In Skagway we move into late 1800's gold rush history. Skagway was the northern most point that we traveled on our Alaska cruise. It's a unique town. We headed off at the start of the day to peruse the town and then headed back to the ship for lunch and then a trip on the White Pass and Yukon Narrow Gauge Railroad which took us into Canada for a short time.
Here's some history that I copied about the gold rush:
The Klondike Gold Rush took place between 1896 and 1899, with the peak of the stampede and most intense mining activity occurring during 1897 and 1898.
The timeline unfolded as follows:
- August 16, 1896: Gold was discovered on Rabbit Creek (later renamed Bonanza Creek) in the Yukon territory of northwestern Canada.
- July 1897: Word reached the outside world when steamships arrived in Seattle and San Francisco carrying miners with literal "tons of gold".
- 1897–1898: An estimated 100,000 prospectors, known as "stampeders," flooded the region. Many passed through outfitting hubs like Seattle, WA, and Skagway, AK.
- 1899: The stampede slowed by late 1898 as gold claims were depleted, and the rush officially ended in 1899 when a new gold strike was discovered in Nome, Alaska.
Very few struck it rich in this gold rush and many did not make it due to the extreme conditions. We were told that Canada made the rule that the prospectors had to bring in a specific list of supplies…these supplies weighed around two tons! Here's the list of supplies that I took a photo of on a display that was along Broadway in Skagway.
A memorial to the lost prospectors:
We enjoyed our walk along the main street in Skagway. We stopped and checked out many of the tourist traps and other shops. I once again found an ornament to represent Skagway in a Christmas shop. We also discovered a needlework and quilting store. Melany got an ornament to cross stitch to represent Skagway on her tree. She finished stitching it just the other day. She's better than I…so far I haven't picked up my cross stitch since getting home. I guess I’m still absorbing memories of our trip as I go through my photos. One of our stops was at a Tullahoma native's photo gallery. We missed seeing him, as he hadn't come in yet for the day.
In the afternoon we lined up to get on the White Pass and Yukon narrow gauge train for a 40 mile round trip.
We were in the first car behind the engine. I will post below some facts that I copied from the internet about the railroad and then will post some of the photos that I took from inside the railroad car. Melany braved going outside on the platform between cars…but I decided that it was best if I just sat in the car and once in a while moved to the other side to get photos.
Interesting facts about the train that I copied:
“ The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, running from Skagway, Alaska, to the Yukon, is a legendary "living time machine". Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, it is incredibly special because it climbs nearly 3,000 feet in just 20 miles, tackling sheer cliffs, tumbling waterfalls, and precipitous gorges.”
"The White Pass & Yukon Route was designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1994. This is an honor shared by only 36 world civil engineering marvels such as the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and the Panama Canal. The WP&YR is recognized for the many difficult and hazardous obstacles that construction overcame: design challenges, granite mountains, steep grades, cliff hanging turns and unimaginable weather conditions. The courage and brave acts of the workers under the leadership of dedicated builders are recognized by this prestigious designation."
"The White Pass & Yukon Route climbs from sea level in Skagway to almost 3000 feet at the summit in just 20 miles and features steep grades of almost 3.9%. The tight curves of the White Pass called for a narrow gauge railroad. The rails were three feet apart on a 10-foot-wide road bed and meant lower construction costs."
The last photo from above has some interesting history that I just learned today when researching and getting photos ready for tonight's blog.
"George Buchanan was a successful businessman, a coal merchant in Detroit. During the Depression he decided to help boys to get out of town and see Alaska. Every summer from 1923 through the Depression, Mr. Buchanan and 50 or 60 boys journeyed across Canada to Vancouver, sailed up the coast to Skagway, spent several weeks touring Alaska, climbing glaciers, panning for gold.
Part of the deal was that their parents would donate 1/3 of the money ($81), George would donate 1/3 of the money and the boy would work selling items such as kitchen implements door to door to raise the remaining 1/3.
In the White Pass depot building there is a glass display which has one such kitchen gadget that was sold as part of the fund-raising.
On the rocks below the U.S. Customs Station at Clifton are the words “On to Alaska with Buchanan” which was their motto. In 1935, he agreed to take girls, the sisters of the boys who had gone, but he made them earn money by baking pies and darning socks also."
This sort of gives a summary of our day in Skagway…so much to absorb along with trying to capture it in photographs!
Tomorrow will be Glacier Bay National Park.
To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!
