Book Description

The Alaskan Klondike Gold Rush coincided with major events, including the arrival of the railroad, and it exemplified continuing trends in Seattle's history. If not the primary cause of the city's growth and prosperity, the Klondike Gold Rush nonetheless serves as a colorful reflection of the era and its themes, including the celebrated "Seattle spirit." This historic resource study examines the Klondike Gold Rush, beginning in the early 1850's with the founding of Seattle, and ending in 1909 with the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition commemorating the Klondike Gold Rush and the growth of the city. Chapter 1 describes early Seattle and the gold strikes in the Klondike, while the following three chapters analyze how the city became the gateway to the Yukon, how the stampede to the Far North stimulated local businesses, and how the city's infrastructure and boundaries changed during the era of the gold rush. Chapter 5 looks at how historians have interpreted the Klondike Gold Rush throughout the 20th century. The final chapter brings the Klondike story up to the present, describing the establishment of Seattle's Pioneer Square Historic District and the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The chapter titles include: (1) "'By-and-By': The Early History of Seattle"; (2) "Selling Seattle"; (3) "Reaping the Profits of the Klondike Trade"; (4) "Building the City"; (5) "Interpreting the Klondike Gold Rush"; and (6) "Historic Resources in the Modern Era." Contains an extensive 147-item partially annotated bibliography; 12 appendixes contain historical documents and photographs.