| In the visitor centre at
Dawson City are these moose antlers. Apparently two males got in a fight and
their antlers got locked. One died of its wounds and the other of starvation
because it couldn't move. There's a moral somewhere..... |  |
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Across the road is another visitor centre, this time for the Northwest
Territories. Not as many visitors there! |
| The Commissioner's
Residence built in 1901, it symbolised the stability of government and was a
model of dignified (if not genteel) society. It was last occupied by a
Commissioner in 1916. |  |
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A classic western style with the front larger than the reality. They still
build them like this today. |
| St Paul's Anglican
Church. Built in 1902 it cost $9000 paid for by subscriptions. From 1907 it
was the pro cathedral for the Yukon. Today 23% of the population of the
Yukon is of English descent, 10-12% each for Scottish, Irish, German and
French. First Nations people are less than 10% in total. |  |
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The huge scar in the hillside above the town centre. At its peak the
population was over 30,000 and it was the largest city west of Winnipeg.
Today it is under 2000 and falling. |
| The SS Keno sternwheeler
which used to go up the Klondike River to Keno and Mayo to collect silver.
In Dawson City the silver was transferred to the larger SS Klondike
sternwheeler to travel on to Whitehorse. |  |
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This is just for river trips and charters. We didn't see it move. |
| The reason why they where
called sternwheelers. You had maximum traction for minimum draft. |  |
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Some of the buildings are attractive and well maintained. This is after all
a tourist town although the gold industry still produces 50,000 oz per year,
which is now worth $50 million, a smaller quantity than the million oz in
1900 which was then worth $22 million. |
| In a wooden town
surrounded by trees, this would have been and still is one of the most
important buildings. Sadly the museum did not appear to be open. |  |
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The ferry across the Yukon which we will take tomorrow. It is the only way
to the Top of the World highway. The ferry is essentially part of the road
system so is free, but only carries two RVs at a time. |
| The visitor information
centre plus quite a few other things I suspect. |  |
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Dawson City does have a radio station run from this building which is about
the size of a garden shed! |
| This is an attractive
building although not listed as of any special importance. It is quite deep
and would sleep many people. Many people leave Dawson City in the
winter but oddly, the population rises as winter workers for the oil
industry come in. The ground is too soft to travel and work on in the
summer. |  |
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Another view of Front Street, although it is actually a bypass along the
river bank down to the ferry. Most of the streets in the town are dirt and
not surfaced. |
| A statue of a placer
miner demonstrating their importance to the development of the community. |  |
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