The Goldpan City!

Quesnel is at the heart of the great Cariboo Gold Rush of 1859 and was once thought of being destined to be British Columbia’s capital. Although the gold fields in the Cariboo area were the richest finds in North America, the bonanza lasted only about 50 decades before life settled back to normal.

However, by around 1920 Quesnel was established as a major center and today serves - among its many other roles - as the gateway to the historic town of Barkerville, as well as one of Central British Columbia’s major hubs for tourism.

The rich history of Quesnel is still very much present and a self-guided walking tour will take you on a fascinating time travel journey through downtown Quesnel - a superbly written and illustrated guide booklet is available at the visitor centre.

Quesnel’s downtown is nestled on the land wedge formed by the Fraser River and the Quesnel River meeting at this point. The presence of the two rivers was of utmost importance to the development of Quesnel as a major centre. The rivers were also the inspiration for the City’s name: Simon Fraser, one of British Columbia’s most recognized explorers, was so taken by the beauty of the spot that he named the Quesnel River after his Lieutenant, Jules Maurice Quesnel.

From its ancient roots as a summer fishing camp of the people of the Chentsit’hala Carrier Nation to today’s bustling place of business, Quesnel has transformed itself many times. With the arrival of hordes of gold hungry miners came the paddle wheelers navigating the Fraser River. With the arrival of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway the wood industry and lumber export took off in a big way, and today Quesnel - the woodsmart™ city - is at the forefront of promoting the diversification of value added wood manufacturing and new media development.