35:
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271:. By mid-August 1864, 227 mining licences had been issued. Within a month, over 500 miners were working claims, and surveyed townsite lots were for sale. By November, miners numbered 1,200. Yearend saw 6 general stores, 3 hotels, and 30 saloons. The 12-room Arrarat Hotel was the most prestigious, and was the headquarters for
434:
In an unknown year, Ed
Mullard, while hunting in the Jordan Meadows-Leechtown area, discovered a cave in the rock, comprising chiseled steps, multiple galleries and treasures. One account has Mullard alone, another includes a man named McLaren, but only Mullard actually entered the cave. The apparent
311:
The Leech River has been worked intermittently since the boom. In the earlier decades, this was principally
Chinese prospectors. In the early 1930s, J.S. MacDonald and E. Butterworth installed a small hydraulic plant. High-pressure hoses on the gravel bank did not prove profitable. Vanisle Mines were
438:
In April 1959, Mullard told his story to reporter Ted Harris, but died at 56, before he could show Harris the place. The next year, using information
Mullard provided, and aerial survey photos, the newspaper organized a fruitless search to locate the cave. A version has Mullard finding Spanish gold
358:
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.
324:
A 4-kilometre (2.5 mi) logging railway operated from
Leechtown to the Kapoor Lumber Company sawmill in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Cameron Lumber Company built a steam sawmill on the CN line in the mid-1930s. During the 1940s and 1950s, Leechtown was a thriving logging community. Prior
416:
of about $ 80,000 in gold. In 1859, Californian law enforcement fatally shot him. His $ 40,000 share of the proceeds is possibly buried somewhere. Allegedly, he found his way to
Leechtown to slowly launder the gold, which he kept hidden in a knee-high leather boot buried in the vicinity. The
425:
In 1864, after a storm, Leechtown prospector Hans
Christen searched for his missing mule, which he found sheltering inside the entrance of a small cave. Immediately inside the cave, he observed a vein of gold 24 inches wide extending well back. Allegedly a heavy drinker, Christen searched
275:, while inspecting the mines. Although as much as $ 100,000 in gold may have been extracted in the first year, by 1865 the rush was over, and by 1874 the diggings were largely deserted. At its peak, Leechtown and neighbouring Boulder City comprised 4,000 people.
391:. Since 2012, a warning sign and locked gate before the end of the trail have signified access to Leechtown is prohibited. Strengthening bylaws and installing additional gates and fences have reinforced the restricted access to the watershed area.
250:
Leech was later city engineer for
Victoria, the capital. John Foley made the initial gold discovery, and Robert Brown spoke the phrase "the gold will speak for itself." Traditionally, Leech has received credit on both counts.
349:
Logging and mining equipment is scattered throughout the area. Vandals damaged the original 1928 cairn, and with treasure hunters, have also destroyed buildings from the mining and logging eras. Indicating the site of the
298:
In 1943 and 1962, a locomotive plunged through a damaged bridge near
Leechton killing a crew member. In 1978, the CN Victoria–Leechtown track was abandoned and the rails removed. In 1987, the CN right-of-way became the
247:. Leech, a former engineer and astronomer, was responsible for documenting the resources discovered. Following observations of gold in July 1864, a tributary of the Sooke River was subsequently named the Leech River.
915:
363:
The 1980s replacement equally fared poorly. In 2014, a new monument was unveiled on the east side of the river at the Kapoor
Regional Park to commemorate the 150th anniversary.
69:
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ingots, one of which was on public view during the 1980s at the B.C. Ministry of Mines Mineral Titles display, a claim disavowed by the Ministry.
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water supply, which protects it from development and prevents public access. The former Leechtown, about 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) south of
316:
claims, and small scale operations produce quantities of fine gold and flakes. Now a mineral reserve, no new mining claims can be staked.
34:
971:
156:
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933:
295:(CN) acquired the bankrupt CNoPR. The Leechton train station that opened around 1926 was described as no larger than a chicken coop.
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211:). The "Leech River Complex" (also "Leech River Formation" and "Leech River Schist") is a well-known assemblage of highly deformed
522:
272:
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151:
1223:
236:
287:(CNoPR) construction from Victoria, the rail head reached just beyond Leechtown, at 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) south of
195:
Leechtown is notable for its geologic placement, which produced the historical gold finds. The Leech River runs along the
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341:. After 1935, the mine continued production throughout the 1940s, but the product was crushed in Vancouver.
992:
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442:
Rumours of a heavy Spanish bronze cannon sighted in the swamps of Jordan Meadows have also circulated.
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759:
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mine, which operated prior to 1930. After that date, mining and the grinding plant switched to green
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to 2007, TimberWest Forest Corp. owned more than 9,700 hectares (97 km) of land in the area.
264:
954:
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fundamental problem with the story is that the gold rush occurred five years after his death.
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599:(Facsimile reprint of 1909 ed.). Vancouver/Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre.
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199:, a major regional fault that marks a distinct geological boundary between the
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six years earlier, travelled from Victoria overland by trail or by steamer to
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unsuccessfully throughout the remainder of his life to find the cave again.
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is at the confluence of the Leech River into the Sooke River in southern
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equally unsuccessful during 1937–1941. The Leech River still has active
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288:
176:
569:
A field guide to gold, gemstone, and mineral sites of British Columbia
435:
discovery of a cave in the area in 1928 may have inspired the tale.
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originated near Leechtown. In 2007, the area was purchased for the
208:
408:, a Canadian, known as Rattlesnake Dick, and his gang, robbed a
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683:
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216:
212:
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1101:"Ed Mullard's Lost Spanish Cave of Jordan Meadows/Leechtown"
678:
934:"Preliminary Review and Summary of Mining Operations, 1930"
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654:
354:'s house, the cairn's stolen bronze dedication plate read:
334:
642:
721:"British Columbia railways: Passenger stations and stops"
183:
is about 59 kilometres (37 mi) by road northwest of
596:
British Columbia Place Names, Their Origin and History
387:
was previously accessible by bike or foot along the
1127:Ghost Towns & Mining Camps of Vancouver Island
571:. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers. p. 79.
227:events related to the regional tectonic activity.
1200:
1047:"Hans Christen's Lost Cave of Gold At Leechtown"
219:. The gold is thought to be derived from quartz
566:
1124:
689:
672:
660:
648:
243:, included Lieutenant Peter John Leech of the
523:"Natural Resources Canada:Geoscape Victoria"
383:and about 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of
889:
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910:
908:
223:concentrated in the schists, emplaced by
235:The town was named after the river. The
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866:
592:
420:
1229:Mining communities in British Columbia
1201:
905:
544:
542:
540:
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536:
853:"Goldsteam News Gazette, 26 Apr 2012"
560:
237:Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition
1194:MINFILE record summary for Leechtown
863:
429:
263:, many of whom were veterans of the
1125:Paterson, T.W.; Basque, G. (1999).
874:"Leech River Watershed Restoration"
533:
13:
366:
14:
1240:
1144:
593:Walbran, Captain John T. (1971).
285:Canadian Northern Pacific Railway
41:
16:Place in British Columbia, Canada
125:
105:
40:
33:
1209:Ghost towns in British Columbia
1093:
1075:
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1021:
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985:
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918:(Press release). Archived from
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306:
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385:Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
328:
301:Galloping Goose Regional Trail
254:
230:
1:
1118:
1083:"Daily Colonist, 21 Sep 1969"
1065:"Daily Colonist, 11 Nov 1960"
1029:"Daily Colonist, 13 Dec 1964"
1011:"Times Colonist, 23 Nov 2013"
796:"Daily Colonist, 30 Dec 1962"
728:www.railwaystationlists.co.uk
703:"Daily Colonist, 17 Oct 1912"
632:"Times Colonist, 23 Nov 2014"
1224:British Columbia gold rushes
993:"BC Local News, 23 Jul 2014"
895:"Victoria News, 25 Sep 2017"
814:"Daily Colonist, 5 Aug 1978"
778:"Daily Colonist, 4 Aug 1943"
760:"Daily Colonist, 2 Nov 1927"
448:
7:
1182:GPX (secondary coordinates)
972:"Mines Annual Report, 1947"
394:
259:Within weeks, thousands of
10:
1245:
690:Paterson & Basque 1999
673:Paterson & Basque 1999
661:Paterson & Basque 1999
649:Paterson & Basque 1999
319:
278:
190:
1214:Southern Vancouver Island
1177:GPX (primary coordinates)
1152:Map all coordinates using
857:www.goldstreamgazette.com
344:
293:Canadian National Railway
157:Capital Regional District
150:
138:
118:
100:
65:
54:Location of Leechtown in
28:
21:
1160:Download coordinates as:
1129:. Sunfire Publications.
955:Minerals Yearbook, 1942
567:Hudson, Richard (1997).
1089:. 1969. pp. 10–11.
333:At nearby Kapoor was a
291:, in October 1912. The
265:Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
1071:. 1960. pp. 1, 3.
916:"Newswire, 8 Aug 2007"
463:"Leechtown (locality)"
371:During 1915–1970, the
361:
85:48.48333°N 123.71667°W
1172:GPX (all coordinates)
1035:. 1964. pp. 6–7.
1015:www.timescolonist.com
636:www.timescolonist.com
508:BC Geographical Names
503:"Sooke River (river)"
488:BC Geographical Names
483:"Leech River (river)"
468:BC Geographical Names
389:Galloping Goose Trail
356:
1219:Canadian gold rushes
1105:www.bcprospectors.ca
1051:www.bcprospectors.ca
901:. 25 September 2017.
421:Hans Christen's cave
90:48.48333; -123.71667
997:www.bclocalnews.com
832:"Leech River, 1944"
784:. 1943. p. 10.
742:"1926 BC Directory"
201:Pacific Rim Terrane
81: /
841:. pp. 2, 6–8.
820:. 1978. p. 4.
802:. 1962. p. 4.
766:. 1927. p. 7.
709:. 1912. p. 1.
554:www.waymarking.com
430:Ed Mullard's cave
404:In 1855 or 1856,
352:Gold Commissioner
197:Leech River Fault
162:
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152:Regional district
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273:Governor Kennedy
205:Crescent Terrane
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943:. p. 68.
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66:Coordinates:
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730:. p. 9.
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675:, p. 7.
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656:
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615:. Retrieved
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307:Later mining
297:
282:
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249:
241:Robert Brown
234:
225:hydrothermal
194:
181:BC Highway 1
164:
163:
550:"Leechtown"
410:Wells-Fargo
400:Golden boot
329:Kapoor mine
283:During the
261:prospectors
255:Mining boom
231:Name origin
88: /
76:123°43′00″W
1203:Categories
1119:References
617:2009-04-26
414:California
381:Sooke Lake
289:Sooke Lake
177:ghost town
73:48°29′00″N
449:Footnotes
359:15. 1928.
239:, led by
221:stringers
207:(part of
165:Leechtown
48:Leechtown
23:Leechtown
395:Folklore
209:Siletzia
203:and the
185:Victoria
120:Province
320:Logging
279:Railway
213:schists
191:Geology
101:Country
1133:
603:
575:
345:Relics
314:placer
217:gneiss
179:, off
175:. The
140:Region
130:
113:Canada
110:
975:(PDF)
937:(PDF)
835:(PDF)
724:(PDF)
339:shale
269:Sooke
1131:ISBN
601:ISBN
573:ISBN
335:talc
1167:KML
1205::
1103:.
1085:.
1067:.
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995:.
977:.
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907:^
897:.
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876:.
865:^
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634:.
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535:^
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880:.
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556:.
511:.
491:.
471:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
