In July of 1978 the Billy Barker Days Society commissioned Mr. Bruce Ollenberger to carve a 12 foot statue of Billy Barker from a giant Pacific Coast Cedar Tree. The statue was officially presented to the Town of Quesnel in commemoration of the Town's Fiftieth Anniversary which was celebrated throughout the year.
This wood carving of Billy Barker is a replacement of the original and is featured as a roadside attraction. Designed by Williams Lake muralist and designer Dwayne Davis, Billy was created by Quesnel woodcarver Ken Sheen. Billy weighs about 363 kg and took more than 200 hours to carve. Carved from half of a 600 year old Western red cedar, the new Billy was unveiled in mid March of 2013. The other half of the tree was turned into a "Welcome to Quesnel" sign at the Quesnel Airport.
Billy Barker is a well known historical figure featured throughout Quesnel and the region.
Quesnel celebrates Billy Barker Days each year in mid July with a parade, dances, amateur rodeo, fireworks displays, live music and nightly performances in the park - fun and games for the whole family. 2019 will mark the 45th annual event, B.C.'s largest free festival.
Billy Barker
When gold was found on Williams Creek in early 1861, Billy Barker was one of the prospectors who flocked to the area. With other English partners, he staked an unlikely claim on the creek "Below the Canyon".
Although they had to dig to a depth of 40 feet, they struck a gold deposit on August 17, 1862 which proved to be the richest in the Cariboo. The town of Barkerville grew up around the Barker & Co. claim.
This sculpture of Billy Barker was designed by Dwayne Davis and carved by Ken Sheen. It replaced an earlier chainsaw carving by Bruce C. Ollenburger, which was commissioned by the Billy Barker Days Society and presented to the City of Quesnel in 1978 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of Quesnel.
From the Plaque at the statue