1953-1957::The Sourdough Lodge Boys Camp of Sooke, British Columbia

A boys' club to honour the time of the Great Pacific gold rushes and the Klondike Sourdough Miners.

"1955::Sourdough Boys Selling Christmas Trees in Sooke, British Columbia"

Photo Clip: Victoria Daily Times (1955)

Victoria, British Columbia

In 1953, an all-boys club was formed in Victoria, British Columbia, to recall the time of the great Pacific gold rushes and to honour the old Sourdough miners of the Klondike. It was a different kind of club, operating with a full roster of kids and only a small schedule of activities that ran parallel to what they could afford, but the kids loved it. When the club graciously accepted the donation of an old truck and the use of a wilderness lodge in the Sooke Hills, its small schedule of activities got a lot more exciting.

"1957::The Old Truck"

Clip: Victoria Daily Times (1957)

Victoria, British Columbia

Every other weekend, the boys and their leaders would pack themselves into their old truck and drive to their lodge in the Sooke Hills. They'd spend their days exploring deserted mine tunnels, learning archery and how to spot minerals in rock formations. Under the guidance of an old prospector, they'd pan for gold on the banks of the Leech River, where a gold rush had taken place nearly a hundred years before their time. On several occasions, with a bit of luck, they experienced an ol' miner's thrill of walking away with a golden nugget in their pocket worth a little more than a dollar bill. After a full day of activities, they'd return to their lodge to learn how to cook beans and bacon on an open fire, just as the Leechtown miners did long ago. The old truck took the boys everywhere they wanted to go, but it was expensive to run and often broke down. They needed money, and lots of it. With their parents' help, the boys hosted fundraising events and sold vegetables and baked goods from the back of their truck. They managed to raise enough to cover the cost of gas, but not the truck's maintenance costs. Until one cold December, they came up with a great idea. The boys chopped Christmas trees in the woods near their lodge and hauled them into Sooke and Victoria to be sold. Thanks to their festive supporters, they raised enough money to keep the old truck on the road for a bit longer, but when it finally died, the Sourdough Lodge Boys' Club soon died too.

"1957::The Club's Final Days" Clip: Victoria Daily Times (1957) Victoria, British Columbia

The Sourdough Lodge Boys' Camp was formed in 1953 at Lampson Elementary School and lasted only a few years. In 1957, the old truck broke down for good, marking the club's final days. At its peak, the club's membership accommodated over 100 youngsters, with students joining in from North Ward, South Park and James Bay schools. Although their time together was short, the boys had learned valuable life skills in the Sooke wilderness, just like the Leechtown miners of long ago.