gold rush migration estimated region north western canada gold discovered local miners august news reached seattle san_francisco following year triggered wealthy majority went vain ended gold discovered alaska prompting exodus photographs books films artifacts reach gold fields took route ports southeast alaska follow white pass trails sail required bring year supply food canadian authorities order prevent starvation equipment weighed close ton carried stages mountainous terrain cold climate meant persisted arrive summer found opportunities left disappointed mining challenging ore distributed uneven manner digging slow result miners chose buy sell claims building huge investments letting work accommodate boom towns sprang routes end founded confluence population hastily constructed town came house people summer built wood isolated suffered fires high prices despite wealthiest spent gambling drinking native people hand suffered rush died moved reserve way newspapers encouraged travel lost interest news arrived summer gold discovered west alaska left new marking end rush boom towns declined population fell away mining activity gold rush lasted production peaked heavier equipment brought mined today legacy draws tourists region contributes prosperity background indigenous peoples north west america traded copper prior european expansion tribes aware gold existed region metal valued russians explored half 19th century ignored rumours gold favour fur trading offered immediate profits second half 19th century american began spread peninsula making deals tribes early succeeded opening important routes white pass reach valley encountered people semi nomadic hunters fishermen lived appear know extent gold deposits region identified gold deposits expedition returned having discovered considerable amounts founded year gold found banks small amounts claims late 1880s miners working way valley living small mining camps trading border log town established years grew paris alaska inhabitants opera houses schools libraries known foreign correspondent came visit end year ghost town news arrived rich amounts gold found upstream discovery august american named wife brother nephew charlie travelling south following suggestion began looking gold called rabbit creek tributaries clear discovered gold group agreed let appear official feared mining authorities reluctant recognize claim indian event gold present river huge quantities measured claims strips ground later legally mined owner river including normal claim second reward having discovered gold jim charlie claims registered day police post mouth mile river news spread rapidly mining camps valley end august claimed miners advanced creeks feeding later named discovered new sources gold prove richer claims began sold miners considerable sums christmas word gold reached despite winter immediately left dog eager reach region best claims taken outside world largely unaware news canadian officials managed send message superiors ottawa finds influx government attention winter prevented river traffic june boats left area carrying mined gold story discoveries beginning july attempt estimated people reach eventually formed height gold rush summer summer began july san_francisco spurred days later seattle early returned bringing large amounts gold ships portland press reported total equivalent million prices brought ships proved migration caught attention joined writers photographers factors lay sudden mass response economically news reached height series financial bank failures 1890s gold standard time tied paper money production gold shortages end 19th century meant gold dollars rapidly increasing value ahead paper contributed financial caused unemployment financial uncertainty huge unresolved demand gold developed world offered individuals region promised higher wages financial security psychologically historian describes far away romantic close accessible furthermore pacific ports closest gold strikes desperate encourage trade travel region mass journalism period promoted event human interest stories lay worldwide publicity campaign engineered largely seattle newspaper man helped establish city premier supply centre departure point gold fields came nations estimated majority percent americans recent immigrants america experience mining industry mass staff join gold rush notorious seattle included mayor policemen significant percentage city drivers famous governor washington joined prominent lawyer known american scout explorer arrived africa called second boer war documented rush swedish born photographer took iconic pictures reporter write hand history later famous american writer left seek gold money rush working seattle san_francisco competed fiercely business rush seattle winning larger share trade join gold rush mayor seattle resigned formed company transport publicity gold rush led branded goods market clothing equipment food sold goods allegedly designed north west published giving advice routes equipment mining capital necessary enterprise newspapers time termed phenomenon routes reached upstream delta downstream head middle tributaries river boats navigate summer delta point called travel general difficult geography climate region mountainous rivers winding impassable short summers hot october june long winters temperatures drop aids travellers carry supplies varied brought dogs horses rely carrying equipment backs pulled hand shortly began canadian authorities introduced rules requiring entering bring year supply food typically weighed pounds time camping equipment tools included typical traveller transporting ton weight price draft animals poor quality horses sell rented day seattle san_francisco travel sea coast ports alaska route following coast referred inside passage led ports ports nearby trails sudden increase demand encouraged range vessels pressed service including old fishing boats barges coal ships coal dust sank water route possible sail way seattle northern pacific coast delta river boat rest way river guided native people lived near water route called rich man route expensive long miles total attraction speed avoiding overland travel beginning ticket bought winter fare settled travellers attempted route vast majority caught river region october successfully reached winter return having thrown away equipment route reach destination time remainder found stranded isolated camps settlements ice covered river desperate circumstances routes landed south east towns located head natural end inside passage need travel miles mountain ranges canada river network trails tent camps sprung places stop eat sleep obstacles lakes head start rush ticket seattle port cost cabin soon paid steamship companies post rates advance increase daily basis white pass trail landed way white pass cutting trail began gently progressed mountains paths narrow feet wider parts covered sharp rocks conditions horses died huge numbers giving route informal volumes travellers wet weather trail impassable late closed notice leaving stranded alternative toll road suitable wagons eventually constructed combined colder weather muddy ground allowed white pass reopen began way canada moving supplies equipment pass stages divided belongings pounds packages carried man heavier loads pulled hand packages forwards walking need thirty round trips distance miles moved supplies end trail heavy strong man covering miles need days reach trail landed neighbour town travelled trail crossed pass reach fed head pass higher gold rush trail passed camps reached flat main ascent steep animals location known scales goods weighed travellers officially entered canada cold weight equipment climb extremely day feet high slope white pass trail supplies needed broken smaller packages carried relay prepared carry supplies cash available route charge later stages natives members people commonly common mountains april claimed lives people travelling began provide solutions winter progressed steps cut ice pass daily fee step staircase known golden steps december powered horse walked circle pulling wheel mounted rope built ferry packages final parts pass soon followed powered steam engine charging cents pound aerial built spring able tonnes goods hour summit head lakes bennett camped build boats final miles spring boats varying size quality left time forests lakes largely cut timber river posed new problem dangerous white horse boats wrecked people died introduced safety rules boats carefully forbidding women children travel additional rules stated boat carrying passengers required licensed pilot typically costing simply boats let drift intent walking collect summer horse powered rail built capable carrying boats equipment canyon time removing need navigate parallel trails trails established alaska trail starting pyramid harbour close went pass miles west turned north distance miles created summer route intended cattle horses charged toll use route started went north east followed river met route point halfway meant dragging river mud crossing feet mountain narrow trail finally route starting port south east route went uneasy head navigation carry supplies miles like route met system canadian routes alternative south east ports canadian routes called stayed canadian soil journey popular british canadians patriotic reasons avoided american customs miles length started british_columbia crossed swamps river mountains met route face difficulties came men attempted travel route mud ice routes proved exhausting killing pack animals creating chaos travellers routes started alberta better barely trails despite advertised inside track door overland route headed north west ultimately meeting continuing overland crossing route encourage travel government hired build trail known trail trails known water routes involved river travel went boat rivers overland system river went north entering alaska meeting fort downstream boat equipment pulled miles estimated travellers took routes arrived taking months journey american route equivalent canadian routes american route aimed reach port lay coast hoped evade canadian customs posts provide american controlled route interior men women attempted late onwards delayed winter fresh efforts spring practice huge stood port interior proved managed climb cold causing deaths rest attempted alternative route east suffering greater hardships manage cross found having negotiate miles wilderness reach expedition forced turn way come men surviving border control borders alaska disputed canada britain american purchase alaska russia canada claimed ports combined numbers american quantities gold mined difficulties exercising government authority remote area control borders sensitive issue early gold rush army sent small detachment case intervention required canadian government considered excluding american took place instead agreed sub port entry canadians allowing british ships land canadian passengers goods freely canada agreed permit american miners operate decisions unpopular domestic american businessmen complained right monopoly regional trade undermined canadian public demanded action american miners set control posts borders disputed easily controlled points white passes units armed maxim guns tasks included enforcing rules requiring travellers bring year supply food allowed checking illegal weapons preventing entry criminals enforcing customs duties task particularly unpopular american faced paying average percent value goods supplies reputation running posts honestly accusations took bribes hand tried prize items like silk whiskey pass hay item ladies mining estimated people reached gold rush finally struck gold rich time arrived best creeks claimed long term miners region arrivals year taken claims recorded authorities july new look find claim region veins gold forced surface volcanic action worn away action rivers streams leaving gold dust deposits known gold lay creek beds lines soil typically feet feet beneath surface formed older streams lay deposits called bench gold finding gold challenging initially miners assumed gold existing creeks late began mined gold distributed areas found prediction good mining sites uncertain way certain gold present conduct digging methods mining began clearing ground vegetation debris prospect holes dug attempt find ore pay streak holes looked productive proper digging commence aiming bedrock majority gold found digging carefully monitored case operation needed shifted allow changes flow sub arctic climate layer hard lay feet surface traditionally meant mining region occurred summer months pressure gold rush delay unacceptable late 19th century technology existed dealing problem including hydraulic mining stripping heavy equipment required brought gold rush instead miners relied wood fires ground depth inches removing resulting gravel process repeated gold reached theory support shaft necessary practice fire melted caused collapses fires produce gases removed tools resulting dirt brought mines quickly winter processed warmer summer months alternative efficient approach called steam devised pump steam directly ground required additional equipment widespread technique years rush summer water pan dirt separating heavier gold gravel required miners construct sequences wooden boxes feet long dirt washed needed mining operation turn required lots water usually produced creating dam ditches crude pipes bench gold mining hill sides use lines water pumped high instead mines boxes moved forth like cradle create motion needed separation finally resulting gold dust exported exchanged paper money rate major banks opened simply money dealing local traders business successful mining took time capital particularly timber cut realistic mining operation required million wood burned melt ground construct dam million ditches boxes total attraction gold found highly concentrated creeks times richer gold california richer south_africa years example million worth gold brought claim canadian law miners license arrived route victoria canada prospect gold found suitable location lay claim mining rights stake claim drive stakes ground measured distance apart return register claim normally days claim person time allowed district married couples exploit allowed wife register claim doubling land claim mined freely year fee paid annually leave claim days good reason claim land canadian government charged royalty percent value gold taken claim proper size claim matter dispute traditionally mining claim granted foot long stretch creek including land valley canadian authorities tried reduce length feet pressure miners forced agree foot exception discovery claim creek feet long exact lengths claims challenged government surveyor conducted surveys settle disputes found claims exceeded official limit excess land available claims valuable claims bought price depended proved contain gold capital consider taking risk claim better creeks buy proved known claim sold million allowed hire work claim later purchases miners set mines employees acquisitions short term loans autumn mcdonald purchased claims estimated worth millions famously borrowed heavily claim creek relying hired hands gold interest payments fortunate funded rapidly found chose sell equipment return south took jobs manual workers mines typical daily pay high external standards low compared cost living possibility new creek suddenly produce gold continued poorer smaller continued gold rush rumours new strikes cause small mob descend fresh sites hoping able stake high value claim life massive influx drove formation boom towns routes largest new towns crowded chaotic disappeared soon came men women travelled region typically wife women entertained gambling dance halls built business men women encouraged lavish spending successful miners remained relatively protected canadian meant gambling prostitution accepted robbery murder kept low contrast especially port jurisdiction infamous criminal underworld extreme climate region general meant supplies communication outside world including news mail scarce boom towns ports entered tiny settlements gold rush consisting log cabin docking facilities ships cargo directly beach people tried goods high tide inevitably smashed stolen lost process travellers arrived intending supply goods services miners turn realizing difficult reach chose weeks offices lined muddy streets surrounded tents famous international media author described town nest ants taken strange country stirred stick remained transit point winter began permanent character built bay order attract greater share town effectively dominated drinking gunfire prostitution visiting superintendent noted little better hell earth place world nonetheless summer population including migrants largest city alaska late summer fell control smith men arrived seattle shortly began expand american confidence man gang strong cheated stole travelling region maintained illusion member community opening creating fake businesses assist operations fake telegraph office charging send messages canada pretending receive reply opposition smith steadily grew weeks activity killed shootout july towns port route boom town earlier gold rushes increased size gambling nude female dancing commonplace formed attempt create american route winter tent city people stayed supply ill fated attempts reach interior canada increased population gold rush immediate region cities san_francisco seattle portland vancouver victoria saw populations result trade brought created early days gold rush decided profit influx men bought acres junction rivers government laid street plan new town bringing timber supplies sell migrants village considered close new town superintendent moved inhabitants miles river small reserve town beginning simply known harper town site named director canada geographical survey grew rapidly hold people winter plots land selling spring population rose arrived passes centre town street lined hastily built buildings warehouses log tents spreading rest settlement running water springs drinking water supplement increasingly river spring streets thick mud summer settlement human plagued flies land scarce plots sold million prime locations street reach million small log cabin rent month result population spread south village renaming communities emerged closer mines newly built town proved highly vulnerable fire houses wood heated lit candles oil lamps water wanting especially frozen winters major fire occurred november started accidentally dance hall girl accidentally started second major fire october absence fire brigade destroyed major post office building cost million worst fire occurred april saloon caught fire middle strike newly established fire brigade major landmarks town burned ground buildings destroyed damage estimated million million logistics proved ongoing problem supply food population grew critical rivers clear food winter evacuated supplies alaska september onwards way search food shelter winter prices remained high supply fluctuated according season winter salt worth weight gold nails vital construction work rose price cans butter sold horses slaughtered dog food kept alive winter fresh goods arriving spring sold record prices eggs reaching conditions potentially fatal illness caused lack proved major problem particularly winter supply fresh food available english gave local canadian black leg account unpleasant effects condition struck writer fatal case brought end mining career malaria common epidemic broke july ran rampant summer patients taken newly constructed thousands affected measures taken following year prevent including introduction better sewage management water upstream gave improvements remained problem new reserve lay downstream badly contaminated river continued contribute gold rush conspicuous consumption despite challenges huge quantities gold coming encouraged lavish lifestyle richer typically open hours day whiskey standard drink gambling popular major running rooms culture high stakes evolved rich routinely betting playing poker pot establishments street grand style mirrors plate glass windows late lit electric light dance halls particularly prestigious major status symbols customers owners wealthy expected drink champagne bottle pavilion cost owner million construct elaborate opera houses built bringing singers specialty acts tales spending huge sums entertainment spent single evening example payments gold dust places like gold profit sweeping floor richest lived ladies man rarely went wearing silk diamonds impress woman liked eggs expensive luxury alleged bought eggs boiled fed dogs threw sequence gold objects ship favourite singer left esteem wealthiest dance hall girls followed suit belt gold dollar coins diamond inserted teeth businessman despite styled king unusual peers lack spending law order unlike american law town members sent district increased expensive commitment canadian government june force headed colonel officer reputation firm discipline murders major arrests offenses year arrests half prostitution resulted attempt regulate sex industry regular monthly arrests fines medical imposed proceeds fund local hospitals called blue laws strictly enforced establishments closed promptly midnight saturday caught working sunday liable fined set generally regarded historians efficient honest force period task helped geography relatively easy bar entry prevent suspects leaving region contrast early civil authorities criticized potentially corrupt gold commissioner temporary head administration start gold rush accused keeping details new claims secret allowing historian termed ignorance reign recorder office following campaigns backed local press relieved canadian government successor major considered stronger character arrived fell ill returned east july left replacement supported conduct reforms commission lack evidence cleared charges meant punished relieved proved stronger administrator subsequently revisited mining surveys predecessors news mail remote great demand news contact world outside months said news old read lack newspapers read labels knew heart following year teams fought way passes reach complete printing presses aim gaining control newspaper market editor arrived equipment team midnight sun produced daily newspaper followed shortly bringing number daily newspapers town gold rush sold annual subscription known popular causes associated miners coverage scandals paper hard find winter printed butcher wrapping paper lack paper news told june bought edition auction charged spectators dollar read aloud halls mail service chaotic ill organised government anticipated united_states region major problems stood way effective system begin mail america sent alaska sent distributed huge distances involved resulted delays months frequently loss protective addresses second problem initially lacked post office relied stores saloon act informal delivery points tasked run mail system october ill trained letters arrive single shipment collected person post office resulted huge lining outside office days time afford pay stand line woman allowed ahead line postage stamps like paper general scarce customer trained postal staff took mail delivery relieved task role women percent living territory women towns like rose percent women arrived husbands families travelled came similar economic social reasons male attracted particular media interest gender encouraged business proposals ship young single women region marry newly wealthy miners marriages took place single women appear travelled hope finding prosperous husbands gave recommendations practical clothes women female dress code time formal long skirts women adapted conditions trails regardless experience women party typically expected cook group mothers brought children risks travel remote location women percent actually worked miners married miners lives partners gold fields hard lonely extensive domestic duties including ice snow water breaking frozen food wood collecting wild foods towns women took laundry money physically demanding job relatively easily combined child care duties took jobs service industry example pay punctuated periods unemployment men women opened women considered better running women worked packing trade carrying goods backs domestic servants women capital invest mines businesses prominent brought cloth hot water bottles arrived early proceeds sales built grand later grand hotel invested widely including acquiring mining company reputed richest woman wealthy abandoned husband early journey continued reaching prominent citizen investing mining business ventures brother relatively small number women worked entertainment sex industries elite women highly paid actresses beneath chorus line dancers usually doubled dance hall workers better paid white collar male workers women worked long hours significant expenses entertainment industry merged sex industry women living prostitutes sex industry concentrated area hierarchy sexual employment existed houses small independent cigar shops middle prostitutes worked small called life workers continual struggle suicide rate high degree involvement native women varied women worked example carrying supplies equipment transporting babies women relatively little contact white immigrants significant social divide local women white women number native women married western men including wife practice survive married women women worked prostitutes respectable white women avoid native women prostitutes cause scandal end gold rush stretched alaska allowing instant international contact railway began built head navigation completed trail obsolete despite improvements communication transport rush began summer arriving found unable living left home stayed wages casual work depressed number men fell month world newspapers began turn gold rush spring spanish american war removed headlines popular phrase express disgust idea branded goods disposed special rates seattle factor decline change developed wealthy boom town conservative municipality modern introduced including bath tables brussels hotel dining rooms printed french balls noted historian visiting senator likened newly paved streets dressed inhabitants strand london longer attractive location way living town stable respectable community final trigger discovery gold canada alaska prompting new time away august gold found lake head generating interest winter larger quantities found mouth flood region left single week august gold rush legacy people handful people left gold rush rich typically spent reaching region combined exceeded produced gold fields time find gold lost fortunes subsequent years died attempting reproduce earlier good fortune fresh mining opportunities businessman example continued accumulate land boom money ran died poverty discovered gold abused alcohol dissipated fortune ended working ship kitchen pay way mixed left wife kate found difficult adapt new lifestyle remarried lived relative prosperity huge income mining royalties refused settle continued prospect death spent died alcohol related accident richest saloon owners businessmen typically lost fortunes died poverty example editor bankrupt spent rest career smaller newspapers prominent saloon owner suffered nervous breakdown died extreme poverty nonetheless joined gold rush prospered example famous dancer remained popular america death business partner lover started career going america greatest theatre movie remarried ultimately second female member canadian parliament impact gold rush native peoples region considerable peoples prospered short term work guides selling food supplies longer term especially people living region suffered environmental damage gold mining rivers forests population begun decline discovery gold 1880s dropped reserve result contaminated water supply smallpox found ways benefit economically gold rush fishing hunting grounds largely destroyed needed aid prevent famine places declined gold rush transport improvements meant heavier mining equipment brought larger modern mines established gold industry gold production increased result hydraulic mining declined approximately pounds recovered area journalist future mother moved thriving away street town increasingly deserted jammed refuse gold rush furniture gold sets dishes double bottles piles mining machinery boilers pumps inhabitants remained compared boom years site ghost town people living nearby settlements created gold rush entirely abandoned 21st century small gold mining industry tourism drawing legacy gold rush plays role local economy buildings center town reflect style era population grown 1970s recorded valley affected gold rush heavy occurred port rush remains preserved period town centered tourist industry sight seeing trips visiting cruise ships restoration work national_park_service began famous con man smith operated visitor centres forming located seattle focus human interest stories gold rush contrast neighbour rival abandoned gold rush ghost town railway built white pass year rush reopened today tourists closely linked trail popular hiking route culture events gold rush rapidly embedded north american culture captured poems stories photographs promotional campaigns long end discovery day celebrated monday august holiday events gold rush promoted regional tourist industries events gold rush frequently exaggerated time modern works subject similarly focus dramatic exciting events accurately describes gold rush myth continues appeal novels books poems generated consequence gold rush writer incorporated scenes gold rush novels set including wild novel dog colleague poet join rush home service created known poems gold rush songs books poetry decade 20th century novel trail written hand log canadian historian grew father wrote historical books gold rush great gold rush experiences resulted posthumous work translated english hard road vivid description period terminology way north american english like referring newly arrived miners experienced miners photographs taken gold rush heavily influenced later cultural approaches gold rush recorded early photographers instance stark black white photographs showing ascent pass rapidly iconic images widely distributed pictures turn inspired gold rush silent movie uses background combine physical comedy character desperate battle survival harsh conditions photographs documentary city gold narrated won prizes pioneering incorporation images documentary film making gold rush widely covered later fictional films western set largely ignores unique features gold rush favour traditional western plot popular literature gold rush approaches simply final phase expansion american west perception modern historians appendix archives images alaska washington library including images university washington library adventures august november private collections photo valley showing traces
Klondike Gold Rush