The Way to Leechtown
So many people go looking for the 1864 location of Leechtown and never find it. It comes down to whom or from where one gets their directions.
Once arriving at Kapoor Station at the 55.5km location along the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) some believe this is the former site of the1864 townsite. It is not.
Kapoor Station was erected by the Capital Regional District (CRD) in the 'Clearing' but only is the former site of Cameron Lumber's 1934-50 log sort operations. It did get the moniker 'Leechtown' due only to its proximity to that location. The 'Leechtown' moniker was — and still is — seemingly given to any and all locations in that general area.
The good news is the CRD also erected a kiosk which has a map showing exactly where the original, 1864 Leechtown site is located. The map shows the boundaries of the Kapoor Regional Park which are all lands lying between the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) and the Sooke River. It shows the townsite on the western side of Sooke River at the confluence of it and the Leech River. The map shows all the township's lots which are all numbered. By the way, lot numbers 25-31 are located on the east side of Sooke River (GGT side) and have a trail leading right to them even in this day.
So what is the great mystery regarding the exact location of the original 1864 Leechtown townsite? Computer users are admonish to: "Read your screen". Outdoor enthusiast are admonished to: "Read your map". It could not be any simpler.
There's nothing to see of the old townsite. Remember, the other side of the Sooke River is not in the park and is private land. Trespass at your own risk. This is, however, where the remnants of the Gold Commissioner's Cairn is located and draws many to view it. The original cairn was destroyed by vandals and the replica cairn has not fared that much better. Our last report is dated 2008 and the replica cairn was still there.
Leechtown Gold Commissioner's Cairn
see also flic.kr/p/nycsJN
wolf crk trail flic.kr/p/oN3v1R
kapoor mill flic.kr/p/ng9j1Z
The Way to Leechtown
So many people go looking for the 1864 location of Leechtown and never find it. It comes down to whom or from where one gets their directions.
Once arriving at Kapoor Station at the 55.5km location along the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) some believe this is the former site of the1864 townsite. It is not.
Kapoor Station was erected by the Capital Regional District (CRD) in the 'Clearing' but only is the former site of Cameron Lumber's 1934-50 log sort operations. It did get the moniker 'Leechtown' due only to its proximity to that location. The 'Leechtown' moniker was — and still is — seemingly given to any and all locations in that general area.
The good news is the CRD also erected a kiosk which has a map showing exactly where the original, 1864 Leechtown site is located. The map shows the boundaries of the Kapoor Regional Park which are all lands lying between the Galloping Goose Trail (GGT) and the Sooke River. It shows the townsite on the western side of Sooke River at the confluence of it and the Leech River. The map shows all the township's lots which are all numbered. By the way, lot numbers 25-31 are located on the east side of Sooke River (GGT side) and have a trail leading right to them even in this day.
So what is the great mystery regarding the exact location of the original 1864 Leechtown townsite? Computer users are admonish to: "Read your screen". Outdoor enthusiast are admonished to: "Read your map". It could not be any simpler.
There's nothing to see of the old townsite. Remember, the other side of the Sooke River is not in the park and is private land. Trespass at your own risk. This is, however, where the remnants of the Gold Commissioner's Cairn is located and draws many to view it. The original cairn was destroyed by vandals and the replica cairn has not fared that much better. Our last report is dated 2008 and the replica cairn was still there.
Leechtown Gold Commissioner's Cairn
see also flic.kr/p/nycsJN
wolf crk trail flic.kr/p/oN3v1R
kapoor mill flic.kr/p/ng9j1Z