Camp McKinney, British Columbia

Camp McKinney
Camp McKinney Location of Camp McKinney in British Columbia
Coordinates: 49°07′00″N 119°11′00″W / 49.11667°N 119.18333°W / 49.11667; -119.18333Coordinates: 49°07′00″N 119°11′00″W / 49.11667°N 119.18333°W / 49.11667; -119.18333
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia

Camp McKinney is a ghost town in the Boundary Country region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located southeast of Baldy Mountain, northeast of Osoyoos.^[1] Founded in 1896, it was situated on the south-eastern slopes of towering Baldy Mountain. Several mines in the area led to the creation of Camp McKinney. The premier mine was called Cariboo-Amelia, usually referred to as the Cariboo. By 1901 the population of McKinney was 250. Hotels such as St. Louis, Sailor, Camp McKinney, McBoyle & West's, Cariboo and Miner's exchange competed for the miners' trade. The stagecoach of Hall line from Fairview and from the east came Meyerhoff's stage from Midway. The business section of town consisted of 3 general stores, a drug store, a real estate office, butcher shop, a school and a church. By 1904 the gold mining declined in the area and Camp McKinney became a ghost town. Several attempts were made to revive the camp from 1907 which never succeeded. Today all that is left is a cemetery and a few abandoned workings.^[2]

Lost gold bars

On August 18, 1896, George B. McAulay of Spokane, Washington, one of the major shareholders in the Cariboo mine, left Camp McKinney for Midway. McAulay had three gold bricks valued at more than $10,000. He was robbed half an hour later on his way to Midway. Cariboo Mining Company posted a $3,000 reward for information leading to recovery of the gold bars. The bars were never recovered. It is believed the bars were hidden or buried somewhere in the area, close by Camp McKinney still waiting to be discovered.^[2]

Television

Camp McKinney was featured on the historical television series Gold Trails and Ghost Towns, Season 1, Episode 12.

References