Leechtown, British Columbia
| Leechtown | |
|---|---|
 Leechtown
|
|
| Coordinates: 48°29′00″N 123°43′00″W / 48.48333°N 123.71667°WCoordinates: 48°29′00″N 123°43′00″W / 48.48333°N 123.71667°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Province |
 British Columbia
|
Leechtown is a ghost town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
The site now is only a clearing in the forest with little remaining except for some rotting foundations. It was accessible by bike or foot on the Galloping Goose Trail which follows a portion of the former Canadian National rail line between Victoria and the town of Youbou on the north shore of Cowichan Lake. The site of the Gold Commissioner's house is marked by a cairn on the north-western side of the Leech River at 48°29.741′N 123°42.705′W / 48.495683°N 123.711750°W. The current stone cairn is a replica cairn erected by concerned businessmen after the original cairn was destroyed by vandals. The original cairn's bronze dedication plate has been stolen but it used to read:
Memorial erected by the B.C. Historical Association on site of gold commissioner’s house to commemorate discovery of gold on Sooke River by Lieut. P. Leech, July, 1864, and to mark the site of Leechtown, which sprang up following discovery. Unveiled by the HON. R.BRUCE LIEUT.-GOVERNOR OF B.C. SEPT. 15. 1928
The town was named after Lieutenant Peter John Leech of the Royal Engineers and astronomer of the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition who was later City Engineer for Victoria, British Columbia. The Expedition, led by Robert Brown, discovered gold on the Leech River in July 1864. Within weeks, thousands of miners, many were veterans of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush six years earlier, travelled from Victoria overland by trail or by steamer to Sooke. By August 14 of that same year, 227 mining licences had been issued and by the end of the year there were 6 general stores and 3 hotels in business along with 30 saloons. At its peak, Leechtown and neighbouring Boulder City had 1,200 mines and 4,000 people but by 1865, the area had passed its peak and went into decline. As much as $100,000 in gold may have been taken out in the first year by a single miner, Donny Roux.
...
Wikipedia