Princeton and District Museum

Few things encapsulate the idiom “good things come in small packages” better than small town museums. The Princeton and District Museum in southern British Columbia is no exception.

As fun as small town museums can be, it’s rare for them to house a quality earth science exhibit of any kind. This is where Princeton differs, and excels. Founded during the Similkameen gold rush before becoming a copper mining town, the Princeton area holds an even greater geological secret: fossils.

Several exposures of Eocene deposits (Allenby Formation) in and around town constitute a Lagerstätten. Although plant fossils dominate, fish and insects can also be found. These fossil beds are coeval with the McAbee Fossil site near Kamloops, the Driftwood Canyon site near Smithers, and the Stonerose site in Washington State among others. Below is an image of a ginkgo dissecta we found west of Princeton.

Unlike other sites, fossil collection is encouraged around Princeton, though private property and permissions must still be respected. Many locals have built impressive fossil collections over the decades, some of which have since been donated to the Princeton and District Museum. A compact but intriguing exhibit of these fossils makes this small town museum a must see if you’re in the area. The fascinating copper mine illustrations are an added bonus.

Princeton itself is a convenient hub on the Crowsnest Highway. There’s food and gas for your camping adventures, be it at Manning Provincial Park to the south or westward along the Tulameen River. If you tire of fossil hunting, Princeton is home to a public panning reserve in town and the Blakeburn Coal Wall near Coalmont is well worth the effort to see.