THE LOST LEMON MINE After discovering gold, partners Blackjack and Lemon got into a bitter argument that was settled later that night, when Lemon seized an axe and murdered his sleeping companion. GOLD FROM THE B.X. STAGE A treasure of $15,000 in gold nuggets and bars, loot from an 1890 stagecoach robbery, is said to be buried along Scottie. Lost Lemon Mine, a legendary gold deposit reputedly somewhere between the Crowsnest Pass and the Highwood River in southwestern Alberta, discovered about 1870 by prospectors Frank Lemon and 'Blackjack.' Lemon allegedly murdered Blackjack at the mine and went mad. Two Stoney witnesses were sworn to secrecy by Chief Bearspaw.

Barkerville was a dynamic gold-rush town in the British Columbia interior during the the late 1800’s and early 1900’s . Gold mining in the area and its rich history during the Cariboo Gold Rush are demonstrated for visitors from all over the world, each and every summer. This historic town’s had over 100 original buildings and now boasts 21 reconstructed buildings. Large collection of artifacts and documents help trace the evolution of the community and the Cariboo region from the initial gold rush. Placer mining is the main focus through the continuing exploration for gold in lode and placer deposits. Declared a National Historic Site in 1923, Barkerville is recognized for the role it played in the development of the Interior of British Columbia and Canada. British Columbia established it as a provincial heritage site in 1958 to mark the province’s centennial. Barkerville is now one the premier historic sites of Western Canada.

Barkerville Booms

Blackjack Gold Mine Charters Towers

In 1858, The Fraser River Gold Rush drew thousands of men up the British Columbia river systems in search of the “Mother Lode”. By 1860, the Gold Rush frenzy spread north to Quesnelle Forks & Keithley Creek. By 1861, it had spread further north to Richfield on Williams Creek. William “Billy” Barker registered a land claim downstream from Richfield in 1862 in which gold was recovered up to 1895. A total of $650000 (priced at $16 to $21 a troy ounce) was recovered by Barker. Barkers windfall resulted in more than 5 million ounces of gold being recovered from the Cariboo goldfields. The main passage by which fortune seekers and freight reached their destinations was The Cariboo Waggon Road completed in 1865 and helped open up the Interior of British Columbia.

Blackjack Gold Miners

Barkerville was born around Billy Barker’s claim and soon became a boomtown. Sporting false-fronted log shanties perched on stilts along a narrow, muddy street, Barkerville had businesses of every description providing for the needs of miners and profiting from their earnings. Hotels, saloons, gambling houses, and restaurants flourished. Stores, dance halls, billiard rooms, and bowling alleys dotted Williams Creek. Theatre, churches, library groups and other buildings such as the Cambrian Hall, Chee Kung Tong, Mechanics Institute, and Williams Creek Fire Brigade were formed to meet the needs of residents.

Blackjack Gold Mine Menzies

Barkerville was destroyed by a fire that spread quickly through the wooden buildings on September 16, 1868. The town was rebuilt quickly and within six weeks, ninety buildings had been constructed. Boardwalks were improved, and the narrow and winding main street was widened and straightened. Barkerville School was built in 1880 to accomodate the town’s 13 pupils. It had one piece of school equipment – a chalkboard. By the end of the 19th century Barkerville’s population was declining and eventually had only a few people resident. When the Great Depression in the 1930’s caused widespread unemployment, and the price of gold skyrocketed, it had a brief revival.

Blackjack Gold Miner

People from all over the world converged on the creek. The initial flood of miners, mainly from California, was balanced by the presence of the British constabulary and justice system and people from eastern Canada. Chinese from Guangdong, China found their way to the goldfields and by the 1880s constituted half of the area’s population of 5000. First Nations people (eg, Tsimshian, Haida, Lillooet Interior Salish and Carrier) worked in the region. Blacks seeking freedom and a new life, and people from Mexico, Australia and Europe also travelled to Barkerville, making it a cosmopolitan town throughout its history.