000 visitors every year. It is named in honour of Billy Barker, who struck gold in Williams Creek on August 17, 1862. This is a fun fact: during the Gold Rush, Barkerville was the largest city north of San Francisco and west of Chicago! On September 16, 1868 the entire town burnt down. It was rebuilt and continued to be a thriving community during the duration of the Gold Rush.
In the present day, Barkerville is more than just historic buildings and artifacts. I encourage you to make the trip to Barkerville as there’s a lot for you and your family to check out. It provides a great day out for your family, and if you need more time to explore, you can either stay overnight in one of the B&Bs, stay in a small community five minutes from the front gates called Wells, or check into one of the many nearby campsites.
Based on my family’s experience, here are the top 10 things you must do during your visit to Barkerville:
- Wander around the streets and be entertained by interpreters who spend the day in character and provide you with a glimpse of what life was like in the 1800s.
- Grab a sticky bun from Richfield Bakery.
- Visit every building in China Town to learn the role that the Chinese played in Barkerville during the Gold Rush.
- Grab lunch at Wake up Jakes. I had the meatloaf. It was delicious and I was given a huge portion.
- Buy candy from the candy store and fudge from the General Store.
- Walk through town and head up to Richfield to watch a “trial” at the Courthouse.
- Take a ride through town on the horse drawn carriage.
- Pan for gold.
- Treat yourself to an ice cream or a beverage at the licensed saloon.
- Hear a pitch for investment at the Cornish Waterwheel.
Make sure to check out the Barkerville website or Facebook page to learn about everything that’s going on and to access their event schedule.
Can’t wait to hear about your trip back in time!
Until next time, all the best,
Tim
P.S. – Thank you everyone who reached out after my last post regarding my hunt for the greatest cinnamon bun in Prince George. I had a great response through social media with people giving me some great tips of cinnamon buns that may rival Playgrounds for the best cinnamon bun in Prince George. I will keep you posted once I have a chance give them all a try!
