Learning GOLD RUSH HISTORY from the train

This is Part 2 of our White Pass-Yukon Route train ride.  Here is Part One if you misssed it.

 

This is the White Pass Summit, about 20 miles into our railroad trip.  At 2,865 feet above sea level it is the official border between the United States and Canada.   (I showed this photo in Part One, but didn't talk about the history of this spot:)

During the Klondike Gold Rush (1897 - 1899), there was a contingent of Royal Canadian Mounted Police stationed here to ensure every man, woman and child had a year’s worth of supplies before they continued on their arduous journeys.  Quite a few US citizens weren't able to get that much together before starting their hope-to-get-rich trek, so they took an even more arduous route from Valdez in order to by-pass Canada completely (many of them died trying and few got rich even if they made it).

 

About 20 miles past our stop at Canadian customs, we reached the town of Bennett BC, our lunch stop for this journey.   As we neared it, we could see beautiful Bennett Lake from our train window.  

  

 

 The town  of Bennett was built  during the Gold Rush -- it is  located at the end of the White Pass and the Chilkoot  Trail.  Gold prospectors would pack their supplies over this mountain trail from the port cities of Skagway and Dyea.  

For a while after the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad was completed, wealthy tourists also took the train to Bennett and beyond.  But the gold rush ended and interest in the town faded.  By the early 1900s, the town was deserted.  It is still an abandoned town today except during the summer season when the rail line has renovated Bennett Station House in order to provide a  hot meal to modern rail-riding travelers.  

 

 

After our delicious lunch (and a chance to visit with people from other cars on the train),  we had a couple of hours on our own to walk on part of the Chilkoot Trail  (a very small part) and explore some of the abandoned buildings in Bennett.   

 

The train than continued to the town of Carcross, Yukon Territory.  Once a hunting and fishing camp for the First Nation Tlingit and Tagish peoples,  the town became a key stopover and supply center during the Gold Rush.  From there they would build or buy rafts to take them down the Yukon River to the gold fields near Dawson City.    (The name of the town is a shortened version of Caribou Crossing -- it is near a major migration route for these animals.)

Tourism is the major part of the Carcross economy today.  Some of the passengers on the train spent the night there to return by rail the next day.   Others were from one of the cruiseships in port in Skagway and their Cruise Lines had a bus waiting for them.

  

 

We had, of course, made our reservations directly with the railroad and they had arranged a van for our return trip.   The sixty-seven-plus mile journey went a lot faster by van than it had by railroad.     The scenery seemed to go by in a blur and we didn't learn as much.  But we were glad to be "home" (back to our camper van) for the night.  

 

SHARING WITH:  OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY.  Thank you to Lady Fi and the rest of the OW team:  Arija, Gattina, Sylvia, Sandy and Jen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Jenn Jilks]

My late ex-husband's father was stationed in the Yukon. He was born there and lived in a log cabin. My FIL patrolled something like 10,000 sq. acres. My MIL told quite the stories. He had some amazing old slides, dating from the Gold Rush days, but when my daughter cleaned out his house they weren't there.

[Joe Todd]

Love the photos and history.. I think I'll get out my Jack London books...

[Marie]

Very interesting post! It would be fun to take this train ride and see these abandoned areas--once important spots in our history!

[Gaelyn]

An interesting way to view history. I've never taken a train trip. Kind of hope that town of Bennett doesn't turn into a tourist trap.

[Penny]

Another interesting leg of your trip, Sallie. I can't imagine the difficulty and the hardships of these years. You have certainly illuminated me and filled in many parts of history.

[Clair Harris Zarges]

A train trip AND gold rush history--what a wonderful combination. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[NatureFootstep Memes]

such an interesting trip you made. I guess you enjoyed as much as you learned as well.

[Arti]

I love to ride trains like these and explore towns like Benett, it's nice to see that they are making efforts to preserve history for future generations - glad you had a great time, Sallie! :)

[Gail Dixon]

I truly enjoyed this post and the historical information. It's amazing what people will endure to try to make a better life. Also, the way you made the collages was a great way to depict what you saw. Neat neat neat!

[Linda]

You have had an OUTSTANDING Trip! Is fall coming up there?

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/?s=The+Adventures+of+Fuzzy+and+Boomer&submit=Search
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

[fun60]

Some great shots there and a wonderful history to accompany them.

[Rainfield M Penang]

I enjoy traveling with you.

And see all the beautiful places,

through your lens.

[Reader Wil]

It must have been a very interesting and wonderful trip! Thanks for sharing this piece of history!
Thanks for your visit to my Scotland post. My next two posts will deal with subjects which have nothing to do with Scotland, but the O post is back in Scotia again.
So long!
Wil, ABCW Team.

[bettyl - NZ]

What a great place to stop and learn the history. I love places like this! Thanks for sharing. I know you are having a great time!

[Stewart M]

Nice post - interesting information. It seems that boarder controls have been tight for always!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

[diane]

Isn't it a great railroad trip. That was one of the reasons TOH consented to come on the cruise with me because he wanted to ride that train. The stories of the pioneers are unbelievable.

[hazel]

Amazing detail and photos! I was able to enjoy the experience through your eyes!

[Ruth - Utah]

I've been to the Yukon but I don't remember Bennett.

[orchid]

Gold Rush History and train ride♡♡♡ Arduous trip for their dreams; SO interesting, Sallie. I love the picture of beautiful Bennett Lake with some pictures in it very much♫♫♫ It sure must be the important part of your country's history, wow!

Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*

[Gattina]

Very interesting post ! It must have been an adventurous time during the Gold Rush ! When we travelled through the States, we saw some of the old abandoned "Ghost" towns, which became a tourist attraction.

[Photo Cache]

Skagway was one of the stops in our Alaskan cruise. It is a beautiful little town.

[Ramblingwoods]

Oh my gosh... A years worth of stuff and the unknown... Must have been very brave people

[DeniseinVA]

Hi Sallie, I meant to say earlier how happy I am that you enjoyed the recipe I posted a while back. I also took note of your veggie crumbles and will definitely try those. I have added a little extra on my post today so that I will be sure to remember them the next time I go shopping. Thanks for the idea :)

[Yogi]

I've really enjoyed reading your posts on your adventure and this one is no exception.

[LAVOICE]

What a fun and neat trip. Had the pleasure of visiting Canada once, but not in this area. Gregorius area.

[Al]

What an amazingly beautiful area - I would certainly love that train ride.

[DeniseinVA]

Hi Sallie, this is a great post with great photos and commentary. I would love to visit the Yukon and riding a train would be the way to go. Thanks for commenting on my post. I have never used veggie crumbles before and will put them on my list.

[Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti]

Such an interesting post Sallie. I enjoyed the photos and commentary. I had to smile because there is a popular brand of coffee sold in Colorado called Caribou Crossing! I have the Yukon on my bucket list ever since I was a child and read the novel "Mrs. Mike"!

[Dianne]

I love the Northwest Coast Indian Art. Took a class on those Indians years ago.

[Sondra-SC]

This seems like a great train adventure...with a hot meal at the end!

[Hildred Finch]

I really came to see about the Corpse Flower, but landed instead in Carcross. This is familiar to me as there was (is?) some kind of facility for young people there, - possibly like Outward Bound, and I knew of some of my children's friends who attended - my memories of it are vague:(
Great post Sallie, - what a wonderful summer you have had!

[TexWisGirl]

the border check for 1 year's supply of food seemed smart - and those that circumvented it, not so much. but i'm sure many had riches in their brains instead of common sense. it would have been tempting, i'm sure.

[Carver]

Interesting information and I love the shots of the train trip.

[Dina Johnston]

Great pictures and story. Looks like a great trip!

[artmusedog and carol]

Wonderful post so informative and great shots too for OWT ~ thanks!

Happy Day to you.

artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

[Traveling Cats]

What an amazing place. I loved visiting this part of the world through your lens.

[Eileen]

Sallie, the scenery is wonderful. It sounds interesting visiting this town of Bennett. They must get a lot of summer tourist traffic to open the town only for the visitors. Thanks for sharing, have a happy week!

[sylviakirk]

Oh, you did have such a wonderful trip, Sallie!! I do love your captures as always!! Thanks for sharing the fun and the beauty!! Have a great week!

[Mick]

Magnificent scenery and it is good that so many of the old buildings and sites have been preserved to give some idea of how hard the gold rush days must have been. Great photos.