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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011

Skagway & Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska

This small port town far into the fjords of Alaska's southern coastline owes its existence to the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush as almost overnight, thousands of eager prospectors landed here to tackle the foreboding Chilkoot and White Pass trails to make their way to the goldfields of the Yukon Territory. As the lure of the Gold Rush faded, Skagway did as well and the population of less than a thousand relies mainly on Cruise Ship traffic and tourism in the Summer months as its main source of income.

The unique facade of the Arctic Brotherhood Hall makes it one of the most photographed buildings in Alaska. Skagway and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Skagway offer a unique historic experience among the town the Gold Rush built. This port city on the Alaska panhandle was the gateway to the Klondike as the White Pass Route and nearby Chilkoot Trail were used to enter the Yukon. Skagway quickly became a bustling town offering transportation service and supplies at inflated prices. Would be prospectors also had to contend with the lawless atmosphere as criminals, liquor and prostitution were rampant:

SKAGWAY ACTIVITIES
• KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK | Learn about Skagway's role in the Klondike Gold Rush by visiting several historic sites including the historic district, Visitor Centre and Museum, Mascot Saloon, Moore House and Chilkoot Trail Centre.
• "SOAPY" SMITH | Skagway's most notorious swindler, Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith made a fortune relieving would-be miners from their money. His misdeeds eventually caught up with him and he was killed in a firefight on Juneau Wharf. Soapy Smith lives on as tourists can visit his old saloon, Jeff Smith's Parlour, and his grave.
• SKAGWAY MUSEUM & ARCHIVES | This museum offers exhibits and artifacts about the Alaskan First Nations and Klondike Gold Rush.
• CHILKOOT TRAIL | Nearby in the town of Dyea, hikers can embark on the 53 kilometre historic Chilkoot Trail to Lake Bennett which was crossed by thousands of prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush.
• WHITE PASS & YUKON ROUTE | Take this historic narrow gauge railway to Whitehorse, Yukon along winding valleys, waterfalls, glacial lakes, forests and historic sites.

Historic buildings along Broadway Street in Skagway, Alaska. Antique stores in Skagway, Alaska. View down Broadway Street of historic buildings and a cruise ship in Skagway, Alaska. Shops and mountains in Skagway, Alaska. White Pass & Yukon Route train station in Skagway, Alaska. Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, Alaska. Mascot Saloon in Skagway, Alaska. Exhibits at the Mascot Saloon in Skagway, Alaska. Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park museum in Skagway, Alaska. Prospectors were required to carry enough supplies for one year into the Yukon.