From the History

With the advent of the Klondike gold rush in the late 1890s, Yukon was invaded by thousands of people hoping to find gold and become instantly wealthy. In 1897, approximately 1,500 people lived in Dawson; by the summer of 1898, the population had grown to around 30,000.1 It became the largest Canadian town west of Winnipeg. Throughout 1898, steamers arrived in Seattle from the Klondike carrying tons of gold and sent back hundreds of dreamers searching for gold that, in many cases, was never found. Many gold seekers arrived in the Klondike with little idea of what lay ahead. They had not anticipated being almost completely isolated from civilization and struggling to obtain the bare necessities required to survive the bitterly cold winters. The barren land was unforgiving; many were forced to turn back empty-handed. For those who did remain in the Yukon, thousands of miles from home, communication with other parts of the country was a lifeline. The briefest note, a small gift or even a postcard from a family member or friend could make a gold seeker’s spirits soar.