The town of Quesnel, 545 m (1790 ft) above sea-level and with a population of 25,000, lies at the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers. The town is the center of the northern Cariboo region and proudly calls itself "Gold Pan City" in memory of the 1860 gold-rush. Various old buildings have been restored, such as the Hudson's Bay Company
Trading Post of 1867, the Cornish Wheel, a giant water-wheel used at the time of the gold-rush, and Bohanon House, a lovingly restored dwelling.
Billy Barker Days are held every July in Quesnel as a reminder of the gold-rush period.