The first meeting of the Cariboo Historical Society took place in Wells in March of 1950. the Quesnel Historical Society was established in 1951, by which time members and other had already begun to collect household items, farm machinery, mining and logging equipment, and photographs. These items were stored in basements and sheds until the Federal Building (present post office) was opened in 1953, the Historical Society being given space in the basement to store their artifacts.
Fast forward to 1963.
In 1963 ... 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.
From the Quesnel Cariboo Observer
On the right is one of many ads the museum placed in its early years thanking donors to the museum and exhorting readers to "Come And Visit Your Museum". This one is from the June 16, 1976 edition of the Quesnel Cariboo Observer.
The museum now has a large and eclectic collection of everything and anything one expects to encounter in a Grade A museum, from the tiniest household artefacts to farm wagons and machinery, even a beautifully restored 1911 White roadster, once a 7 passenger touring car used as a stage running between Quesnel and Barkerville in the 1920s. There are rooms of photographs by well known local photographers C.D. Hoy and C.S. Wing, chronicling much of early life on the Cariboo. The various coherent displays document essentially aspect of life in the early days Cariboo.
Those days, incidentally, stretch back to 1861, the year the first pioneers of Quesnel sank roots here. The
Cariboo Gold Rush, and particularly the
Barkerville Gold Rush of 1861-62 are what gave rise to the City of Quesnel, which happened to be well situated to become a stopover and supply point for Barkerville.
There is even an outside display area, on the east corner of the building consisting of glassed walls housing larger lumbering and agriculture related artefacts. At present this is undergoing renovation, as are a few small areas inside the museum. Expect to spend at least a couple of hours here, longer is more likely than a shorter time.