Gold was the element that turned British Columbia's interior plateau from an unknown wilderness into a region of thriving settlements and frenetic activity. As news of its discovery fi ltered to the outside world, adventurers, opportunists and suppliers from around the globe converged on the region's new towns or built even newer ones close to their claims. Van Winkle, Swamp River, Antler and many more settlements sprang up, only to fade quickly when the glitter ran out. But two towns were vital enough to survive: Quesnel, at the confl uence of the Quesnel and Fraser rivers; and Barkerville, where many of the richest strikes were made. Th is is their story, and the story of one of the most romantic episodes in western Canadian history - the Cariboo Gold Rush. Gordon Elliott fi rst wrote this classic account of the Cariboo's early history almost fi fty years ago. Revised and reissued in 1978, it is off ered here once again, this time with a new forward by Blanca Schorcht. Elliott was one of the fi rst staff hired by Simon Fraser University when it opened in 1965. Nearly 40 years later, he continues to serve as Professor Emeritus of English at SFU. Elliott has spent many years combining his interest in history with considerable writing, research and editing skills, providing assistance and furthering the study of British Columbia history, with works including Klondike Cattle Drive and British Columbia: A Centennial Anthology.

When gold was discovered on the Fraser River, the rush was on. By early spring of 1858 the need for shelter, food, rest stops and stores became very apparent, as miners and would-be-miners made their way up into the hinterland. From Yale to Barkerville, roadhouses sprung up along the Cariboo's gold-rush trail. From their crude beginning, the roadhouses soon grew to be more than just stopovers. The roadhouses are gone, but the communities, villages, towns and cities remain. Golden Nuggets, with pictures and written text, brings the roadhouses back to life and gives us a glimpse of yesterday.

In 1858, some 30,000 gold seekers stampeded to the Fraser River. Scores perished during the gruelling journey, but some made their fortune and many pressed on northwards to the creeks of the Cariboo. Originally compiled by Art Downs, founder of Heritage House, this is a vivid and detailed account of the first gold strikes, the miners who made them and the incredible efforts to establish transportation routes and build roads to the Cariboo goldfields. Here are the stories of the legendary Williams Creek diggings, which yielded a golden harvest of over $2.6 million in 1862, and creeks with names like Lightning, Jack of Clubs and Last Chance. Also included are excerpts from the journals of Lord Milton and Walter B. Cheadle, who became the first tourists to the Cariboo in 1863. Richly descriptive and touched with humour, their first-hand account is a fascinating window into Cariboo history.