Arthur C. Pillsbury Collection
See photographs of the Klondike Gold Rush, California, Oregon and Washington taken by Arthur C. Pillsbury (1870-1946) between about 1896 and 1900.
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Tagish Lake, Canada, ca. 1899
Tagish Lake is located on the border of British Columbia and Yukon.
Identifier: spl_ap_00159
Date: 1899
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S.S. Queen returning Washington Volunteers to Seattle, ca. 1900
On November 6, 1899, the S.S. Queen carried back the First Washington Volunteer Infantry to Seattle. The men were returning from service in the Spanish American War. The arrival of the volunteers was described in detail in a November 7, 1899 Seattle Times article: "Grand beyond description was the naval parade with which the returning volunteers were welcomed to Seattle and to their native state this morning. The assembling and marshaling of the fleets, its progress down the sound, its deploying in columns as the Queen as sighted, the approach of the Queen with the volunteers on board, the gay decorations that made the rigging on the vessels a mass of patriotic colors, the enthusiastic crowds of Washington people who had come to Seattle from every part of the state to welcome the returning heroes, the progress of the fleet up the channel after the Queen had fallen into her place of honor, the salvos of artillery, the deafening din of soul-inspiring music, the shouts from thousands of people who felt that no shout was loud enough, no hand shake hearty enough to convey, and finally the return to the docks, all made up a scene such as Seattle has never before witnessed. It was a historic morning, and from the moment the first gray streaks of light broke in the East and the pulse of patriotism seemed to throb and vibrate through the air, and the contagion of enthusiasm ran from home to home from street to street, from land to sea. Long before 7 o'clock crowds of people could be seen hurrying along the street toward Schwabacher's dock where lay the fleet that was to steam down the Sound to meet the Queen and welcome the returning volunteers. To the great relief of the eager watchers who peered out from their windows to watch the first omens of the weather, there was not a trace of fog on the water, and even the [illegible] clouds that for a time hung threateningly in the dull gray light of the morning finally broke enough to admit streaks of sunshine and the weather god seemed to look down with special favor upon the preparations for a state's greeting and tribute tot he patriotic valor of her returning sons. The long reaches of Elliott Bay lay calm as a sheet of molten glass, and the soft subdued light of the morning lent a peculiar charm to the marine view. At the dock lay the Holyoke, Tyee, Tacoma, Wanderer, and Maggie, all gaily decorated to honor the occasion." The same article reports 5,000 people showed up at the docks, jostling with each other to welcome back family members and friends. Another article reported a crowd of nearly 200,000 gathered in the city to celebrate their return. This was more than twice the 1900 population of the city which numbered close to 80,000. The Pacific Coast Steamship Line Company's Pier B appears at the far right at the base of S. Main St.
Identifier: spl_ap_00055
Date: 1899-11-06
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View of Long Lake, B.C. from Long Lake Hotel, ca. 1899
Long Lake lay along the Chilkoot Trail, a Tlingit trade route between Skagway, Alaska and Lake Bennett (on the border of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory) that was used by many prospectors during the gold rush. The hotel was located at the south end of the lake. Signs on the side of the hotel advertise beds, lemonade and a bakery.
Identifier: spl_ap_00096
Date: 1899
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Panoramic forest view, ca. 1899
Location is likely Alaska, British Columbia or Yukon Territory based on other photographs in the collection but the exact location is unknown.
Identifier: spl_ap_00032
Date: 1899
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"Joseph Closset" stern wheeler at Five Finger Rapids on Yukon River, ca. 1899
The Joseph Closset frequently traveled the Yukon River to carry prospectors to the gold fields during the Klondike Gold Rush.
Identifier: spl_ap_00156
Date: 1899
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Boats unloading freight on waterfront in Nome, Alaska, September 28, 1899
Boats landing on the Nome waterfront carrying supplies for prospectors. Crowds of people line the beach. The same photograph was published on page 273 of the "Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen's Magazine," Volume 29. Gold was discovered near Nome in the summer of 1898. Prospectors rushed to stake claims and Nome's population quickly ballooned to 10,000 people. In 1899, more gold was discovered on beaches near the town and spurred an even greater rush of visitors. By 1900, an estimated 1000 people a day were arriving in Nome. Pillsbury took some of the first available photographs of the city. Following his departure, the winter conditions made it too difficult for others to reach the area. This photograph was published in the June 1900 issue of Harper's Weekly. An illustration based on the photograph was also featured in the June 1900 issue of McClure's Magazine.
Identifier: spl_ap_00178
Date: 1899-09-28
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White Pass and Yukon Railway construction celebration at Bennett, B.C., July 6, 1899
During the Klondike Gold Rush, the White Pass was one of the routes used by prospectors to travel from Skagway to the Yukon gold fields. In April 1898 the White Pass and Yukon Railroad Company was formed in an effort to establish an easier way through the pass. Construction on the railroad began the following month. Thousands of workers worked around the clock in treacherous conditions to complete the project. The railroad track was completed at White Pass on February 20, 1899 and reached Lake Bennett on July 6, 1899. The final spike on the railroad was placed on July 29, 1900 in Carcross, B.C.
Identifier: spl_ap_00113
Date: 1899-07-06
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Circle City waterfront, Alaska, ca. 1899
A white tent appears at the left. Signs for a store, general merchandise and Pabst beer can be seen on the buildings in the distance.
Identifier: spl_ap_00173
Date: 1899
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Boat at Calico Bluff, Alaska, ca. 1899
Calico Bluff is located on the Yukon River near Eagle, Alaska.
Identifier: spl_ap_00187
Date: 1899
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