Brendan’s research and documentation chronicles the passion of locals who paved the way for their community to be protected through conversion into an historic site leading to the development of a powerful arts culture born through curatorial interpretation, character-based demonstrations, historical reenactment, historical interpretation, and the revitalization of the historic Theatre Royal.

He also branches into the equity branding, economic, sociocultural, and educational impacts of Barkerville and explores associative branding connected to the site, such as businesses that have borrowed the Barkerville name: Barkerville Brewing, Barkerville Gold Mines, Barkerville Fudge, etc.

This book is not only intended to document an untold side of Barkerville’s incredible culture and history, but to advocate for its continued funding, support, artistic integrity and continuing maintenance and improvement in perpetuity as an important tourist destination for the province and critical site of historic significance.

Barkerville is the largest living history museum in western Canada. It is an immersive open-air interactive theatrical experience and an important leader in Truth and Reconciliation programming in Canadian heritage through navigating the complicated reality of being a celebrated colonial site that must pull upon its past to educate the present for improvement for the future.