See photographs of the Klondike Gold Rush, California, Oregon and Washington taken by Arthur C. Pillsbury (1870-1946) between about 1896 and 1900.
"Australian" steamboat at Canyon City in Yukon Territory, ca. 1899
A similar photograph in the University of Washington’s Eric A. Hegg’s photographs identifies the location at Miles Canyon Landing, about 6 miles south of Whitehorse on the Yukon River. This location was used by the Canyon and White Horse Rapids Tramway Company between 1897 and 1900 to portage steamer cargo around Miles Canyon and the Whitehorse Rapids. Location information for Canyon City has been provided based on information from the National Park Service. The "Australian" was constructed by the Canadian Development Company in Bennett, British Columbia in 1899.
Identifier: spl_ap_00151
Date: 1899?
View this itemBoat in Taku Inlet between Wyndon and Taku Glaciers, ca. 1899
The original Tlingit name for Foster Glacier was Taku Glacier. It was also known as Schulze Glacier in the 1880s and Foster Glacier in the 1890s before reverting to its first name. No mention of the Wyndon Glacier was found in historical or current resources.
Identifier: spl_ap_00064
Date: 1899?
View this itemChilkat Indians watching Klukwan Potlatch ceremony, Alaska, October 11, 1898
Identifier: spl_ap_00107
Date: 1898-10-11
View this itemIndigenous woman with child on her back, ca. 1899
The identity of the woman and child are unknown. The photograph was likely taken in Alaska or Western Canada but the exact region is unknown. An illustration based on this photograph appeared in the June 1900 edition of McClure's Magazine.
Identifier: spl_ap_00170
Date: 1899?
View this itemJuneau and the Gastineau Channel looking SW, ca. 1899
In 1880, gold was discovered at Silver Bow Basin by Richard Harris and Joe Juneau. The gold discovery led to the development of the nearby town of Juneau.
Identifier: spl_ap_00067
Date: 1899?
View this itemDance of the sticks at Klukwan Potlatch ceremony, Alaska, October 12, 1898
Identifier: spl_ap_00110
Date: 1898-10-12
View this itemTenaya Canyon in Yosemite, ca. 1897-1900
No caption is provided for the photograph but it appears to show Tenaya Canyon in Yosemite. Half Dome appears at the right of the photograph. Pillsbury had a lifelong interest in the park and established his own photograph studio there in 1897.
Identifier: spl_ap_00164
Date: 1897?; 1900?
View this itemTlingit woman, Klukwan, Alaska, ca. 1899
Although no identification is provided, the woman is believed to be from Tlingit based on the description in spl_ap_00102 where Gow-she-ett-tee is identified as a Klukwan deity. Klukwan is a Tlingit village that was located on the Dalton Trail, a route used by prospectors during the gold rush.
Identifier: spl_ap_00104
Date: 1899?
View this itemAerial view of Dyea and Skagway, Alaska from across Chilkoot Inlet, ca. 1899
Dyea and Skagway served as the two main starting points for overland routes to the Klondike gold fields. Dyea was a short-lived town used by prospectors as an entrance to the Chilkoot Trail. It became less popular after a large avalanche blocked much of the trail on April 3, 1898 killing over 70 prospectors. Skagway served as the starting point for the White Pass Trail. In May 1898 White Pass & Yukon Route railroad route opened in Skagway, offering a faster, safer way for prospectors and their gear to reach the gold fields.
Identifier: spl_ap_00042
Date: 1899?
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