Alaska Cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam August 2022
I realized in reviewing my prior posts about the Yukon/ Klondike Gold Rush, I had failed to relay the story of how it all began – which is interesting in and of itself. The Klondike Gold Rush National Park (entry is free) located at 291 Broadway in Skagway is a wonderful resource for all things gold rush – including its beginnings.
It started with an extended family. An American trapper named George Carmack was married to a Tagish woman named Shaaw Tlaa (Anglo name Kate Carmack). They were in the Klondike along Rabbit Creek with her brother Keish (“Skookum Jim” Mason) and nephew Ka’a Goox (Dawson Charlie) at the suggestion of a prospector named Robert Henderson. One of them found gold nuggets in the river (most likely Shaaw Tlaa when either cleaning dishes or clothes – but there are many conflicting tales). They thought only an Anglo could legally stake a claim, so in August, 1896, George staked the Discovery Claim. Miners in the immediate area rushed in to nearby sites, by the time word reached the lower 48 and the stampeders arrived in the tens of thousands in 1897-8, all of the “easy” gold was tapped out. Very few got rich, among them George Carmack and Keish. Carmack lived lavishly, abandoned Shaaw near Modesto, California for another woman, moved to Seattle where wife #2 prevented him from wasting all of his money, and he continued prospecting his entire life. Shaaw returned to live near her brother in Carcross, but had become a terrible alcoholic, and eventually died of influenza in 1920. Keish built an elaborate house in Carcross, but to protect his wealth from himself (he was a “generous alcoholic”), he established a fund for his daughter and his people, providing education and assistance for Indigenous people for decades.
Now, back to our travels. This time, we were able to explore Skagway. We had taken the White Pass Railway the last visit – this time, we opted for a bus tour through the area, which would start late morning, so we had a little time to wander the town and found the Chilkoot Cafe (one of the few places with internet) inside the Westmark Inn on 3rd and Spring St. Part of the Gold Rush National Park is the Moore Homestead (5th and Spring St.), where visitors can peek into a frontier home built in 1897. Shops, restaurants and taverns line the streets in the walkable town with a permanent population of 1200 souls. Food is good, and the beer is interesting- the Skagway Brewing Company makes one that includes spruce tips – adding vitamin C and a citrusy taste (if you enjoy wheat beers, you would enjoy the Spruce Tip Blonde Ale). The Brewing Company is open all year, providing a meeting place for locals and visitors alike.
Our bus tour included the 15 mile drive up to the Canadian border, where we could get out and climb up to the obelisk marking the dividing line between the two countries. It’s a short hike – but steep on a misty/drizzly day, so John and I were the only ones in our group to make the climb.
We also got a different view of some of the other falls – including Pitchfork Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Reid Falls (which you access by a short hike past the cemetery).
The plus of exploring – you get to see some interesting locals. Including one with a high energy dog needing a walk.
After an enjoyable day in Skagway, we reboarded the ship, next stop – back to Juneau!