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Leechtown gold rush reenacted

Members of the Victoria Esquilmalt Military Reenactors Association visit former ghost town
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Members of the Victoria Esquilmalt Military Reenactors Association recently reenacted the Leechtown gold rush.

Members of the Victoria Esquilmalt Military Reenactors Association recently reenacted the Leechtown gold rush.

After the discovery of gold by the Vancouver Island Expedition, thousands of goldminers and others made their way to Sooke in the summer of 1864.

J.M. Foly, a member of the Expedition posted a notice in the Colonist to meet him at  a specific location in Sooke harbour marked by a white flag with a Maltese Cross for the shortest and best routes to the mines.

Members of VEMRA met under a replica of that same flag, dressed in period correct historical clothing and accouterments they made the 14-kilometre round trip from Sooke Potholes to Leetchtown.

At Leechtown, they surveyed the historic site and even panned for gold using historical tools.

The Leechtown gold rush was a significant event in Vancouver Island history not only did it make some wealthy it caused the population the grow enormously.

Those involved in the reenactment included Don Thomas, Kyle McIntosh, Tony Austin, Timothy Watkins, Branko Diklitch and Martina Diklitch.