South Cariboo's Capital - Service Center

100 Mile House - From past to present

The beginning has been Bridge Creek and was later named 100 Mile House.

It all begun in the early 1800s when the area's wildlife attracted fur traders. The Hudson's Bay Company's historic fur Brigade Trail ran from Kamloops to Fort Alexandria, and the valley of Bridge Creek became a favourite campground, offering green pastureland and fresh water. A small settlement was built here and became known as Bridge Creek, named for the bridge built in 1827.

Around 1859 Peter dunlevy found gold in Horsefly River. This started the largest Gold Rush north of San Francisco. Streams of adventurers began to ply the long road north from Vancouver to the Cariboo.

They primarily traveld by steamship as far north as Lillooet, and then by stagecoach and wagon north into the Horsefly area. Later after Billy Barker found gold, they travelled as far as Barkerville.

More than 100,000 people travelled the Cariboo Wagon Road between 1862 and 1870.

Many came from far away. From eastern Canada, the USA, China, Australia, Germany, Russia and other countries.

Stopping houses along the Cariboo Wagon Road were built to service horses and travellers.

Bridge Creek House was build in the summer of 1861. Because of its distance to Lilloet it was later called 100 Mile House on the Gold Rush Trail. But it should take another 104 years to finally have a town called 100 Mile House.

Several buildings and names of the past are still reminding us on this short but glorious history of 100 Mile House.

Passing thru the town along Highway 97, the Gold Rush Trail today, we will find businesses carrying the name Exeter in them and we'll will be reminded on Lord Martin Exeter. Without him, there wouldn't be any 100 Mile House as he gave up a lot of his own property to have the town established.

The old barn at the north end of the town is still reminding us on the Stevenson Brothers who build a sawmill on Bridge Creek and the said barn accross from Bridge Creek House to service the horse teams and stable them.

The town has become known for its many log home building companies and the high qualitiy amongst them.

Today it is still having a large sawmill run by Ainsworth and Lord Martin Exeter's children are still owning large properties, such as the Bridge Creek Estates.

Our guest love visiting the little town of 100 Mile House. Grocery stores, pubs, restaurants, cafes, shops and places to spend some time are worth while to go there.