By Jill Hayward
Do you ever wonder what the history of Barriere is? What it looked like in the early days? Where the community’s buildings originally sprang up? The first general store, the first gas station? Where those buildings were situated, and if you are a in your senior years, do you remember some of the buildings that are no longer standing, or the families that resided there or ran businesses?
The answers to many of these questions are being revealed by an exciting project that has been undertaken by the North Thompson Museum and Archives who are working to create a Heritage Tour around the Barriere community. This tour will surely answer many of the above questions, and will provide an interesting and informative way to learn about the history of the twon of Barriere that is now 105 years old.
Once the Heritage Tour has been mapped out and established as a permanent walk with signage present, it will provide a focal point for tourists visiting the community, and will also draw them off the highway and into the downtown business core.
The excitement of this project has created a busy schedule for the Museum. On Wednesday, July 10, there is a planning meeting for The Heritage Tour at 2:30 p.m. at the Museum. Anyone who would like to help with information and planning will be gladly welcomed.
This Saturday, July 13, their will be a “drop by” Open House at the Museum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be with refreshments, and you can meet Museum hosts Chant and Caleb, as well as a number of Barriere and District Heritage Society members while also learning about and viewing about the history of the area,
The Barriere Heritage Tour will then take place on Tuesday July 23, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those interested in participating are asked to meet at the Museum at 10 a.m. to drive to the first stop, which will be “the old bridge” on the North Thompson River on Petersen-Betts Road. The next stop will be after a short drive to the High School to visit Meeksville. Then another short drive to the old IGA parking lot to walk around downtown Barriere and note it’s history. Then off to the Museum again to learn about “The Barriere Hotel”, “Forest Ranger Station” (North Thompson Museum &Archives), and the CN Station. The final stop will be the Museum for refreshments. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out and participate. Feel free to join the group at any point in the tour.
For more information about the Heritage Tour you are invited to attend the meeting on July 10, or you can contact the North Thompson Museum and Archives at 343 Lilley Road, Barriere, by calling 250-672-5583.
Find out more history of the area by checking out the Facebook page: Barriere History
