The Barnard’s Express Company - Ashcroft, British Columbia
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T0SHEA
N 50° 43.247 W 121° 16.818
10U E 621389 N 5620185
The Barnard’s Express Company BCHM is near Railway Avenue in Heritage Place Park.
Waymark Code: WM141AJ
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 03/27/2021
Views: 0
Heritage Place is a well maintained interpretive park decorated with artifacts and buildings representing the history of the region. Within the park are a series of short walking paths with interpretive signs marking each exhibit that documents the early days of the railway and mining industries.
The park is a wonderful place to visit while in Ashcroft with huge trees, shaded benches and picnic tables. Throughout the park are several murals and mosaics. When we were there the visitor center and washrooms were open. There is parking on both sides of the park. The park is approximately 2 acres in size, though it is long and narrow.
The Barnard’s Express Company
"BX” was founded by Frances Barnard of Yale. Barnard would think nothing of trekking 700 miles to deliver letters & newspapers to miners up north. So hungry for news from home the miners would gladly pay as much as $2.00 per letter for the privilege. When the BX moved to Ashcroft (now a residence 601 Railway Ave.) it continued to prosper under the new owner Steven Tingley. A network of stagecoach lines provided links to key points of South Central BC, Cariboo, Chilcotin and Okanagan.
Stage cost: Ashcroft to Barkerville - $125.00 Motorized transport inevitably caused the decline of horse drawn transportation. But what a great run it had!
The BX Company’s history spanned over 50 years. It weathered floods and snow and the occasional hold up. It’s red and yellow coaches have provided service to dukes and princesses, judges, politicians, artists, poets, wealthy business men and the everyday people of the Cariboo.
