Leechtown: Vancouver Island�s Ghost Town

add to outlook add to google calendar remind me

Sunday, September 14th, 2014
1:00 PM

Hear author, Bart van den Berk talk about Southern Vancouver Island�s own ghost town, Leechtown. In April 1864, Governor Arthur Edward Kennedy offered to contribute two dollars for every dollar raised by the public for the organization of an expedition to explore the still unknown interior of Vancouver Island. In May, prominent citizens of Victoria formed a committee, public meetings were held and nine explorers, under command of Robert Brown, were chosen to form the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition (VIEE).

On June 7, 1864 they left Victoria aboard the gunboat HMS Grappler for Cowichan Bay from where they would start their journey over the island for the next 136 days. After travelling towards Sooke Lake on July 18, the Leech River was named and �payable� gold was discovered. Ten days later the news reached Victoria and the gold rush was on.