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The history of our history: Origins of our Museum

The first meeting of the Cariboo Historical Society, Quesnel Branch was held in Wells, March 1950.

The first meeting of the Cariboo Historical Society, Quesnel Branch was held in Wells, March 1950.

William D. Morris was elected chairman at this meeting. He started to foster interest in preserving stories and relics of Quesnel, Wells and Barkerville through his newspaper column titled, “Don’t Take my Word for it, But” in 1949. On July 4, 1951, Alvin Johnston of Quesnel was elected president.

Many years before the museum building was erected, a group of dedicated residents were busy preserving Quesnel’s young, but exciting, history. As stated in the Society’s constitution, the Quesnel Branch of the Cariboo Historical Society was formed “to acquire and preserve information on the early history of the Cariboo.”

By the time they formed the Quesnel Historical Society in 1951, many household items, farm machinery, mining and logging equipment, and photographs had already been collected.

These items had to be stored in society members' basements and sheds. When the Federal Building (present post office) was opened in 1949, to house the Post Office and RCMP, the Historical Society was given space in the basement to store their artifacts. Some of the first artifacts gathered were the Barlow Collection and later Dr. G.R. Baker’s medical equipment. They had the start of a museum, but no building to keep it in.

In the mid-1950s, the Board of Trade asked the Town Council to build a Tourist Information Centre and soon the Historical Society began looking at ways and means to raise money and to raise the profile of the society. Key members were on committees, and in 1963 it paid off. Plans for a new tourist bureau and museum were approved by council members in February.

It was decided to proceed with the work at once, so that the project would qualify for approval under the Winter Works Incentive Program. The museum, a 20 ft. x 80 ft. block building with a low pitched roof, costing approximately $22,800, was built in LeBourdais Park, much of the work done by the society led to the establishment of the Quesnel and District Museum, opened in August 16, 1963.

Now a problem arose with no paid staff –  how to man it. The historical society members were asked if they would volunteer to man the museum, and they did. In 1968, an addition was added to the west side of the building where the present day Tourist Information Centre is located. In 1971, yet another addition was added with a basement to the east side of the building.

In 1987, the Lois Dawson Memorial Wing was added. This wing is climate controlled and houses an exhibit gallery and storage space for archival collections.

This expansion was in part required to accommodate the Bohanon/Fuller Collection, the contents of a Heritage home belonging to one of the areas more prosperous pioneering families.

The Cariboo Historical Society was reformed in 1976 and was dissolved in 1981 due in part to the fact that the museum is owned and operated by the City of Quesnel.

Most of the Cariboo Historical Society records and meeting minutes are kept in the archives of the Quesnel Museum. If anyone were to go into the basement area, they would find so many more artifacts that could be displayed if space permitted. There is a shelf-ready set of plans for a new Museum and Information Centre when, and if, the citizens of Quesnel could afford to support this project.

Today the museum curator (Elizabeth Hunter) oversees the museum collection displays, exhibits, overall collecting and de-accessioning (only because we have multiples of items and no more space to display or store them) of artifacts and memorabilia.

The curator works closely with the Museum and Heritage Commission and the Friends of the Museum who help guide and promote museum activities and projects.