Ashcroft, British Columbia

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Ashcroft (2006 Population 1,664) is a village in the Thompson Country of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is located at latitude 50°43′00″ and longitude 121°17′00″. It is downstream from the west end of Kamloops Lake, at the confluence of the Bonaparte and Thompson Rivers, and is in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

Ashcroft's downtown is on the east side of the Thompson River, although the municipal boundaries straddle the river, with housing and the town's hospital and recreation complex on the west bank. It is something of a "twin" to nearby Cache Creek, which unlike Ashcroft is on the major highway.

History

Ashcroft was founded in the 1860s, during the Cariboo Gold Rush, by two English brothers named Clement Francis Cornwall and Henry Pennant Cornwall, founders of Ashcroft Ranch, who emigrated to Canada from Ashcroft, at Newington Bagpath in Gloucestershire. The brothers had originally come in search of gold; however, on hearing stories from failed gold searchers they decided to found the town to give future gold searchers a place to saddle their horses. They sold flour to packers and miners, helping to make the community.

Climate

The climate of Ashcroft is dry, with very hot, dry summers and moderately cold, although usually brief winters. It holds the distinction of having one of the hottest summers in Canada, with a July average daily maximum temperature of 30°C (86°F). Daytime temperatures...
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