Welcome To Quesnel

Located at the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers, Quesnel is the traditional home to people of the great Dakelh Nation, the “people who travel on water.” During the 1860s, Quesnellemouth, as it was called then, was one of the entrances to the gold fields and a logical resting place for miners. In 1863, Quesnel became a disembarking point for the paddlewheel steamers from Soda Creek. The sternwheeler traffic, combined with the completion of the Cariboo Wagon Road in 1865, established Quesnel as a major river port that continues to thrive today.

The Quesnel Museum and Archives, located, along with the Tourism Information Center, at LeBourdais Park near the entrance to town, features gold rush history as well as collections of Chinese and First Nations’ artifacts. Right by the river in downtown Quesnel is the town’s Heritage Corner where you’ll find the remains the first Fraser riverboat to travel to Quesnel. From Heritage Corner one can see the Old Fraser River Bridge (now a footbridge), built in 1928 and the restored Hudson's Bay Store built in 1859. Finally, don’t miss Quesnel’s fabulous Billy Barker Days, held annually in July. It’s always a great chance to dress up in old-fashioned garb.