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Wells is a small mining and tourist town in the Cariboo Regional District, British Columbia, Cariboo District of central British Columbia, located on British Columbia provincial highway 26, BC Highway 26, from Quesnel, British Columbia, Quesnel and before the highway's terminus at Barkerville, British Columbia, Barkerville. It gains much of its revenue and jobs from tourists who pass through on their way to the Bowron Lake Provincial Park and to the historic museum town of Barkerville.
District of Wells
/ref> The closure of the gold and other mineral mines in 1967 took its toll on the town and most of the population moved away. Today it has a listed population of just 250 which doubles during the summer months. Between May and September, Wells sees over 100,000 tourists pass through on their way to Barkerville. Most visitors stay or camp overnight in Wells, which has an active arts and outdoor entertainment sector. During the winter months, visitors come for the cross-country ski trails, snowmobiling, and artistic and study retreats. During the summer visitors enjoy galleries and live performances.
History
Originally a company town, it was managed by ''Cariboo Gold Quartz Mine''. Fred M. Wells, for whom the town was named, prospected in the area for 10 years before finding the minerals that built the company. At its heyday of the 1930s, Wells sported 4500 people. In 1942 it had a greater population than Quesnel or Prince George, British Columbia, Prince George./ref> The closure of the gold and other mineral mines in 1967 took its toll on the town and most of the population moved away. Today it has a listed population of just 250 which doubles during the summer months. Between May and September, Wells sees over 100,000 tourists pass through on their way to Barkerville. Most visitors stay or camp overnight in Wells, which has an active arts and outdoor entertainment sector. During the winter months, visitors come for the cross-country ski trails, snowmobiling, and artistic and study retreats. During the summer visitors enjoy galleries and live performances.
Climate
Wells doesn't have a weather station, but Barkerville does (located away). Wells has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification ''Dfc''), resulting in long, cold and snowy winters, accompanied by short and cool summers due to its high altitude and latitude. Its growing season averages only 66 days.Demographics
In the 2021 Canadian census, 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wells had a population of 218 living in 113 of its 156 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 217. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.See also
* * *List of communities in British ColumbiaReferences
External links
* * {{authority control District municipalities in British Columbia Ghost towns in British Columbia Populated places in the Cariboo Regional District Mining communities in British Columbia