Remembering the Gold Rush

By Linda Tancs

The promise of gold brought thousands of people to Alaska and the Yukon Territory in 1897-98. Their search for riches is commemorated at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway, Alaska. The park is made up of three units in Alaska and one unit in Seattle, Washington, each playing an integral role in the stampede to the Klondike. The three units in Alaska are the Skagway Historic District, the White Pass Trail and the Chilkoot Trail (which began at Dyea, once a booming town as a route to the gold fields). The Chilkoot pass is one of only three passes that can be used all winter in the northern Lynn Canal area. If you visit this time of year you’ll avoid the hustle and bustle of the cruise ships that dominate Skagway during the summer season.