[BCMA] BC Heritage fares big in Barkerville this Dominion Day - corrected

Tue Jun 29 13:32:46 PDT 2010

For Immediate Release

BC Heritage fares big in Barkerville this Dominion Day

BARKERVILLE, BC, June 29th, 2010 - Ottawa didn't declare July 1st
Dominion Day (or, "Canada Day") until 1879.  British Columbia didn't
even join Confederation until 1871.  But three years earlier, on July
1st, 1868 - one year after Upper and Lower Canada officially joined
teams to form our beloved Dominion - the citizens of Barkerville, BC
gathered to celebrate that union, Cariboo-style. 

It all started just past the stroke of midnight, when local blacksmith
(and Ontario native) John Campbell poured a layer of gunpowder between
two large anvils, stacked one on top of the other.  Campbell proceeded
to treated the town to a "21 gun salute" by repeatedly striking the top
anvil with steel hammers he held in each hand.  

The intent, apparently, was to remind the American miners and
businesspeople living in Barkerville - who were known to celebrate their
Independence Day rather raucously - that Canadians also had reason and,
more importantly, rhyme to celebrate... three days earlier than their
American counterparts.

Later in the day, traditional Victorian games and sporting events -
including horse racing, athletic feats, and a grease pole climb -
mingled with the most "modern" of spectacles: a downhill race between
two rudimentary bicycles called Barkerville Boneshakers (for obvious
reasons). 

Considered by many to be the first bicycle ever built in British
Columbia, the Barkerville Boneshaker sported a two-wheeled solid iron
frame with no suspension to speak of, and peddles that attached directly
to its front axle.  The original "Boneshaker" is now part of the
permanent collection at the Museum of Vancouver.  

The evening concluded with a special performance by the Cariboo Amateur
Dramatic Association at Barkerville's renowned Theatre Royal, followed
by a fireworks display.

"This is the earliest recorded celebration of Canada Day in our
country's history," said Nan Zhu, Barkerville's summer Special Events
Coordinator.  "And Barkerville has continued the party every year since,
for the past 143 years."  

Ever since the entire town was declared a National Historic Site of
Canada in 1923, hundreds of thousands of visitors have flocked to
Williams Creek to take part in Barkerville's annual Dominion Day
celebrations.  

"Celebrating Canada's birthday here in Barkerville has a profound
meaning," said Nan Zhu.  "Barkerville provides a unique and intriguing
setting for visitors to commemorate British Columbia's history, to
reminisce about its pioneers, and to share the joy and pride of being a
Canadian."

This year as special commemoration, alongside traditional Victorian
games and sporting events Barkerville will host the 2010 BC Provincial
Heritage Fair.  

Barkerville and nearby Wells will welcome sixty regional Heritage Fair
winners, all students grades 4 through 10, from thirteen regions across
British Columbia to a non-adjudicated provincial bash designed to
introduce Heritage Fair delegates to one of this province's premiere
heritage resources, while exhibiting the efforts of a new generation of
history enthusiasts to the thousand-plus visitors Barkerville hopes to
see on July 1st.

The opening ceremonies for the Provincial Heritage Fair will commence at
11:00 am.  At noon Barkerville's giant Dominion Day birthday cake will
be served, followed by a costumed street parade and array of traditional
games for both children and adults, including a broad jump, funny face
contest, cracker eating whistle races, sack race, tug-o-war, egg toss,
hammer toss, ladies nail-pounding, egg-and-spoon race, and a grease pole
climb.  Later in the evening guests are invited to the House Hotel for
dancing and mingling to the tunes of the Lakeside Ramblers, and a grand
finale fireworks display at approximately 10:00 pm. 

Please join Barkerville Historic Town in the celebration of Canada's
143rd birthday, and take an advantage of our exciting, entertaining and
edifying events.  You'll treasure the experience.

-30-

About Barkerville Historic Town

BARKERVILLE HISTORIC TOWN is the largest historic site in western North
America (www.barkerville.ca <http://www.barkerville.ca/> ).  Barkerville
is provincially, nationally and internationally recognized for its
historic significance associated with its place in western Canada's gold
rush era and the role the gold rush played in BC joining Canada.
Barkerville is widely known as a "must see" for travel itineraries in
western Canada.  The historic town is also a significant contributor to
the Cariboo regional economy and is widely regarded as a unique
component of the regional identity.

The Barkerville Heritage Trust, as Barkerville's operating and managing
partner, works in conjunction with the Province of British Columbia, the
owner and statutory guardian of Barkerville's heritage resources,  to
ensure that Barkerville is efficiently managed, entertaining and
educational to visitors,  and financially stable as the premier heritage
resource and tourism attraction for the Cariboo.  The ultimate aim is to
maintain and enhance Barkerville's position as a nationally significant
heritage resource and tourism attraction for British Columbia and
Canada.

Barkerville is situated 80 km east of Quesnel, British Columbia in the
foothills of the Cariboo Mountains, close to Troll Mountain Ski Resort
and Bowron Lake Provincial Park.  The nearby community of Wells (8 km
from Barkerville) is the service and housing centre for the area (
www.wellsbc.com <http://www.wellsbc.com/> ) and is itself a dynamic
cultural community, home of Island Mountain Arts, the acclaimed Toni
Only Artists' Project, the International Celtic Harp School (
www.imarts.com <http://www.imarts.com/> ), the dynamic indie music
festival ArtsWells (www.artswells.com <http://www.artswells.com/> ), and
the Sunset Theatre (www.sunset-theatre.com
<http://www.sunset-theatre.com/> ). Wells is also situated close to a
wide variety of winter and summer outdoor activities

Media Inquiries

James Douglas

Marketing and Communications

Barkerville Historic Town

Box 19

Barkerville, BC V0K 1B0

250-994-3302 ext. 41

888-994-3332 toll free

250-994-3435 fax

james.douglas at barkerville.ca

www.barkerville.ca
<https://mail.barkerville.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.barker
ville.ca/> 

barkerville.wordpress.com 

Skype: barkerville.historic.town

Twitter: #barkervillebc

Watch: youtube.com/barkervilletv
<https://mail.barkerville.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://youtube.co
m/barkervilletv> 

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