Leslie, Thursday, June 3, 2010
Bonanza Gold RV Park
In 1898 Dawson City was the largest city in western Canada. There were 30,000 gold miners and followers seeking their fortune in the gold rush. For the next two years, the fabulous wealth created demand for luxuries not found in most cities further south: electric and telephone service, European fashions, and the “wild side” of saloons and bordellos. By 1900 most of the easy gold was gone. Most miners had sold their claims to corporations. The era of individual miners was over. From 1906-1966 corporations ran the lucrative gold mining operations. In 1953 the capital of the Yukon Territory was moved to Whitehorse.
In the early 1960s Dawson City was named a Canadian historic site and over the next thirty years many buildings have been restored and reconstructed. Today Dawson City is focused on the tourist trade. Similar to restored mining towns in Colorado and Nevada, the old buildings house gift shops and ice cream parlors. We did stop in a traditional hardware store. Displayed on the front porch were these sluice pans for gold mining.
On a back street we observed these two building that appear to be falling down.
Actually they are falling down.
The Canadian government left these two buildings un-restored to show the hazards of building heated buildings on permafrost. As the escaping heat from the building melts the permafrost, different footings settle at different rates. The result is collapsing buildings.
From Dawson City some travelers drive the Top the World Highway to Alaska. The only way across the Yukon River is by ferry.
Here’s the ferry across the river:
The Yukon government runs the free ferry from spring break up of ice (early to mid-May) until freeze-in in October.
We are not taking the Top of the World Highway. We will return to Whitehorse and continue north on the Alaskan Highway next week.
Our evening entertainment was a visit to Diamond Tooth Gerdie’s Saloon and Gambling Hall. The casino is a non-profit casino decorated in the style of 1898. Profits from the casino are used in the community of Dawson City. Although there are a few gaming tables and slot machines, the real attraction at Diamond Tooth Gerdie’s is the Can Can Girl show. The dancers were excellent. Like most such events, there was some audience participation. This man was a good sport about learning to dance. He was rewarded with a garter.
After the show, Gerdie and her “girls” posed for pictures with anyone who wished. Robert and Stan took them up on the opportunity.
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