The Klondike Gold Rush: A Multi-Layered Story
The end of the 1800’s was a difficult era in American history. The nation was still dealing with an economic depression that started in 1893 and by 1896 had caused double digit unemployment. People from around the world were looking for something that could give them a boost. When gold was discovered in the northern Yukon Territory of Canada in 1896, the rush was on. Word reached the masses when, on July 17, 1897, a ship with a ton of gold sailed into Seattle’s harbor. Seattle grew from a quiet logging town into one of the busiest ports in the world, and over 100,000 people headed north to the gold fields.
But our story is not just about the gold. It is about the adventure, the risk and the rewards of leaving the known behind and venturing north. It is about the love of the land, the people who came, the First Nation's people who were there, and the legacy that this gold rush created. Those who did not strike it rich with gold still often struck it rich with stories, love, an appreciation of the land, and a life that would never be the same again. While only 30,000 people made it all the way to the Klondike gold fields in Dawson City, Yukon, it was the 100,000 who tried, who opened businesses, who ventured outside their comfort zone, who took a risk, who followed a dream. We celebrate all those who dared.
From Seattle to Alaska to the Yukon, the Friends of the Klondike Corridor works with the National Parks, residents and businesses, to weave together the various Klondike related national historic sites in Canada and the United States that together present the whole romantic international story of the Klondike Gold Rush.
