Many left their home nations because of political turmoil, violence, discrimination poverty or a lack of opportunities. Some travelled from Scotland, England, Germany and even from China. The Fraser and Cariboo gold rushes (1858-1867) were no exception. Without a doubt, the gold rush shaped the landscape and history of British Columbia forever.īritish Columbia’s history is often framed through a European lens however, it involves a diverse range of people from around the world.
The petition was granted New Caledonia was renamed British Columbia, and in 1858 it was proclaimed a crown colony at Fort Langley with James Douglas being named the first Governor. As floods of newcomers came to the interior of BC, Douglas did not want history to repeat itself and lose territories to the Americans, so he petitioned Queen Victoria to establish a Colonial Government in New Caledonia. The Indigenous communities that lived in these areas since time immemorial were essential to the survival of the newcomers, trading and providing them with food and goods such as canoes, in addition to acting as trusted guides and translators among other things. In April of 1858, within weeks of the first ship arriving in Victoria, thousands made the journey up the Fraser River and into the interior of British Columbia searching for gold. By late spring of 1858, prospectors from California, Australia, Mexico, Europe, and as far away as China started to arrive in Victoria and New Westminster. There are no secrets in a gold town and rumours of a new gold rush began to spread. In 1857, gold was discovered in the Fraser River, and in the spring of 1858, James Douglas sent 800 ounces of gold to the San Francisco Mint knowing what word of the gold’s arrival would trigger. British Columbia’s gold rushes forever changed our province
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