Alaskan Adventure: Returning to the Gold Rush Days in Dawson City

8-14-12

Monday found us determined to see as much of this historical gold mining town as possible. First stop was back to Fischer's gas station since the donuts she had planned to serve us finally arrived by plane at 4 p.m. The day before (thus the homemade muffins) So many of us drove back out to their station, topped off our tanks and enjoyed a second round of Klondike hospitality. The next activity was a must for mechanical types and was Dredge #4, made early in the 20^th century in Bellfontaine Ohio and shipped in pieces up the Yukon to Dawson City. We had at least an hour tour in this 3 story monster that processed the gravely stream beds to find gold through about 1966. It was an amazing machine run by only 4 men. I could now give a whole lecture on gold production but later!

We then hurried to the home of the poet Robert Service, in town, and had a marvelous interpreter give an hour talk on the life of this poet who made the Yukon famous with his poetry early in the 20^th century. Remember the poem, “The Cremation of Same McGee”? David use to be able to recite it, himself. Nearby was the home of Jack London, but they didn't have a interpreter at this log cabin. Next there was the Museum of Dawson City and I heard about using a wooden gold separator. We followed this up with a visit to the train museum next door and then the first Commisioner's home, a Mr. Black, which was a lovely home with a guide with much to add. Beautiful flowers surround this residence.

We made a stop at the one and only grocery for high priced bananas and bread, shared an ice cream, and waited for about 45 minutes to cross the Yukon River in the government proveded free ferry. We had been instructed to go to our river side campground, the Yukon Territory Provincial Campground a few at a time, since the ferry doesn't have immense capacity. Later that night we had a camp fire and ate our first somemores, which we shared with a fellow from Florida whose partner couldn't come at the last minute. This was another night of pit toilets and no water, but beautiful, wooded, peaceful campsites.