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Cariboo Gold Rush: The Road to Wealth in British Columbia

In 1857, gold was discovered in Cariboo, sparking a rush. Victoria boomed, and miners flocked to Barkerville. Discover the methods of gold mining, routes to B.C., and the end of the gold rush with an unexpected encounter with a grizzly bear.

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Cariboo Gold Rush: The Road to Wealth in British Columbia

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  1. THE CARIBOO GOLD RUSH The New Eldorado

  2. GOLD WAS DISCOVERED • 1857 – First Nations people on the Thompson River found nuggets and brought them to the HBC store. • James Douglas said, “It was GOLD.”

  3. THE GOLD RUSH IS ON • The quiet town of Victoria went from 300 fur traders to 20,000. • 2,800 people in a single day. • Lots went from $50 to $1500. • Miners from California packed up and headed north.

  4. VICTORIA TO GOLD COUNTRY • Left Victoria on anything that floated. (canoe,raft, and rowboat) • Fights broke out for places on steamers. • Arrived in New Westminister. • From there guided by First Nations or road in a wagon along the Cariboo Trail.

  5. THE CARIBOO ROAD • Governor Douglas built a road to ensure taxable revenue. • Miners would have to pass in order to get gold out. • Road would also promote settlement. • 4 hard yrs and $750,000 • Never totally recouped $$

  6. THE CARIBOO ROAD

  7. BARKERVILLE • Grew up almost overnight – Barker’s strike of gold • By 1860 = 5000 people – largest town north of San Francisco and west of Chicago. • Facilities improved as access improved.

  8. METHODS OF GOLD MINING PANNING • Easiest and simplest method. • Metal pan with sloping sides. • Gold is heavy and sinks to bottom of pan. • Wash light gravel out. • Left with black sand and gold flakes.

  9. METHODS OF MINING ROCKING • Faster method; two person job. • Built a box on rockers (like a cradle). • One shoveled sand and the other poured water to wash it through. -One rocker could produce $100/day. -By 1858, $500,000 worth of gold taken from the Fraser River

  10. METHODS OF MINING HYDRALIC • Used heavy water to erode banks. • Very environmently unfriendly. • Used to displace great quantity of earth.

  11. MAIN ROUTES TO B.C. ROUTE ONE • Fastest route • Most expensive • Sail from England to Panama Canal • Cross isthmus by stage • Sail North to San Francisco • Steamship to B.C. • 6 to 8 weeks

  12. MAIN ROUTES TO B.C. ROUTE TWO • Cheaper route • Much slower • Sail around tip of South America • Sail North to San Francisco • Further North to Victoria • 4 month journey

  13. MAIN ROUTES TO B.C. ROUTE THREE • Long and difficult trip • Steamer from England to Quebec • Overland to B.C. • Carts, wagons, stage coach, canoe, train, snowshoe, rafts • Many dangers • Rocky Mountains

  14. THE END OF THE GOLD RUSH

  15. BEAR MEAT This outhouse hadn’t been used in a 100 yrs. Grizzly Bear ‘Hunormus’ claws Me But it was on this day!

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