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MOST NEWS SKAGUAY Look for the Cone at 485 Broadway Open Daily IO am-8 pm ICE CHEAM CANDLES FUDGE Made instore O Fresh Roasted Nuts 80 Bins of Fresh Bulk Candy THE MOUNTAIN SHOP The Finest in Outdoor Cloth• ing, Hiking, Paddling and Climbing FAIuipment For Sale or Rent 355 4th Ave. near Broadway (look Gout) 907-983-2S44 PACKER EXPEDITIONS WILDERNESS TOURS World Headquarters! éco ALASKAN SKhEUÄY'S LEADING PAPER= FREE Women of the Gold Rush LOCALS CARRY ON THE LEGACY SKAGWAY FISH CO. KING CRAB FISH & CHIPS Fresh Alaskan Seafood Friendly Atmosphere And O the most STUNNING View in Town! 907-983-FISH 2m 2nd Avenue (907983-3921 See Page 9 for Amazing Offers Feuüwi/(9' 50+ Made in Alaska Companies! Robin Ruth bags and accessoriß, apparel, Russian nesting dolls, and a trcve of Alaska made foods, soaps, and other gifts! KLONDIKE ELECTRIC BICYCLES Rentals Tours 8 Gifts Explore Skagway on Our easy and fun eBikes! Located On the corner Of Sth S State Call us 907-983-BJKE 907-983-2453 ashen at 5th and •Serving A I aska •s visitors for 45 years •Family owned & opera ted HELICOPTER TOURS Dog sledding Flightseeing Glacier Landings Temsco Helico 907-983-290 Richter's 1910 Your Hatley Headquarters! Fun Clothing Gifts for Kids and Adults Vlus • Salmon • Souvenirs Gold Nuggets • Clothing • Fashion Jewelry • Tense Watches Quality Gifts at Affordable Prices! 2 16 B r o a d way Imlly & d MINO. ONE STOP SHOPPING Wth the &æst Prices in Town! Appa rel Plush & Toys VIJIus & Knives Bulk Candy See Page 9 for a FREE Train Whistle! ALASKAN OWNED ANO OPERATED f m the THE KLONDIKE DOUGHBOY P'. 42 ALASKAN FRY BREAD! ALASKA JAMS g JELLIES REINDEER SAUSAGE Located just off Broadway on 3rd Ave. BAR O GRILL Where the Eitt,' Serving Lunch & the Best Fish & Chips in Southeast, Alaska! 4th Avenue (907)983-2200 0 Ilapp.v L'udings Home of Alaska's ISt Cornhole Arena! Corner of State St. & 4th Ave- By Aly De Angelus A single-file line of ankle-length petticoats sloshed across the Dyea River. Not one breath was audible as the waters drowned out even the clicks and clacks of their but- ton-down shoes. The women skirt- ed 14 pounds of wet cloth to the shoreline, landing in the muddy Klondike Gold Rush community inhabited by grizzly men searching for riches. But any men who expected to claim these women as trophy wives were mistaken. Weeks of travel to- ward hard labor, rough terrain and hunger had left the women of 1898 ready for their own adventures. Women challenged norms just by coming to Skagway. The Klondike Gold Rush ush- ered a powerful union of women stampeders into Skagway just as women elsewhere were challeng- ing male domination of the era. The taste of liberation during the Industrial Revolution made it pos- Sible for more women to work out- side the home. The risks of leaving their homes to create a future for themselves, to consider running a business or starting a family, is precisely why these women are considered the pioneers of femi- trous HOURLY AND DAILY RENTAL RATES: •COMMUTER & HYBRID BIKES *ROAD & MOUNTAIN BIKES *E-BIKES SERVICE SNOP 907-983-2851 STH AVE. BETWEEN BROADWAY "ND STATE BROTHEL MUSEUM TOURS O SIO for 20 minutes roar times posted in window corner a Broadway Broth eI Tour Toda ! nism in Skagway. wrhey often labored harder, un- der more unpleasant circumstanc- es than their respectable sisters to help carve a civilized niche into unforgiving wilderness," Lael Morgan, author of "Good Time Girls," wrote of prostitutes and dance hall women. "Most were extraordinarily inde pendent, not only for their time but by today's standards as well," she wrote in her 1999 book. When women came to town, they often were met with opposition. Notorious conman Jefferson Ran- dolph "Soapy" Smith and his men controlled the town. John Muir described it as "a horde of fools." Women rushed to the north for the same reason men did wealth, ad venture or both. One out of IO gold rush stampeders was a woman. While women were outnumbered, they challenged social norms just by being there. Women of higher class, consid- ered respectable and elite, were the only stories shared at the time in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Accounts of women work ing in dance halls and even broth- els were nowhere to be found, an continued on page 3 Welcome WiJiüng LODGE OPENS DAILY AT NOON OF STATE & 6TH S KAGUAY NEVVS DEPOT. ALASKA BOOKS - Mags adway C acmSS from AB Hall Totes & Open an year •
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page 2 SKAGUAY ALASKAN KLONDIKE COLD RUSH NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK PRESERVING SKAGWAY'S COLORFUL HISTORY SUMMER 2021 Visitor Center and Museum Open daily IO a.m. to 5 p.m. The national park visitor center is located in the restored 1898 rail road depot at 2nd & Broadway with free admission and activities for all ages. Want to learn more about his- tory's greatest gold rush? Stop by for "Gold Fever: Race to the Klon- dike"a 25-minute film that tells the story of how Skagway earned the title "Gateway to the Klondike." This film plays every day on the hour. Ranger presentations bring the events of 1898 to life through storytelling, photographs and sce- nic footage. Visit newly installed interactive exhibits showcasing gold rush era characters. Visitors can smell sour- dough and eulachon oil, step into a muddy boot print and "raft" the Yukon River. Ask about upcom ing special events including guest speakers and performing artists. Moore Homestead Open daily IO a.m. to 5 p.m. Located on 5th & Spring Street, the Moore Cabin and restored Moore House feature the story of Skagway's founding family. The picturesque Moore Cabin is the oldest structure in Skagway. The Moore House is a free, fully fur- nished house museum with exhibits depicting the life of an Alaskan pio- neering family Ben Moore, Klin- get-sai-yet, and their children. Mascot Saloon Museum Open daily IO a.m. to 5 p.m. Explore the Mascot Saloon Mu- seum an authentic post-gold rush saloon museum where visitors can hear the tinkling of the piano com- peting with the conversation of hopeful prospectors. Located on the corner of 3rd & Broadway, the free Mascot Saloon Museum features exhibits about early social life in Skagway. Jeff Smith's Parlor Museum Free tours daily IO a.m., 2 p.m„ 4 p.m, Find out how the story of gold rush outlaw Jeff "Soapy" Smith became a legend, turned into a mu- seum, and is now one of the trea- sures of the National Park Service. The saga unfolds through gold rush artifacts, Martin Itjen's wacky cre- ations and many decades of Skag way curiosities. Now restored to its 1960s glory, come see "the greatest attraction in the world." Tours are free. Tickets are distributed on a first come, first served basis on the day of the tour and start at the visi- tor center. frail Center Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located on Broadway between 5th & 6th Avenue, the Trail Center provides current trail conditions, maps and videos. Backcountry permits are issued here for the in- ternational Chilkoot Trail, the most famous trail in the North. For more information about the Klondike park, visit: https://wr•vv.v nps.govlklgo/index.htm. GALL A touch of class in the wilderness that is Alaska, our last frontier BRONZE SCULPTURE GARDEN & GOLD RUSH EXPERIENCE 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. CRUISE SHIP DAYS OR BY APPOINTMENT ON THE EDGE OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT Seventh Ave. & Spring Street, across from the Skagway Museum SMART bus to the garden. Wheelchair accessible Listed in Art Talk Magazine as "One of America's best sculpture gardens" Stroll the garden and view sculptures valued at I million dollars by noted US. artists. For you history buffs, experience the Gold Rush from • Skagway/Dyea to Nome through large historical photographs • and commentary from a prospector's diary. A park Service representative *aides a Smiths parlor remxned in 2016 (or first time since aM•1970s. by Gold Rudi NHP/S. S,M: SKAGWAY MUSEUM OPEN DAILY • IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT SEVENTH AND SPRING STREETS SMART BUS SERVICE TO THE MUSEUM Explore Skagway's unique history as the Gateway to the Yukon and interior Alaska in the McCabe College building, which served as a school, chapel, US. Court House, jail, and since 1961, as City Hall and Skagway Museum. On Display • Tlingit • Cutter Sleigh • Bering Sea Kayaks • WWII history Klondike Gold Rush Supplies . Alaska Native Baskets . Beadwcvk . Carvings (907) 983-2420
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGUAY ALASKAN page 3 wor•dEN AND MEN CAME NORTH FOR THE SAME REASONS connnuedfrom page I invisible tale of ladies of the night. "History has long ignored many of the earliest female pioneers of the Far North who joined the mass pilgrimage to the booming gold camps of Alaska and the Yukon at the turn of the century," Morgan's book explains. 'The 'good time girls' crossed both geographic and social frontiers, finding freedom, in- dependence, hardship, heartbreak, and sometimes astonishing wealth." However, Skagway culture refus- es to forget these fierce women who cleared a path for countless genera- tions, and being a cancan dancer for The Days of '98 Show in town has long been a coveted role for locals. End of World War 11 brings more tourists to town Back in September 1945, as the country was starting its return to life after the end of World War II, men with scrapers were peeling back gray paint on windows and be gan plastering cruise ship ads over war propaganda. Every corner of Skagway was covered with leaflets, beckoning workers, entertainers and tourists to come out of hiding. Bea 'Queen Bea" Lingle, born in 1927, spent most of her school years in Seattle with her mom when her parents separated, but Skagway was always her home. Her father worked for the railroad and gave her a one-way ticket to Skagway as a graduation present. Lingle was one of the five original dancers in The Days of '98 Show when the chamber of commerce decided to reconvene entertainment for the new surge of tourists. All five dancers were mothers, 14 kids between them. Their wages barely covered the cost of a babysit- ter, but Lingle said it was worth the fun. 'The old geezers loved it and about had a heart attack. That's why we have to have a medevac plane now," Lingle joked. 'They have too darn much fun on those cruise ships." In its humble beginnings, The Days of '98 Show was one big talent show with a wide-open dance hall for tourists to mingle with the show volunteers. Sometimes the dancers would stage an arrest and hand out certificates to women for "mingling with an unsavory character in Skag- way, Alaska," such as Soapy Smith. Cruise ships would stay in town all night and the dance halls girls would stay out until 5 a.m. Lingle still remembers sitting down on her dining room floor with a friend, cutting a pattern for their first cancan dress. All the girls had to make their own dresses from scratch. Her favorite pattern was a red-and-white striped bodice with a red ruffle skirt, and she especially loved turning back to the audience and flipping her skirt before she walked off stage. 'That went on and then the day that I quit was the day that I realized the dance hall girls on either side of me were the same age as my daugh- ters, so I better get out of there," Lingle said. Somewhere in the Eagles Hall, where the current Days of '98 Show is performed, you can find a picture of these five original ladies hung by the bar. Cancan line kicked it up a notch in the '60s In between spools of yarn and classical music at Dedman's Photo Shop and Art Gallery, former can- can dancer Betsy Albecker prepares art for her customers. Albecker spent 17 years as a cancan dancer, visiting the cruise ships with a live band and her teenage dance troupe that volunteered for the show in the 1960s. They met twice a day for either practices or performances. With long hours and little wages, the show transitioned to professional scale out of necessity. "When my daughter was a little kid I was doing new routines for the cancan girls and it was hard to get babysitters, so I brought her with me and she danced with us a couple times. She was about three," Albecker said. "All I remember is I had a good time dancing." In the 1960s, the largest cruise ship carried 350 people and called on Skagway twice a week in the summer. There was no road out of town. "l don't think anybody who grew up with TV and the internet can grasp how limited resources were and how creative people had to be," Albecker said. "It brought out a lot of creativity and that wasn't a bad thing. It was a very good thing but the isolation, you can't explain it." Although movies were available, Albecker said the town preferred live acts from locals like Felicia 'Queenie" Braun, known for her musical renditions like Arthur J. Lamb's ' 'A Bird in a Gilded Cage." Albecker also said listening to bari- tone Willy Andrews sing a ballad made her want to cry by the time he finished the song. Becoming a cancan dancer was an aspiration for most high schoolers, and new standards for attire reflect- ed the participation of Skagway's youth. "A,Ve did not wear stuff that looked like underwear, ever. It just was not done," Albecker said. "What the ac- tual women wore in the gold rush that's when women went out with hats and gloves and long skirts and they never would have been able to hang out the windows. "I can still remember the lady next door had a business and every time she left her house she had her white gloves and her hat with the little net pulled down and pumps," she said. "You just weren't seen in public un- less you were respectable." The theater used to be one big dance floor with a circle of gam- bling tables. Someone always sang the state song, "Alaska's Hag," and there were emcees and comedians thrown in the mix. And with time, Albecker's daughter soon transi- tioned into her mother's spot in the kick line. "l can still hear her coaching her girlfriends, "now point your toes, point your toes when you kick," Al- becker said. The bigger the ships, the more dancers had to work Just as the cruise ships grew to carry' I ,OOO or more passengers, the cancan women took on more re- sponsibility. Julene Brown, a danc- er in the 1980s, had a makeup bar s SMART Skagway Shuttle Bus Service All Cruise Ship Docks to Downtown 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. $2 per ride or $5 all day pass ADA Accessible #icles where her friends would sit side by side to prepare for each show. Brown was with the show the first year it became a professional pro- duction, a huge cast with six danc ers parading around the stage in custom-made, heavy multilayered satin dresses and outfitted with fish- nets, black leather boots and garter belts. "Our menstrual cycles would sync because we were spending so much time together," Brown said. Rehearsals were brutal and some dancers were sore, bruised and suf- fering from bursitis. Most worked part time as a dancer and some worked the remaining hours clean- ing the hall and bathrooms before the second show or mending cos- tumes. Brown sewed most of the black curtains used in the Eagles Hall today. "It felt like miles and miles of stitching," she said. Brown was a cancan dancer for five years, a hobby she had taken up as an extension of her interest with the school drill team. In the 1980s, new rules were put in place includ ing no more cruising the streets to sell tickets for The Days of '98 Show. Dancers were no longer al lowed to mingle with the audience or walk around the cruise ships and visit the breakfast buffet when the cloud of passengers cleared out. Things were changing, including "dance hall queens" stepping in to serve as leaders of the younger and inexperienced cast members. continued nn page 4 Skaguay Alaskan 2021 Published every Summer with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic. Printed in Wxsilla. Alaska The Skaguay News PO Box Skagway. Alaska 99840 Copyrighte by Taiya C.c—icatims. LLC Everything LUCY'S BAKERY made from scratch Cupcakes Cookies Bread and more! Come Visit us at 5th & State •
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Page 4 SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 HISTORICAL CHARACTERS INSPIRE CONFIDENCE, BRAVADO coniinued from page 3 become strong women. We were queens were like big sis- around strong women, we were all ters," Brown said. "I think it was a supported by women and I think it really great environment for us to An original and ima inative tale by local auior Rie LaMarr Meet fhe auffrr af Back Alley 2 - 4 pm A wonderful Atagkan gift Available ot Ba•k Alley Rock Shop Ska News De ot Ala s k a Liquor Store 290 2nd Ave. Open Daily 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. Large Selection Of Wine, Beer Spirits 983-3888 Boreal ARTWORKS definitely makes an impression as a young woman." Ode to Diamond Lil Davenport At 6:40 a.m. actress Rachel Barkalow gets up and steams her voice in preparation for The Days of '98 Show. Barkalow is known for alternating roles of Belle Dav- enport, modeled after Evelyn Hil- degard (Diamond Lil Davenport), and Elizabeth "Libby" Thompson (Squirrel Tooth Alice). Barkalow is a professional ac- tress from the Lower 48, who fell in love with acting when she was sev- en years old after performing in a Christmas pageant in her basement. Barkalow takes the representation of her characters very seriously and often has a hard time letting go of A Fine Line Alaskan Gifts Representing 36 Alaskan artists 555 Broadway @ each persona. Her favorite char- acter is Squirrel Tooth Alice who was a prostitute, dance hall girl and madam of a brothel in Texas in the late 1800s. "I don't think I have felt this con- fident in a long time, so it's really nice to have a character that forces you and kicks you into that," Barka- low said. "So, I want to take that el ement of her with me for sure." To prepare for her roles, she looked at pictures for styling ideas and read about the history of wom- en during the Klondike Gold Rush. The Days of '98 Show tries to represent a few different kinds of women who journeyed into Skag- way. Barakalow said Belle is car- ing and oozing with love, and she leads with her chest when she walks across the stage. Squirrel Tooth Al- ice is aggressive and blunt, but re- latable. Both characters can be dif- ficult to shake off post performance. "l take physicality sometimes off stage with me, which is sort of fun- ny," Barkalow said. "Alice is a lot of hip but Belle, occasionally I'll have moments where I get really deep into the ending and it's right before the flag song. That to me sometimes has been really difficult to shuck off really fast." Diamond Lil Davenport was a madam in Skagway and her bordel- Io still stands in town, now housing the Red Onion Saloon. Barkalow said Davenport and the many other women who traveled to Skagway during the gold rush were the trail blazers of their time. "Any woman in this time period who is going to have the guts to travel to Alaska, in a skirt no doubt, layered up, I think is going to be able to hold their own," Barkalow said. "l personally can't imagine being in an environment of maybe a dozen women with hundreds upon hundreds of men," she said. "Even nowadays, you know, from New York when I am walking on the street, I feel uncomfortable. I can't imagine how they would have felt in that particular time period, so I've never seen them as submissive. I think they are very strong in who they are and in choices they have made." VISIT SKAGWAY'S NEWEST GALLERY! 602 Broadway - Across from the Post Offic LOCAL ART Qiviut -Original Watercolors & Prints - Photography - Jewelry - Pottery - Hand-dyed Yarn - Fur Jewel - Cut-paper Art - and Artists lave een eatured in Invernational exhibitions & publications includlng National Geographic, Audubon. Vogue Japan and Up North. and US Botanic Garden. Aurora Yarns OF ALASKA L' call.y Own Avqst Operate WIDE OPEN WILDERNESS Drop by our visitor center located on 2nd & Broadway! SKAGWAY.COM 907-983-2854
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGWAY TRADITIONAL COUNCIL SKAGUAY ALASKAN page 5 MODERN TRIBAL GOVERNMENT IN AN HISTORIC SETTING By Lance A. Twitchell (Xh 'unei) The history of Skagway is complex. Like many places throughout the United States, what is viewed as discovery and opportunity for wealth from the perspective of American culture is in reality the invasion of the traditional territory of an indigenous population. Many organizations celebrate the gold rush of Alaska without ever recognizing that it marks a time of tremendous suffering, loss and the onset of oppression for Skagway's first people. Despite this, the Tribe is attempting to bridge the gaps that exist in and around our community from a tribal perspective; many of which originated with the Gold Rush. Over the last hundred years, the geological and cultural landscape of Skagway has changed dra matically. Once a small valley full of trees and natural streams; modern Skagway is a collec tion of historic facades, gravel landfill and siz able docks that stretch out like fingers towards oncoming tourists. This place was once a vital bridge between coastal and interior indigenous groups, who relied upon routes into the interior to trade the riches of the sea for those of the land. Inland groups savored preserved salmon, fish and seal oils and sea vegetation; and bartered with invaluable copper, moose and caribou meat and hides. To this day, trade continues with coastal and inland tribal groups. These activities, un- til recently, had all but subsided because of the United States-Canada border, which effective- ly separated families, tribes and traditional re lationships due to regulations and a reluctance to recognize cross-boundary indigenous rights and relationships. Recent meetings between the Skagway Traditional Council (STC) and the Car cross-Tagish First Nations have begun to address and resolve cross-border issues including tradi- tional trading practices, historical migration pat- terns and the use and ownership of the Chilkoot Trail. The STC is a federally recognized Indian Tribe pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act of Chilkat Dancers Lance Twitchell , Andy Gamble, and Lee Heinmiller celebrate at the STC Community Center dedication on April 16, 2005. Photo by Skagway Traditional Council 1934, and is the governing body for Alaska Na- tive and American Indian activities in the Skag- way area. This means that the STC is a domestic sovereign body within the United States that has an inherent right to govern activities involving tribal members and the traditional tribal territo- ry of Skagway's indigenous Tlingit population. The Tribe has been strongly active since 1999, and recently constructed a 3,600 square foot Na- tive Community Center. The building was given the name Héen Agu- natåani Hit which is "Whitecaps on the Water House" referring to an interpretation of the name Shgagwéi. To commemorate the event, the STC distributed 100 white baseball caps with the name of the building embroidered on the front. 'flingit Storyteller The dedication of the building was a true cele bration, as the entire community helped breathe life into the only structure the Native community has owned in over a hundred years. In all things, there is progress, and our people have always lived our life by the tides. The tide had gone out on our people in our ancestral land, but it has now returned. It is a wonderful time to be alive; to see young people learning our endan- gered language, to see them dancing and under- standing who they are by their heritage. And the sharing of this helps our entire community grow. Thank you for visiting, and for taking time to learn about Skagway's first people. KLONDIKE COLD DISCOVERY CAME IN A DREAM As told by Si Dennis Sr. From "Skagway: City of the New Century" I don't know how authentic this story is. It was told to my brother and me years ago by my moth er. The story is about the two Tlingit Indians who found the gold that started the stampede that was later known as the Klondike Gold Rush. It's not the story of the gold rush itself, but events lead- ing to the discovery of gold. The story goes like this. It seems that one of the men was out hunting one day, and during his travels through the woods looking for game, he came upon a pool of water. He decided to rest by this pool, so he sat down. He noticed that this pool had high, steep sides, mostly clay, and it was awfully wet and slippery. And as he sat there, he noticed something moving in the murky water. He just sat there and watched it. It swam over to the side of the pool and started to climb out, and he noticed that it was a frog. Now the frog almost made it to the top be- fore he slid back into the water. So the man just sat there and watched to see what he was going to do. The frog made several attempts with the same results, and he noticed that the frog was getting tired. He figured that the frog must have been trying for a long time. So the next time the frog started to climb out, the man walked over and lay down, reached out, grabbed hold of the frog, and took him out. He carried him over to a stream of water nearby and proceeded to wash the clay off the frog. While he was doing this he spoke to the frog like he was talking to another human being, telling him why he was out there, looking for game and food for his family. I don't know if the frog found him any luck in his hunting, but that night when he went to sleep he had a dream. He dreamt that he was stand ing by a body of water and as he stood there, he watched the frog swim directly toward him. When the frog got so close, it stood up and turned into a man like himself, and this man started talking to him. He said, "You saved my life and now I want to repay you." And he pointed and said, "You see that mountain?" When the man continued on page 7
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page 6 FISH THIS! SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 Finding a Fisherman's Paradise in Skagway By ANDREW CREMATA Fishing Correspondent For first time visitors, Skagway might seem but a narrow valley, hemmed in by mountains, snow and ice. Yet, there are a great many hid den things that lie just beyond what is readily seen. There are narrow coves where families of otters drift lazily on the surf at the first light of day. Bald eagles scan wide expans- es of sandy flats that reveal them selves with the ebbing tide. A short walk through the woods can reveal a hidden lake where mysterious rip- ples appear on the surface, a clue as to what might reside beneath. These are the places where pris- tine image of Alaska, sold in the brochures and on the internet, come alive and resonate with some in- nate part within. It is an opportuni ty to reconnect with something lost amidst the daily drudgery of work, traffic and routine. It is, no doubt, one of the reasons so many people cruise or drive to Alaska for vaca- tion, and it is also the reason why so many native Alaskans love to go fishing. Skagway locals have unlimited access to wild places where salm on teem by the thousands and tro- phy trout are always one cast away. For the visitor with limited time to explore, the options might be few er. However, what makes Skag way unique in Southeast is that the wilderness lies just beyond the pe riphery, and much of it holds lakes, streams and fish. Two of only a handful of lakes holding brook trout in the entire state of Alaska can be found in Skagway. Both Lower and Upper Dewey Lakes were stocked with the hearty, colorful fish in the ear- ly 1980s. Lower Lake, as the lo- cals call it, is a moderately steep 30-minute hike from downtown and its quiet waters are host to an array of natural wonders. Upper Lake is for the more serious hiker, with a strong legs and a lot of extra time. A short drive to Dyea will re- veal the Taiya River, a great place to stalk Dolly Varden in the spring. Further along is the Dyea Flats, where sloughs meander through high grass, alpine lupine and W'ild purple irises. In the summer these sloughs fill with salmon and be- come something out of a fly fisher- man 's Alaska daydream. Not far away is Lost Lake, so named for its difficulty to locate, but a place where the perseverant are rewarded. This is a spot that seems almost primeval, where blueberries grow thick in the fall and rainbow trout are eager to strike throughout the spring, summer and fall. Along the Klondike Highway to the north are an uncountable num- ber of places to wet a line. As the road traverses a narrow slice of British Columbia en route to the Yukon Territory, every single road- side turnout is a potential spot to catch world-class grayling and lake ESL•ry fisherman needs a buddy to share the catch with. — Andrew C.n•mata trout. Anywhere along this road is an opportunity for isolation, peace and the unrivaled beauty of sheer mountainsides framing deep glacial lakes. There are many other places to fish among the throngs of tourists and hustle of the summer season. Many of these places can be quite productive. But for someone desir- ing a more authentic Alaskan expe- rience, or the adventurous angler who seeks more than a notch on the handle of his rod, the chance to ex- perience something unforgettable is not far from where the cruise ships dock. Grab a trail map or ask a local Skagwegian for advice on the best place to fish during your visit. The locals take their fishing seriously, but they're a friendly sort. If you ask nice you might just find your own little slice of fishing paradise. And don't forget to buy a license. Andrew Cremata's award-win ning column runs monthly each summer in The Skagway News. His book, "Fish This!" is popular in fish circles and the subject of constant bar conversation. When Andrew isn 't busy writing, he 's act ing as Skagway's mavor. Or maybe it's the other way around. Find his book at the Skagway News Depot on Broadway.
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGUAY ALASKAN page 7 GRANDSON OP A TLINGIT PACKER SHARES THE ORIGIN STORY op THE KLONDIKE COLD RUSH conlinued from page 7 looked, it was like looking into a big screen or picture, and he could see that mountain. Then the frog-man told him, "Study that mountain, mem orize it. Because you're going to start off from here, and you're going to find that mountain, and that's where your luck is going to be." He tried to ask which direction he was supposed to be go- ing, and the frog-man said, "Don't worry, you'll find it." So the next day, he told his friend about what he'd done with the frog the day before and about the dream he had. And his friend said, "Let's go and I'll go with you." So they got their provi- sions together and they took off. Their hunt went for days, looking for this mountain with no luck, and they traveled a good many miles away from home. They got down to the point where they had to take inventory to see what they had left. They were getting pretty low on their provisions and they knew they were a long ways from home. So they finally decided they were going to hunt one more day, and if they didn't find that mountain, they were going to start back for home. So the next day they started out. All this time, this one man had a feeling, for some reason, that he was always going in the right direction. And as the day wore on he became discouraged. Then, all of a sudden, he looked up, and he looked right at that mountain. He told his friend, it is." And his friend asked him, "Are you sure?" The man said, 'That's the mountain. I recognize it." They went over there and discovered this gold that started the stampede that was later known as the Klondike Gold Rush. Si Dennis Sr., the grandson ofa T7ingit packer, for years was elder of the local Native commu- nity. He "walked inro the forest" in 1997. This story has been told in many forms over the years as a dream that came to gold discoverer Skoo- kum Jim Mason. Some accounts say the dream occurred in Dyea, where Jim and his family trav- eled To often from their Tagish home. Two of his children are buried in the Dyea cemetery. Pres- ent with Skookum Jim at the discovery on August 16, 1896 were his nephew Dawson Charlie and brother-in-law George Carmack (he had mar- ried Jim 's sister Kate , who was nearby). Carmack, being the only white man in the party, filed the discovery claim on Rabbit Creek (now Bonanza) , a tributary ofrhe Klondike River near Dawson City. Jim and Charlie were giv- en the ground above and below discovery. Many newspapers of the day and subsequent histories credited Carmack with the discovery, but it was really a shared discovery in which Jim should be given the most credit. It was his dream after all. STC AT 'CUTTING EDCE'WITH EULACHON (HOOLIGAN) COUNTING By Melinda Munson At eight to IO inches long, the silver colored eulachon may look less impressive than the more celebrated Alaska salmon, but with a greater fat content and an earlier run, the small fish provide much needed sustenance for humans and nature alike as spring starts to creep into Southeast Alaska. Eulachon, pronounced you-la-con, are often called hooligan. The creatures are also called candlefish once dried they can be lit. Eulachon have sustained life for thousands of years, an im- portant food, source of oil and trade item. The eulachon in Southeast Alaska are the first signs of spring. Locals fish for them by dipping nets in the flashing, roiling water, usually filling multiple coolers, later freezing, drying and can ning the fish for future use. But this year, there was no flashing of silver bodies and no abun dance of eulachon. This is bad news for those who fish, and even worse news for the ecosys tem. 'They (eulachon) feed the entire biological community," said Reuben Cash, environmen- tal coordinator for Skagway Traditional Coun- cil (STC). Normally, eulachon runs bring much needed nutrients to plants and animals. The run is "followed by a wave of animals" such as seals, birds and sea lions, which depend on the nutri- tion after a long winter. Not much is known about eulachon, which is why Cash, a ginger-haired former bartend- er turned professional scientist, is studying the species. He theorizes that eulachon have a three to five year cycle. According to Cash, 2017 was a poor run. Perhaps Skagway is now seeing the progeny of that disappointing return. There might be other explanations. This spring has been unusually cold with snow melting slowly. Eulachon are opportunistic. Unlike salm on, they don't need to return to familiar waters. They are sensitive to noise and will choose an- other path if conditions are too loud. According to Cash, the Chilkat River was the only nearby waterway to have a sizable run. Cash joined a local study in 2020 that began in 2017 to count eulachon. He described it as "really labor intensive" with 2-4 crew members working eight hours a day as they funnelled fish through a trap that led to a holding container. Now, Cash uses environmental DNA (eDNA), collecting samples from the water before, during and after the run to estimate eulachon popula- tion. Cash said the new technology is less labor intensive and puts less strain on the fish. STC works in cooperation with Chilkoot In- dian Association, Takshanuk Watershed Coun cil and Oregon State University for the eDNA project. Cash said STC and its partners are at the "cutting edge of science" and isn't aware of anyone else studying the eulachon in a similar manner. Along with updated technology, Cash is also reaching out to those who know eulachon inti- mately — Alaska Natives whose people have de pended on and studied the fish for generations, passing down traditional knowledge. "I think we need to be asking more elders their stories," Cash said. He noted a recent surge of scientific interest in Native people's environ- mental wisdom. "Western science has finally figured this out. This is a treasure, " Cash said. Melinda Munson is a co-owner of The Skag- way News. See her monthly column at www. skagwaynews.com. Two Popular Hiking Trails Within Minutes of Bustling Skagway Dewey Lakes Trail System • Walk east on 3rd Avenue by the Westmark Inn until you reach the railroad tracks. Trail begins on the other side of the tracks. Follow signs to Lower Dewey Lake (0.7 miles), Icy Lake (2.5 miles), Upper Reid Falls (3.5 miles), Sturgill's Landing (45 miles), Upper Dewey Lake (3.5 miles), and the Devil's Punch Bowl (4.2 miles). The trail to Lower Dewey Lake and return is a pleasant hour's walk, though the switchback trail can be a bit steep in sections, but trails around the lake itself are fairly flat. Continuing north to Icy Lake and Reid Falls or south to Sturgill 's (an old wood camp by the bay) will add 2-3 hours. Camping and picnic sites abound; please pack trash out. The hike to Upper Dewey Lake and Devil's Punch Bowl is much steeper, great for a day hike or overnight trip. The cabin at Upper Lake may be booked at skagwayrecreation.org. Lakes are stocked with trout. Skyline Trail to AB Mountain • Trail begins at Mile 3 on the Dyea Road and ascends AB Mountain, named for the "AB" that appears in the form of snowmelt every spring. This was seen as an omen by the Arctic Brotherhood, a northern pioneer order which started here. Allow at least five hours roundtrip for this often strenuous hike. Beautiful views of Skagway, Dyea, Lynn Canal, Haines and Chilkat Range. For detailed information about these and other more remote trails, pick up a Skagway Trail Map/Brochure at the A.B. Hall or Klondike Gold Rush NHP visitor centers in downtown Skagway.
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page 8 SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 by NAME THOSE PEAKS AND OTHER GEOGRAPHY LESSONS By Frank Norris Geographical Correspondent What's in a name? As the follow ing glossary suggests, plenty. The place names that dot the landscape are living reminders of who has been before us, along with some of their attitudes, legends and whim Sy. You'll soon find that the people who gave Skagway its (European) names were a lively, humorous and patriotic bunch. AB Mountain This is the large mountain located just north of Skagway. As you may know, the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, one of the town's most prominent buildings, is located on Broadway KLONDIKE between Second and Third. When the A.B. Hall was constructed in the spring of 1899, a workman on the roof noted that the snow on the south slope of the mountain showed the letters "AB Deep, narrow gul- lies on the mountain retain snow for up to a month longer than the sur- rounding area. Using a little imagi- nation, observers today can witness this for themselves between April and June. Chilkoot Pass The Chilkoots, a branch of the Tlingit Nation, used this pass as a trading route for hundreds of years before whites entered the area. Russians heard rumors about the pass during the 19th century, but not until the 1870s, when miner George Holt sneaked through, did Europeans begin using it. Frederick Schwatka, who took an expedition over the pass in 1883, called it Per- rier Pass, and others called it Dyea Pass or (mistakenly) Chilkat Pass. Abandoned after 1900, except by occasional hunting parties, the pass reopened as a recreational trail in 1961 and is maintained by US. and Canada park services. Dewey Lakesmvin Dewey Peaks Skagway emerged from a home- stead to a full-blown city during the 1890s, a time of American history SKAGI —crrYOFTHEÄ WAY SKAGWAY CITY OF THE NEW CENTURY compiled & edited by Jeff Brady NEW IN 2019! Revised & Expanded edition now available in paperback! Culled originally from the pages Of the Skaguay Alaskan, cotnes the nmost cornplete and readable history of Skagway ever undertaken! known primarily for the Klondike Gold Rush and the Spanish Amer- ican War. Popular as the gold rush was, the coming of the war in April 1898 pushed the rush off the front pages of the world's newspapers. Nowhere was the patriotism of the war felt more vividly than in Skagnvay. When Admiral George Dewey's fleet smashed the Span iSh at Manila on May l, the town responded by naming several lakes and mountains (elevation 5300- 6,300 feet) in his honor. They are accessible by a trail system east of town. Dyearraiya This Tlingit word has had a whole host of spellings, including Dyay tahk. Even its meaning is some- what disputed; while most suggest it means "to pack or to load," others say it means "place to look down to." Both are appropriate enough. Dyea, on the Taiya River, was the rival town to Skagway a rough- and-tumble port where miners got off the Inside Passage ships and started the long trail up the Chilkoot conlinned on page 9 Back Alley Rocu Shop Pan for gold • gifts • jade • nuggets thc alley 4th & 5th "My history lovers pick of the summer. — Michael Gates, the History Hunter (Yukon News) 536 pages, more than 390 historic photos • rtNised & expanded softbound edition $24.95 Available all over Skagnvay and the nonh or fmm Lynn Canal Publishing at wvvw.skagwaybooks.com • 907-983-3354 OFF SIGNED HARDBOUND FIRST EDITIONS AT SKAGUAY NEWS DEPOT
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SUMMER 2021 Face Mountain SKAGUAY ALASKAN f KIRH5E"51 the first and only president to visit Skagway. He arrived July II, 1923 on board the U S. Navy vessel Hen- derson and remained long enough to give a speech at the Pullen House and to be initiated into the Arctic Brotherhood. Harding died three weeks later in San Francisco. The following July 4, local resident George Rapuzzi climbed the peak across the bay from Skagway and raised a flag on its summit while members of the Skagway Alpine Club officially named the mountain in Harding's honor. It's also known as "Witch Mountain" for the image of a witch on a broomstick below the glacier in summer. Sheep Camp This gold rush town was the larg- est along the Chilkoot Trail between Dyea and Lake Lindeman. It was named in the late 1880s because of the mountain sheep (actually goats) overlooking the area. A temporary campsite until the mid- 1890s, it ex- ploded into prominence in late 1897 and by April 1898 had a floating population of 8,000. It "ghosted" in spring, 1899. Skaguay, Skagway Few have agreed on how the town's name should be spelled, or what the name means. Originally a Tlingit word, it has been variously spelled Shgagwéi, Skaguay, Schk- ague, Shkagway, Skagua, Schkawai and even Cquque. Most suggest that it means "home of the north wind," but others say it means "spirit of the cruel wind," "end of the salt wa- ter," or "rough water." Still others, using supposedly authentic sourc- es, suggest it means "lady relieving herself on a rock" or "sound a sled runner makes when it breaks loose page 9 from the snow and ice." The town erupted from a homestead to a full size city during the winter of 1897- 98, witnessed the building of the railroad from 1898-1900, and has been here ever since. Smuggler's Cove This small bay, one-half mile west of town, is presently a city park. Sixty years ago a homestead existed there. Many think its name dates back to the Prohibition era, but its name actually came into existence decades earlier. During the gold rush, the importation of liquor into Alaska was prohibited, and with customs agents situated in Skagway-Dyea, the cove was doubtless a popular place to land il- legal cargo. White Pass This pass was known to the Na- tives before whites began to en- croach into the area, but it was ignored in favor of the nearby Chilkoot Pass. The first known tra- verse of White Pass took place in June 1887 when Capt. Moore and Tlingit guide Skookum Jim ascend- ed it as part of the William Ogilvie expedition. The pass was named for Thomas White, Canada's Interior Minister and Ogilvie's superior. Frank Norris has a doctorate in geography and is a retired Na- tional Park Service historian from Santa Fe , New Mexico. He former- ly worked at Klondike Gold Rush NHP in Skagway and as the Alas- ka region historian in Anchorage. His books include "Garden City of Alaska" and "The Chilkoot Trail." When surveyors came through the area in 1898, this peak west of Skagway was named Parsons Peak. Locals, however, preferred to call it The Sphinx, Gnome Mountain or, more often, Face Mountain. Sure enough, those who look at it from below may be able to recognize the etched features of a human face. Elevation is 6,600 feet. Glacier Station, Laughton Gla- This site of an old station, 14 miles up the White Pass railroad from Skagway, was one of sever- al stations along the route south of White Pass. It is named for Laugh- ton Glacier, just three miles east of the station and named for John Laughton, a commander of the U S. forces in Cuba during the Spanish American War. Heart Mountain/Sawtooth The huge ridge five miles north of Skagway and east of the US. border station is known as either Heart Mountain or Sawtooth Moun tain. The latter name comes logical ly enough from the serrated appear- ance of the ridge. Heart Mountain is so named because of a large heart shaped patch on the south slope, which supports no trees. Kern 's Castle One of the most successful early businessmen in Skagway was jew eler Peter Kern. Shortly after the rush, he built a mountain retreat Phoe by in the woods above Lower Dewey Lake. It operated only a few years, burning down in a 1912 forest fire. Only a few rock walls and metal fragments remain. Kirmse 's Clock Visitors will notice another bit of Kern's handiwork the pocket watch clock on the mountain wall at the east end of Fourth Avenue, first painted during the gold rush, and now maintained by Kirmse's Curi- os, which bought out their competi- tor and changed the advertisement. Liarsville This spot two miles north of Skagway is now site of the Tent City show. During the gold rush it was a large, impromptu campsite, the last place to stop before the rugged climb up White Pass. During the early part of the stampede, scores of reporters descended on Skagway, eager to gather accounts of trail conditions. Not wishing to hike it themselves, however, they collect- ed here. Returning stampeders, of course, were free to say whatever they liked, or whatever they felt the reporters wanted to hear. Mount Carmack This peak north of A.B. Moun- tain is the highest in the Ska»vay area with an elevation of 6,605 feet. It was named for George Wash- ington Carmack, co-discoverer of the Klondike gold. Carmack knew the area well, having crossed the Chilkoot as early as 1887. Mount Harding President Warren G. Harding was vivid image Klondike Gold this o' and hauling year'S Sup• or the ChilkoOt Pass. This hike is just a today, bat only to need days. — Washington
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page 10 By Gretchen Wehmhoff When I was eight, my parents bought me my first pocket knife in preparation for Girl Scout Day Camp. It was an official, four-blade Girl Scout knife with a long blade, short blade, screwdriver/bottle open- er and a can opener. I was so proud of my knife. We learned about safety circles where we took our closed knife and, with both arms outstretched, made sure no one was in the virtual circle of space. My brother and nephews have since told me that they called it a "blood circle" in Boy Scouts. Yeah, I'm going with the preventa tive term. My knife went to camp with me every summer, and eventually, it stayed in my purse. My purse went to school, to work, on trips and to college. Dad always had a knife on him. Maybe because he grew up in the North Cascades, or maybe be cause he spent four years as a medic during WWII, but I'm pretty sure it was because he learned to carry one as a Boy Scout. So, carrying my knife was normal. My sister had one, too. We whittled together. We made walking sticks, marshmallow sticks and slingshots. Dad would get out his oil stone and we'd sharpen knives together. A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp one. I learned how to use the can open- er and it felt so freeing. While Out- side at college, a person would hold SKAGWAY BREWING COMPANY 4th Ave. just off Broadway SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 WHEN YOUR FAVORITE GIFT IS A POCKET KNIFE up a can and ask if anyone had a can opener. Most people just shrugged or offered to drive somewhere. "I got it," I said. I pulled out my knife, and started on the lid. "Where did you learn that?" "Are you doing that with a knife?" Afterwards, I'd wipe off the blade and put it away. I thought I was cool. I later learned that it is kind of an Alaska thing. Traveling in Europe when I was 29 (I had promised myself I would get there before I was 30) I creat- ed a shopping list. You can guess what I wanted in Switzerland. I pur- chased a brand new, made in Swit- zerland, Spartan Swiss Army knife. Oh, yeah. The red knife with blades, screw- drivers, a corkscrew, toothpicks and the cherished can opener was my new companion. Years later my husband gave me a Swiss Champ version the one with everything a saw, file, magnifying lens, com- pass, scissors, tweezers, fishing blade, pliers and more. "Are you sure you don't want perfume or something like that?" he asked. "Uh-uh. This is perfect!" (He also gave me winter wipers and I was elated.) The magnificent knife became my new companion. Until society changed some rules. After the Columbine tragedy, I couldn't carry my knife to school as a teacher. After the Sept. I I attack, I couldn't carry my knife on the plane. So I bought a can opener for my teacher desk at school and used scissors instead of my knife. As for traveling by plane, I checked my knife in my luggage. This was all great until I flew to Columbus, Ohio for the Arnold Sports Festival to play table tennis. I planned to travel light, so I packed a small backpack with competition clothes and my racket. I cleared my bag of all things not accepted by security and paused briefly when I realized I had to leave my knife at home. Once there, other players and I stopped at a grocery store for food. I picked up a few things, including a can of black beans. With my al lergies, I knew I wouldn't be able to buy from the food vendors, but I knew I would need some complex fuel. I took my break between match- es on the first day, reached for my beans and headed to the food ven- dors to have them open my can. This is about the time I started to feel like Crocodile Dundee in New York. "No, we don't do that." "I don't think my boss would let me." "Did you want to order some- thing? No? Next." I can think of vendors all over Alaska who would have said, "Just a sec," and bring back my opened can. These people were all about fried food, energy supplements and money. Besides that, the lines were long. I decided to take my request to the other participants. It was a gigantic hall with a few thousand people walking around. Someone would have a pocket knife. "Hi. You wouldn't have a pocket knife handy, would you?" Responses ranged from a shake of the head, a polite no, a strange look and a "nah, sorry." One wom an moved her kids away from me. I moved on with my can. I felt eyes following me. that lady with the beans." I must have asked over 40 people. No one had a pocket knife. I asked the man next to me. He didn't have one. "I wonder why people don't carry pocket knives," I mulled out loud. "l don't want to get in trouble," he said. It was then that I realized that Alaskans are really, really different. I didn't think twice about asking to borrow a pocket knife, yet most of those I asked looked at me like I wanted to borrow their car or com- mit a crime. Not only that, but it seemed there was a sense of "break- ing a rule" by even having one. It made me appreciate where and how I live. A good statistical sample is 10% of the group size. So, if there were 4,000 people at the Arnold, then my sample was statistically significant. No one earried pocket knives. I finally found a vendor who handed me a can opener after the lunch rush. From then on, I carried a small can opener when I traveled without checked luggage. I still carry my Spartan knife ev erywhere. My Swiss Champ is in the glove box of my car. I'm not sure I can wrap my head around not having the satisfaction of know- ing all the tools you could possibly need are in your pocket or glove box but I'm sure the folks at the festival were trying to figure out why I would. Gretchen Wehmhoff is a co-own- er of The Skagway News. See her monthly column at wwwskag- waynews.com. vanes 10 Tap, Plant 10 matc Halibut Fish & Chips Alaskan King Crab Spruce Tip Blonde Ale Outdoor Seating Available Gift Shop Kid-FriendLy Beer To-Go Keep up with Skagway with a subscription to THE SKAGWAY NEWS. Subscribe online at www.skagvvaynews.com
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGWAY ALASKAN 2ND AVENUE SHOPPING Page 11 0 Skagway Mining Co. 2nd Ave. across the street from the Train Station • Phone (907)983-2015 Gold Rush Gifts 2nd Ave. across the street from the Train Station • Phone, (907)983-3921 REGULAR $4.99 Limit 1 per customer, per coupon, per Store. Expires 10/12/2021 or while supplies Iasl 2nd Avenue & Spring St. across from the Train Station [ALASKA TRAIN WHISTLE FREE WITH ANY PURCHASE REmS1.99 ALASKA ECO FRIENDLY I SHOPPING BAG OR sug EACH Everyday Low Price! 3 colors to choose from' ULU KNIFE AND CHOPPING BOWL SKAGWAY MINING I I COMPANY 2ND AVENUE twn983-2015 1 Lirnit I per customer, per coupory Expires 10/12/021 or while supplies last SKAGWAY MINING I I COMPANY 2ND AVE" (gongea-2015 1 Wmile supplies last. SKAGWAY MINING I COMPANY 2ND AVE" (gongea-2015 Limit 4 per customer. per coupon Expires 10/12/2021 or while supplies last. 3D SKAGWAY BOOKMARK FREE WITH ANY PURCHASE REG. NbÄVENUE SHOPPIN€ 2ND a mongga-agn Limit I per customer, per coupcn. Expires I 10/12/2021 or while supplies last. ALASKA GOLD FLAKE PEN 13 for $10 I $7.99 PER SEF WITH COUPON sugg cui on sug EACH Everyday Low Price! ALASKA POLAR FLEECE VEST COUPON REESU.99 2 colors to choose frorn' While supplies last 2ND SPRING ST. (gongea-agm Limit 2 per customer, coupon, Expires 10/12/2021 or supplies last
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page 12 SKAGUAY ALASKAN WP&YR TRAIN GUIDE By Steve Hites The map of the railroad shows general char acteristics of the route from Skagway to Ben- nett. Use the numbers to follow points of interest along the way. For further information about your location, railroad milepost markers are set up alongside the tracks at window height and are placed exactly one mile apart. Stations and points of interest also are marked with signs. Now that you're set, enjoy your ride on the "Sce nie Railway of the World." 1 (Mile 0) White Pass co. Wharf/Broadway Cruise Ship Dock/Ore Dock The "Summit Excursion" departs from these docks and the WP&YR depot daily during the summer. Newsies in 1898 costumes usual ly greet the ships and give the train a send-off. Look for restored Steam Engines No. 73 and 69, which pull some trains from the docks to town, or takes special steam excursions to Bennett and Fraser. Diesel engines will take most trains up the mountain. 2 (Mile 03) Skagway, Alaska, USA / White Pass Depot 'Gateway to the Klondike" A city of 10-20,000 in 1898, Skagway's down town Historic District retains the flavor of the era. On 2nd Avenue stand the new and old White Pass depots. The new one serves as a company office and passenger terminal. Trains heading to Fraser, Bennett and Carcross leave from here. The old depot was restored by the National Park Service and serves as the Visitor Center and headquarters for Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. 3 (Mile OS) Pullen House Grounds One time "Best Hotel in Alaska," run by the plucky Harriet Pullen who owned pack horses on the White Pass Trail in '98. President Warren G. Harding gave a brief speech here on his Alas kan tour of 1923. Mrs. Pullen's grave rests above the tracks on the hillside. 4 (Mile 20) White Pass Shops All narrow gauge repairs and maintenance of engines and rolling stock are done here. New metal shops building replaced old roundhouse destroyed in the fire of 1969. Older buildings were constructed by the U S. Army during its World War Two operation of the railroad. S (Mile 2.5) Gold Rush Cemetery Outlaw Soapy Smith and town hero Frank Reid, who shot it out in '98, are buried here along with many other stampeders and early day residents. A quick eye will catch the "Largest Gold Nugget in the World" chained to a tree for protection from thieves by early tourist promoter Martin Itjen. 6 (Mile SS) SA Bridge & Denver Glacier Trail A favorite local hike for many years, U S. For est Service trail leads three miles to an old hunt- ing cabin and then to the bottom of the receding glacier. The caboose serves as a U S. Forest Ser- vice cabin. Railroad crosses East Fork of Skag way River. 7 (Mile 6.9) Rocky Point An excellent view down the lower valley to Skagway. The town, wharfs and ships tied in port can be seen in the distance with Mt. Harding and Harding Glacier forming a dramatic back- drop. The Brackett Wagon Road of '98 crossed the railroad in the narrow cut at Milepost 7. 8 (Mile 86) Clifton Passing siding and section shack. A section gang lived in a two-story building here for many years. Name derived from large rock ledge over- hanging the north switch. Sign below tracks identifies Brackett Road. The "On to Alaska with Buchanan" sign on the far wall of the can- yon was painted by a Buchanan Boys tour group from Cleveland which operated in the late 1920s and 1930s. Highway skirts the canyon above the rock. 9 (Mile 90) 9A Bridge & Pitchfork Falls Easy to miss unless you're quick with a cam- era pointing toward the mountainside. A land- mark on the Trail of '98, the falls were once an excursion stopping place. 10 (Mile 10.4) Black Cross Rock During blasting of the right-of-way on August 3, 1898, a 100-ton granite slab buried two rail- road workmen. The cross was set on the rock to mark the site, a memorial to the more than 30 men killed during construction of the WP&YR. 11 (Mile 11.5) Bridal Veil Falls Across the valley, several dozen cataracts can be seen in peak runoff season. The water comes down off the Mt. Cleveland glaciers, goes under the highway, and tumbles down to the Skagway River. 12 (Mile IIS) White Pass City Below sprang a gold rush tent town on the White Pass Trail in '98. Other views of the town- site, now covered by brush, can be had from the "High Line 13 (Mile 12B) High Line View Several good breaks in the trees afford views of the 15 Mile High Line on the opposite moun- tainside. Michael Heney, WP&YR construction contractor in '98, called this the "weak link" in the survey route. Blasting out the narrow road- bed required men hanging from ropes off the smooth rock faces, and his grade crossed many wintertime snowslide chutes. Rotary snowplows kept the line open year-round in the age of steam. Now bulldozers, with help from Rotary #1, per- form the annual snow removal ritual each spring. 14 (Mile 14.1) Glacier Station Passing siding and site of former section house. Once two water tanks quenched the thirsts of steam engines on the uphill trains here, spaced so as to water a lead locomotive and the "help- er" engine at the same time. A U.S. Forest Ser- vice hiking trail by the south end of 14A Bridge winds up to Laughton Glacier, where a NFS cab- in offers overnight shelter. To reserve the cabin see park rangers at the Visitor Center. Tickets can be purchased for Glacier, but remember to let the conductor know to stop the train. IS (Mile 150) Glacier Loop High Line Enjoy the sensation of "Flying by Train." View back to Glacier and the tracks below. Look for moose that sometimes feed in the valley. The track here was blasted across solid granite faces. 16 (Mile 160) Trestle & Old Tunnel The engineer sounds his whistle to alert pas- sengers to one of the high-point views of the SUMMER 2021 o 8 trip. The railroad spans across "Glacier Gorge," a yawning chasm in the cliffside, and then buries into Tunnel Mountain. With all the obstacles in the way, the 1898 construction required only this one tunnel. 17 (Mile 170) Inspiration Point Have your cameras ready! A lofty look at the Pacific Ocean. On a clear day the unparal- leled view sweeps down to Skagway, with Mt. Harding showing across the bay, and the distant Chilkat Range beyond Haines, some 45 miles away. Excursions in the steam era stopped here for photos and to read the plaque on the monu- ment at trackside dedicated to the 3,000 pack an- imals that died in the mad stampede of '98. The plaque has been relocated to the depot. 18 (Mile 18S) Steel Bridge When constructed in 1901, this bridge was the tallest steel cantilever in the world. It replaced a dizzying switchback which had been necessitat- ed by the depths of Cutoff Canyon; trains had to head up the gorge and then back uphill across a timber trestle to the summit. 19 (Mile 18.8) 19A Bridgerrunnel & Trail of '98 New locomotives and heavier tonnage brought about the new bridge and tunnel in 1969. Excel- lent photo opportunity of train on "horseshoe" curve across the bridge and entering tunnel. Be ready as the train emerges into daylight for a view down the upper reaches of Dead Horse Gulch on the Trail of '98. As the track curves out of 19 Tunnel, travelers can peer over the cliffside at the visible remains of the White Pass Trail. Primarily a route for horses and pack trains, the Ska»vay trail competed against the Chilkoot Trail from Dyea to Lake Bennett in 1897-98. A sign marks the trail and several bleached horse skulls offer mute testimony to the hardships of the stampede. continued on page 15
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGUAY ALASKAN page 13 Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Experience the breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites from the comfort of vintage rail cars. TAKE A RIDE ON THE SCENIC RAILWAY OF THE WORLD whitepassrail f whitepassrailroad wpyr.com 1-800-343-7373 Visit our unique Train Shoppe at the Skagway Depot for a large selection Of WP&YR Memorabilia and exclusive gifts and souvenirs: Hats • DVDs • Clothing Coffee • Books Artwork • Train Models Rail Spikes • Kitchenware Jackets • Calendars THE TRAIN SHOPPE Come visit us at 231 Second Avenue
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page 14 SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 AREA ABOUNDS WITH MANY THINGS TO DO MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS Corrington Museum of Alaskan History This museum, located at 3rd and Broadway, ad jacent to the old Golden North Hotel, tells the history of Alaska from pre-historic times to the present. More than 40 engraved walrus tusks and other exhibits detail events that shaped the evolution of the 49th state. CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. Jewell Gardens and Garden City Glass- works This show garden, developed on the site of the historic Clark Farm just across the Skag way River bridge, has grown in recent years to a showpiece of the 'Garden City of Alaska" for tours and special events. It also includes a glassworks demo theater/factory and restaurant. CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. Alaska 360% Dredge Town Located along the river about a quarter-mile after crossing the bridge, this attraction features a reassembled gold dredge that worked the Sixtymile District near Dawson City. It first arrived in the north in Skagway in 1941 and was transported on the rail- road and steamers to the Klondike. It returned to its homeport of Skagway in 1999-2000. Dredge Town will transport you back to the days of 1898 with costumed guides. There's a sled dog demon- stration with time to interact with dogs and pup- pies, gold panning, a 40-below Zero Experience, a restaurant and gift shop. CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. McCabe Building — Skagway Museum and Archives Located at the east end of 7th Avenue, this granite building was constructed in 1899- 1900 as a Methodist college-preparatory school and was later sold to the federal government in 1901 when legislation provided public schools for Alaska. It served as the U S. Court House un- til obtained by the city for a museum and offic es in 1956. The US. Marshal's office, the U.s. Commissioner's office and the jail occupied the first floor. District Court was held on the second floor in the former chapel of McCabe College. In 2000, the City of Skagway celebrated its centen- nial at the McCabe Building, which has served as City Hall and Skagway Museum since 1961. After a two-year renovation project, the museum moved back into the first floor and city offices into the second floor. Across Spring Street is Vet- erans Memorial Park with a World War II Quon- set hut and a monument dedicated to Skagway servicemen who lost their lives in World War II and the Korean War. Nearby on the 7th Avenue boardwalks are a Gold Rush diorama and infor- mation panels on the Garden City of Alaska and Alaska Native culture. Across Pullen Creek on a trail leading south to 6th Avenue is a panel about the old Pullen House, a grand early hotel with nothing left in the woods but its stone fireplace and chimney. SS Princess Sophia Exhibit New in 2018 at the Skagway Museum, this exhibit tells the story of the SS Princess Sophia, which left Skagway on Oct. 23, 1918 and then struck Vanderbilt Reef in a storm early the next morning. It was hoped the ship would float free, but the storm prevented any rescue and she broke apart and sank on Oct. 25. A visiting drag show performs at Dedman Stage in Seven Pastures in 2021. by All 350-plus souls aboard, save a dog that swam ashore, perished, making it the worst marine di- saster in the Pacific Northwest. Skagway Sculpture Garden Located at 8th and Spring next to Veterans Park, this unique outdoor garden of sculpture and Alaska art was amassed by private collector Bob White and is now available for display and tours. Featuring the works of Sandy Scott and II others. Skagway Public Library On Eighth and State, read about the library's history from its organization through the Skagway Women's Club to present day. Old Skagway newspapers are available to peruse. Rotating displays in the glass case in entryway. Skagway Centennial Park Located at I st and Broadway, this park features the city's centenni- al statue of a Tlingit packer leading a prospector up the trail in 1897, Rotary Snowplow #1, a time capsule, monuments, orientation signs, covered waiting area, water fountain, benches and native plants. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Skagway Historic District, Visitor Center at 2nd and Broadway Pullen Creek Park & Stream Walk Park be tween the small boat harbor and the railroad de pot for a sweet area to picnic and fish. King salm- on run begins in late May, followed by pinks in August and silvers in September. A stream walk follows the creek. At one time the school man aged a hatchery on the creek, and it was even named Alaska Vocational Education Program of the Year in 1989. Footbridge to Yakutania Point & Smug- gler's Cove Located south of the airport termi continued on puge 15 v' A bust framed by the foliage in the Skagway Sculpture Garden.
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SUMMER 2021 Conlinued from puge 14 nal (see map), the bridge spans across the Skag way River to waterfront trails with outstanding views, an exercise course, picnic spots and the cherished Pet Cemetery. Mollie Walsh Park Located at the east end of 6th Avenue, this play park was named for a woman who befriended miners on the trail at Log Cabin. Ex-Iover Jack Newman placed a bust here after Mollie left with another man who eventually murdered her. Gold Rush Cemetery & Reid Falls About I S miles from the Historic District, head north on State Street. Look for a sign just before the bridge. Follow signs a half-mile past the railroad shops to the graveyard. A cemetery guidebook can be purchased a the local bookstore, which tells the history of the cemetery and some of the characters buried therein, including desperado Soapy Smith and town hero Frank Reid. The falls, named for Reid, are a short walk up the hill. Seven Pastures Park Located just across the Skagway River highway bridge and also reached by the Pat Moore memorial footbridge, this large park features two softball fields, a soccer field, a disc golf course, bike-cross area, picnic grounds and the new Dedman Stage that opened in 2015. SKAGUAY ALASKAN Watch for signs about music acts at this outdoor facility. Skagway Overlook This turnoff and plat form, located at Mile 2 on Dyea Road, affords a wonderful view of the downtown area, water- front and peaks above Skagway (see geography article). It was originally built by the U.S. Army during World War II. Dyea Unit - Klondike NHP The Dyea val ley is accessed by an eight-mile mostly gravel road from Skagway. Turnoff is at Mile 2.1 on the highway. Narrow Dyea road is not recommend- ed for long or wide vehicles. It passes a turnoff to Yakutania Point (Mile 3) and swings around Nahku or Long Bay (Mile 5), home of the re- mains of the bark "Canada" (seen at very low tides), and then winds around the point to the old townsite. Dyea was as large as Skagway during the gold rush, but all that's left now is a cemetery and the scattered remains of a wharf and build- ings in the old townsite (see Dyea article). Favorite stops are the Chilkoot Trailhead, Dyea Flats and Slide Cemetery, where 40 graves bear the date of the Palm Sunday avalanche on the ChilkootTrail in 1898. If continuing on the road out to Dyea Flats, stay on marked roadways. There is an infor- page 15 mation kiosk about the flats environment with photos of what the area looked like during the gold rush. The Municipality of Skagway con trols most of the flats from the trees to tidewater. There is a small eampground in the trees with a self-registration kiosk. Stay in numbered sites. by Mollie Walsh Park WP&YR TRAIN GUIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 20 (Mile 20.4) White Pass Summit/lnterna- tional Boundary/Summit Lake A narrow notch brings the railroad up to White Pass, elevation 2,865 feet above sea level and Skagway. Two flags fly during the summer on a rise to the west to mark the boundary between the United States' Alaska and Canada's British Columbia. White Pass station once boasted a detachment of North West Mounted Police sent to "show the flag" and hold the line on their rule that each stampeder have a ton of gear and supplies before entering the country enough to live unaided in the North for a year. A sliver of B.C. divides Alaska and the Yukon at the top of Southeastern Alaska. The Yukon is about 25 miles down the tracks on Lake Bennett. The end of the line is 90 miles away in downtown White horse alongside the Yukon River. The Summit Excursion turns around here at White Pass the engines will switch to the back of the train and then take us back down the mountain. The train to Fraser keeps going. To the west of the railroad is Summit Lake, one of a series of headwater lakes in the Yukon River system. 21 (Mile 230) "Top of the World" Stunted trees, glacial boulder fields and pot- hole lakes contrast with lush forests on the coast only a few miles away. In winter the White Pass Summit country can be a raging hell or a scene out of "Dr. Zhivago" with vistas of white peaks and valleys. Excellent cross country skiing. 22 (Mile 280) Fraser, B.C. Long a water stop for the rotary fleet battling the pass, Fraser had a balloon loop track in the meadow south of Bernard Lake, and engines and plows were turned here. The old two-story wa ter tank building remains, the last such structure on the railroad. Canadian Customs and a Yukon Highways maintenance facility appear to the west. This is the bus transfer point either the beginning or the end of the rail portion of your journey between Skagway and Whitehorse. 23 (Mile 305) Portage Several fishing cabins and "boxcar homes" line the stream between two lakes. Famous view eastward toward Teepee Valley and distant lakes as you ascend Log Cabin hill. Gold discovered on Lake Atlin in '98 caused a major construc- tion shutdown when rail workers left en mass for the new diggings, taking most of the company's picks and shovels. Most returned upon discover- ing the claims were already staked out. 24 (Mile 320) Log Cabin Tracks cross the Klondike Highway at site of Log Cabin, a tent city in '98 and Mounted Police Customs house. At one time a substantial depot and section house were here, but now only two small sheds remain at the south siding, which is the highest point on the railroad at 2,916 feet above sea level. There's no log cabin. Chilkoot Trail hikers walk eight miles up the tracks to Log Cabin from Lake Bennett to catch a ride. 25 (Mile 340) Thirty-Four Flats Meadows here are large and populated with beaver on the north end and occasionally by wandering caribou or moose. If you don't see an animal, remember they aren't usually about at the height of the day. 26 (Mile 363) Beaver Lake Beaver lodges can be observed at the lake's edge. Tracks begin high above the lake and drop to lake side at the north end. Visible at Mile 39.0 is Lake Lindeman. A tent city of 10,000 camped here during the gold rush, but the rapids to Lake Bennett wrecked many hastily built boats. 27 (Mile 406) Bennett The winter of '97-'98 found 30,000 stamped- ers camped here on the shores of the lake, named after New York Herald editor James Gordon Bennett. The ice broke on May 26, 1898, and 7,000 homemade boats set sail down the lake to float down the Yukon to Dawson City. The rail- road arrived in June of '99, and after construct- ing permanent facilities, operated a station/eat- ing house until 1982. The old depot still stands, as does the old Bennett Church on the hill above the lake. Trails lead to the church, campsites and old graveyard. This area is now part of Canada's new Chilkoot Trail National Park. The trail ends here. While braking on the WP&YR in the 1970s, lo- cal balladeer and historian Steve Hites scribbled this train guide for our "esteemed rag." Steve has written and recorded many songs about the North and has entertained thousands. He also operates the Skagway Street Car Tour. d Ave. €SCELSIOR CAFE ESPRESSO - BAKERY - SANDWICHES
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page 16 SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 Fro-in Sktmjkutn Jim and Captain Soapy and gang in Jeff. Smiths Parlor; tirst kids O utside Union train Broadway 1908; Harding Visits in 1923. Skagway, Alaska Century and Beyond: Year-by-Year Compiled by Jeff Brady Pre-1887 - Skaqua or Shgag wéi, as it is known by the Tlingit, a windy place with "white caps on the water," is used by Chilkoots and Chilkats for hunting and fishing. A few of these Native Americans set- tle in the quieter areas of Smuggler's Cove, Nahku Bay and Dyea, head of the Chilkoot trail, a centuries-old Native trading route becoming pop- ular with early prospectors heading into the Yukon. In the 1880s, US. Navy and Army patrols establish federal presence in the area. 1887 - In June, Skookum Jim, a Tlingit packer from Dyea and Tagish, leads Capt. William Moore, a member of a Canadian survey par- ty, over a new pass up the Skaqua river valley. It is later named White Pass for the Canadian Interior min- ister. In October, Moore returns with son, Bernard. They lay claim to 160 acres and begin work on a cabin and dock for "Mooresville." 1894-95 - Northwest Mounted Police patrol lands in area on way to Yukon to establish Canadian presence. Early prospectors take Moore's crude trail over White 1896 -On Aug. 16-17, gold is dis- covered by Skookum Jim, George W. Carmack and Dawson Charlie on Rabbit Creek, later called Bo- nanza, a tributary of the Klondike River, 600 miles from Skagway. They stake their claim to history. 1897 - Moore opens trail on July 14, just before steamships arrive in San Francisco and Seattle with famed 'Ton of Gold," setting off Klondike Gold Rush. on July 29, the steamer Queen lands at Moore's wharf, the first of many stuffed with hundreds of gold seekers. The Moores are overrun: Mooresville is re-platted by surveyor Frank Reid as Skaguay. Later that fall, a post office, church, and newspaper (Skaguay News) are established. Many pack animals perish on crude "Dead Horse Trail" out of Skagway. George Brackett builds toll road to White Pass City, a tent city 15 miles up the valley. 1898 - Skagway booms to near- ly 10,000 population. Daily Alas- kan newspaper appears. Chamber of commerce and volunteer fire department organize. Close Broth- ers of London buy out Brackett for railroad line. Construction begins in May on White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. Unofficial city govern- ment forms and allows railroad tracks up Broadway. First school opens in Union Church in June. Criminal gang led by Soapy Smith reigns until he is shot and killed by an angry mob led by Frank Reid on July 8, four days after Smith stood on the podium with governor at Skagway's first Independence Day celebration. U .S.Army, stationed in Dyea, restores order. Reid dies and gets a hero's funeral at town ceme- tery. Spelling changed to Skagway by post office, and most business- es follow. Townspeople are called Skagwayans. 1899 - Railroad crews advance to summit and reach Lake Bennett in July. Building boom continues with construction of Arctic Broth- erhood Hall and McCabe College (on land donated by Capt. Moore). He builds his own showplace home nearby. Some buildings are shipped over from declining Dyea. New school built on 11th. City becomes fire-weary after seven downtown buildings are destroyed, and a forest fire burns the army post near Dyea. The troops, most of them black, move to Skagway. 1900 - Census records 3,117 res- idents. On June 28, Skagway be- comes the first incorporated city in Alaska on a vote of eligible proper- ty owners, 246-60. It beats Juneau by a day. on July 29, the WP&YR is completed between Skagway and Whitehorse with a golden spike ceremony at Carcross, Yukon. WP&YR depot and hospital con- tructed. 1901-02 - McCabe College closes and federal government buys it for courthouse. HD. Clark farm estab- lished across river. Charley Walker sends vegetable display to Portland Exhibition. Moore townsite claim settled, Moores get 60 of original 160 acres and compensation. Harri- et Pullen purchases Moore's stately home and opens Pullen House. Her- man Kirmse organizes first garden show in 1902. On Sept. 14, a man attempts to rob the Canadian Impe- rial Bank of Commerce branch on Fifth and blows himself up by acci dent, along with cash and gold dust, some of which is recovered after mining the street. The man is never identified. Dentist L.S. Keller ends up with skull. Army troops begin work on Fort Seward near Haines, where they will be transferred in 1904. 1903-05 - International Boundary dispute settled in 1903 with bor- ders set at tops of mountain passes. Skagway News closes, leaving only the Daily Alaskan. Bobby Sheldon, 22, builds first automobile in Alaska for 1905 Fourth of July parade. He will later drive first car over Alas- ka's first highway from Fairbanks to Valdez. Skagwayans discuss a road to eventually connect with the Valdez road. 1908-10 - Several buildings relo- cated to Broadway from other parts of city to develop business district along rail line, including Red Onion Saloon and the Golden North Hotel, owned by the Dedman family. 1912-13 - Fire on hillside above Lower Dewey Lake destroys P.E. Kern's Castle, a hotel in the woods. JM. "Si" Tanner, a popular marshal and hardware store owner, is elect- ed to Alaska's first Territorial Leg- islature in 1913. 1914 - Major Richardson of Alaska Road Commission approves rough four-mile road up east side of n ver. 1915-17 - Alaska Women's Tem- perance Union meets in Skagway and writes "Alaska Bone Dry Act," which Legislature will later adopt ahead of national prohibition. Mar- tin Itjen operates Skagway Hack, doubling as a taxi and coal truck. His business will evolve into the popular Skaguay Street Car Co. Itjen acquires Soapy's Parlor for a museum; one of his artifacts is the bank robber's skull acquired from Dr. Keller, who has taken over the fledgling Alaskan. Keller coins the term 'Garden City of Alaska." New Bank of Alaska opens in 1916. It will pioneer branch banking and grow under the Rasmuson fami- ly into the largest bank in Alaska. Itjen's friend, George Rapuzzi, es- tablishes Pet Cemetery across river where his dog loved to chase rab- bits. 1918-19 - Saloons close. on Oct. 23 , SS Princess Sophia leaves Skag way with more than 350 aboard. She strikes Vanderbilt Reef in a blinding snowstorm near Juneau. Captain gambles on tide lifting ship off reef. After two days of weath er deemed too rough for a rescue by smaller boats, she breaks apart and all aboard perish. After dodg ing the first wave of the Spanish flu that winter, Skagway lets its guard down and loses three residents in the spring of 2019. 1920-22 - Skagway Women's Club forms in 1920 and establishes Skagway Library in 1921. First air- plane lands on beach. 1923 - President Warren G. Hard- ing visits Skagway on navy ship on July II, 1923. He delivers address at the Pullen House and is the final in ductee into the Arctic Brotherhood. George Rapuzzi, a member of the Alpine Club, climbs the mountain opposite Skagway and flashes pres- idential party with mirrors from the summit. Peak hereafter is named Mt. Harding for the president who would die shortly after his return from Alaska. Daily Alaskan shuts down after the death of publisher Keller. 1924-30 - Beginning of first tour- ism boom heralded by visible pro moters Itjen and Pullen, along with WP&YR, which convinces ships to stay 36 hours so visitors may ride the train and take a Yukon lake steam er trip from Carcross to beautiful Ben-My-Chree. As a fund-raiser for the hockey club, townspeople hold a variety show for tourists at the White Pass Athletic Club. It will become the Days of '98 Show and move to the Eagles after the athlet- ic club shuts down during the Great Depression. 1931 - St. Pius X Mission is es tablished in Skagway by Father G. Edgar Gallant, who will operate the school for Native children from all over Alaska for almost 30 years. 1932 - White Pass roundhouse burns February 12. 1933-34 - Idea for a Gold Rush National Park in Skagway is first
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGUAY ALASKAN page 17 ErtHn left, Chief; early or '98 SbOW Cast; Liars Ville in 19' S; big Obstacle the job; centennial StMnp dedication. Young City Survives - 'Tis No Mushroom Growth promoted by Chamber of Com merce. Prohibition repealed. first airfield constructed from 13th to 22nd Avenues along Main Street. 1935 - In a heavily promoted vis- it, Martin Itjen calls on sexy starlet Mae West in Hollywood, invites her to "come up and see me sometime" in Skagway. Town hosts first con vention as Newspaper Institute of America delegates arrive on ship. 1939 - Women's Club raises $25,000 from Territory and $24,500 from federal Works Progress Ad ministration to build a new school. It opens in 1940 behind the old one at State and I lth. 1942-44 - Skagway is literally invaded by US. Army troops, who take over the railroad for a ma- jor supply route to build the Alcan Highway. Three thousand troops are stationed here, and as many as 20 trains a day climb the pass. A pipeline is constructed along rail way for fuel shipments. Army takes over fire department and promises 24-hour service, however major fires devastate ornate Elks lodge and Pullen House. Army has bet- ter luck assisting community when the Skagway River crests its banks twice and floods parts of the city. 1945 - After troops leave Skag way, US. Health Service opens a 90-patient tuberculosis sanitarium in the army hospital across the riv er. Nurses come from Sisters of St. Ann in Victoria, B.C. It closes in 1947. 1946-50 - WP&YR takes back railroad and assumes fuel operation. Tracks are removed from Broad way in 1947. A fire almost destroys the Mission School. Dyea Road constructed by Alaska Road Com mission. Tourism pioneers ltjen and Pullen pass on. Pullen House even- tually closes, but Rapuzzi keeps It- jen's dream alive at Soapy's. 1951 - White Pass becomes a pi- oneer in the shipping industry with containerized cargo: from the docks in Vancouver, loaded on the ship Clifford J. Rogers (first container ship in the world) for the journey to Skagway, then onto trains bound for its destination in Whitehorse. 1952 - Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) announces plans to build a S400 million smelt- er in Dyea, powered by the mighty Tyee Project, a proposal to reverse the flow of the Yukon River with a dam in Whitehorse, and thence using that water from Yukon lakes through two tunnels down the old Chilkoot Trail to power the smelter. A "mighty city of 20,000" will be needed to support the plant, which will need 20,000 acres in the valley floor. Juneau Empire starts week- ly Skagway Alaskan newspaper. Townspeople are called Skagway- rtes. 1953 - ALCOA dream fades as negotiations fail to convince Cana- dians they would receive benefits of cheap power from the Tyee Project. Alternatives explored and Yukon later builds its own dam at White- horse Rapids. Newspaper promotes road to Carcross. 1954-SS - Railroad takes delivery of first two diesel-electric engines, in addition to new flat cars and tanker cars. Alaskan merges with Haines Herald to become Lynn Ca- nal Weekly. ARC completes quar- ter-mile extension of road to Black Lake. But it won't go further until Canadians support a road from Car- cross to the border. 1956-60 - City of Skagway pur- chases McCabe building from fed- eral government in 1956 for offices. ALCOA formally abandons smelter plans in 1957. Alaska and Skagway celebrate statehood in 1959, and Morgan Reed is elected to first of four terms in the State Legislature. Monsignor Gallant is transferred to Anchorage that year and the mis- Sion school closes without his lead- ership in 1960. 1961-62 - Another mile of road is built "to modern standards" to the sheer rock face past Black Lake. Upstairs of McCabe converted into the Trail of '98 Museum, using many artifacts donated by Skag- way families. Work begins again on national park after State of Alaska shows interest. State selects land in Dyea valley for recreational use. Cy Coyne starts monthly North Wind newspaper. 1963-66 - First Alaska Marine Highway ferry arrives. Rep. Reed teams up with Sen. Elton Engstrom to pass bill to form Yukon-Taiya Commission and revive Tyee Proj- ect if state's Rampart dam doesn't materialize. Chamber of Commerce organizes Clean Sweep. 1967 - Skagway River floods. Dikes breached and Pullen Creek culvert washes out. Gov. Wally Hickel flies up to inspect damage. White Pass Hospital closes after serving community for 69 years, and city begins work on new Dahl Memorial Clinic, named for long- time doctor P.I. Dahl, which opens in 1968. 1968-69 - WP&YR builds new depot. Plans announced for Cyprus Anvil mine near Faro, Yukon, lead- ing White Pass to upgrade its track and equipment for a huge lead-zinc haul. Company officials convince city council to grant 55-year tide- lands lease for a new ore terminal and dock. White Pass roundhouse burns again in 1969. 1970-72 - Road support builds on both sides of border. Canadians build new bridge in Carcross and extend road to B.C.-Yukon border in 1971 with activity at Venus Mine. In 1972 Canadians agree to build remaining 33.6 miles to Alaska bor- der, and Alaska agrees to construct their 9.4 miles. It will be called the South Klondike Highway. Park master plan is developed. White Pass donates old depot to Nation- al Park Foundation. Yukon-Taiya Commission disbands. 1973 - White Pass sold to Fed- eral Industries. Alaska Congressio- nal Delegation introduces first bills establishing Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. final road surveys completed. First seasonal park rangers appear on Chilkoot Trail under authority of Glacier Bay National Monument. 1974-75 - A $10.9 million con- tract is awarded to Central Con- struction of Seattle, a company af- filiated with one of Alaska's new Native corporations, for the Alaska portion of the Klondike Highway. Construction to take three years. 1976-77 - Congress passes park legislation in June 1976 and super- intendent and historical architect arrive. A temporary visitor cen- ter opens in the old depot, and the park is dedicated in Skagway in June 1977. The park includes four components: Skagway unit, Dyea Chilkoot unit, White Pass unit, and Seattle-Pioneer Square unit. City forms Historic District Commis Mon. 1978-1979 - Modern Skagway News started by Jeff Brady after North Wind retires. Taiya Riv er threatens old Native cemetery in Dyea, and first story the paper covers is controversial removal of remains by National Park Service to an area near the Slide Ceme tery. Klondike Highway is punched through to border in September. Highway officially opens in spring. Final cost: S 14.4 million on US. side and $12.2 million in Canada. In July, a scary fire destroys Sour dough Inn, Igloo Bar and a drug store, but SVFD prevents it from spreading. New city barge facility/ ferry terminal completed. 1980-81 - State-supported live satellite TV arrives along with public radio on KHNS. Skagway becomes base for Disney's "Never Cry Wolf' crew filming on White Pass. City hires tourism director to promote Skagway. Fish hatcheries started at Burro Creek and school. 1982 - Faro mines shut down in spring, and railroad loses 70 percent of its revenue. This doesn't stop the return of Steam Engine No. 73. Op- timism fades in fall as White Pass suspends rail operations on Oct. 8, sending Skagway into a deep de pression. Unions picket and stop White Pass in Haines when compa- ny tries to truck freight to Yukon on Haines Highway. 1983-85 - White Pass announces it will not operate, even for sum- mers. Winter unemployment esti- mated at 70-80 percent. Newspa- per switches to monthly in winter. First running of Klondike Road Relay. Oil-rich state helps Skag way with $85 million to construct a new school. Skagway lands Alas ka Visitors Association convention and sees increase in number of cruise ships docking to more than 100. Park's first restoration project, the old White Pass railroad depot, is completed and opened for the park's visitor center and offices.
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page 18 SKAGUAY ALASKAN SKAGWAY HISTORY 17 Broadway gets "historic pavement" to cut down on dust. Garden Club forms and establishes competition, Order of Eastern Star starts annual flower and garden show. Voters ap- prove land sale along Dyea Road and houses spring up on hillside. Number of visitors tops 200,000. 1986-87 - Curragh, Inc. buys An vil mine and announces it wants to truck concentrate to Skagway. Mayor Bill Feero breaks a tied city council in February 1986 and city requests state to open highway year-round. Gov. Bill Sheffield and Yukon government Leader Tony Penikett sign historic agreement in April. Trucks operated by Lyn den roll in June. Number of cruise ships surpasses 200. Park restores more buildings and leases them to private businesses. City establish- es Centennial Committee in 1987 and park completes restoration of Moore cabin for its 100th anniver- sary. First Buckwheat Ski Classic joins Windfest as winter event. Pro- spective railroad buyers appear on scene and say railway would be a viable tourist operation. 1988 - on March 1, White Pass President Marvin Taylor announc- es the company has reached agree ment with its unions to reopen the railroad for a summer tourist op- eration with 3-hour round trips to the summit. Whistles blow all over town as employees return to work. News goes back to twice-monthly year-round. Alaska State Garden Club holds annual convention in Skagway. Year ends on scary note, as high lead levels are recorded in Skagway from past ore movement. School children are tested by public health officials, and blood levels are below normal. 1989-90 - Massive $6 million clean-up by "supersuckers" paid by Curragh and White Pass along waterfront, railroad and highway through town. Battle lines drawn on waterfront as White Pass pro- poses Broadway Dock west of ferry terminal, and Curragh tries to con vince city to lease land for new ore dock and terminal east of ferry ter minal. The latter fails when White Pass announces it will sell the ter- minal to the state's ALDEA to oper- ate. School 's Pullen Creek hatchery program receives national award. 1991-92 - Ore terminal operates through Curragh strike in Yukon. Island Princess and Regent Sea col- lide in bay on way into port; mirac- ulously no one is seriously injured. Ships are repaired and return later that summer. New rules for harbor: ships must arrive an hour apart. Number of visitors tops 300,000 in 1992 during 50th anniversary of the building of the Alaska Highway. 1993-94 — Curragh wins big loan from Yukon Government to stay alive, then files Chapter I I . Termi- nal closes. Mine sold again to An- vil Range. City pushes for winter highway funding, with or without mine, and get assurances from state and territorial leaders. Good year for filming on pass: TV show "Due South" in spring and movie "Snow- bound: Jim and Jennifer Stolpa story" in fall 1993. 'Good Morn- ing America" visits in May. White Pass announces plans to revamp and lengthen its Railroad Dock but is plagued by three fuel spills from its pipeline. A worse disaster be- falls White Pass a month later when the dock collapses, sending a tid- al wave across the bay, uprooting the ferry dock and spinning it into the Broadway dock. One worker is killed. Damage to state dock and small boat harbor exceeds Sl mil lion. 1995-96 - First cruise ship lands at rebuilt Railroad Dock on May 30. Adventure tour craze explodes with new operators and tours in Skagway and Dyea, and city ap- proves more helicopter landings on glaciers. Voters approve extending sales tax to tours and transportation. Visitor numbers surpass 400,000. Main part of old school torn down after IO years of disrepair, but gym is saved for future recreation center. New border station opens on high- way. Ore trucks and ships return in the fall. City elects first female mayor, Sioux Plummer. Skagway connects to the internet. 1997-98 - Cominco purchases Anvil Range, but mine shuts and ore terminal closes again in April 1997. Ore terminal reopens in fall after mine opens again, only to close on Christmas after Anvil Range files for protection. How- ever, over next two years, city swells with pride during Klondike Gold Rush Centennial celebrations. White Pass also begins three years of centennial events. The compa- ny is spun off from Russell Metals/ Federal Industries and becomes part of new Tri-White Corp (later renamed ClubLink). Alaska Power and Telephone's Goat Lake Hydro project is completed. State releases Juneau Access study, favoring ei- ther a highway up the east side of Lynn Canal to Skagway or using daily fast ferries. Skagway leans toward better ferries, while Haines is adamantly opposed to a new road link. Juneau is split. 1999-2000 - Skagway Centen- nial Park is completed at First and Broadway, featuring a statue de- picting a Tlingit packer leading a gold rush prospector up the trail. SUMMER 2021 White Pass and state settle suit over 1994 dock damage, with railroad to pay $1875 million. Skagway is 16th most visited cruise destination in the world with nearly 450 cruise calls. As visitor count approaches 750,000, city looks harder at deal ing with impacts. Rec. Center im- provements completed, director hired, and use expanded. The rest of the town's streets are paved. Like the rest of the world, Skagway en ters the new millennium with no bugs in its computers, and joins the cell phone age. McCabe Bldg. is restored for city centennial amidst construction delays, much like 100 years ago, and the city holds a big birthday party outside in June be fore it moves in. WP&YR cele brates its centennial in July with great fanfare in Carcross, hinting at a return some day. Townspeople start calling themselves Skagwe glans. This timeline first appeared in the centennial edition of The Skag- way News in 1997 and has been updated over the years. For an ex- panded version up to the present, see Brady's book, "Skagway: City of the New Century " (Lynn Canal Publishing, 2018) or visit the histo- ry page at skagway.com. Photos: Skagway Museum, KGRNHP, Brady collection A visitor reads about the Skagway Centennial Statue, completed in 1997 during our centennial celebrations. The statue is the centerpiece of Centennial Park and depicts a gold rush trail scene with an eager prospector being led by a Tlingit packer. - Jeff Brady
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SUMMER 2021 SKAGUAY ALASKAN page 19 DYEA HISTORIC BOOMTOWN NOW A PLACE OF BEAUTY Skagway bustles today in the summer like the boomtown it was in 1897-1898, but a few miles away, and a couple of valleys over to the northwest, lies a place that local residents and visitors cherish for its quiet beauty. This place is Dyea (pronounced Di-eee) and for a short time it was just as big and booming as old Skagway. Dyea's history as a settlement actually is much older than its ri val gold rush city. At the foot of the Chilkoot Trail, Dyea was es tablished several centuries ago as a summer camp by the Tlingit from more populated villages down the inlet near present-day Haines. These Chilkoots built the trail over the mountains to facilitate trade with Yukon and Alaska interior first Nations tribes. Dyea and Taiya are really the same word (Deiyaa) in the Tlingit language, meaning "to pack." The Tlingit's camp on the Taiya saw its first visitors from afar after the United States purchased Alaska in 1867. The U.s. Navy had exerted control in the area and convinced the Tlingit to allow others over the Chilkoot Pass. George Holt was the first documented white man to cross it in 1874, and Alaska Natives began a commercial packing oper- ation a few years later. Westerners John J. Healy and Edgar Wilson es tablished a trading post on the site in 1884, while other coastal and interior tribes vied for control of the trade. It culminated in a Native packers battle in 1888 that resulted in the deaths of two chiefs and a truce of sorts. More and more white people kept crossing over the next decade. Dyea had a post office by 1896, the year Tagish trader and frequent Dyea visitor Skookum Jim discov ered the Klondike gold 600 miles from here. Nearly a year later, in July 1897, the first ships of stam- peders arrived, and a city of 10,000 went up among the spruce and hem- lock forest at the edge of a long tid- al flat, connected by two mile-long wharves to the ships in the inlet. During its year-long heyday, Dyea boasted 150 businesses, in- eluding 19 freighting companies, 48 hotels, 47 restaurants, seven real estate agents and two newspapers. Taverns outnumbered churches 39 to one. But as quickly as it boomed, Dyea suddenly dwindled and almost dis- appeared. Two events played into its doom: an avalanche on the Chilkoot Trail in April 1898 that killed more than 60 stampeders, and the start of construction of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad out of Skag- way in May of that year. Dyea had boasted its own tramline and a fu- ture railroad of its own, but in 1899 the WP&YR owners bought it and shut it down. Business owners from Dyea flocked to Skagway, taking many of their buildings with them, and by 1900 the city of 10,000 was a mere village again of 250. Three years later, there were just six people living in the Dyea valley. Dyea did not go away. Original homesteaders Emil Klatt and WII- liam Matthews lived and worked there, and Harriet Pullen ran a dairy farm in the valley for her hotel in Skagway for many years. A few braved the Chilkoot Trail, even scouting it for a film in the 1920s. But what was left of the old gold rush buildings gradually crumbled into busted foundations by the mid- dle of the century. Dyea became a destination again after the valley was connected by an eight-mile-long coastal road from Skagway in 1947. It became a favorite recreation area for local residents, and a few more residents built cabins there. The tourists came too. In the late 1970s, much of the Taiya River valley was absorbed into the Dyea-Chilkoot Unit of the new Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The historic trail was restored, as were some of the trails through the woods where the Dyea townsite once stood. Today visitors can take a walking tour through the old townsite and to the Slide Cemetery, where many of the 1898 avalanche victims were buried. There also are a limited number of commercial tours oper- ating in the valley, but for the most part Dyea is there for the indepen- dent traveler to explore and photo- graph. Wild irises bloom in mid-June on the Dyea Tide Flats, and fire- weed join them in July and August. Currants and cranberries are found as well, when in season, and blue- berries at higher elevations on the Chilkoot and Lost Lake trails or up 'vVest Creek Road (remote old log- ging road, 4WD vehicles only). Birding is very popular on the Hats, especially when the eula- chon (pronounced hooligan, a tiny smelt) run in the Taiya in May and during the arrival of pink salmon in Nelson's Slough and other valley streams in August. Eagles, great blue heron and other birds seek the spawning fish along with the occa- sional grizzly and black bear, but keep your distance from them and pack your bear spray if you go on a hike. Also be mindful of the chang- ing tides, which can eatch an unob- servant hiker or parked vehicle off guard on the Hats if you are not watchful. If you are looking for a spot to spend the night and see Dyea at its best in the early light, the Dyea Flats area, managed by the Municipali- ty of Skagway, has its own camp- ground. Another campground, lo- cated in a wooded area along the river at the entrance to Dyea (and closer to the Chilkoot Trailhead), is managed by the National Park Service. For those who want a bed and meal cooked for them, there are nice cabins to rent at the outpost at the entrance to Dyea. The main thing about enjoying Dyea is not to rush through it. Those days were left behind in 1898. SOURCES • "Skagway: City of the New Cen- tury, The True Story of Skagway, Alaska including the White Pass, Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail," Jeff Brady, ed., Lynn Canal Publishing, 2013, 2019 • "Dyea, Alaska: The Rise and Fall of a Klondike Gold Rush Town," M J. Kirchhoff, 2012. • "Legacy of the Gold Rush: An Administrative History of Klond ike Gold Rush National Historical Park," Frank Norris, 1996. Jeff Brady is an author/histori- an, editor/publisher and bookstore owner who writes from his cabin in Dyea. Dyea, a study in contrasts. Remnants of ahandoued buildings and boats can be seen from a bluff alter 'be gold rush,and Of beauty or the tidal •
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page 20 POINTS OF INTEREST S pickup I _ {old M 2. Highway Felly 3. - start of Ck. Streamwalk 4. Dock & AML Ramp 5 _ (Imlus:rial m) 7 _ Skagway Ai rwwrt 8_ Boat I I Pullen Pond Palk & continuation Of Creek Streamwa[k Signs 12 Centennial & Puk, Rotary plow , «iginal wp&YR Engim• 1 Soapy Reid m_btout July 8. 1898 20. Miulin ltjen House 66, Meyer BldgNMCA 89, Peniel 95 Wells Vargo -1916 of 96 Offne - Zip '*9840 99 Mollie Walsh Park • exhibits. play 100, Skagway City Hall & Museum IOS, park mis at 114'1e 115 - Skate park 18th & Main St.) 116. State Street Ilwy. to Gold Rush Cem• etery"Reid Falls (take right bridge. S mile Park Stage (just Trail miles Dyea & 5 miles to See pages 31-32) 117, St. 10 park 119 Trail Lakes. Icy Lake, Upper Reid Falls, Stu-gill •s Lamiing (mps at 121 Skagway Riv« to Smuggler •s & MI", Trail. VISITOR CENTERS & INFO. 21 Gold Nationl Puk Cena-T theater. rest 31 Muni. Of Skagway Hall 49. Jr Ranger Activity Center 87 Chilkoot Trail Bakery bldg.) 9 L Skagway of 109. Skagway Public L i briny Skagway Development C.orp. Office 17 Taiya Inlet Skagway Center (l I th & Bnx«lway) EMERGENCY & MEDICAL SERVICES 911 EMERGENCY Skagway Police Fire./LMS/SAR depts. in Skagway Public Safety building (18th & State) Dahl Clinic EA & Jenny Health ( 14th 13m.ulwuyJ 117 Counseling (clinic bldg.) MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS 1 K Jet'f_ smiths Parlor (NFS) 21 Klorme Gold Rush 'hy visitor Conington Naska Side Of Old Golden North 37, exhibit (NP.S) Native Plants (NPS) 85 Wilbam & Hen Cabin & (NPS) 100 Skagway & Archi&es / McCalm I I Skagway Garden HOTELS. MOTELS B&BS RV PARKS IltstOric Skagway & At the White House Bed & RESTAURANTS & FOOD 9 _ Skagway F [sh I O, 'I-he 26 Excelsio:• Cafe 29. TIW Red Onion Saloon Doughmy 43 coffeeh0Ä• Norfwrn Lights Pizzeria Station Grill Starfire 59a_ Skagway Brewing loy 01 vas i i ' Bistm at Mexico, 116 Poppies Garden Restaurant at Je„ell (Mik 1.6, Hwy) 77 Bakery BARS - CLUBS - LIQUOR STORB MARIJUANA RETAILER 1 7 Klondike Company Alaska 21m Red onion Sbopvn• 54a. and Grill S4a_ Happy Endings Skagway Brewing Eagles EO.E 92 Elks u_P0.14 8431 I (L*. Olivia 's Bistm at SKAGUAY ALASKAN SUMMER 2021 GIFTS - JEWELRY - CURIOS 22 _ 23/26,'41 Miner •s Gems 23, Gold Rush Gifts 25. Skagway Mining co. R htu _ Skagway Chnni Conington's Jeweler 69 _ Skagway Jewelry Co 71 _ kush Gifts 82. A Line Gifts 101 Skagway Outlet Store Chilkoot Harley-Davi&son & Alaska Shoppe I •94 E -n Chilkmt Knife & Ulu Skagway Sculpture Garden 116. Gardens (Mile 1.601' left) 123 Bnk Alley Ræk Shop 123 Rie - GALLERIES - FINE ART ANTIQUES River Arts 47. Lynch & Kennedy Line Alaskan Gifts 82. Inspired Arts ArtWMks 98. 102a_ Phomgraphy I Skagway Sculpture Garden 1 16. City Glassworks GROCERY - PRODUCE - FISH FLOWERS 53 Vair•my Muket - Jewell - (Mile 16. Klondike Hwy. just past bridge) CLOTHING STORES SO _ Simp 71. KlotlR•s k 73. Back-country Outfitters 79. Blueberry Boutique & 104c_ OUTFWI'ERS - SPORTING GOODS HARDWARE • BUILDING SUPPLIES I $9. Skagway 73, Dutr•s Backcountty Outfitters sockeye cycle co. 104b -Davidson BOOKS -NEWS-MUSIC Skaguay News Depot & and Lynn Canal publishing 35 _ Skagway (uJNairs) 115. KHNS - Skagway stulio in R«• INTERNET - PHOTO-VIDEO ELECTRONICS 74. Radio Shack / Grizzly' s General AIR TOURS & CHARTERS 6, Helicopters (hclipnrt) 7 Alaska terminal) RAIL -BUS - AND LAND TOURS 22. White & Route 29. Red vrontier En SO _ Motmtain Sl»p Skgway Cycle Bicycle Tours Skagway LLC 103. & Liz" Gold Ex 116. Alaska X (Mile left bridg 116. & Garden City GIL" works(Mile I on left after bridgeb I I G. of Trus (Mile I '-widge) WATER TOURS & CHARTERS licke[ sale 116. Alaska X (Mile left after bridge VEHICLE & BIKE RENTALS 57 _ Skagway & Scooter seekeye cycle • Hike Rentals 77. If you don't take the Alaskan home with you, PASS IT ON OR RECYCLE IT! ALASKA'S G Aß&ETVÅ 82 52 3 3 33 OF E Downtown Map & Advertising Directory
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