Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Historic Research Plan

By Karl Gurcke, Historian

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Revised: 28 April 2011 

―Research is necessary not only to the preparation of interesting material to serve as a basis of the naturalist and 

historical service, but it also is fundamental to the actual protection of the ... National Park Service.‖

(Horace M. Albright, The Scientific Monthly, June 1933)

Dr. John H. Walker Collection, KLGO SE-62-3963
1

Forward:

History is a prominent part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park‘s name and its mission. It is 

a historical park, a national historical park, and now an international historical park. The first three words 

in the park‘s name commemorate a specific historical event (the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-1899) and 

the second to the last word reemphasizes the historical mission of the park. History informs virtually 

everything the park does. History is a fundamental and integral part of the park‘s very existence. 

Without the historical event called the Klondike Gold Rush, and the historical detritus (documents,

photographs, buildings, trails, archeological features, artifacts, and human stories) left behind, the park 

would not exist. 

Because of this fact, historical questions are asked daily of the park staff by the public (both visiting and 

local) during the summer months and less often during the winter months. Although many of these 

questions are often asked of the interpreters at the visitor center desk in the headquarters building, every 

park employee either needs to know what the answers are or where those answers can be found because 

the public does not differentiate between members of the various divisions and they may ask historical 

questions to anyone in a uniform. So the employees of all of the park‘s divisions need to understand at

least some history in order to function in this international historical park. The park‘s Interpretative 

Division is a major consumer of historical information because one of its main purposes is to provide 

accurate historical information to the park‘s visitors (educate the public) through walks and talks, 

brochures and pamphlets, exhibits and movies. The Maintenance Division needs accurate historical 

information into order to accurately maintain the park‘s historic buildings in their care and to accurately 

guide future building restoration efforts. The Ranger Division needs accurate historical information in 

order to satisfy the public‘s appetite for such knowledge and to better protect the historic cultural 

resources under its care. The Resource Division needs accurate historical information for many reasons 

including insurance park compliance with various laws such as Section 106 and 110 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended, but it also needs historical information to better understand 

the resources under the park‘s care – both cultural and natural resources (better understanding equals 

better care). Even the Administration Division needs accurate historical information not only to answer 

the public‘s questions but to make sure the public‘s money is well spent on accuracy rather than on

falsehoods. Since past historical research can not answer all the questions currently being asked and will 

be asked in the future, continued historical research is necessary to provide accurate historical information 

to guide and support management goals. 

Historical questions are not just asked of park staff, however, they are asked of long term locals and 

seasonal help, tour guides and wait persons, train conductors and locomotive engineers, pilots and bus 

drivers and virtually everyone living in Skagway and Dyea. Unfortunately historical inaccuracies 

abound. Legend indicates that Jefferson Randolph ―Soapy‖ Smith, the ―notorious‖ con man terrorized 

Skagway from August 1897, when he arrived, to July 1898, when he was shot, but recent historical 

research is beginning to suggest that he probably did not ―terrorize‘ the town. Legend suggests that most 

of the women in Skagway at the time of the gold rush were prostitutes but recent historical research 

indicates that was most definitely not the case. Legend has it that only white men were involved in the 

Klondike Gold Rush but recent historical research suggests the gold rush was a much more diverse event. 

People often look to the park as the fountain of historical accuracy. The National Park Service has 

invested millions on accurately restoring our historic buildings in Skagway. Such investment can be 

nullified by inaccurate historical information given out by park staff. It is up to park staff and particularly 

park management, to present and support accurate and unbiased history through all the park‘s 

presentations, walking tours, exhibits and wayside exhibits, brochures, movies, restorations, publications,

and decisions. 
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History is not a static series of events where knowledge about a particular happening never changes and is 

always known. Rather history is as ever changing as the human condition. New information is always 

being uncovered and how we view the past is changing as well both because of this new information and 

because of our changing attitudes. Therefore, one can not always rely on the history found in the old 

history textbooks of the past. Often the historians of the past did not have the information we have or ask 

the questions we are asking today and so the answers we are asking today often will not be found in those 

―secondary sources‖ found on library bookshelves In order to answer our questions, the historian should, 

of course, consult these secondary sources if any look promising but often the historian will be forced to 

consult the ―primary sources‖ – the original material (diaries, letters, newspaper accounts, photographs)

actually produced in the past. This is known as doing historical research and if this park is to be a fully 

functioning international historical park, doing historical research should be a basic part of the park‘s 

annual work plan.

Although the phrase ―Historic Research Plan‖ (HRP) is not found in the National Park Services‘ premier 

cultural resource management guideline publication (NPS 28), the term can be easily understood as a 

document designed to chart the course of needed future historical research at any organization such as 

Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park. This particular Historical Research Plan uses a 

number of the ideas from, and the general format contained in, ―An Assessment of Research in History 

needed at Golden Spike National Historic Site, Promontory Summit, Utah‖ (Chappell and Spude 2003), 

which is an example of a recent Historic Research Plan. Some of the proposals for historical research in 

this plan come directly from questions members of the visiting and local public and staff members have

asked. Other proposals come from the list of basic historical documents every park should have. Still 

other proposals come from a careful study of the park‘s resources and what is needed to better understand 

and protect those resources. 

The first part of this HRP provides a number of ideas (project proposals) for conducting basic historical 

research in this park. The second part provides a road map for establishing an active Klondike Gold Rush 

Historic Research Center to facilitate this research and help the public and the park‘s staff better 

understand the history of this area. This center, if properly supported would make the park the 

preeminent international location for conducting scholarly historical research on the Klondike Gold Rush 

in particular and gold rushes in general and for providing historical answers about the area and historical 

event for members of the Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park public.

Legal Guidelines and Important Dates:

The authorization act of June 30, 1976 (Public Law 94-323) declared the purpose for establishing 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park as follows:

―...to preserve in public ownership for the benefit and inspiration of the people of the 

United States, historic structures and trails associated with the Klondike Gold Rush of 

1898...‖

All of the lands within the boundaries of the park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places

(NRHP). This entitles them to added protection of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as 

amended. On October 15, 1966, the Skagway and White Pass Historic District was listed on the NRHP 

and on April 15, 1978, Dyea and Chilkoot Trail was listed on the NRHP. 

Earlier, the lands within the Skagway and White Pass units of the park had been recognized for their 

special historical values by being designated a National Historic Landmark on June 13, 1962. The 

Chilkoot Trail from Dyea to the Canadian border was designated a National Historic Landmark on June 
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16, 1978. The National Historic Landmarks program was established by the Historic Sites Act of 1935 

to identify and protect places that "possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating and interpreting the 

heritage of the United States" National Historic Landmarks make tangible the American experience and 

their preservation is an irreplaceable legacy to us and future generations.

The City of Skagway established the Skagway Historic District by local ordinance in October 1972 to 

―safeguard the heritage of the city by preserving a district in the city which reflects the elements of its 

cultural, social, economic, political, and architectural history.‖ The Skagway Historic District 

Commission was established in the fall of 1973 to implement the provisions of the historic district zoning 

ordinance. Although its first few years were rocky, the Commission is vital today in preserving the

historical character of the Skagway Historic District and deserves the strongest possible support from the 

park.

The White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, constructed during those hectic days of the stampede was 

designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark on September 10, 1994. Finally, on 

August 5, 1998, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park along with its Canadian counterparts was 

designated by proclamations signed by both the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of 

Canada – Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park.

In order to protect such precious historical resources, people need to understand them and in order to 

understand them, people need to conduct the proper historical research.
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Table of Contents

Forward: 1

Legal Guidelines and Important Dates: 2

Table of Contents: 4

Introduction: 6

Park Plans and Historical Research: 10

The Master Plan and the General Management Plan 10

The Museum Management Plan 11

The Resource Management Plan 11

The Long-Range Interpretive Plan 12

NPS thematic framework for American History: 16

I. Peopling Places 16

II. Creating Social Institutions and Movements 17

III. Expressing Cultural Values 18

IV. Shaping the Political Landscape 18

V. Developing the American Economy 19

VI. Expanding Science and Technology 20

VII. Transforming the Environment 21

VIII. Changing Role of the US in the World Community 22

The Historic Research Plan (Part I): 23

Administrative Histories 23

Historic Resource Studies 25

National Historic Landmark / National Register Documentation 31

Special History Studies 37

Area-wide 37

Skagway 46
5

White Pass Trail 54

Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail 57

Historic Structure Reports 60

Skagway and the White Pass Trail 60

Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail 63

Existing Publications 65

The Historic Research Plan (Part II): 68

What are Historical Resources? 68

Acquiring Historic Research Materials 70

Developing Historical ―Tools‖ for Further Research 76

Public Outreach 82

Developing the Klondike Historic Resource Center 97

Conclusions: 114

Selective References: 116

Appendix A: 128

National Park Service Resource / Research / Learning Centers located in other National Parks and 

Regional Offices.
6

Introduction:

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park was authorized in 1976 in order to commemorate the major 

historical event enshrined in its name and to preserve and protect the physical and intangible remains 

(artifacts, buildings, documents, memorabilia, scenery, sites, stories, and trails) left behind by that event. 

The park essentially consists of two separate parks: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park –

Alaska (KLGO) is headquartered in Skagway, Alaska and consists of three units: The Skagway Unit, the 

White Pass Unit, and the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail Unit. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park –

Washington (KLSE) was established at the same time and under the same legislation as KLGO. It is 

headquartered in Seattle, Washington and consists of only one unit – the Seattle Unit, a single building

located in Pioneer Square. This Historic Research Plan generally focuses on KLGO and its discussions 

and recommendations are meant for that park although many of the proposals may also prove of use to 

KLSE.

The road to the park‘s creation was a long and difficult one, well documented in the KLGO / KLSE‘s 

Administrative History (Norris 1996). On 30 June 1976, United States President Gerald Ford signed S. 

98 into law (Public Law 94-323), and the park finally became a reality. The purpose of the park as stated 

in the enabling legislation is to ―...preserve in public ownership... historic structures and trails associated 

with the Klondike Gold Rush...‖ Because of the international scope of the gold rush, parks and sites

associated with the rush in Canada and the United States were designated ―Klondike Gold Rush 

International Historical Park‖ on 5 August 1998, by proclamations signed by both the President of the 

United States, William J. Clinton and the Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien.

When KLGO was established, plans did not include hiring a permanent park historian or developing any 

type of historical division or program. Although surprising for an historical park, other resource 

disciplines fared no better. The first Cultural Resource Specialist (CRS) for KLGO was not hired until 

1987 (apparently this person was the first CRS to actually be duty stationed in an Alaskan park), the first 

Museum Curator for KLGO did not come on board until 1991, the first Natural Resource Specialist 

(NRS) for KLGO was not hired until 1995, and the KLGO‘s Resource Division was not formally

established until a Chief of Resources was hired in 2001. KLGO did not have a permanent park based

and funded historian until 2002 when the park‘s former CRS was moved into that position. That person‘s 

replacement as Park CRS did not occur until 2006 and that position has been difficult to fill ever since.

Instead, KLGO started out its history program by taking advantage of a contract historian. Robert (Bob) 

L. S. Spude, then a graduate student at the University of Illinois, began work in June 1978 as a historian 

with the University of Alaska‘s Cooperative Park Studies Unit. He was hired on a six-month contract to 

research the history of the various NPS buildings in Skagway, Alaska and the major ruins in the Chilkoot 

and White Pass corridors; he was also asked to set up the park‘s library and photographic collection 

Because of his exemplary work, his contract was extended until December 1979. Spude took several trips 

to major archives and historical repositories gathering historical information, researched and wrote 

several histories of the area (Spude 1980, 1983, 1984), was responsible for the history sections of several 

Historic Structure Reports (HSR) (Blee, Spude, and Cloyd 1983; Snow and Spude 1981; Spude and 

Chappell 1984) and continued his association with the park as Regional Historian for the Alaska Regional 

Office (ARO) for several years after his contract with KLGO had expired.

The first HSR for the park, for the White Pass & Yukon Route depot complex (Broadway Depot and 

General Office Building), did not include an historical data section (Cloyd 1981) although Cloyd did build 

up a rough historical chronology of the two buildings through historical photographs and other information 

that had already been collected by Bob Spude. In order to gain a broader historical understanding of the 

buildings, the Denver Service Center brought in Gordon Chappell, who was the Regional Historian at the 

Western Regional Office and an accomplished railroad historian to develop an historical data section for 
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the report. Chappell visited Skagway in June 1979, met with Spude, and afterwards, they began 

working together on a National Register of Historic Places nomination form for the complex. He and 

Spude completed the draft nomination form in February 1980 (Spude and Chappell 1980) and later 

developed the history section of the depot complex HSR (Spude and Chappell 1984) but the two 

documents, architectural and historical, were never combined into one document and the two documents 

remain unpublished.

In 1983, Spude became the Alaska Regional Historian, and perhaps because of his earlier affiliation with 

the park, continued to assist KLGO with its historical responsibilities by funneling money to the park for 

historical projects. In 1984 he contracted with Skagway resident Frank Norris, a former seasonal 

interpreter at the park, to compile a business directory and map of the old gold rush town of Dyea for a 

proposed HSR on Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail. Spude rehired Norris during the spring of 1985 and asked 

him to complete historical site reports on 11 ruins found in Dyea and 5 ruins found along the Chilkoot 

Trail. Joining him that year was seasonal architect Carol Taylor, who produced a series of maps, 

diagrams, and technical drawings on some of the ruins in Dyea and along the Chilkoot Trail, and in 

particular, the surviving aerial tramway features on the trail. The work of the two individuals was 

forwarded to the regional office, which put together a draft product in early December. In January 1986, 

Spude rehired Norris for a third time and asked him to write historic reports on additional sites within the 

Chilkoot Trail corridor. By May he had completed 16 more site reports and had compiled gold rush-era 

maps and business directories for Canyon City, Sheep Camp, and the Scales. Further work on the Dyea / 

Chilkoot Trail HSR took place in 1987 when Norris was called on to compile seven additional historical 

reports for ruins found in Dyea, Canyon City, and Sheep Camp. Carol Taylor, the seasonal architect hired 

in 1985, was posted to Anchorage in the fall of 1987. During her tenure there, she compiled selected 

archeological reports, historical site reports, and architectural drawings and completed a draft Dyea / 

Chilkoot Trail HSR (Norris and Taylor 1986, Taylor 1987).

The final version of the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail HSR was to include detailed architectural drawings up to 

HABS / HAER standards of selected ruins, suggested techniques for ruin preservation, and historical and 

archeological information on these ruins. Spude left Alaska in December 1987. Given Spude‘s 

departure, criticism of the draft architectural portion of the report, and the fact that the archeological 

survey was taking more time than initially expected, completion of the historic structures report was

quietly tabled and that HSR has never been finalized or published.

A beneficial byproduct of the research that went into the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail HSR was an updated and

expanded National Historic Landmark (NHL) nomination form for the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail Unit. The 

original National Register nomination forms (Antonson 1975, 1976) gave only brief, vague descriptions 

of the cultural resources contained within the trail corridor, and as a consequence, the landmark 

boundaries did not precisely conform to the location of the major resources. Norris completed a draft 

revision of the NHL nomination form during the summer of 1987. After review by the NPS‘s 

Washington Office (WASO), members of the public and City of Skagway and Alaska state officials, the 

revised nomination form was certified and approved by Jerry Rogers, the NPS‘s Associate Director for 

Cultural Resources on 4 November 1992 (Norris 1987a).

In early 1986, NPS Regional Historian Robert Spude hired Frank Norris and Terrence Cole to update the 

old Skagway-White Pass NHL form. Cole was the editor of the Alaska Journal and living in Edmonds, 

Washington at the time. He is currently Professor and Director of the Office of Public History at the 

University of Alaska Fairbanks. The earlier Skagway NHL forms had even less information in them than 

the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail forms mentioned above (NPS 1962, Snell 1965). Norris wrote the description 

statement and other sections, while Cole completed a significance statement. The completed nomination

form was forwarded to the ARO in November 1986. After a long period of agency and public review, 
8

with the form being amended by Bonnie Houston (ARO Historian), it was finally accepted by the 

Keeper of the National Register on April 7, 1999 (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998).

In September 1986, NPS Regional Historian Robert Spude contracted with Glenda Choate of the 

Skagway-based Alaska Archives and Records Management firm to write up a National Register 

nomination form for the park as a whole; Choate, in turn, assigned the research and writing task to Frank 

Norris, who began work on the project that November. The form was completed on 9 July 1987 and

forwarded to Washington, D. C. After agency and public review, it was amended by Bonnie Houston and 

resubmitted in June 1990, and was accepted by the Keeper of the National Register on 26 February 1991 

(Norris 1987b, Norris and Houston 1990). Frank Norris was hired by the ARO as a permanent historian

in late 1989 and began work in Anchorage in mid-January 1990. During Norris‘ tenure at ARO he was 

able to complete the KLGO / KLSE Administrative History, a major historical document for the park 

laying out not just the history of the park but the entire region since before the Klondike Gold Rush

(Norris 1996). Much of the information found in the discussion above came from that report.

The next historian working for the park was Morgan T. Baird, a graduate student at Middle Tennessee 

State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. During the summer months of 1997 and 1998, Baird was 

hired by the park using regional funds, to assist the park in several cultural projects. One of the first 

projects he worked on was designed to get a better idea of who the individuals were that had died in the 

April 3, 1898 avalanche on the Chilkoot Trail. Baird reviewed information from the following 

newspapers to complete this task: Los Angeles Daily Times, Chicago Daily Tribune, Victoria Daily 

Colonist, Tacoma News, Seattle Daily Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, San Francisco Examiner, San 

Francisco Chronicle, Portland Morning Oregonian, Dyea Trail, New York Times, and the Alaska Mining 

Record. He found out that these newspapers listed the names of 164 individuals who died as a result of 

this disaster although the final total number of deaths is probably far less due to spelling errors, inaccurate 

reporting, and other problems. Baird also spent some time in the field assisting park archeologists in

accurately mapping the Slide Cemetery in Dyea. Another important historical project Baird worked on 

was developing a Skagway Business Directory for the period 1897-1899. Baird compiled this 40 page

directory using information from existing business directories, local newspapers, and historical 

photographs of that time period.

Gregory D. Phillipy, another graduate student at Middle Tennessee State University was hired by the 

park, again using regional funds, to assist the park in several additional historical projects during the 

summers of 1999 and 2000. His main task was to gather historical information about the park‘s White 

Pass unit. Much of the information he acquired went into the White Pass Historic Resource Study

entitled A Wild Discouraging Mess: The History of the White Pass Unit of the Klondike Gold Rush 

National Historical Park by Julie Johnson (2003) and the draft White Pass Cultural Landscape Report

(Horton and Curran 2002). Because of a former job as conservation technician with the New York City 

Parks Monuments Conservation Crew, Phillipy also prepared a brief ―Conservation assessment and 

recommendation for the Mason gravestone in the Slide Cemetery in Dyea‖ (Phillipy 1999b), which was 

later used in the conservation of that monument.

In 1999, Julie Johnson, under contract with the ARO and using regional funds was tasked to research, 

compile, and write (1) the White Pass Historic Resource Study, (2) an administrative history of the 20-

year historic preservation effort in the park, and (3) complete the HSR for Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail 

that was started by Frank Norris and Carol Taylor in the spring of 1985 and previously mentioned. 

Johnson completed the White Pass HRS, which was published in 2003. She also completed a draft 

version of the administrative history of historic preservation in the park along with co-author Yvonne 

Meyers, who worked on the archeological portion of that history. The draft reports submitted to regional 

and park staff, received extensive criticism. The authors left Alaska and the project became moribund for 

a time. The project has recently come to life, however, and two extensively revised draft documents
9

written by Frank Norris and Becky Saleeby (ARO staff), are now expected in the spring of 2011 to be 

reviewed and eventually published. The report by Norris is a revised version of the Johnson report and 

will be entitled ―A Study of Historic Preservation in Skagway, Alaska‖ while the report by Saleeby is 

completely rewritten and will be entitled ―Thirty Years of Historical Archeology in Skagway, Alaska.‖ 

Little if any work has been done on the HSR for Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail and it is uncertain if that

project will ever be completed.

Historic archeologists have always been major players in the park cultural resource program especially in 

regard to the first 20-year historic building restoration effort. Since the restoration of the park‘s historic 

buildings always affects the archeological resources underneath the buildings through the construction of 

new foundations and utility lines and other ground disturbing activities, archeology must be part of these 

undertaking as required by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended. 

Since historical archeologists must have a thorough understanding of the sites and buildings they are 

investigating, they frequently conduct site and / or building specific historical research above and beyond 

the histories that are found in the Historic Structure Reports. Under contract to ARO and using regional 

funds, William Hampton Adams and David R. Brauner (1991a and b) developed an Archaeological 

Overview and Assessment of the Downtown Skagway Unit of the park. This work focused 

predominately on the archeological work required by NHPA during the building restoration program and 

discussed each archeological project conducted in the Skagway Unit of the park up to 1990. The work 

was completed in 1991. The administrative history of the 20-year historic preservation efforts at KLGO 

mentioned above, is supposed to have an archeology section devoted to a history of the archeology in the 

Skagway Unit from the beginning up to the present day.

 

All ten volumes in the Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska series have sections in each

report that deal with the histories of the people and property involved with the particular building 

undergoing restoration. These reports have so far included historical information on The White Pass &

Yukon Route Broadway Depot and General Office Buildings (Blee 1981); The Moore Cabin and House 

(Blee 1988, Cooper 2001); The Mill Creek Dump and the Peniel Mission (Rhodes 1988, DePuydt, Hurst, 

Ludwig, and Cammisa 1997); Father Turnell‘s Trash Pit (Block 24) (Spude, Scott, Norris, Hulesbeck, 

Cummings, and Puseman 1993); Block 37, Lot 1 (Späth, Schweigert, and Mills 2000); Block 39 (Cooper 

1998); and the Pantheon Saloon Complex (Kardatzke 2002). The tenth volume on the Mascot Saloon 

Complex, goes far beyond a basic history and archeology of the buildings and property they sit on as it

also includes an extensive history of saloon culture in Skagway from 1897 to local prohibition in 1916 

(Spude, Gurcke, Hurst, and Hulesbeck 2006). Unpublished archeological reports containing historical 

information on the Lynch & Kennedy Haberdashery and Dry Goods Building (Sprague and Welch 2001), 

Block 24 (Spude 2001) and the Kalem Tract (Gurcke and Norris 1988) have also been done. 

For the park‘s Chilkoot Trail and White Pass units, the only archeological report that contains much 

historical information is Carley (1981). Although there are a large number of yearly ―progress‖ reports 

that document the archeology that has been done each year during the 30+ year life of the international 

Chilkoot Trail archeological program, due to the general seasonal nature of the Chilkoot Trail 

archeological teams (especially on the American side), these reports rarely go beyond describing what 

archeology was done that particular year but some are more informative than others. Nevertheless all the 

reports deal with historical artifacts and features found on the both sides of the trail (Vickers 1978; 

Waddell 1979; Murray and Toews 1984; Gurcke 1986a, b; Murray and Hamilton 1986; Ebell and 

Zywina 1990; Leeper 1990; Ebell 1991; Fenicle 1992; Hems and Nieuwhof 1992; Nieuwhof 1992a, b; 

Nieuwhof et al. 1993; Hayes 1993, 1994a, b; Lunn 1994; Fortini 1995; Jesperson and Pittenger 1996; 

Griffin 1996, 1997a, b, and c, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001; Thomson and Hems 1996; Rasic 1998; Thomson 

2000; Beaty and Charles 2003; Cooper 2003; Diederich 2004; Dilliplane et al. 2004; Higgs 2004, 2005, 

2008; Brauner and Bell 2005; Brauner and Diederich 2007). An Archeological Overview and 

Assessment of the Chilkoot Trail and White Pass Units of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, 
10

Alaska was undertaken by Roderick Sprague and Debra Welch (2002) but never completed and is 

found in draft form only. 

A brief historic overview on the history of the archeological program on both sides of the border (Canada 

and the United States) has recently been completed as a chapter in a larger book on historical archaeology 

in Alaska and the Yukon entitled Eldorado! The Historical Archaeology of Gold Mining in the Far North

(Spude, Mills, Gurcke, and Sprague 2011). This chapter, for the first time, articulates the thirty year 

international effort to document the archeological resources found on this historic trail and illustrates the 

changing approaches to documenting and preserving this rich heritage. This book, including this chapter, 

should be published in late 2011 (Griffin and Gurcke).

To bring the history of major historical research at KLGO up to date, an HSR for the Jeff Smiths Parlor 

Museum has been researched, written, reviewed and recently published (NPS 2010a). This will prove to 

be an important work because of the historical importance of the building‘s owners or renters and the 

complexity of the building‘s history. HSRs for the Meyer‘s Complex (YMCA and Meyer‘s Meat 

Market), the Frye-Bruhn Refrigerated Warehouse all in Skagway, and the McDermott Cabin in Dyea, are 

in the early stages of research. Finally, a Cultural Landscape Report on the Chilkoot Trail Historic 

Corridor (Part 1: History, Existing Conditions & Analysis) has also recently been published (NPS 

2010b). This is an important contribution to the history of the Chilkoot Trail and the first of its kind to be 

published at KLGO. 

Park Plans and Historical Research:

Park plans are suppose to give guidance to park managers about managing the park‘s resources. 

Surprisingly ideas about managing the park‘s rich history and providing guidance in developing this HRP 

and a Historic Research Center has unfortunately been lacking in most of the park planning documents.

The Master Plan and the General Management Plan

For such an important historical park, the park‘s original Master Plan (NPS 1976) and the later General 

Management Plan (NPS 1996) (GMP) say surprisingly little about historical research. The Master Plan 

provides some general historical information about the gold rush and the part Skagway, Dyea, and the two 

gold rush trails (Chilkoot and White Pass) played in this major human drama. Also mentioned in the 

Master Plan is a brief history of the park proposal that is further elaborated in Norris (1996) but this plan 

provides no topics for suggest historical inquiry or direction except for a general statement that ―...more 

detailed studies of the park‘s resources and history should be conducted‖ (NPS 1976:52). Nor does it 

suggest how the park should deal with its rich historical legacy.

History is not even mentioned in the index of the park‘s GMP although one of the Cultural Resource 

goals mentioned in the plan is to ―continue to expand historic and archeological investigations from a 

compliance orientation to one of inventory and research‖ (NPS 1996:1.8). The plan does contain a brief 

history of the area (NPS 1996:3.9-3.16) and a brief description of the park library‘s holdings at the time 

the plan was put together (NPS 1996:3.21-3.22). There is also some discussion about establishing a 

―Klondike History Resource Center‖ in Skagway but there are few concrete specifics in the proposal and 

what there is indicates that this was intended to be a place where museum objects could be ―processed, 

studied, conserved, exhibited, and stored‖ rather than a place where historical research could be 

undertaken although there would undoubtedly be some historical research done under the ―studied‖ part 

of that quote. It also indicates that the center would ―provide interpretive and educational programs, as 

well as the opportunity for interagency training and academic research‖ (NPS 1996:2.29). The plan does 

at least mention the need of the park to hire an historian (NPS 1996:2.38) and a number of projects listed 

in the preferred alternative section do contain historical components (NPS 1996:2.54-2.58). 
11

Oddly enough the GMP‘s best statement on the park‘s history program is found in the Affective 

Environment Section (Chapter 3). ―The park has been active in collecting historical information since its 

creation and this will continue into the future. Information from visitors whose ancestors were in the 

stampede will continue to be sought. Research trips to historical libraries and archives in order to gather 

relevant material will continue to take place ... The purchase of relevant [historical] material (books, 

articles, photographs, etc.,) will continue to occur... Other sources of information (such as the Internet and 

the World Wide Web) will be tapped ... All the information that the park has collected and will continue 

to collect will do no good unless that information is assembled, analyzed, published, and interpreted. The 

park will work cooperatively with institutions of higher learning and independent scholars to insure that 

such dissemination of information occurs (NPS 1996:3.9).‖ This is all prefaced; of course, with 

something similar to the phrase ―depending on available funding and staff,‖ which generally means, any 

type of research, inquiry, analysis or other action requiring travel or other expense is not even started.

In short these two plans are not very good documents to search for information pertaining to, or gather 

ideas for, an HRP.

The Museum Management Plan

The park‘s Museum Management Plan (MMP) (NPS 1998a) also generally lacks any specific suggestions

as to what historical research projects might be needed and useful for the park and its museum collections 

and program. The plan, however, does make several recommendations that have proven to be useful in 

developing this HRP. One suggestion was the hiring of an Archivist / Librarian to manage the park‘s 

growing Library and Archive (NPS 1998a:10-11). The plan also recommends continuing and 

strengthening cooperation between the park and the city museum (NPS 1998a:19-20) and suggests 

developing more park publications, some of which could be historical publications that could be sold 

through the Alaska Natural History Association (ANHA) for revenue purposes (Alaska Geographic is the 

current name for ANHA). Examples were given such as archeological reports, material cultural studies, 

historical resource studies, and historical structural reports and they specifically mention Spude (1983) 

(NPS 1998a:29) as an example. The MMP team also recommended conducting a ―brainstorming‖ session 

with park staff in order to develop a list of potential publications to be used in park budgeting and ANHA 

fund raising (NPS 1998a:31). Also recommended was establishing ―brown bag‖ lunch programs to 

acquaint park staff with information being discovered in park research projects (NPS 1998a:31). 

Developing an active program for the acquisition of historical records through gifts and other means was 

another recommendation (NPS 1998a:39). Finally the MMP team made certain recommendations in 

regard to the park library program which included better defining the role and function of the library and 

developing several basic policy statements for the library (NPS 1998a: 43-45). These are all certainly 

laudable goals and some will be mentioned and explored elsewhere in this Historic Research Plan. 

The Resource Management Plan

The park‘s first Resource Management Plan (RMP) (NPS 1994), on the other hand, contains a goodly 

number of proposed project statements or project titles that would entail much historical research. For 

some reason many of these historic research proposals were dropped in the second revised edition of the 

RMP (NPS 2000). Many of the original project titles from the 1994 document have been reinstated in 

this plan and reworked or updated where necessary.

The first RMP indicates that it was to serve ―...as a guide for the continuous protection, management and 

maintenance of natural and cultural resources at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO). 

It describes how the NPS will implement resource management objectives described in the park‘s guiding 

documents...[which are] derived from the NPS Organic Act of August 25, 1916, our enabling legislation, 
12

NPS Management Policies, and other existing authorities‖ (NPS 1994:3). Research, policy and the 

best interest of the resources were to guide management decisions. The plan called for the (1) 

continuation of the Section 106 archeological investigations in advance of the building restoration process 

in Skagway, (2) continuation of the archeological survey (Section 110) in Dyea and along the Chilkoot 

Trail, (3) an initiation of a cultural resource investigation in the White Pass unit, and (4) to expand 

cultural resource studies from a strictly compliance basis to a more general research orientated basis (NPS 

1994:4). This Historic Research Plan is intended to do exactly that, push the park into conducting more 

research so that future decisions that affect the park‘s resources need not be done in a vacuum.

In the part dealing with ―present resource status,‖ the RMP does mention that history is a resource and 

notes under that section that ―...a great deal [has been] written about the Klondike Gold Rush and almost 

all of the works make some mention about the part Skagway, Dyea, and the trails played in the drama. 

However, there is very little information about the pre and post gold rush periods in this area‖ (NPS 

1994:10). What the authors of this RMP failed to understand is that in the 10 to 15 years after the first 

RMP was written, our perception of that event would change rather dramatically. For example, at the 

time the first RMP was written, the Klondike Gold Rush was pretty much viewed as an all white male 

event except for a few prostitutes. In the past decade, a great deal of historical research is being done

proving that women, while they may not have participated in the gold rush in the same numbers as the 

men, participated in virtually every occupation from business women to nurse, housewife to miner 

(Driscoll 1996, Mayer 1989, Mayer and DeArmond 2000, Morgan 1998, Murphy and Haigh1997, Porsild 

1998). The part other individual human groups played in this event is still practically unknown. So not 

only is the pre and post gold rush periods poorly understood, the human dynamics of the gold rush itself 

are also poorly understood. 

Table 1in the first RMP lists the status of the basic cultural resource documentation in the park (NPS 

1994-31-32). The table indicated that the following history documents were needed: Historical Base 

Maps, Historic Resource Studies (HRS), Park Administrative History, Historic Furnishings Reports, 

Historic Structure Preservation Guides, Historic Structure Reports (HSR), and Special History Studies. 

Other documents that have an historical bent and were considered needed at the time include 

archeological studies, ethnographic studies, social studies, and traditional use studies. Generally, all the 

documents needed then are still needed now although in some cases like the park‘s Administrative 

History, a document has been completed (Norris 1996) but the document needs updating since so much 

time has passed and important events in the park‘s history have occurred.

The RMP has an overview of the Cultural Resource Management program and needs as of 1994. Under 

needs, it indicates that: ―This section needs additional staff and funding to tackle its workload. There is a 

great deal we do not and will not know until funding and personnel are available‖ (NPS 1994:50). This 

was certainly true then when the permanent Resource Manage staff consisted of a Cultural Resource 

Specialist and a Museum Specialist as it is now, when the park has gained International Historical Park 

status and the permanent Resource Management staff consist of a Chief of Resources, Historian, Museum 

Curator, Cultural Resource Program Manager, and Natural Resource Program Manager. 

The Long-Range Interpretive Plan

Since the Interpretive Division has been and will always continue to be one of the prime consumers and 

disseminators of the results of historical research, the park‘s Long-Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP) (NPS 

2005) should be a font of suggested historical research topics and indeed it is. The plan established 

primary interpretive themes and sub themes for the park, most of which are historical in character. These 

themes are:
13

The park commemorates the struggles and accomplishments of all who participated in the 

Klondike Gold Rush.

The different routes and modes of transportation used to reach the gold fields.

The different motivations for participating in the rush.

The choices made by people in selecting which trail to take, or to remain in town.

The diversity of people involved.

The daily life in the gold camps.

How long it took to get to the gold fields.

Death and disaster on the trails.

Those who succeeded and those who failed.

The personal stories of those involved.

Where gold was actually discovered and the circumstances surrounding it.

What was there before the rush?

The challenges of getting from point to point along the various routes.

The need for a ―ton of goods.‖

That this was a huge media event.

The impacts of the development of the railroad.

The effect of the rush on the development of Seattle, Alaska, and the Yukon.

Links among other sites throughout the region.

The economic condition of the nation on the eve of the gold rush. 

The story of the Klondike Gold Rush is revealed in thousands of historic artifacts, photographs, 

and archeological features that can be observed along the White Pass and Chilkoot trails and in 

association with historic buildings in Skagway.

The extent and diversity of items discarded along the trails.

How artifacts and features help tell the story of every-day life during the gold rush.

Items related to transportation and communication.

The many structures that represent various aspects of the vast support system for the gold rush.

The stories behind the gravesites and burials along the trail.

The things that were once considered junk now help us better understand the past.

The works done by the NPS and others to record, restore, and preserve objects and structures 

related to the gold rush.

The importance of preserving the artifacts and features in place.

The contributions made by the families and descendants of the Stampeders

The photographic documentation of the gold rush illustrates the importance of the event.

Human use and occupation of the area has influenced and has been influenced by the diversity of 

natural communities found within the Skagway and Taiya river valleys.

Native peoples‘ habitation and use of the area well before the gold rush.

How the Stampeders reacted to an environment that most of them had never seen before.

The vast consumption of natural resources during the gold rush.

The impacts of the fires caused by Stampeders and locomotives.

Pollution resulting from many factors, including human waste.

Human-caused changes to the Taiya and Skagway river systems.
14

The devastating avalanche on the Chilkoot Trail and other natural events that occurred during 

the stampede, including the Sheep Camp flood of 1897.

The significance of collections made by scientists during the gold rush.

The reforestation of the area after the rush.

The Klondike Gold Rush had lasting and far-reaching economic, social, and technological impacts.

The ―modern‖ technology involving land and water transportation, electricity, communications, 

etc. used during the gold rush.

The growth and settlement of Alaska and the Yukon was precipitated by this and subsequent gold 

rushes.

The issue of sovereignty and the location of the US / Canadian border.

The importance of the development of the railroad from Skagway.

The history of the development of towns and associated infrastructure that supported the rush.

The means of getting to Skagway from Seattle and Vancouver.

The importance and methods of keeping both land and sea routes open.

The development and expansion of the communication systems.

The purchase and movement of supplies and provisions over long distances along with the risk of 

thievery or loss.

Alaskan Natives and First Nation people, who had long used the Skagway and Taiya river valleys as 

vital trade routes to the interior, were impacted by the gold rush, played important roles during the 

stampede and remain an active and flourishing culture today.

The movement of some Tlingit and Tagish people from the coast to the interior and from the 

interior to the coast.

The differences between Tlingit and Euro American ideas of land ownership and stewardship.

Traditional uses of the area over time.

Glacial era either erased or buried evidence of earliest habitation of the area under water.

The historic fight between the Sitka and Chilkat Tlingits over the right to pack goods 

commercially over the trail.

The impacts of greatly increased contact with whites during the gold rush (i.e. racism, disease, 

language, clothing, intermarriage, and other clashes of cultural values).

Packing of goods for prospectors and expeditions going to the interior before the gold rush.

The Tlingit role as packers in the early part of the rush, but eventually pushed aside by others and 

technology.

The Tlingit role as longshoremen during the rush.

The significance of Indian Town in Skagway [and its changing location].

The ongoing relationship between Tlingit and Tagish communities in Skagway, Haines, 

Klukwan, and Carcross and their relations with the NPS and Parks Canada.

Post-gold rush roles of Native people in the tourism industry.

The Skagway and Taiya river valleys have been important corridors between the coast and the 

interior from prehistoric times into the present.

Important trading routes before the rush.

The difficulty of getting to the interior.

The importance of ice-free corridors to the interior (free of glaciers).

Direct routes to the Yukon.
15

How geologic forces and processes helped determine access routes to the interior.

The various means of transporting goods.

Use of the valleys as migration routes / corridors for wildlife.

Extreme diversity in topography and climates from sea level to the summits of Chilkoot Pass and 

White Pass create dramatic variance in flora and fauna.

The area as a meeting place of Boreal, Coastal Rainforest, and Alpine ecological zones.

The ecological significance of the valleys‘ strong elevation gradients.

The diversity of marine and terrestrial species.

The seasonal and daily weather extremes.

Geo-hazards – dynamic natural processes that were hazards for the Stampeders and are still 

hazards to today‘s travelers – avalanches, glacial outburst floods, wild fires, landslides, etc.

Landscape dynamics and successional processes related to past and present glacial retreat and 

advance.

Geological forces and processes that shaped the current topography.

The Lynn Canal as the longest fjord in North America enables salt water to influence climate and 

habitats far inland.

Skagway area‘s unique climate relative to the rest of Southeast Alaska and the ecological 

significance of the climate.

The effect of natural processes (decay, erosion) on gold rush era artifacts.

The preservation and restoration of many gold rush era structures and artifacts are the result of 

continued partnerships with private, city, state, tribal, federal, and Canadian entities 

Reasons for the creation of the park.

The value of the lease-back program in preserving historic structures.

The nature and extent of the historic preservation program.

The connections between the development of the tourist industry and the need for historic 

preservation.

The earlier idea of a Chilkoot National Park.

The reasons for the creation of the international historical park.

The cooperative / partnership efforts among private, community, state, tribal, federal, and 

Canadian entities to preserve gold rush resources.

The importance of stewardship on many levels to preserve and interpret national and international 

treasures (all NPS 2005:3-7).

The LRIP then provides some themes and sub-themes taken from Parks Canada “Commemorative 

Integrity Statement for the Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site” that seem relevant to this plan.

The Chilkoot Trail was designated a national historic site because of the role it played in the mass 

movement of people to the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush.

The character, importance and reasons for use of the Chilkoot Trail as a route between the coast 

and the interior.

The border character of the Chilkoot Pass summit.

The life ways and perceptions of the historic place by diverse groups experiencing the Chilkoot 

Trail during the commemoration period.

The geographic and historic relationship of the site to the various regional mountain passes and 

the northwest of North America.
16

The character, importance, and use of the site as a link between the Pacific coast and the 

Yukon interior (all NPS 2005:8-10). 

For many of these themes and sub themes, the answers can be found in existing books, articles, reports 

and other information sources. All that is needed is to pull the information from these secondary sources 

and put them together in a ―cheat sheet‖ format for the interpreters to pass onto the public. For other 

themes and sub themes, the answers are not found in existing published literature, or are not found in 

sufficient detail, or are incorrect and so primary sources need to be examined and historical research 

needs to be conducted. This is the task of the park historian, his or her assistants, or for contract 

historians or historian interns. This is the task of a park historical program.

 

NPS thematic framework for American History:

The park‘s first RMP listed the 1987 NPS thematic framework for American History as applied to KLGO 

(NPS 1994:41-43). Public Law 101-628, Section 1209 (1991), however, directed the NPS to revise the 

1987 thematic framework to incorporate the new approaches to examining and understanding America‘s 

past that have dramatically changed the way we look at the past. This resulted in a completely rethought

and revised thematic framework. Through eight concepts that encompass the multi-faceted and 

interrelated nature of human experience, the revised thematic framework reflects a more interdisciplinary, 

less compartmentalized approach to American history.

The revised thematic framework is a significant departure from the thematic outlines previously used by 

the National Park Service. It, however, better serves the National Park Service and other interested 

parties in evaluating historic properties, in assessing how well American history is represented in existing 

park system units and other protected areas, and in enhancing park interpretive programs to provide a 

fuller understanding of the Nation‘s past.

The framework rests on the assumption that, just as our understanding of the past has been reshaped in 

recent decades, so it will continue to evolve in the future. It should not be viewed as a final document or 

definitive statement. It is a part of an ongoing effort to ensure that the preservation and interpretation of 

our nation‘s historic and prehistoric resources continue to be informed by the best scholarship available.

The new NPS thematic framework is discussed below and additional information can be found at

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/hisnps/NPSThinking/themes_concepts.htm (site last visited on 28 

April 2011): 

I. Peopling Places

This theme examines human population movement and change through prehistoric and historic times. It 

also looks at family formation, at different concepts of gender, family, and sexual division of labor, and at 

how they have been expressed in the American past. While patterns of daily life – birth, marriage, 

childrearing – are often taken for granted, they have a profound influence on public life.

Life in America began with migrations many thousands of years ago. Centuries of migrations and 

encounters have resulted in diverse forms of individual and group interaction, from peaceful 

accommodation to warfare and extermination through exposure to new diseases. 

Communities, too, have evolved according to cultural norms, historical circumstances, and environmental 

contingencies. The nature of communities is varied, dynamic, and complex. Ethnic homelands are a 

special type of community that existed before incorporation into the political entity known as the United 

States. For example, many Indian sites, such as those in Canyon de Chelly National Monument in 
17

Arizona, are on tribal lands occupied by Native Americans for centuries. Similarly, Hispanic 

communities, such as those represented by San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, had their 

origins in Spanish and Mexican history. Distinctive and important regional patterns join together to 

create microcosms of America‘s history and to form the ―national experience.‖

Before the Klondike Gold Rush, Alaska and the Yukon were populated primarily by Native Americans 

who migrated to this area from elsewhere. The gold rush itself was certainly a mass migration of 

thousands of gold rush ―Stampeders‖ from all over the world north in search of wealth and for many, a 

new life. While some left as soon as they found out that the good claims were already staked in the 

Klondike gold fields, many stayed searching for gold elsewhere and thereby populating the area. Others 

followed the Stampeders and set up communities nearby the mines to provide the miners with food, 

supplies, equipment and entertainment. As elsewhere in the country, this interaction between Natives and 

the incoming Stampeders brought conflict as well as peaceful accommodation. 

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Family and the life cycle

2. Health, nutrition, and disease

3. Migration from outside and within

4. Community and neighborhood

5. Ethnic homelands

6. Encounters, conflicts, and colonization

II. Creating Social Institutions and Movements

This theme focuses upon the diverse formal and informal structures such as schools or voluntary 

associations through which people express values and live their lives. Americans generate temporary 

movements and create enduring institutions in order to define, sustain, or reform these values. Why 

people organize to transform their institutions is as important to understand as how they choose to do so. 

Thus, both the diverse motivations people act on and the strategies they employ are critical concerns of 

social history.

Sites such as Women‘s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York, and the Eugene V. 

Debs National Historic Landmark in Indiana illustrate the diversity and changeable nature of social 

institutions. Hancock Shaker Village, a National Historic Landmark, and Touro Synagogue, a National 

Historic Site, reflect religious diversity. This category will also encompass temporary movements that 

influenced American history but did not produce permanent institutions. 

As indicated above, the Klondike Gold Rush was a mass social movement of people from all over the 

globe. Some individuals passed through the gateway communities of Dyea and Skagway on their way to 

the Klondike gold fields in Canada while others decided to stay in these towns. Those that settled here 

established social customs largely based on where they came from and their interactions with others in the

new land. Those that just passed through did the same where ever they eventually settled. The City of 

Skagway was the first incorporated city in Alaska (1900). The Arctic Brotherhood, a fraternal

organization was established in 1899 and its first ―camp‖ or building was built in Skagway and still 

stands. Other fraternal organizations, such as the Eagles, Elks, Masons, and the Knights of Pythias, also 

established outposts in town. Social clubs were part of Skagway since the beginning and were quickly 

established. The Skagway clubs include: (1) the Bowling Club (1898), (2) the YMCA Camera Club 

(1900-1901), (3) the German Club (1900), (4) the Improvement Club (1898), (5) the Literary Club (1898-

1904), (6) the Tennis Club (1900-1903), (7) the White Pass Athletic Club (1900-1902) and (8) the 

Women‘s Club (1900-1901). The first church in Skagway was the Union Church (1898-1900) open to all 

denominations but other religious groups quickly took hold. In Skagway alone, there was the Baptist 
18

Church (1898-1900), the Episcopal Church (1898-1910), the Methodist Church (1899-1910), the

Peniel Mission (1898-1920s), the Presbyterian Church (1898-present), the Roman Catholic Church (1903-

present) the Salvation Army (1898-1903), and the YMCA (1898-1901) among other groups. The dates 

given reflect much uncertainty as very little historical research been undertaken on any of these groups.

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Clubs and organizations

2. Reform movements

3. Religious institutions

4. Recreational activities

III. Expressing Cultural Values

This theme covers expressions of culture – people‘s beliefs about themselves and the world they inhabit. 

For example, Boston African American Historic Site reflects the role of ordinary Americans and the 

diversity of the American cultural landscape. Ivy Green, the birthplace of Helen Keller in Alabama, and 

the rural Kentucky Pine Mountain Settlement School illustrate educational currents. Walnut Street 

Theater in Pennsylvania, Louis Armstrong‘s house in New York City, the Chautauqua Historic District in 

New York, and the Cincinnati Music Hall – all National Historic Landmarks – reflect diverse aspects of 

the performing arts.

This theme also encompasses the ways that people communicate their moral and aesthetic values. The 

gardens and studio in New Hampshire of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America‘s most eminent 

sculptors, and Connemara, the farm in North Carolina of the noted poet Carl Sandburg, both National 

Historic Sites, illustrate this theme. 

The stampede to the Klondike started with a newspaper headline and ended with another media event –

the Spanish-American War. The Klondike Gold Rush generated much literature and music. The gold 

rush was photographed by numerous professional and amateur photographers and today, photographs of 

the event are a key historic resource in our understanding of the rush. The late 19th and early 20th Century 

frontier architecture found in Skagway, Alaska and Dawson City, Yukon is a key visual element defining 

the rush. Very little research has been undertaken on these themes with architecture and music being 

perhaps the most researched topic.

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Educational and intellectual currents

2. Visual and performing arts

3. Literature

4. Mass media

5. Architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design

6. Popular and traditional culture

IV. Shaping the Political Landscape

This theme encompasses tribal, local, state, and federal political and governmental institutions that create 

public policy and those groups that seek to shape both policies and institutions. Sites associated with 

political leaders, theorists, organizations, movements, campaigns, and grassroots political activities all 

illustrate aspects of the political environment. Independence Hall is an example of democratic aspirations 

and reflects political ideas. 
19

Places associated with this theme include battlefields and forts, such as Saratoga National Historical 

Park in New York and Fort Sumter National Monument in South Carolina, as well as sites such as 

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park in Virginia that commemorate watershed events in the 

life of the nation.

The political landscape has been shaped by military events and decisions, by transitory movements and 

protests, as well as by political parties. Places associated with leaders in the development of the 

American constitutional system such as Abraham Lincoln‘s home in Illinois and the birthplace of Martin 

Luther King, Jr., in Atlanta – both National Historic Sites – embody key aspects of the political 

landscape. 

Alaska was a military district from 1884-1912. The population increase resulting from the Klondike Gold 

Rush increased the demand for enhanced political status for Alaska – from district to territory in 1912 –

then statehood in 1959. The lack of governmental institutions in Alaska before the gold rush dramatically 

affected the rush. For example, because Congress had yet to pass the basic laws that would have allowed 

the citizens of Skagway to incorporate into a city and govern themselves, Skagway was ruled by (1) U. S. 

Marshalls, (2) a vigilante form of city government, (3) Jefferson Randolph ―Soapy‖ Smith (who 

supposedly ruled Skagway as head of a criminal gang until he was shot on July 8, 1898 and his gang 

rounded up by city vigilantes), (4) the U. S. Army and (5) the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police who 

were in Skagway because of a boundary dispute (both Canada and the U. S. claimed Skagway). Canada 

and the United States almost went to war because the boundary between these two countries in this area 

was uncertain. Both countries mobilized their respective military forces to deal with the problem. Camp 

Dyea and Camp Skagway were established in 1898 and saw a regular rotation of U. S. Army troops until 

1904, including a troop of African American soldiers (Company L of the 24th Infantry). The boundary 

dispute was finally resolved in 1906. Dyea and the communities along the Chilkoot and White Pass trails 

never developed local governments although Dyea citizens did establish a Chamber of Commerce late in 

its development. Although legend indicates that Skagway was lawless until Soapy Smith was shot dead, 

properly conducted research might prove this to be completely false. Although liquor was illegal during 

the gold rush, Skagway had over 100 saloons. The clash between Native American and Euro American 

culture was a large issue during the gold rush. The gold rush was a time of great political turmoil. 

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Parties, protests, and movements

2. Governmental institutions

3. Military institutions and activities

4. Political ideas, cultures, and theories

V. Developing the American Economy

This theme reflects the ways Americans have worked, including slavery, servitude, and non-wage as well 

as paid labor. It also reflects the ways they have materially sustained themselves by the processes of 

extraction, agriculture, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Vital aspects of economic history are frequently manifested in regional centers, for example, ranching on 

the Great Plains is illustrated by Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Montana. Individual 

economic sites, such as Lowell National Historical Park in Massachusetts, may be distinctive in 

representing both the lives of workers and technological innovations.

In examining the diverse working experiences of the American people, this theme encompasses the

activities of farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, and managers, as well as the technology around them. It 

also takes into account the historical ―layering‖ of economic society, including class formation and 
20

changing standards of living in diverse sectors of the nation. Knowledge of both the Irish laborer and 

the banker, for example, are important in understanding the economy of the 1840s.

Prior to the Klondike Gold Rush, the United States was in a deep economic depression, the panic of 1893. 

After the gold rush, the country was in a period of economic prosperity. Exactly how much did the gold 

rush have to do with that transformation is uncertain and needs more study? Although little mining took 

place in the park, there were several local rushes to potential gold fields. This has not been studied at all. 

Skagway‘s very existence depended on gold mining taking place in the Klondike gold fields 550 miles 

north with the miners and mining companies using Skagway as a transshipment point for goods and 

people heading to the gold fields or back from them. The Stampeders worked hard at transporting their 

outfits over the Coast Mountains but soon there were others intent on making the Stampeders‘ lives easier 

by assisting with the packing. Trail improvements, aerial tramways, wagon roads, and finally the White 

Pass & Yukon Route railroad, were all built during the gold rush to ease the movement of people and 

goods into and out from the Yukon and Alaskan interior. Transportation has been the economic lifeblood 

of Skagway since the gold rush and it continues to be, most recently with the building of the South 

Klondike Highway.

Archeological evidence indicates that material goods from all over the world were arriving in Skagway 

during the gold rush but research has not been undertaken on the distribution and consumption of these 

items. An excellent history of the beginning of the White Pass & Yukon Route railway has been written 

(Minter 1987) but there is much to research and understand even about this railway‘s early years. 

There were several strikes that occurred during the building of this railroad but they have been given little 

attention in the books and articles on the railroad‘s construction. Were there labor unrest or strikes during 

the construction of the wagon roads and aerial tramways – no one knows? Almost everyone participating 

in the Klondike Gold Rush came to Dyea and Skagway on fleet of steamers and sailboats that serviced 

these ports yet little has been written on the history of this fleet, the companies that took part in the rush, 

the ships and the men who manned them. Native American packers had a large role in transporting the 

outfits of thousands of Stampeders over the Coast Mountains but their role has largely been under 

appreciated and un-studied. Several telephone companies strung their wires up both trails to Bennett and 

across from Dyea to Skagway but their roles in facilitating communication during the gold rush have not 

been researched. In short, the park has yet to even explore many of the topics listed below.

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Extraction and production

2. Distribution and consumption

3. Transportation and communication

4. Workers and work culture

5. Labor organizations and protests

6. Exchange and trade

7. Governmental policies and practices

8. Economic theory

VI. Expanding Science and Technology

This theme focuses on science, which is modern civilization‘s way of organizing and conceptualizing 

knowledge about the world and the universe beyond. This is done through the physical sciences, the 

social sciences, and medicine. Technology is the application of human ingenuity to modification of the 

environment in both modern and traditional cultures. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument in 

Texas reflects pre-Columbian innovations while Edison National Historic Site in New Jersey reflects 

technological advancement in historic times. Technologies can be particular to certain regions and 

cultures. 
21

In Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the main technological emphasis was on 

transportation – how to get the large numbers of individual Stampeders and their freight from the port 

cities of Dyea and Skagway, over the Coast Mountains to the headwaters of the Yukon River and then 

onto the gold fields 550 miles further north. In addition to animal and human power, the gold rush 

Stampeders used state of the art aerial tramways run by steam, electricity, and gasoline. Travel by 

balloon and electric railroad was proposed and bicycles were used. In addition to aerial tramways, there 

were trails, wagon roads, surface tram roads, and the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad and finally, 

long after the rush, the South Klondike Highway and the Skagway airport. Very early in the rush, all the 

communities along the Chilkoot and White Pass trails were connected by telephone service and some 

communities even had electric lights and indoor plumbing. For a time, this area had the very latest in late 

19th and early 20th Century technology. Yet very little research has been undertaken on these state of the 

art technologies. We know some things about the aerial tramways but very little about the local telephone 

and electrical companies and practically nothing about the history of public utilities. 

A remarkable number of scientific or semi-scientific expeditions visited this area immediately before, 

during, and after the Klondike Gold Rush. A listing of a few of these expeditions (usually named for the 

head of the expedition) includes Arthur and Aurel Krause (1882), Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka (1883), 

William Ogilvie (1887), the International Boundary Commission Survey (1894), the Harriman Expedition 

(1899), and the Boundary Survey (1905-1906). Geologists from the United States Geological Survey that 

passed through this area include Alfred Hulse Brooks (1898), Walter Curran Mendenhall (1898), Arthur 

James Collier (1902), Sidney Paige (1903), Louis Marcus Prindle (1906), W. W. Attwood (1907), 

Bertrand Leroy Johnson (1909), and John Beaver Mertie, Jr. (1930, 1931, and 1941). In addition there

are at least 24 know researchers that collected plant and animal specimens for at least 8 different national 

and international institutions such as the New York Botanical Gardens (1898-1899); the California 

Academy of Science, San Francisco (1913-1916); the Botanical Museum, Berlin (1881-1882); the 

University of California, Berkeley (1910-1930); the University of Washington, Seattle (1910-1917); 

Riksmuseum, Stockholm (1913-1928); the National Herbarium, Ottawa (1916); and the National 

Herbarium, Washington D.C. (1883-1938). The actual total number of scientific expeditions to visit or 

pass through this area is unknown. 

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Experimentation and invention

2. Technological applications

3. Scientific thought and theory

4. Effects on lifestyle and health

VII. Transforming the Environment

This theme examines the variable and changing relationships between people and their environment, 

which continuously interact. The environment is where people live, the place that supports and sustains 

life. The American environment today is largely a human artifact, so thoroughly has human occupation 

affected all its features. Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, which includes portions of the Ohio 

and Erie Canal, for example, is a cultural landscape that links natural and human systems, including cities, 

suburbs, towns, countryside, forest, wilderness, and water bodies.

This theme acknowledges that the use and development of the physical setting is rooted in evolving 

perceptions and attitudes. Sites such as John Muir National Historic Site in California and Sagamore Hill 

National Historic Site in New York, the home of President Theodore Roosevelt, reflect the contributions 

of leading conservationists. While conservation represents a portion of this theme, the focus here is on 

recognizing the interplay between human activity and the environment as reflected in particular places, 

such as Hoover Dam, a National Historic Landmark.
22

Photographs of the Skagway and Dyea valleys before, during and immediately after the Klondike Gold 

Rush show once virgin valleys stripped of trees and other vegetation. The wood was used in building, 

heating, cooking, and powering the steam engines that did much of the work in these valleys. Animal life 

must have suffered as well, not just the 3,000+ dead horses shown in the Skagway River during the rush. 

Human caused forest fires also took a toll. Avalanches, landslides, glacial outburst floods, earthquakes 

and other natural events point to an ever changing and very active environment. These natural events 

required the human inhabitants of the area to adapt. A hundred years later, the forest environment 

damaged by the gold rush has recovered nicely and the scars of the past are difficult to discern. In some 

places, the forest cover is more extensive than it was before the gold rush and animal life has come back

but natural and human events may change that. How can the park protect and preserve the environment 

without understanding what human beings and nature did to the environment. Without such research we 

lack sufficient understanding to even manage the park properly. Over 100 years of human beings 

documenting the landscape through photography is an excellent tool for studying climate change.

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. Manipulating the environment and its resources

2. Adverse consequences and stresses on the environment

3. Protecting and preserving the environment

VIII. Changing Role of the United States in the World Community

This theme explores diplomacy, trade, cultural exchange, security and defense, expansionism – and, at 

times, imperialism. The interactions among indigenous peoples, between this nation and native peoples, 

and this nation and the world have all contributed to American history. Additionally, this theme 

addresses regional variations, since, for example, in the eighteenth century; the Spanish southwest, French 

and Canadian middle-west, and British eastern seaboard had different diplomatic histories.

America has never existed in isolation. While the United States, especially in the nineteenth and 

twentieth centuries, has left an imprint on the world community, other nations and immigrants to the 

United States have had a profound influence on the course of American history. 

The emphasis in this category is on people and institutions – from the principals who define and 

formulate diplomatic policy, such as presidents, secretaries of state, and labor and immigrant leaders, to 

the private institutions, such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, that influence America‘s 

diplomatic, cultural, social, and economic affairs. Monticello, the Virginia home of Thomas Jefferson, a 

National Historic Landmark, reflects the diplomatic aspirations of the early nation. 

The Klondike Gold Rush was an international event that funneled people from all over the world through 

the twin port cities of Dyea and Skagway and over the Chilkoot or White Pass trails. The gold fields were 

in Canada but most everybody had to travel through at least a small portion of the United States to get 

there. The U. S. / Canadian boundary was in dispute during the gold rush. The dispute centered on an 

1825 treaty between Russia and Great Britain. The dispute almost brought the Canada and the United 

States to blows but it was finally settled in 1906 by an international tribunal. The fact that the 

international boundary is only 20 miles away from Skagway has always affected the people of Skagway. 

For example, during prohibition, liquor was illegal in the United States but legal in Canada. Because of 

the geographical relationship between Skagway in the U.S. and Whitehorse in Canada, liquor bound for 

Whitehorse had to be shipped through Skagway on the White Pass & Yukon Route railway. The fact that 

some of the shipments mysteriously got diverted should come as no surprise to anyone. Research on all 

the topics listed below is needed. 
23

Topics that help define this theme include:

1. International relations

2. Commerce

3. Expansionism and imperialism

4. Immigration and emigration policies

The Historic Research Plan (Part I):

This Historic Research Plan is divided up into two main parts: (1) First comes a listing of historical 

research ideas and proposed projects and reports needed to provide accurate historical information to the 

park staff and members of the public about historical events, people, places, buildings, structures, 

artifacts, and activities in this area during the Klondike Gold Rush and (2) second comes a discussion of

how to establish a sustainable program of historical research at KLGO with sufficient staff and resources 

to accomplish the first task and merit the name ―Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park.‖

One of the most important ways of communicating the results of historical research is through writing and 

eventually publishing historical reports. Historical reports come in many different forms. NPS 28 

(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps28/28contents.htm – site last visited 28 April 2011)

and the park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) list many of the basic park historical documents that every park 

should have in order to guide future management decisions. Through a great deal of effort, the park

already has many of these documents but history does not stand still and therefore the park should make a

concerted effort to update the basic historical reports that need to be updated such as the park‘s 

Administrative History. KLGO should also take advantage of the new approaches to examining and 

understanding America's past (themes listed above) and revise some of the park‘s basic historical 

documents. The park should make a stronger effort to integrate history in all aspects of the resource 

discipline such as archeology, architecture, biology and geology and throughout the park. KLGO should 

make every effort to reach the public not just through scholarly reports but in brief historical articles on 

the park‘s web site, in brochures, wayside exhibits, inside exhibits, and the local radio station (KHNS). 

The park should encourage staff to write articles for historical journals and perhaps even institute an 

occasional journal series to highlight park research, historical or otherwise. The park should consider 

acquiring funds to produce short films or movies about certain aspects of the park‘s history and resources. 

This discussion draws from the park‘s PMIS project statements pertaining to history where applicable, 

from the some of the park plans discussed above, from many of the park‘s LRIP primary interpretive 

themes and sub themes mentioned before, as well as the NPS‘s thematic framework for American History 

outlined above. 

Administrative Histories

An Administrative History, of particular value to managers, planners, and interpreters, describes how a 

park was conceived and established and how it has been managed to the present day. The park's 

legislative history and important issues in planning, land acquisition, development, public relations, and 

other topics of ongoing management concern are emphasized (NPS 28).

Recommendations:

Update the park‘s 15 year old Administrative History (Norris 1996). Publish the revised 

document or the revision as soon as funding allows. 

Research, write and publish an Administrative History to document the NPS‘s 30-year effort to 

restore historic park owned buildings in Skagway (PMIS 035353 and 082917).
24

Discussion:

Update Administrative History:

The park does have a thorough and relatively up-to-date administrative history (Norris 1996). However, 

much has changed in the 15 years since the report was written. For example, all of the historic buildings 

owned by KLGO have now been restored and five ―new‖ historic buildings (Jefferson Randolph ―Soapy‖

Smith‘s Parlor Museum, Meyer‘s Meat Market, YMCA Building, Frye-Bruhn Refrigerated Warehouse

[all in Skagway], and the McDermott Cabin [in Dyea]) have been acquired. The park has also acquired

the Rapuzzi collection (which includes several of the buildings mentioned above), which has dramatically 

increase the number of historic artifacts the park cares for including many historical documents and 

photographs. Each of these ―new‖ historic buildings will need to have architectural, archeological, and 

historical work done on them before they are eventually refurbished or restored. Decisions about how to 

use these ―new‖ historic buildings have been made in some cases and eventually will be made in all cases. 

The park has investigated the possibility of acquiring additional historic buildings in Skagway (such as 

the Old City Hall, Moe‘s Frontier Bar [the Bowman Building], and possibly a ―Seattle Knock-down‖ gold 

rush era portable building) and has assisted in the restoration of the Portland House (Moore Hotel) by 

private individuals. Four new superintendents and several acting superintendents have taken up duties at 

KLGO during this time period and there has been almost a complete turn over in park staff. Skagway‘s 

tourism industry has increased dramatically in the past decade or so and that has affected the character of 

the town and the park. Several controversies have arisen between the city and the park during this time 

period. KLGO‘s status on the Skagway Historical District Commission has changed dramatically in the 

intervening years. 

There are several chapters in the Administrative History (Norris 1996) that deal with our sister park in 

Seattle, Washington (KLSE). After a major earthquake, KLSE has moved into a new historic building in 

downtown Seattle. This building (the Cadillac Hotel), with a long history of its own, was extensively 

restored to suit the needs of the park and the park played an important role in those efforts. KLSE has

also seen the passing of a long time superintendent and the appointment of three new ones. Given the fact 

that money will probably not be available for updating the park‘s Administrative History for many years

to come, a PMIS project statement should be written now calling for updating of the park‘s administrative 

history on a regular basis in order to get this project into the funding cycle. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of each update.

Administrative History of Historic Preservation:

KLGO‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) had a proposal to develop a book on the park‘s historic restoration 

program (history, techniques and results). Money was eventually found for this project and a report on 

the history of the National Park Service‘s 30-year historic preservation efforts in Skagway is currently in 

preparation. Two draft manuscripts, one focusing on the history of the preservation effort itself by Julie 

Johnson, and the other on the archeological effort associated with the building restoration program by 

Yvonne Meyer, have been submitted to the park and regional office for review comments. ARO and park 

comments on these drafts were extensive and it was determined that each draft need to be extensively

rewritten (especially the archeological report). The two authors left Alaska and a new set of authors had 

to be found. A completely rewritten draft document by Frank Norris (ARO) has been produced but needs 

a peer review of the document. Becky Saleeby (ARO) is engaged in researching and completely

rewriting the archeology report and a draft document is being reviewed at time of this writing. Both 

documents also had to be revised in order to accommodate the additional buildings that have been 

recently acquired and will be restored and the archeological work that is associated with the restoration 

process through Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended. Research and 

writing the reports are contained in PMIS project statement 035353 while funding the publication of this

report is contained in PMIS 082917. 
25

Historic Resource Studies

A historic resource study (HRS) provides a historical overview of a park or region and identifies and 

evaluates a park's cultural resources within historic contexts. It synthesizes all available cultural resource 

information from all disciplines in a narrative designed to serve managers, planners, interpreters, cultural 

resource specialists, and interested public as a reference for the history of the region and the resources 

within a park. Entailing both documentary research and field investigations to determine and describe the 

integrity, authenticity, associative values, and significance of resources, the HRS supplies data for 

resource management and interpretation (NPS 28). 

Recommendations:

Research, write and publish an HRS covering the park as a whole to update and supplant Bearss 

(1970) (PMIS 082951). 

Research, write and publish an HRS covering the park‘s Skagway Unit

Research, write and publish an HRS covering the park‘s Dyea / Chilkoot Trail Unit.

Research, write and publish an HRS covering the social history of Skagway. This would

essentially update and supplant Wells (1978).

Research, write and publish an HRS on the ethnic and gender diversity of the Klondike Gold 

Rush Stampeders (PMIS 076604). 

Research, write and publish an HRS covering the military‘s role in the area from Lieutenant 

Frederick Schwatka‘s expedition over the Chilkoot Trail in 1883 to World War II and the 

military‘s takeover of Skagway and the railroad, and its aftermath. 

Research, write and publish an HRS on the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad covering the 

period from 1900 to the present day to complement Minter‘s The White Pass: Gateway to the 

Klondike (1987) book on the early history of the railroad.

Research, write, and publish an HRS on the role maritime transportation played during the 

Klondike Gold Rush.

Research, write and publish an HRS on the economic factors leading up to the Klondike Gold 

Rush and how the gold rush affected the nation‘s economic health. 

Research, write and publish an HRS on the part the world‘s media played in making the Klondike 

Gold Rush such a dramatic event.

Research, write and publish an HRS on the social history of the entire Klondike Gold Rush. 

Research, write and publish an HRS on the environmental history of the local area.
26

Discussion:

Park Wide HRS:

Bearss (1970) is a fairly thorough and detailed HRS covering the entire park. It is cited frequently in

scholarly work on the history of the Klondike Gold Rush. Although dated, it is still a good solid study 

and has much historical information of value in it. History, however, is not a static series of events but is 

as ever changing as the human condition. New information is always being uncovered and how we view 

the past is ever changing. For example, years ago, the typical Klondike Gold Rush ―Stampeder‖ was 

viewed as a white male and the only women in the rush were viewed as prostitutes or ―dancing girls.‖ 

Recent scholarship has given us the stories of women and children Stampeders and entrepreneurs, the 

effects of the gold rush on Native Americans, information on African-American soldiers in the area

during the rush, and the battle between the sexes over ―Saloon Culture‖ in Skagway. Archeological work 

has given us detailed knowledge of specific lots in Skagway, the layout of the various communities along 

the Chilkoot Trail and of the trail itself. It has also expanded our knowledge of how the aerial and surface 

tramways worked, how the telephone system was laid out, and where the material cultural that was 

imported into this area during and after the gold rush came from. 

The new overall HRS will develop management recommendations and research designs for additional 

focused research. While Bearss (1970) will always be there to consult, it is high time that the park took 

advantage of recent historical scholarship instead of relying on a 40-year old book meant for the 

―Proposed Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.‖ A PMIS project statement has already been 

submitted to research and write a new HRS for the entire park, which would replace Bearss (1970) (PMIS 

082951). Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Skagway / Chilkoot Trail HRSs:

An HRS of the park‘s White Pass Unit has been published (Johnson 2003 – PMIS 035946) but the park‘s 

Skagway and Dyea / Chilkoot Trail units have not had similar studies done on them and park staff has had

to rely mostly on Bearss (1970) for historical information on those areas. There is undoubtedly enough 

information to warrant stand alone HSRs for both the Skagway Unit and the Dyea and Chilkoot Trail Unit 

of the park (Dyea may warrant a HSR separate from the Chilkoot Trail HSR). Combining these units into 

a single report would not make sense since we already have a standalone study of the White Pass Unit. 

These reports need to cover in some detail what was happening in these areas prior to, during, and after 

the rush. The final reports should also develop management recommendations and research designs for 

additional focused research in each unit. PMIS project statements for these two studies (possibly 3 

studies) needs to be written and the areas researched and written on. Funding also needs to be obtained 

for the layout and publication of these two reports.

Skagway Social History HRS:

Another potential HRS would be to revise and update the social history of Skagway written by Wells 

(1978). In 1978, Stephen R. Wells, from the Sociology Studies Program at the University of Washington,

completed a social history of Skagway from 1897 to 1975. The report included an assessment of the 

social impacts KLGO would probably have on the City of Skagway. This document is the only detailed 

history of Skagway we have that covers the town‘s entire life. A lot has happened in the past 35 years: 

the Klondike Highway has been built and is functioning; KLGO has been established and is functioning; 

the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad went from hauling freight and passengers from Skagway to 

Whitehorse and return to a short haul (Skagway to the White Pass Summit, Bennett, and Carcross), 

passenger only, summer only, tourist railroad. The past thirty-five years has also seen the rise and fall of 

the ore haul (three times) and a dramatic increase in the tourist industry, which in turn has dramatically 

changed the character of the town‘s historic district – no longer are all the businesses local but rather are 

now parts of chain stores with outlets in Alaska, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. Did the social impacts 

that were forecast in the Wells (1978) report come to pass? Did other social impacts not forecast come to 
27

pass? Although the park‘s administrative history (Norris 1996) tackles some of these subjects and 

issues, a separate social history of the town covering the town‘s entire existence would be of great interest 

and value to many. It should also be published as the Wells (1978) report is a manuscript. The final 

product should be a popular yet scholarly treatment of the subject. It should also develop management 

recommendations and research designs for additional focused anthropological, historical, and sociological

research. A PMIS project statement for this study has yet to be produced. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Ethnic & Gender Diversity HRS:

Another potential HRS is a proposal to study the ethnic and gender diversity of Klondike Gold Rush era 

Stampeders. Berton (1972:250) for example, mentions ―Scots and Canadians, Yanks and Greeks, Swedes 

and Australians, Japanese and Kanakas [Hawaiians]‖ as taking part in the rush. Elsewhere he mentions 

Norwegians, Irish, French, Germans, Greeks, Italians, and Maoris from New Zealand also as partaking in 

the rush (Berton 1972: 91, 113, 116, 241). From the 1900 U. S. Census we find that the inhabitants of 

Skagway were born in the following countries in addition to virtually every state in the Union: Austria, 

Belgium, Chile, Denmark, England, Finland, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, and 

Wales (U. S. Census 1900). In Skagway, the prostitutes lived in a ―French‖ Alley where they were 

predominately French and a ―Jap‖ alley, where they were predominately Japanese. This document will 

compile, describe, and evaluate all existing demographic information pertaining to the non-Native use of 

the park during the gold rush. It will include information about the ethnic and gender diversity of the 

Stampeders who took part in the gold rush, and about the population(s) that have current ties to park. It 

will include summaries of data pertaining to the various ethnic groups in the stampede and identify data 

gaps. It will provide information about the culture of origin of the various different non-Native groups 

associated with the park. Information will be derived primarily from existing archival and published 

materials and supplemented with ethnographic interviewing of knowledgeable community consultants. 

The final report will develop management recommendations and research designs for additional focused 

anthropological and historical research. Information from this project will also help the park identify the 

park‘s stakeholder. A PMIS project statement has already been submitted for this project (076604). 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Local Military HRS:

A proposal in the park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) involved researching the U.S. Army‘s impacts to 

Skagway's cultural resources during both the Klondike Gold Rush and World War II eras. This proposal

can perhaps be expanded and reworked into an HRS of the military‘s role in the Skagway and Dyea area 

from Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka‘s expedition over the Chilkoot Trail in 1883 through the World War 

II takeover of Skagway by the U. S. military and military contractors and its aftermath. For example, this 

study would tell the story of Company L of the 24th Infantry – the company of Buffalo Soldiers that was

stationed here during the gold rush period as well as chronicling all the other military units that were 

brought up here to show the flag, keep the peace, and build Fort William H. Steward in Haines. The issue 

of sovereignty, the location of the U.S. / Canadian border and the role the Canadian North West Mounted 

Police played in the area (they were actually stationed in Skagway for a time) should be an important part 

of this discussion since that is what brought the United States Military and the police to the area in the 

first place. The second part of the report, or perhaps a separate publication, would chronicle the part 

Skagway played during the World War II efforts to construct the Alaska-Canada Highway, the Canol 

Pipeline, and protect Southeast Alaska‘s coast from invasion. It would report on the military units and 

civilian companies that were operating out of Skagway during this period and their locations and the ones 

that funneled through Skagway for deployment elsewhere. It would also chronicle the effect the war 

effort had on the citizens and infrastructure of this small Alaskan costal town. Both reports should also 

discuss the cultural resources that the military left behind as a result of its time in Skagway (during both 

periods) and the military‘s impact to Skagway‘s non-military cultural resources. The final report should 

also develop management recommendations and research designs for additional focused research. No 
28

PMIS project statement has been entered into the system for either proposal. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of this report (s).

Post 1900 White Pass Railroad HRS:

Roy Minter, former vice-president of the White Pass & Yukon Corporation, wrote his own ―Historic 

Resource Study‖ on the beginnings, construction, and completion of the White Pass & Yukon Route 

railroad (WP&YR), which was first published by the University of Alaska Press in 1987. The book, 

entitled The White Pass: Gateway to the Klondike also touched on construction of the Brackett Wagon 

Road and the building of the original Trail of 1897 (otherwise know as the Dead Horse Trail). In short, 

Minter did an HRS on land transportation in this area during the gold rush period although the Chilkoot 

Trail was not covered as extensively as the White Pass corridor and needs further research. Minter was 

planning another volume on the history of the WP&YR railroad covering the period 1900 to the present

day, but died before he could carry out his plan. KLGO should fund an HRS on this missing chapter in 

Skagway‘s history. The park owns two railroad buildings (the White Pass & Yukon Route Broadway 

Depot and General Office Building) and the railroad passes through the Skagway and White Pass units of 

the park. The original park Master Plan even called for reconstructing a portion of the railroad line that 

ran up Broadway and installing a static display of a locomotive and some rolling stock on the 

reconstructed tracks (NPS 1976:41). The construction and operation of the railroad had a dramatic impact 

on Skagway, Dyea, and the gold rush trails. It affected the layout of Skagway and kept the town alive 

after the rush while Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail died as a result of the construction of the railroad. Even 

today, the railroad is a major employer in the town and also attracts large numbers of tourists. The 

railroad played an important part in the development of this area and its post gold rush story is just as 

important as its gold rush story. The final report should develop management recommendations and 

research designs for additional focused research. A PMIS project statement should be written for this 

proposed HRS. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Maritime Transportation HRS:

Since almost all of the gold rush era Stampeders used marine transportation for at least part of their 

journey north, and the vast majority of Klondike bound freight and passengers came up through the Inside 

Passage from Seattle and Vancouver to Skagway and Dyea on ships, an HRS on the role maritime 

transportation played during the Klondike Gold Rush should be researched, written and published. Using 

Stampeders‘ diaries and letters, this study would describe in depth what a typical journey north was like 

for the individual Stampeder onboard the numerous vessels traveling the Inside Passage route. The routes 

these ocean-going ships traveled and the ports they stopped in would be reported on. The ships (and 

companies) that visited Skagway and Dyea during the rush would be listed, the condition the vessels were

in would be described; their histories and the histories of the firms that owned them would be researched 

and their fates explained. Local gold rush era shipwrecks, such as the Bark Canada, the Bark Mercury, 

and the Steamer Whitelaw, would be described and illustrated. The fares and freight charges people paid 

to bring themselves and their outfits up the Inside Passage and how those fares varied over time would be 

detailed. Using available ship‘s manifests and newspaper accounts, an attempt would be made to 

determine the total number of people that actually journeyed by boat to Skagway and Dyea during the 

gold rush. An electronic database of those names would then be developed for future use as a 

genealogical and historical research tool (if such as database has not already been developed – see 

http://www.historylink.org/Index.cfm?DisplayPage=Klondike/index.cfm for an example – site last visited 

28 April 2011). This HSR would also report on the development of the Skagway and Dyea waterfront 

infrastructure, when the various wharfs were built, how they were built, their dimensions, how often they 

were used and who controlled them. The loading and unloading procedures both before the wharfs were 

built and after, would be described in depth and illustrated. The local companies that controlled the 

shipment of goods and passengers between Skagway and Dyea, along with the small water craft that 

participated in this local trade would be described and illustrated. The water craft that were used on the 

Taiya and Skagway rivers would be described and illustrated. The water craft that were hauled over the 
29

Chilkoot and White Pass trails, such as the steamer A. J. Goddard, would be described and illustrated. 

Finally a section on the Yukon Riverboats would be research and written although this might constitute a 

second volume to the original HRS although because of the size of this topic, and the fact that much 

research would need to be undertaken in Canada, a second PMIS project statement may be needed for this 

topic. The final report should also develop management recommendations and research designs for 

additional focused research. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed HRS. 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Economic HRS:

The economic depression of 1893 is thought to have been the reason the Klondike Gold Rush was so 

dramatic but was it? What were the economic forces and factors that caused the Klondike Gold Rush? 

Why did the discovery of gold on an isolated creek in the middle of the Yukon wilderness cause so much 

excitement in the rest of the world and why did an estimated one hundred thousand individuals or more 

(world wide) set out to find gold in the Klondike for themselves (Berton 1972:396). What caused this 

mass migration to wilderness? What were the effects of the rush on the economic development of Alaska 

and the Yukon? What part did the Klondike Gold Rush play in the economic health of Canada and the

United States in particular and the rest of the world in general, during and immediately after the gold 

rush? A portion of this study should focus on gold itself, where gold was actually discovered and the 

circumstances surrounding the discovery, how gold is mined, what gold is used for, and the part gold

plays in the economies of the world. In addition, there should be a discussion on the Canadian and 

American laws at the time governing the discovering and mining of gold. Finally tables should be 

developed that illustrate the quantity and quality of gold taken out of the Klondike versus the gold taken 

out of other major gold rushes around the world. How does the Klondike stand in comparison with all the 

other major rushes of the world? The final report should also develop management recommendations and 

research designs for additional focused research. No PMIS project statement has been written for this 

proposed HRS. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Media HRS:

The Klondike Gold Rush was a huge media event. The stampede to the Klondike can be said to have 

been started by a single Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper headline on July 17, 1897, describing the

arrival of the prospectors and their ―ton of gold‖ from the Klondike. The rush was essentially ended by 

another major media event, the Spanish-American War. One author has defined 1897 as ―[t]he year that 

defined American journalism‖ (Campbell 2006: title) and the Klondike Gold Rush was one of the major 

stories of that period. Campbell (2006:148-155) uses one journalist, Sylvester Scovel, as a prime 

example of the ―active‖ type of journalists of the period and Scovel spent time in Skagway and on the 

White Pass Trail during that winter of 1897-1898. The part the world‘s media played in making the 

Klondike Gold Rush such a dramatic event would be the focus of this study. The main newspapers 

covering the story would be described and discussed. The journalists making the trip north to the gold 

fields and reporting on the events would be listed, their careers described, their stories analyzed, and their 

affiliations mentioned. The local newspapers that were established during the rush and the journalists, 

editors, and owners that worked or operated them, would be discussed and detailed biographies produced. 

The difficulties operating a pioneer newspaper would be described and the equipment necessary to 

produce a pioneer paper would be illustrated. The final report should develop management 

recommendations and research designs for additional focused research. No PMIS project statement has 

been written for this proposed HRS. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of 

this report.

Social History HRS:

The Klondike Gold Rush is above all a story about people. This HRS would trace and describe many of 

the personal stories of those who journeyed north. The different motivations people had for participating 

in the rush would be described and discussed. The question about whether the Klondike Gold Rush was a 
30

migration of poor, middle class, or rich individuals would be answered. The ways in which the 

Stampeders were able to gather sufficient funds for the journey north would be investigated and 

described. The choices Stampeders made in selecting the various routes to take (or to remain in the 

various settlements along the way) and the partners to journey with, would be examined. Daily life along 

the trails and in the gold camps would be described using original first hand accounts. How the 

individual Stampeders reacted to an environment that most of them had never seen before would be 

reported on. This study would also provide information on those who succeeded and those who failed

and would describe the stories behind the burials, gravesites and cemeteries along the trail. Using first 

hand accounts, an attempt would be undertaken to determine what life was like for the family members 

that stayed at home and the people who went on the stampede. What financial and emotional hardships 

did those at home face in contrast to the financial, physical and emotional hardships of the Stampeders? 

Finally, a total count of the number of Stampeders involved in the gold rush would be attempted. The 

final report would develop management recommendations and research designs for additional focused 

research. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed HRS. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

Environmental History HRS:

KLGO has photographs of the Skagway and Dyea valleys taken by the International Boundary 

Commission in 1894. These photographs were taken from the mountain peaks and look across the two 

valleys and down to the valley floors. They provide a fairly complete coverage of what the American 

side of the two valleys looked like pre-gold rush. The park has thousands of photographs taken by both 

professionals and amateurs during the gold rush. While many of these photographs tend to be close-ups 

of individual or groups of Stampeders or buildings, quite a few were taken from mountain peaks and 

hillsides overlooking many of the communities along the Chilkoot and White Pass trails or looking up 

from the valley floors to the mountain peaks. Many of these images show the devastation the gold rush 

wrecked on the natural environment. Thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of trees were cut down to 

furnish the Stampeder with building material and fuel for heating and power. Much less visible but just 

as devastating was the damage done to the animal population through hunting, fishing and all the human 

activity in the two valleys. After the gold rush, the number of photographers and photographs diminish 

rather rapidly but still there several areas, like Skagway, where the condition of the environment is well 

documented decade after decade. 

In addition to the photographs, KLGO has hundreds of original Stampeder accounts that discuss in more 

or less detail the environmental conditions the Stampeders hiked through. The gold rush era newspapers 

also went into great detail reporting on environmental conditions including such environmental events as 

avalanches, earthquakes, fires, floods, high tides, underwater landslides and of course the weather. 

Yehle and Lemke (1972:53) have compiled a partial list of earthquakes felt in Skagway from 1899 to 

1969 and have also described the regions geological past quite well. The National Climate Data Center 

has scanned the original weather observations forms for Alaska and for Skagway. The forms go back to 

November 1898 and are on-line at (site last visited 28 April 2011): 

http://www7.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/coop/coop.html?foreign=false&_page=0&jsessionid=316FC3EC3609C

35347AD72138C3BF244&state=AK&_target1=Next+%3E. In short there is a wealth of detailed 

observational data that covers the park area and stretches back over 117 years. Careful examination of 

historical photographs, Native American stories, and on the ground observations could stretch this 

timeline hundreds and maybe even thousands of years into the geological past. 

This is an important life safety HRS because it will detail potential life threatening environmental events

that have already occurred in the area. Events such as the April 3, 1898, avalanche that killed at least 70 

individuals on the Chilkoot Trail, injured many others and destroyed much property; the September 18, 

1897, glacial outburst flood in Sheep Camp that killed at least three individuals and damaged or 

destroyed thousands of dollars worth of property; the fire in Skagway on May 4, 1899 that destroyed 
31

seven buildings and thousands of dollars worth of property; the massive forest fire in the Dyea valley 

in late July 1899 that forces the evacuation of the African American soldiers of Company L of the 24th

Infantry and destroys Camp Dyea. Knowing that such events have occurred in the past and knowing 

their location and prevalence in the past will assist today‘s planners in understanding the future threats to 

life and property that these events may represent. Detailed knowledge about what happened in this area 

in the past is critical to our understanding of what the future may bring so that we make planes to prevent 

or mitigate the future damage. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed HRS. 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report.

National Historic Landmark / National Register Documentation

A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a district, site, building, structure, or object of national historical 

significance, designated by the Secretary of the Interior under authority of the Historic Sites Act of 1935 

and entered in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Authorized by the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966 and administered by the NPS in the National Center for Cultural Resources 

Stewardship and Partnership Programs, the National Register is the nation's official list of districts, sites, 

buildings, structures, and objects in both public and private ownership that are significant in American 

history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture (NPS 28).

National Historic Landmarks are exceptional places. They form a common bond between all Americans. 

While there are many historic places across the nation, only a small number have meaning to every 

American – these we call our National Historic Landmarks. Since 1935 the NPS has been charged with 

the duty to identify and recognize the nationally significant places that best represent the American 

experience. Not only is it a leader in recognizing the important places that tell the American story but the 

NPS is also a preeminent specialist in helping preserve them.

Recommendations:

Revise the Skagway Historic District and White Pass NHL to take into account the numerous 

changes that have taken place since the nomination form was last revised (1998). Submit the new 

revised nomination form to the Keeper of the NRHP for approval and maintain an approved 

database to keep the NHL information current.

Enter into discussions with the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to determine if

specific unique historic buildings in Skagway (for example, the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, McCabe 

College Building, White Pass & Yukon Route Broadway Depot and General Office Building, the 

Moore Hotel / Portland House) are eligible for individual nomination to the NRHP. If so, assist 

the city and private land owners in conducting the research necessary to complete the proper 

forms for these buildings. Update the nomination forms for park owned buildings and submit or 

assist in the submittal of all nomination forms to the Keeper of the NRHP.

Enter into discussions with the Alaska SHPO to determine if the White Pass & Yukon Route 

railroad is eligible for nomination to the NRHP. If so, conduct the necessary research and 

nominate the railroad to the Keeper of the NRHP. 

Enter into discussions with the Alaska SHPO to determine if the area‘s World War II cultural 

resources are eligible for nomination to the NRHP. If so, assist the city and private land owners 

in conducting the necessary research and in the development and submittal of the proper forms to 

the Keeper of the NRHP.
32

Revise the Dyea and Chilkoot Trail NHL to taken into account the results of the archeological 

and historical research done since the nomination form was last revised (1987). Submit the new 

revised nomination form to the Keeper of the NRHP for approval and maintain an approved 

database to keep the NHL information current.

Enter into discussions with the Alaska SHPO to determine if the three aerial tramways operating 

on the Chilkoot Trail during the Klondike Gold Rush (the Dyea-Klondike Transportation 

Company, the Alaska Railroad & Transportation Company, and the Chilkoot Railroad & 

Transport Company) are eligible for nomination to the NRHP. If so, conduct the necessary 

research and nominate the three aerial tramways (either individually or as a group) to the Keeper 

of the NRHP.

Enter into discussions with the Alaska SHPO to determine if the State of Alaska‘s effort at 

reopening of the Chilkoot Trail in the early 1960s would be eligible for nomination to the NRHP. 

This would specifically include the state cabins at Canyon City and Sheep Camp and any other 

surviving evidence of the state‘s work on the Chilkoot Trail. If so, assist the state in the 

development of such a nomination form.

(1) Examine all known cultural resources in the area to determine if they might be eligible for 

nomination to the NRHP or warrant National Historic Landmark status. Complete nomination 

forms for those that do and submit these forms to the Keeper of the NRHP or assist the land 

owners of such resources in producing such documentation. (2) Examine the list of local cultural 

resource NRHP nomination forms below to determine if that list is complete or if additional local 

cultural resources have been nominated. (3) Examine all previous NRHP nomination forms that 

have not been submitted to the Keeper of the NRHP (below) to determine if these nomination 

forms should be revised and submitted to the Keeper. Revise and submit previously un-submitted

nomination forms to the Keeper of the NRHP only for those resources that warrant such action.

Place detailed information on each existing NHL and NRHP site (and those proposed) on the 

park‘s web page or link to a web site that has such information.

Discussion:

KLGO is situated within two National Historic Landmarks – the Skagway Historic District and White 

Pass NHL and the Chilkoot Trail and Dyea Site NHL. The park owns 21 major historic buildings and 

several minor historic outbuildings in Skagway, all contributing elements to the Skagway NHL. The park 

also owns most of the historic townsite of Dyea, and manages the U. S. portion of the historic Chilkoot 

Trail for the State of Alaska while owning portions of several historic sites along the trail. In addition, the 

park owns sections of the historic White Pass Trail including White Pass City. The park is therefore a 

major land owner in these two NHLs and has a major stewardship responsibility toward preserving them. 

Other land owners are the State of Alaska, the Municipality of Skagway and private interests.

National Historic Landmark nomination forms were completed for both landmarks many years ago and 

each form was submitted to the Keeper of the NRHP and has been accepted. The forms for the Skagway 

NHL have subsequently been revised several times. Web addresses are listed below for Adobe (.pdf)

versions of some of the forms accepted by the Keeper over the years:

Chilkoot Trail and Dyea Site NHL (Norris 1987a) (sites last visited 28 April 2011).

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/75002120.pdf

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/75002120.pdf
33

Earlier versions: See NRHP forms below (Brown 1973, and Antonson 1975, 1976).

Chilkoot Trail (Mile 0 to Canadian Border) (Brown 1973) (sites last visited 28 April 2011).

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/75002120.pdf

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/75002120.pdf

Chilkoot Trail (AHRS SKG-067) (Antonson 1976).

Dyea Site (AHRS SKG-006) (Antonson 1975).

Skagway Historic District and the White Pass NHL (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998) (sites last visited 28 

April 2011). 

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/66000943.pdf

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/66000943.pdf

Earlier version: Skagway and White Pass, Alaska NHL (NPS 1962).

Earlier version: Skagway and White Pass Historic District NHL (Snell 1965).

In addition, NRHP nomination forms have been written for the following cultural resources within the 

area but apparently only a few of these forms have been submitted to the Keeper of the National Register

of Historic Places:

Wreck of the Bark Canada (Spude 1979). 

White Pass & Yukon Route Broadway Depot and General Office Building (Spude and Chappell 1980). 

Dyea Shell Midden (Choate and Fawthrop 1985)

White Pass & Yukon Route and Canol II [World War II] (Thompson 1986). 

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, Canol Pipeline, Telecommunication Line [World War II]

(Swanson-Iwamoto 1991). 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Norris and Houston 1990) (sites last visited 28 April 

2011).

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/76002189.pdf

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/76002189.pdf

Revise the Skagway Historic District and White Pass NHL:

There have been considerable changes since the original Skagway Historic District and the White Pass 

NHL (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998) nomination form was last revised. It is the Skagway portion of the

NHL that needs the most revision, although the White Pass portion probably could stand some revision. 

The changes in Skagway that need documenting include (1) the moving, alteration, and demolition of 

some historic structures, (2) the discovery of contributing elements (historic buildings) not previously 

recorded, (3) the addition of numerous non contributing elements recently constructed, (4) the destruction 

of archeological resources due to the construction of new foundations and utility lines for historic and 

non-historic buildings , and (5) the addition of information gained through historical and archeological 

research done since the form was last revised. Because of its booming tourist economy, the Skagway 

cultural landscape in particular but indeed the entire Skagway NHL is in a constant state of flux. These

changing conditions are likely to continue for some time into the future and indeed may threaten the NHL 
34

itself unless something is done to exert more control regarding the changes. The first step in 

controlling change is better documenting that change. 

The 1998 revision of this NHL took over a decade to complete (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998). If the 

park were to start once again revising this NHL, there is no guarantee that the process would not take 

another ten years by which time the park would probably have to start the process all over again because 

of all the changes that occurred in the intervening decade. So the question needing resolution is – how 

does the park keep this NHL form current considering all the changes that have occurred in the past, are 

occurring today, and that will probably continue to occur in the future? Should the park rewrite the form 

every 10 years or instead should the park establish an NHL electronic database where changes to the 

Landmark can easily be done through the addition or subtraction of digital information? Perhaps this 

database could be web based so that the park, ARO, Alaska SHPO, and the Washington NRHP office 

could have equal access to the information and make changes as deemed necessary. Generally historical 

information in NHLs is not controversial so changing historical information should not have to go 

through a public review process. If the database were web based, however, the historical information 

could be viewed by members of the public and they would have the opportunity to comment on the 

existing information and the changes as necessary. If the changes the public proposed were based on 

historical fact, the changes could be added to the database. There has also been some discussion about 

changing the boundaries of the NHL and if that were proposed, that would probably have to go through a 

more formal public review process. KLGO should work with the Alaska SHPO, the Keeper of the 

NRHP, and the NPS regional office and Washington staffs to determine if a computer database would be 

the proper way to keep up with the changing cultural landscape of this portion of the NHL or if some type 

of formal amendment process would be needed instead or perhaps a combination of both is required. No 

PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed project or for developing the computer 

database.

Individual Building NRHP Nominations:

Efforts at nominating several individual historic buildings in Skagway to the NRHP, such as the Arctic 

Brotherhood Hall, the McCabe College Building and the White House, have been discussed by the 

owners of these individual buildings and the park but the efforts never seemed to go anywhere for lack of 

money, time, and park service resources. A NRHP nomination form for the park‘s own White Pass & 

Yukon Route Broadway Depot and General Office Building has been written but apparently was never 

submitted to the Keeper of the NRHP (Spude and Chappell 1984). All the buildings mentioned above, 

however, are listed as contributing resources or elements to the Skagway Historic District and White Pass 

NHL form (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998) and perhaps that is sufficient. Discussions with Alaska‘s

SHPO should be conducted to determine if additional nomination forms for these important individual 

buildings are warranted and if so, how to develop them and what other buildings would be worthy of such 

individual nomination forms. If the SHPO feels that individual buildings need to be nominated to the 

NRHP, then the SHPO and KLGO need to work with the owners of the individual buildings to assist in 

their nomination to the NRHP.

White Pass & Yukon Route railroad NRHP Nomination:

The construction of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad was a pivotal event in the Klondike Gold 

Rush and spelled the survival of Skagway, Alaska and made the White Pass the main transportation 

corridor into interior Alaska and the Yukon. It also spelled the doom of Dyea, Alaska and the Chilkoot 

Trail as a commercial transportation corridor. The railroad was state of the art for late 19th and early 20th

century engineering technology when it was constructed during the period 1898-1900. It was designated 

an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark on September 10, 1994. Attempts to nominate the 

White Pass & Yukon Route railroad to the National Register of Historic Places has been done before but 

these focused on the World War II elements of the system and did not go much beyond the draft stage

(Thompson 1986, Swanson-Iwamoto 1991). The gold rush era White Pass & Yukon Route Broadway 
35

Depot and General Office Building in Skagway, Alaska (headquarters of the railroad and now the 

headquarters and visitor center of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park) has also been nominated 

to the NRHP but again, the nomination never when beyond the draft stage (Spude and Chappell 1980). 

Roy Minter (1987) provides an excellent history of the construction of the railroad in his: The White 

Pass: Gateway to the Klondike. 

World War II NRHP Nomination:

Attempts to nominate World War II elements (currently considered non-contributing elements of the 

Skagway Historic District and White Pass NHL) has been undertaken in the past (Thompson 1986 and 

Swanson-Iwamoto 1991). Because of the part the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad and the Municipality

of Skagway, played in the construction of the Alaskan Highway, the construction of the Canol Pipeline, and 

the war effort itself, seeking a second designation for the NHL is probably warranted. Some of the area‘s 

World War II prefabricated buildings, for example, have already been declared eligible to the NRHP as 

part of a blanket nomination for that particular type of World War II military building (Wasch, et al. 1990) 

and efforts should be made to determine if the other WW II prefabricated buildings in Skagway (for example 

Butler Huts and Quonset Huts) have also been the subject of a blanket nomination process. The U.S. Forest 

Service sponsored the Swanson-Iwamoto (1991) nomination but later withdrew it because the pipeline and 

telecommunication line that they focused on were both physically removed by the owners of the railroad

before the nomination form was forwarded to the Keeper of the NRHP. The Thompson (1986) nomination 

apparently was never forwarded to the Keeper of the NRHP. Perhaps, after the completion of the World War 

II HRS mentioned above, sufficient information will have been gained to develop a NRHP nomination 

form of area‘s World War II cultural resources, which would include the information contained in 

Thompson (1986) and Swanson-Iwamoto (1991). Discussions with Alaska‘s SHPO should be conducted 

to determine if Skagway‘s World War II heritage does warrant nomination to the NRHP and if so, what 

the exact process would be to develop such a nomination form and what should be included in the forms 

and what should not be included. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed project.

Revise the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail NHL:

The Dyea and Chilkoot Trail NHL nomination form was last revised in 1987 (Norris 1987a). This form 

should be revised in the near future to taken into account the results of the archeological and historical 

research done on the area since the nomination form was last revised. Like the Skagway Historic District 

and White Pass NHL noted above, the question needing resolution here is the same – how does the park 

keep this NHL form current? Should the park rewrite the NHL nomination form every 10 years or 

establish a NHL electronic database where changes to the Landmark can easily be done through the 

addition or subtraction of digital information. KLGO should work with the Alaska SHPO, the Keeper of 

the NRHP, and the NPS regional office and Washington staffs to determine if a computer database would 

be the proper way to keep up with the changing landscape of this NHL or if some type of amendment 

process would be warranted. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed project.

Chilkoot Trail Aerial Tramway NRHP Nominations:

The three aerial tramway companies operating on the Chilkoot Trail during the Klondike Gold Rush (the 

Dyea-Klondike Transportation Company, the Alaska Railroad & Transportation Company, and the 

Chilkoot Railroad & Transport Company) were state of the art for late 19th century engineering 

technology when the firms started and completed construction during 1897-1898. The main motive 

power for the Dyea-Klondike Transportation Company (DKT) was electricity generated by a large 

generating plant at Canyon City and a 9 mile long electrical transmission line to the company‘s power 

house at the Scales. When completed, the DKT tramway advertised itself as the only tramway in the 

world to operate by electricity. The Alaska Railroad & Transportation Company (AR&T) was powered 

by gasoline apparently delivered in 5 gallon cans to their powerhouse site located along Long Hill. The 

Chilkoot Railroad & Transport Company (CR&T) was powered by two large steam engines, one located 

at the northern of Canyon City and the other at the southern end of Sheep Camp. It was the largest of the 
36

three with their tram line stretching a distance of around 9 miles from Canyon City to Stone Crib just 

north of the Canadian border.

The AR&T line was a ―Huson Patent Automatic Wire Rope Tramway‖ manufactured by C. W. Badgley & 

Co. of San Francisco, California. Patented in 1882 by Charles M. Huson of St. Louis, Missouri, the 

Huson design dominated the aerial tramway market in the American West by the early 1890s. The 

AR&T line was one of the last Huson tramways ever built. As such, it represents the greatest degree of 

sophistication and practicality achieved by single-rope tramway systems. The CR&T double-rope 

tramway was a Bleichert system manufactured by the Trenton Iron Works of Trenton, New Jersey. This 

company dominated the double-rope tramway industry in America just as Badgley dominated the singlerope market. The side-by-side operation of the AR&T single-rope and CR&T double-rope tramways 

along the Chilkoot Trail may have been the only instance where the two designs competed directly 

against each other with the double-rope system winning. The DKT was of a more primitive single-rope

design. 

There was also a series of surface tramways operating from the Scales to the Summit. The first system 

was powered not too successfully by gravity. Later versions were powered by horses, steam, and 

gasoline. Most of these operations were operated by Archie Burns, a business man from Juneau. 

Although the surface tramways may not be eligible for nomination to the NRHP, they can be used in 

context while the aerial tramway should be eligible. This project calls for conducting the necessary 

research to nominate the three aerial tramways (either individually or as a group) to the Keeper of the 

NRHP. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed project.

Chilkoot Trail Reopening NRHP Nomination:

In the early 1960s the State of Alaska reopened the Chilkoot Trail as a recreational trail instead of a 

commercial trail as it was during the Klondike Gold Rush. Although the State employees and Youth and 

Adult Authority inmates attempted to follow the original gold rush trail in constructing the recreational 

trail, they were successful in only two areas – from Canyon City to Pleasant Camp where they mostly 

followed the original ―summer trail‖ around the Taiya River Canyon and from Sheep Camp north to the 

border, were they mostly followed the original trail up Long Hill to the Scales and the Summit. In other 

words, the State was successful in following the original gold rush commercial trail for approximately 7 

miles out of a total of 161⁄2 miles on the American side. In addition to building new trail and reopening 

old trail, the State constructed bridges, stairs, water bars, drainage ditches, signs, campgrounds, and two 

log cabins. The two log cabins, one at the Canyon City campground and one at the Sheep Camp 

campground, are probably the only thing left of the State efforts at reopening the trail aside from some 

sections of trail indistinguishable from the continuing NPS efforts at maintaining the trail. The park 

should enter into discussions with the Alaska SHPO to determine if the State of Alaska‘s effort at 

reopening of the Chilkoot Trail in the early 1960s would be eligible for nomination to the NRHP. This 

would specifically include the State cabins at Canyon City and Sheep Camp and any other surviving 

evidence of the State‘s work on the Chilkoot Trail. Perhaps this could be done through the development 

of determination of elegiblity (DOE) to the NRHP of the State cabins. If it is felt that such a nomination 

is warranted, then the park should assist the State in the development of such a nomination form. The 

park can assist the State in this endeavor by researching the history of the State‘s efforts at reopening the 

Chilkoot Trail in the early 1960s and by conducting an archeological survey of the trail to determine and 

identify the surviving elements left over from the State‘s initial efforts at reopening the Chilkoot Trail. It 

is uncertain how the recent spring 2010 collapse of the State cabin at Sheep Camp might affect this 

nomination effort. No PMIS project statement has been written for this proposed project.
37

Develop, Revise and Submit other NRHP Nominations:

The park should examine all known cultural resources in the area to determine if any of these resources 

might be eligible for nomination to the NRHP or warrant NHL status and if so; park staff should research 

and write up the forms and submit them to the Keeper or assist others in doing so. 

The park should examine the list of cultural resource NRHP nomination forms (above) to determine if that 

list is complete or if other local cultural resources haven been nominated to the NRHP. If other nomination 

forms are found, the list should be revised. 

The park should work with the Keeper of the NRHP, the Alaska SHPO, and the NPS regional office to 

determine if any of the other nominating forms listed above (such as the wreck of the Bark Canada and the 

Dyea Shell Midden) or others not listed, actually warrant submission to the Keeper of the NRHP. If the 

resources warrant submittal to the Keeper, the park should revise and update these nomination forms (or work 

with others to revise and update the forms), and then submit them to the Keeper. No PMIS statement has 

been written for any aspect of this project.

Digitize all NHL and NRHP Nominations:

The forms (and the photograph record that goes with each form) for the Chilkoot Trail NRHP (Brown 

1973), the Chilkoot Trail and Dyea Site NHL (Norris 1987a), Skagway Historic District and the White 

Pass NHL (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998), and the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park NRHP 

(Huston and Norris 1990) have all been digitized (Adobe pdf format) (see above) and links from the 

park‘s web page to the forms site could easily be set up. The forms, however, are rather rough and would 

present a much better appearance if completely re-done or if the information they contained was synthesized

into a smaller more readable document. The park should then work with the Keeper of the NRHP and 

SHPO, ARO and Washington staffs to digitize all other park specific NRHP and NHL forms and place them 

on the web. The NHL boundary maps that have recently been geo-referenced and digitized by the regional 

office and the park should also be placed on the web. No PMIS project statement has been written for this 

proposed project.

Special History Studies

As defined in NPS-28, Special History Studies are to be developed to meet the needs of parks where a 

Historic Resource Study or Administrative History are too broad. Special History Studies should not be 

limited in length, though generally are briefer than an HRS. They are usually on a sub-theme of an HRS. 

They also may be in response to a need for additional expansion on a theme, or may provide background 

data for resource management, or may add information for interpretive programs. Information gained in 

these special studies could be used in the larger studies mentioned above. On the other hand, several 

Special History Studies could easily be developed from a single HRS. All completed Special History 

Studies should be published in one form or another if warranted. The establishment of an occasional 

paper series for the park could be one way to insure publication of these studies.

Recommendations (Park-wide):

Develop detailed biographies of all the major local characters in the Klondike Gold Rush (for 

example: John J. Healy, Edgar Wilson, George Brackett, Jefferson Randolph ―Soapy‖ Smith, 

Frank Reid, Harriet Pullen, Captain William Moore, Joe Brooks, Mike Heney, Martin Itjen,

Josiah M. 'Si' Tanner, to name a few.)

Develop a detailed chronology listing all the events and happenings that took place in this area 

immediately before, during, and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Include both local events and 

events of national and international importance to the time line.
38

Compile historical information on the area‘s early business community. Develop an electronic 

database on each of the area‘s early businesses. 

Develop a history of what the outside world was hearing and learning about Skagway, Dyea and 

the two trails during the rush.

Research and write a history of the area‘s newspapers and determine what part these papers 

played in Skagway‘s history.

Develop a history on the different routes and modes of transportation used to reach the gold fields

(for example, the Edmonton or All Canadian route, the Rich Man‘s route, the All-American route, 

the Chilkoot Trail, the White Pass Trail, the Dalton Trail, the Ashcroft Trail, and the Stikine 

Trail). 

Develop a history of the events surrounding the proclamation requiring that all Stampeders bring 

in a year‘s supply of food into the Yukon. 

Develop a history of the various scientific expeditions that traveled into this area. Determine what 

was collected and where the collections made in the area by the expedition staff (if any) are 

currently housed.

Research and write a history of photography immediately before, during, and after the Klondike 

Gold Rush and develop a history of the various professional, semi-professional, and amateur

photographers to visit and photograph in this area during the rush. 

Research and write a history of the place names found in the area (Skagway and Dyea to Lake 

Bennett).

Develop a history of the physical disasters that have befallen this area in the past (extreme high 

tides, floods, forest and building fires, earthquakes, landslides, glacial lake outbursts, avalanches, 

and even severe weather events, etc.).

Develop a history of illness and death in the area during the gold rush. Determine what people 

were getting sick of and what they were dieing of. Include a history of the area‘s cemeteries 

following Grauman‘s (1977) very preliminary research on the Dyea Town Cemetery.

Research and write a history of what was brought up here during the gold rush in terms of plants 

and animal feed. This would assist the park in determining what plants are historic or modern 

intrusive into the area.

Develop a history of interaction between the gold rush Stampeders and the area‘s environment 

that most of them had never seen before. Include the story of the great reforestation and 

restoration of the area after the rush (especially the Dyea valley). 

Develop and illustrate a history of the typical Stampeder‘s outfit from boots to backpack and 

describe what a typical Stampeder wore and carried over the mountain passes and specifically 

how the outfits were carried on each person‘s back. 
39

Discussion (Park-wide):

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park has a need for a number of Special History Studies to 

answer the park staff and public‘s questions. Several reports done in the past could conceivably be 

considered Special History Studies. These include the ―Historic Significance of the Dyea Cemetery‖ 

(Grauman 1977), the Moore Cabin and the Moore House Historic Furnishings report (Olson 1985a), the 

Historic Window Displays for Storefronts at the park report (Olson 1985b), the Chilkoot Trail (Spude 

1980, 1984), and Skagway reports (Spude 1983). The following area wide Special History Studies are 

proposed:

Local Biographies:

The Klondike Gold Rush is above all a story about people. Most of the people involved were just 

nameless ―Stampeders‖ who caught gold fever and made the long journey north to wealth or poverty or 

something in between. Some of these ―Stampeders,‖ however, stand out for one reason or another. The 

story of Jefferson Randolph ―Soapy‖ Smith and his shoot out with Frank Reid is perhaps a defining 

moment in gold rush history but there are numerous other local characters that shaped the gold rush. 

Individuals like Captain William Moore, who founded Skagway, Josiah M. 'Si' Tanner, who was on the 

scene when Soapy was shot, who prevented mob rule in Skagway after the shoot-out, and who was a 

major political figure in Skagway during the early 20th Century, Mike Heney, who built the WP&YR, a 

railroad they said could never be built, Harriet Pullen, who translated apple pies into the Pullen House, the 

most famous hotel in all of Alaska, and Martin Itjen, who laid the groundwork for Skagway‘s current 

prosperity – tourism. Unfortunately with many of these individuals, we only know what they did during 

the gold rush (and in some cases, not even that), but we do not know what they did earlier or later in their 

lives and what they did during the gold rush are often colored by a century of myth and legends. This 

study would develop biographies of all of the major local players in this part of the gold rush drama. The 

focus of the study would be on the life story of the major characters that lived in the local area 

immediately before, during, or after the gold rush. No PMIS project statements have been written to 

cover these potential projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this 

report or reports. To save on costs, individual biographies could be part of a proposed occasional paper 

series or newsletter or published on-line. 

Local Chronology:

A detailed chronology listing all of the events and happenings that took place in this area immediately 

before, during, and after the Klondike Gold Rush is a necessary element in our understanding of the past. 

Numerous chronologies of varying quality have already been written. This project would involve 

bringing those chronologies together, insuring their accuracy through historical research, determining the 

gaps in these chronologies and filling them through additional historical research. The eventual highly 

detailed chronology would include both local events and events of national and international importance 

to the period that affected the area. The final chronology could be carried on the park‘s web site in 

addition to a formal report. Some thought should be given to placing the chronology in an electronic 

database so additional historical events (past, present, and future) could be added to the chronology. No 

PMIS project statements have been written to cover these potential projects. 

Business History:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested researching and writing reports on Skagway‘s business 

history but this should be expanded to include Dyea and the communities along the Chilkoot and White 

Pass trails. The archeological reports mentioned above have much on certain Skagway businesses 

occupying particular lots. The Mascot Saloon archeological report has a detailed history of the saloons in 

Skagway as well as the temperance movement (Spude and others 2006) and the main author, Cathy Spude 

is writing a book on prostitution in Skagway. The historic structure reports listed below also have much 

on the business history of individual buildings. The transportation systems (the WP&YR railroad, the 
40

Brackett Wagon Road, the Chilkoot Trail Aerial Tramway companies, and the Chilkoot and White 

Pass trails) all have had at least some historical research already done on the businesses involved in 

transportation but much could be done on the individual packing or freighting concerns. Except for the 

businesses reported on in the historic structure reports and the archeological reports, there has been 

nothing done for all the other businesses in town. Surprisingly, considering the historical research done 

on the other transportation enterprises and its historical importance, there has been no research done on 

the area‘s harbor infrastructure and the shipping industry supplying the twin ports of Dyea and Skagway. 

The first step in this project would be to pull the information contained in the reports mentioned above

and below into an electronic file for each business or type of business. Then additional sources would be 

searched for more information on each of the businesses listed in the files. New files would be opened 

when new businesses were discovered. Care needs to be taken as many of these businesses moved from 

building to building, and in Skagway‘s case, many of the buildings moved from lot-to-lot. No PMIS 

project statements have been written to cover these potential projects. Reports could be developed on 

individual businesses to go into the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be placed online.

The Media Story:

What was the outside world hearing and learning about Skagway, Dyea and the two trails during the 

Klondike Gold Rush? Newspapers were the main source of information on the gold rush for the average 

American although magazines and books on the rush were also published. How did the newspapers 

report the Klondike story immediately before, during, and after the rush? How did the story change over 

the life of the gold rush? How did the process of getting out the news work in this age before computers, 

radio, television, satellites, and the internet? There is some indication that certain papers in Skagway 

were slanting the news because of their connection with Soapy Smith and his gang. To understand the 

problem of bias, we need to compare the stories the local papers and the outside papers were telling about 

the same events. Technical questions such as how newspapers were published then, and when 

newspapers first published photographs would be researched and reported on. A chapter on the state of 

the wire services (Associated Press, for example) should be given in this report. Finally, it would be 

useful to future scholars to find out where Klondike Gold Rush era newspapers can be currently accessed 

No PMIS project statements have been written to cover these potential projects. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s 

proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Local Newspapers Study:

Research and write a history of the local newspapers in the area from the gold rush era to the present (The 

known local newspapers include: Alaska Daily Guide, Bennett Sun, Daily Alaskan, Dyea Press, Dyea 

Trail, North Wind, Skagway Alaskan, Skagway Cheechako, Skagway Daily Budget, Skagway Interloper, 

Skaguay News, and possibly others). Determine when each newspaper started, how long each paper ran,

the type of paper (daily, weekly, monthly, morning or afternoon) and who the principal characters 

(owners, editors, journalists, columnists) associated with each newspaper were. This study should set the 

local papers in a national context and explore the directions the individual papers took and their 

interactions with the local community and the national papers. Based on the stories printed, can a bias be 

discerned among the various papers examined? If the papers lived long enough to have more than one 

editor, the study should explore the differences between editors and chart the differences over time in how 

the papers were run and the stories they told. The study should determine where the papers got their 

stories (local, national, international) and their money (subscription, advertisement). The study should 

also discover if the papers were any part of a press syndicate (Associated Press for example) and where 

surviving copies of local papers are located. No PMIS project statements have been written to cover these 

potential projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report. Note: 

the park already owns many issues of these historic papers on microfilm so one major aspect of this study 
41

is to ensure that the park‘s collection of newspapers includes all the surviving issues of each local 

newspaper.

Gold Rush Routes:

Although the Chilkoot and White Pass trails were the most used routes to the Klondike gold fields during 

the Klondike Gold Rush, other routes were used as well. This study would develop a history of the

different routes and the predominate modes of transportation used on each route to reach the gold fields. 

The study would discuss the challenges of getting from point to point along the various routes, determine 

how long it took to get to the gold fields by each route, what the cost was for individual Stampeders on 

each route, try to uncover the number of people that went over each route and where they came from. 

One of the major products of the study would be accurate maps of each route that could be used in public 

presentations and / or placed on-line. The routes involved include the All American Route (Valdez Trail), 

the Ashcroft Route or Trail, the Chilkoot Trail, the Dalton Trail, the Edmonton Route or Trails, the Rich 

Man‘s Route (the Pacific Ocean and the Yukon River), the Skeena and Stikine River Routes, and the 

White Pass Trail. Fantasy routes could also be explored such as the company promoting balloon trips to 

the Klondike. No PMIS project statements have been written to cover these potential projects. Funding 

also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in 

the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

A Year’s Supply of Food:

Superintendent Samuel Benfield Steele, the ―Lion of the Yukon‖ and leader of the Canadian North West 

Mounted Police during the Klondike Gold Rush, enforced the order that no Stampeder could cross the 

border without a year‘s supply of food. This was a pivotal moment in the history of the gold rush. 

Although this order undoubtedly saved numerous lives it also proved a great hardship for the thousands of 

Stampeders heading north. The order also allowed numerous individuals and companies to profit by

selling outfits and by assisting the Stampeders over the Coast Mountains with their outfits and spurred the 

development of the Chilkoot Trail aerial tramways and the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad. This 

study would examine the events surrounding this proclamation. The exact date when the initial 

proclamation was made, who made it, and for what reason would be determined and examined as would 

any earlier or later proclamations on the same subject. How the word got out to the incoming Stampeders 

would also be explored. What people were bringing into the interior (in terms of food and supplies) 

before this order was made and after that date would be examined. The Canadian and United States 

customs duties at the time would be listed and exactly how the average Stampeder passed through 

Canadian customs would be explained and described. The cost of these transactions would be researched 

and an attempt would be made to determine the total amount in duties collect at the Chilkoot and White 

Passes. What exceptions to the rule (if any) were allowed? The daily interactions between the Mounties 

and the Stampeders would be explored. The exact dates when the Mounties occupied the passes and 

when they left the passes would be determined. The types of information the Mounties kept on individual 

Stampeders and their outfits would be described and where that information is currently held would be 

listed. No PMIS project statements have been written to cover these potential projects. Funding also 

needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the 

park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Scientific Expeditions:

A remarkable number of scientific or semi-scientific expeditions visited this area immediately before, 

during, and after the Klondike Gold Rush. A listing of a few of these expeditions (usually named for the 

head of the expedition) includes Arthur and Aurel Krause (1882), Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka (1883), 

William Ogilvie (1887), the International Boundary Commission Survey (1894), the Harriman Expedition 

(1899), and the Boundary Survey (1905-1906). Geologists from the United States Geological Survey that 

passed through this area include Alfred Hulse Brooks (1898), Walter Curran Mendenhall (1898), Arthur 

James Collier (1902), Sidney Paige (1903), Louis Marcus Prindle (1906), W. W. Attwood (1907), 
42

Bertrand Leroy Johnson (1909), and John Beaver Mertie, Jr. (1930, 1931, and 1941). It is unknown if 

these geologists actually did work in this area and collected specimens or were simply passing through

but they did photograph the area. In addition there are at least 24 know researchers that collected plant 

and animal specimens for at least 8 different national and international institutions such as the New York 

Botanical Gardens (1898-1899); the California Academy of Science, San Francisco (1913-1916); the 

Botanical Museum, Berlin (1881-1882); the University of California, Berkeley (1910-1930); the 

University of Washington, Seattle (1910-1917); Riksmuseum, Stockholm (1913-1928); the National 

Herbarium, Ottawa (1916); and the National Herbarium, Washington D.C. (1883-1938). The actual total 

number of scientific expeditions to visit or pass through this area is unknown. 

This project calls for developing a comprehensive history of the various scientific expeditions that 

traveled into this area. Each trip would be described by determining the sponsoring institution(s), the 

individuals involved (especially the head of the scientific team or head of the expedition if that is 

different), the purpose(s) of trip, the expedition‘s eventual destination(s), when each group reached this

area and how long they stayed, the results of each trip including publications (if any), what specimens (if 

any) were collected from this area, where the specimens they collected were specifically from if that can 

be determined, where are those collections (if any) currently located, and finally, the significance of any 

collections made during these trips. No PMIS project statements have been written to cover these 

potential projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Professional and Amateur Photographers:

Photographs are probably the most important historical resource the scholar has for understanding the 

Klondike Gold Rush. Professional and semi professional photographers arrived on the scene probably in 

the hundreds. They were here to record an epic historical event as well as to make money by selling their 

photographs to the passing crowd. Amateur photographers arrived on the scene in the thousands. They 

were here to take snaps of themselves, and their family and friends in unusual circumstances but also to 

record the passing scene. Both the professional and amateur photographs are of great value to many 

seeking to understand the past. This project would examine the status of photography immediately 

before, during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. It would describe the processes involved in taking 

professional and amateur photographs during this period, the types and limitations of cameras, glass 

plates, films, and papers. The process of developing the negatives and prints, enlarging photographs to 

sell to the public and of transferring photographs to paper as in books and newspapers would be 

explained. Since some of the earliest moving pictures depict Klondike events (the Edison films from 

1899) the study should also explain early motion picture cameras and films and the techniques of showing 

the films in the new movie theaters. A database would be developed listing the various professional, 

semi-professional, and amateur photographers to visit and photograph this area during the gold rush. 

Biographies of each photographer would be developed if possible. This database would also include a 

listing of the known photographs taken by each photographer and the current locations of the photograph 

collections of each of the various photographers. As part of the project, an effort could be developed to 

alert the public to the importance of photographs and convince them to donate at least copies of gold rush 

era images found at home. No PMIS project statements have been written to cover these potential 

projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Local Place Names:

Place names are an important part of the cultural landscape of this area and elsewhere. Place names 

illustrate the history of the human presence on the land. For example, Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka

(paying no attention to the already existing Native place names) named thousands of geographical 
43

features during his expedition over the Chilkoot Pass and down the Yukon River in 1883. Some of his 

names, like the Nourse River, stuck while others like Perrier Pass for the Chilkoot Pass did not. Place 

names also help illuminate the clash of cultures between the Euro Americans and the Native Americans. 

Place names also help illustrate the history of an area. For example, the bay between Skagway and Dyea 

is informally known as Long Bay although on the USGS map of the area it is called Nahku Bay, which 

dates from at least 1923 and is a Native American name (See Thornton 2004:53 for additional information 

on Nahku Bay). Nahku is similar to the name of a Native who helped Captain Moore and his son build 

his cabin in Skagway (Nan-Suk) and the name of a Native family who owned property in Dyea (Nah 

Sook). Historic photographs taken around 1900 indicate that this was called Fortune Bay by the 

European population at the time, possibly because of the wreck of the Bark Canada that had occurred in 

February 1898. This project would involve identifying, researching and writing histories of each place 

name found in this area along both trails (Skagway and Dyea to Lake Bennett). The park‘s GIS specialist 

could then place this information on park‘s GIS database as another information layer. No PMIS project 

statements have been written to cover these potential projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the 

layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional 

paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Local Disasters:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested researching and writing historical reports on Skagway‘s

natural and human-caused disasters (Fires, Floods, Earthquakes, Severe Weather Events, Accidents) –

essentially the area‘s environmental history. The Mascot Saloon archeological report (Spude and others

2006) discusses some of Skagway‘s floods and extreme high tides during the first few years of Skagway‘s 

existence (1897 and 1901) and another flood event during the 1940s is clearly shown in photographs of 

the time. A brief report on the history of the Skagway Fire Department (Mulvihill n.d.) discusses some of

the building fires the local fire department has fought while early newspaper accounts mention severe 

forest fires in the mountains east of Skagway that occurred in the summer of 1903 and may have been 

started by errant sparks from early WP&YR wood-burning locomotives. Yehle and Lemke (1972) 

mention the numerous earthquakes the town has suffered since the gold rush but with little information 

other than the fact that the earthquakes occurred and were felt by some members of the population. More 

recently an underwater landslide (1994) killed one and caused millions of dollars worth of damage to the 

Skagway waterfront infrastructure. 

Skagway, however, is not the only local community to suffer from these disasters. A probable glacial 

lake outburst flood occurred in the upper reaches of the Nourse River Valley many years before the rush, 

but whose damage to the lower Taiya River Valley is readily apparent in some of the International 

Boundary Commission photographs from 1894. Sheep Camp, along the Chilkoot Trail, experienced what 

amounts to another glacial lake outburst flood event on September 18, 1897 that possibly killed as many 

as three Stampeders and damaged or destroyed tons of supplies. Then there is the world famous Chilkoot 

Trail avalanche of April 3, 1898 that killed many Stampeders. Other Chilkoot Trail avalanches are 

known both historically and more recently. In late July 1899, a large forest fire occurred along the west 

hillside south of Dyea that required the rapid evacuation of Company L, 24th Infantry, United States Army

from their camp three miles south of Dyea and may have damaged much property. A recent glacial lake 

outburst flood event (2002) occurred up West Creek near Dyea and the recent human and lightening

caused Chilkoot Trail forest fires (1998) are clear signs that the area is still active and natural and human 

caused disasters could be just around the corner. An historic study detailing the area‘s environmental 

history would be an excellent planning tool for the natural disasters that lie ahead. No PMIS project 

statements have been written to cover these potential projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the 

layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional 

paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.
44

Deaths:

One of the most frequently asked questions by park visitors is how many deaths occurred during the 

Klondike Gold Rush and how did the individuals die? It is a difficult question to answer. For example, 

we do not even know how many individuals died in the famous Chilkoot Trail avalanche of April 3, 1898. 

We do know that Skagway has three cemeteries: the Gold Rush Cemetery (Choate 1898), the Pioneer 

Cemetery, and the Modern Cemetery and that Harriet Pullen is buried in an isolated individual grave just 

east of her former property, the Pullen House. There are at least two individual railroad workers

supposedly buried under Black Cross Rock alongside the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad. There 

may be isolated graves along the White Pass Trail and a small cemetery in White Pass City. Dyea has the 

Native Cemetery (located just north the Healy & Wilson Trading Post), the Town Cemetery (located just 

south of the Healy & Wilson Trading Post), and the Slide Cemetery (located west of the Healy & Wilson 

Trading Post). Sometime in the past the Native Cemetery was probably completely washed away by the 

Taiya River and the name (Native) migrated to the Town Cemetery, which is sometimes called the Native 

Cemetery. Some of the bodies from the Town Cemetery were removed by the NPS in 1978 and relocated 

to land just east of the Slide Cemetery creating a fourth cemetery called the Relocated Town Cemetery 

(Davis 1978). There may also be (or have been) a cemetery located near Soldiers Landing – the location 

of Camp Dyea when the military moved their Dyea camp to the Dyea-Klondike Transportation Company 

(DKT) wharf site. Sheep Camp, alongside the Chilkoot Trail has a small cemetery with at least two and 

possibly more burials. Isolated individual graves are found on both the US and Canadian sides of the 

Chilkoot Trail but the total number is unknown. There are also cemeteries in Lindeman and Bennett as 

well. Counting the number of individuals buried in each cemetery and all the isolated known grave sites 

might help partially answer the question but it would not be a complete answer because many of the 

bodies associated with the great Palm Sunday avalanche were shipped home and people who died on 

other occasions may also have been shipped home. In addition, there may be isolated graves or even 

small cemeteries located along either of the trails that we know nothing about. 

This study would essentially be an expansion and updating of Grauman‘s (1977) very preliminary 

research on the Dyea Town Cemetery and the deaths that occurred in Dyea during and after the gold rush. 

Another major source of information about deaths in the area would be Cooper‘s (2005) ―Guide to the 

Skagway Death Records Database‖ and the two Excel databases that she developed from Skagway‘s 

death records. Her first database contains limited information from Skagway‘s death certificates from 

1897 until 1950, which were originally transcribed onto index cards by volunteers working for the 

Skagway City Museum sometime in the 1970s. Her second Excel database is limited to the period 1897 

until 1908. In this database, copies of actual death certificates were reviewed to extract more information 

than was recorded in the first database. Additional information about deaths in the park is available from 

the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics, Juneau, Alaska.

The completed study should try to determine (1) the names and number of all individuals buried in the 

area, and where those individuals are buried, (2) the total number of deaths that occurred in the area 

during the gold rush period and what happened to the bodies that were not buried in the local area, (3) the

cause of death for all who died in the area, (4) the date of death for all who died in the area. All the 

cemeteries and isolated graves would be inventoried and a digital list of names and where they are buried 

would be established. Photographs of each individual grave would be included in the list as well as 

biographical information about the individuals. GPS data about the location of each grave would be 

obtained. Secondary and primary sources would be reviewed as well as vital statistics and the names and 

other information found would be added to the digital database already established. Once such a database 

is compiled, park staff can start using it to answer visitor questions such as (1) how many deaths were 

there during the gold rush, (2) how many deaths occurred per year, (3) how many deaths occurred per 

season, (4) how old were the individuals when they died, and (5) what was the gender of the gold rush 

deaths. No PMIS project statements have been written concerning this project. Funding also needs to be 
45

obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s 

proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Historic plants:

A PMIS project statement has recently been added to the system to identify plant species introduced to 

the Skagway and Dyea area by the Klondike Gold Rush Stampeders (KLGO 082514). This project would 

entail researching historic photographs and other primary records as well as secondary sources to learn 

what species of plants were brought to the Skagway / Dyea area during the gold rush period and would 

evaluate whether those species were purposefully or accidentally introduced into this area. Identification 

of historic species would assist in making management decisions about whether a species is to be

eradicated, contained, re-introduced to a more appropriate park area, or encouraged to thrive. Some 

information relevant to this topic can be gained from examining the specialized reports on the various 

privies excavated in Skagway (see the 10 volume Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska series 

of reports). Other information could be gained by researching what was brought up here during the gold 

rush in regard to plants and hay and animal feed by researching newspaper articles, advertisements, 

firsthand Stampeder accounts, ships‘ manifests, and custom declarations. Another source of information 

may be reports issued by scientific expeditions that passed through this area in the past. Funding also 

needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the 

park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Resource Devastation:

The devastation of the natural resources of the area caused by the gold rush Stampeders and the 

subsequent reestablishment of those natural resources (both plant and animal) is also another story that 

needs to be told. How did the gold rush Stampeders react to an environment most of them had never seen 

before? Using written first hand descriptions and historic and recent photographs, the vast consumption 

of natural resources during the gold rush (hunting, fishing, logging and construction activities primarily) 

will be described and documented. The human-caused changes to the Taiya and Skagway river valleys, 

the impacts of the fires caused by Stampeders and their machines, and the increased pollution resulting 

from many factors, including human waste and industrial development, will be examined and 

documented. Finally the great natural reforestation and restoration of the area after the rush (especially 

the Dyea valley) would be examined. A way of examining and documenting these disasters might be 

through the use of repeat photography. In 2005 a preliminary repeat photography project was undertaken 

in the park by Richard Carstensen and Kathy Hocker. Using modern and historic photographs, they 

attempted to chart the history of fire in the area (Carstensen and Hocker 2005:41-53). A similar technique 

could be used to chart the devastation of the park‘s natural resources and its subsequent revitalization. No 

PMIS project statement has been written for these various projects. This is part of a series of project 

statements (above) dealing with the area‘s environmental history. Funding also needs to be obtained for 

the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed 

occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

The Stampeder’s Outfit:

One of the premier symbols of the Klondike Gold Rush are the photographs of the line of men and 

women climbing up the Chilkoot Trail‘s Golden Stairs each and everyone burdened down with a small 

portion of their ―Ton of Goods‖ outfits on their backs. One of the main stories of the gold rush is that 

each individual carried roughly 2,000+ pounds, often on their backs, over the area‘s two rugged mountain 

passes. This study would focus on the Stampeder‘s outfit itself and specifically the technology that 

allowed him or her to carry this weight from Dyea or Skagway to Bennett in only 30 to 40 days. Exactly 

what did a Stampeder‘s outfit consist of, how much did each part weigh, how was it packed, and how was 

it carried? What were the costs involved in purchasing an outfit in Seattle (or other towns including

Skagway and Dyea), freighting it up the Inside Passage to Skagway or Dyea, and carrying it over the 

passes to Bennett and eventually on to Dawson? How did those costs change over time? What decisions 
46

were made in selecting an outfit (cost, weight, quality)? What type of equipment was used to carry the 

loads? Backpacks are certainly an important part of any trip over the Chilkoot Pass today. No 

recreational hiker would go without one, yet specifically made backpacks are seen in only a few of the

gold rush era historic photographs. Why are backpacks so rarely seen? What type of backpack was

available at the time? What was the technological development of the backpack at this time period?

What would a typical Stampeder wear, what were the types of goods he or she carried, and specifically 

how they were carried on the person‘s back, would be described and illustrated in great detail? This 

would essentially be a study of the material culture of a Stampeder including their outfits and everything 

from boots to backpacks, sleds to wagons would be part of this study. This study could be broken up into 

smaller studies on each material cultural item a Stampeder wore or carried. For example, a history of the 

backpack from the earliest times to the present focusing on the backpack during the Klondike Gold Rush 

era and determining the extent of backpack use during this period would be an important end product of 

this study or could be a separate smaller study. Other aspects of this study (or individual smaller studies)

could focus on the clothing (from boots to hats) worn by the Stampeder and the other items carried by the 

Stampeder (tents, sleeping bags, tools, weapons, stoves, utensils, food stuffs, medicine supplies, and other 

odds and ends). The various lists published by the merchants and transportation companies, as an 

example, would be contrasted and compared. No PMIS project statement has been written for these 

various projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Recommendations (Skagway):

Develop a block and lot history of the entire Skagway Townsite. Blocks within the Skagway 

Historic District could be studied first while blocks outside the district could be studied later as 

necessary. This project need not be accomplished all at once but can be accomplished one block 

or one lot at a time.

Develop a history of Skagway‘s surviving (non NPS owned) historic buildings (both contributing 

and non-contributing as defined in the NHL). 

Track the movement of buildings as they moved from place to place and of prominent businesses 

as they moved from building to building. Develop a history of such moves and research the 

technology of such moves.

Research the history of building color in frontier Skagway and develop color guidelines for 

buildings located within the Skagway Historic District (PMIS 082947).

Develop design guidelines for the interiors of the park's historic commercial buildings (PMIS 

076601). 

Expand the park‘s Sign Guidelines (Houston 2001) to include signs found attached to buildings in 

every corner of the town and also in Dyea and the various gold rush trail communities.

Develop individual histories of Skagway‘s infrastructure. Examine how technological changes in 

particular infrastructures affected Skagway‘s cultural landscape.

Develop individual histories of Skagway‘s public services section (the courts, the post office, the 

police department, the fire department, hospitals, and city government). 
47

Develop a history of public recreation in Skagway. Locate and map the various historic and 

current recreational sites and trails. Develop a history of the various recreational clubs and 

examine the sports played in the area. Determine what part recreation played in Skagway‘s 

history.

Develop a history of the social round in Skagway. Research the history of the various social 

clubs in town and explore what they were doing and when. Research the history of Skagway 

entertainment and determine the schedule of these events and the part entertainment played in 

Skagway‘s history.

Develop a history of the local fraternal organizations (Arctic Brotherhood, Eagles, Elks, Masons, 

etc.) and determine the part they played in the Skagway‘s history.

Research and write a detailed history of Skagway‘s ―Indian Town‖ or towns, where they were 

located, how and when they developed, if they moved and where did they move too, how and 

when they disappeared, how the Native inhabitants interacted with the white town surrounding 

them and how the white inhabitants of Skagway interact with the Natives of Indian Town?

Discussion (Skagway):

Skagway Block & Lot History:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested that a concentrated effort be undertaken to research the block

and lot histories of the Skagway Townsite and that this would be an important step in our understanding 

of the history of the town. Block and lot histories of a few of Skagway's lots (in some cases quite 

detailed) have been partially completed as a result of the 20 years of archeological work in the town (Blee 

1983, 1988; Cooper 1998, 2002; DePuydt and others 1997; Kardatzke 2002; Rhodes 1988; Späth and 

others 2000; Spude and others 1993; Spude and others 2006). Preliminary block histories have also been

developed by Gurcke (2007, 2008a, b, c, d) in response to outside requests. This information, however, 

has not been compiled in a central location, report or database. 

Most of the blocks within the historic district have not been research and of the few blocks that have been 

researched, none has been research in its entirety (all the lots within the block from the gold rush period to 

the present). The only residential block that has been examined is Block 39 and this is located outside the 

historic district (Cooper 1998). To fully research a block is to pull together information from all primary 

sources (deed books, tax records, photographs, newspapers, fire insurance maps, etc.) and oral interviews

from present and former residences to develop a detailed history of that particular block from the gold 

rush era to the present day. A way to start going about this task would be to create databases of all the 

historical records needed to create these block and lot histories. A database of the city‘s tax records, for 

example, could be developed without much trouble and has partially already been developed by the 

Skagway Museum. Once the databases were created and filled, at least a partial block and lot history 

could be developed on demand without too much trouble. This project need not be accomplished all at 

once but can be accomplished one block or one lot at a time. No PMIS statement has been written 

regarding these projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or 

the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Skagway Building Histories:

This proposed project calls for developing a history of Skagway‘s surviving (non NPS owned) historic 

buildings (both contributing and non-contributing as defined in the NHL). The nomination form for the 

Skagway Historic District and the White Pass NHL has been completed and it contains a list of some 167 

contributing (gold rush era) structures and some 211 non-contributing structures in the NHL (non-gold 
48

rush era buildings or gold rush era buildings that have been so modified as to loose their gold rush 

character) (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998). The form, however, contains very little information on the 

individual buildings aside from a one or two line architectural description of the building and a date for 

the building‘s supposed construction (quite often a date range because the actual date of construction is 

unknown). Building histories of a few of Skagway's historic buildings (in some cases quite detailed) have 

been partially completed as a result of the 20 years of archeological work in the town (Blee 1983, 1988; 

Cooper 1998, 2002; DePuydt and others 1997; Kardatzke 2002; Rhodes 1988; Späth and others 2000; 

Spude and others 1993; Spude and others 2006). Historic Structure Reports have been done for most of 

the park owned buildings and they always contain fairly detailed building histories of the building under 

study (Blee, Spude, and Cloyd 1983; Cloyd 1981; NPS 2010a; Snow and Spude 1981; and Spude and 

Chappell 1984). Spude (1983) has developed short paragraph long histories of all the buildings within the 

Skagway Historic District. Gurcke (2011) has recently completed a preliminary building history / photo 

essay at the request of the Skagway Historical District Commission that might be a model for future 

building histories. 

Contributing resources located within the Skagway Historic District should be studied first. Next would 

be non-contributing structures located in the district if the structures were known to have gold rush 

elements within them or were originally a gold rush structure that has been heavily modified. Next would 

be contributing structures found outside the district. Then there would be non-contributing structures 

located in the district if the structures were known to have gold rush elements located within them. Non 

historic structures would not be studied except to gather basic information about the building (when it 

was built, who built it, who owns it) so this information does not have to be gathered far in the future 

when it may not be available. Some of this information should be available from the Municipality of 

Skagway offices. Such a study can drive future Park building acquisition and be of great assistance to 

Skagway‘s Historic District Commission. This study would also identify the historic buildings that are 

currently non-contributing to determine if they can be brought up to a state of contributing to the NHL. If

this is possible, the park should assist building‘s owner in this process. A PMIS project statement should 

be made calling for the development of comprehensive histories of the historic buildings in Skagway in 

order to fulfill our responsibility toward this NHL. The final product could be a computer database 

containing both written and graphic documentation.

Skagway Moving History:

This proposal comes out of the proposals listed above, to systematically document all historic structures 

within the Skagway portion of the Skagway & White Pass District NHL, including non-gold rush period 

buildings and to develop histories of Skagway‘s businesses. One of the facts about Skagway is that it has 

had a long history of moving buildings and businesses. In some cases buildings and businesses have been 

move more than once. The fact that a building has been moved will only occasionally be mentioned in 

the existing NHL and other documentation. Identifying when a building or business moved is important 

in dating historical photographs that are undated and the other buildings shown in these photographs. 

This study would determine (1) which buildings have been moved, (2) where their original locations 

were, (3) when they were moved, (4) where they were moved to, and possibly (5) the reasons for the 

various moves. As part of this history, the movement of prominent businesses from building to building 

would also be tracked. Another part of the project would be a study of the technology behind moving 

buildings from the gold rush period to the present. Again, the final product could be a computer database 

containing the written and graphic documentation needed plus a small paper report. A digital map 

showing the individual buildings moving from place to place over time could be developed for the park‘s 

web page. A child‘s game could also be developed as a result of this information. No PMIS statement 

has been written regarding this project. 
49

Skagway Historic Building Colors:

The park needs to strengthen NPS assistance given to the city and citizens of Skagway and in particular 

those individuals and organizations located within the Skagway Historic District. The reason this is 

important is because park service buildings are adjacent to non-park service buildings throughout the 

historic district. Non-park service buildings that are not appropriately restored, refurbished, or 

rehabilitated will detract from the visitor‘s experience of the historic district as a whole and will diminish 

the appearance of the buildings owned by the NPS. Understanding this, the NPS developed Design 

Guidelines for the Skagway Historic District many years ago (Copeland 1981) and was largely 

responsible for the development of City of Skagway‘s Historic District Commission (Norris 1996). The

NPS‘s original design guidelines were eventually updated and reworked by the Skagway Historic District 

Commission (Skagway Historic District Design Guidelines: A Place to Live, Work, Play & Visit; City of 

Skagway 1994) and are now a part of the Historic District ordnances. The Skagway Historic District 

Commission is the governing body that determines the appearance of the Skagway Historic District. To 

continue to assist the Municipality of Skagway and in particular the Skagway Historic District 

Commission and ourselves, the following additional design guidelines have been proposed: (1) Develop 

color guidelines for buildings within the Skagway Historic District. (PMIS 082947) (2) Develop design 

guidelines for the interiors of the park's historic commercial buildings (PMIS 076601). (3) Expand the 

park‘s Sign Guidelines (Houston 2001) to include signs found attached to buildings in every corner of the 

town and also in Dyea and the various communities along the gold rush trails. Items (2) and (3) are listed 

separately below.

The Northeast Cultural Resources Center (NPS) of Boston conducted the original paint analysis for all 

park owned historic buildings prior to their restoration and they should do the work under a cross-charge 

with KLGO. (1) The first part of this project would involve researching the history of building color in 

the Victorian frontier period to provide background information for the project. (2) The second part 

would be to develop a color palette for all park service historic buildings within the period of significance 

of the Skagway Historic District (1897-1912) using information from the existing paint analysis of park 

service buildings. All park service owned historic buildings within the historic district had a paint 

analysis done on them in the early 1980s. From that analysis a single body color and trim color was 

selected for each building based on the building‘s period of significance. The paint analysis, however, 

usually uncovered additional paint colors used on the buildings during the longer period of significance 

for the district. Therefore using all colors found on park buildings within the period of significance of the 

district would create a larger color pallet for the district than just the current colors on park service owned 

buildings. (3) The third part of this project would be to conduct paint analysis on those non-park service 

historic buildings with the permission of the owners of these buildings. (4) Then, using information from 

the paint analysis of both park service and non-park service historic buildings, color guidelines and a 

color palette (complete with paint chips, Munsell and paint company numbers) illustrating the colors used 

on historic buildings during the period of significance of the Skagway Historic District would be 

developed for the Skagway Historic District. Eventually these color guidelines and palette could be 

worked into Skagway‘s Historic District Municipal ordnances and they would provide guidance on 

historic building paint colors to the commission and its applicants. It has been proposed that this color 

guidelines study be funded using park lease back money and it seems only proper that other building 

guideline studies also be funded from the same source. Another source of funding at least in the case of 

the color guidelines would be the Municipality of Skagway. A PMIS project statement (082947) has been 

written for this proposed project but the costs need to be updated due to inflation. 

Skagway Historic Interior Guidelines:

The NPS has gone through considerable effort and expense to provide the visitor with an authentic gold 

rush era experience when visiting the Skagway unit of the park. The exteriors of each park owned 

building have been carefully restored to match as exactly as possible the original appearance of the 

building during its gold rush era period of significance down to the historic paints used. That effort 
50

continues to the present day with the recent creation (by the Alaska Regional Office with the assistance 

of the park) of a sign guideline for the park‘s leased back buildings (Houston 2001). This guideline 

illustrates the appropriate types of exterior signs for each leased building down to the appropriate sign 

fonts and coloring schemes for the signs and it is an important document designed to assist the park in 

managing the historic scene. The park has leased 10 park-owned historic buildings to the private sector 

for commercial enterprises and other buildings may be leased out in the future. During restoration of 

these "lease back" buildings, very little thought was given to the interiors of these structure yet these 

interiors are equally as important as are their exteriors in maintaining the historic look, feel and character 

of the Skagway Historic District. Commercial interiors that do not reflect the period of significance 

already have had an adverse effect on the Skagway and White Pass District National Historic Landmark 

The primary purpose of this project would be to develop guidelines to provide park management and 

tenants of the park's leased historic buildings with information and guidance on designing historically 

accurate commercial building interiors for their buildings. Owners of other commercial buildings in the 

Skagway Historic District would also benefit as the guidelines could be widely distributed. The proposed 

design guideline would answer such questions as what type of floor, wall, and ceiling coverings, lighting 

fixtures, furniture, clothing manikins, interior paint color, and interior signage would be appropriate to the 

period. Turn-of-the-century advertising in all its forms could be included in this guideline. The general 

layout of interior floor space, the layout of individual commercial displays and storefront window

displays, and decorating options would also be appropriate topics for study. The guidelines would be 

based on building use or function. 

The intent of this guideline would be to provide technical information and guidance on the 19th and early 

20th century interiors of the park's commercial historic buildings and the park headquarters in order to 

fully protect the historical character of the Park. The already published ―Historic Window Displays for 

Storefronts‖ at the park (Olson 1985b) should be integrated into this final guideline and updated. A PMIS 

project statement (076601) has been written for this proposed study but the costs need to be updated due 

to inflation. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Another aspect these guidelines should cover is historic office space, especially the office space in park‘s

signature building, the White Pass & Yukon Route Broadway Depot and General Office Building. These 

two buildings currently house the NPS visitor center and park headquarters. Today, the second floor 

houses most of the park‘s management team. Historically, the second floor housed the management team 

for the railroad. In both cases, the second floor was the main office of the owners of the building. 

Although the NPS has spent a lot of money on restoring the building both outside and inside and has 

spent a lot of money on furniture, only the Superintendent‘s desk matches the historic ambiance of a

frontier gold rush era office because it is original to the building. Generally the furniture purchased has 

been modern metal or wood or fake historic furniture that doesn‘t match in any way the period of 

significance. Although the upstairs portion of the park headquarters is not public, the public has access to 

the area and generally expresses pleasure at the careful way the park service has restored the interior – no 

one, however, mentions the furniture except in a derogatory way. 

Since the main problem with the interior of the park headquarters building is the modern furniture, and 

the park has a surviving item of furniture from the early White Pass & Yukon Route offices in Skagway, 

the ―Superintendent‘s desk,‖ researching what historically accurate furniture the park should acquire in 

the future to replace the modern furniture of today turns out to be relatively easy and has already been 

done for the most part. While probably not the original railroad Superintendent‘s desk, this furniture item 

was in the WP&YR Broadway Depot and General Office Building when the NPS acquired the two 

buildings in 1976. The desk has subsequently been restored and a preliminary history of the desk has 
51

been written (Gurcke and Cassidy 2008). The desk has a logo of the Rand & Leopold Desk Company 

of Burlington, Iowa found in the two center drawers. The logo found in each drawer is the same and 

reads ―The Leopold Desks / Built on Honor to Endure.‖ The exact same logo and slogan appears on the 

company‘s trade catalogs from 1898 to 1900 and may appear elsewhere in the company‘s literature. 

Based on a review of the company‘s trade catalogs located on-line at the University of Iowa, Digital 

Library (http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/desks/ – site last visited 28 April 2011), the firm was manufacturing 

―Burlington‖ desks in 1895. Their 1897 catalog appears to be the first one indicating that they were 

manufacturing ―Leopold Desks.‖ Their 1898 catalog appears to be the first one showing their slogan 

―Built on Honor to Endure‖ but without the logo. Their 1899 catalog appears to be the first one 

illustrating the exact same logo seen affixed to the desk drawers combined with the slogan although, the 

design of the logo shown on the desk is a somewhat simplified version of the printed one. The 1900 

catalog adds a description of the grades of furniture the company produces to the 1899 catalog. The 

University of Iowa, Special Collections, unfortunately does not have catalogs from this company dated 

between the years 1901 and 1908. Their 1909 catalog does not show either this logo or slogan but it does 

indicate that the name of the company is to be found in the center drawer of each desk, the same location 

as the company‘s logo and slogan was found in the Superintendent‘s desk, but with a new slogan ―a 

Guarantee of Quality.‖ The 1912 catalog has a totally different logo. The 1920 catalog has a different 

logo all together but the slogan ―Built on Honor‖ has returned although the phrase ―to Endure‖ has been 

dropped (Gurcke and Cassidy 2008).

The Superintendent‘s desk as shown in the company‘s trade catalogs of 1898-1900 was known as a 

―Double Flat Top‖ desk and was intended for two clerks facing each other. Later catalogs referred to it as 

a ―Sanitary Double‖ or just a ―Double.‖ The Superintendent‘s desk is apparently of the Class ―A‖ Grade 

based on a comparison of the side panel illustration from the company‘s 1899 catalog and the 

Superintendent‘s desk itself, although there are certain minor discrepancies that make the desk rather 

interesting. Double flat tops of other grades have a different side panel design. The Superintendent‘s 

desk, therefore matches the Class A, Double Flat Top desk found in the Rand & Leopold Desk Company 

1899 and 1900 company catalogs (Gurcke and Cassidy 2008). This would make perfect sense since

construction on the WP & YR Broadway Depot was started in November 1898 and staff was moving into 

the General Office Building in May 1900 so the company probably made several furniture purchases

between those dates. Further research in the WP&YR Company archives may be able to pin point the 

exact date this furniture was purchased by the company.

The Rand & Leopold Desk Company‘s 1899 and 1900 catalogs illustrate a number of other flat top type 

desks, roll top desks, standing desks, tables and cabinets. Other catalogs illustrate other types of desks, 

for example an adjustable typewriter desk that might work as a computer desk. Other types of furniture

could be found in other furniture catalogs of the same period and compared with these desks. In 1969, 

when the WP&YR Company left their old headquarters building for a new one a few feet east of the old 

buildings, locals apparently were allowed to take the old desks and other old furniture from the old 

buildings. Perhaps a publicity campaign could be mounted to acquire some of the old furniture from the 

local population. On-line research could probably easily find other sources of period furniture and may 

even find a source of modern furniture that is appropriate to the period so long as the Rand & Leopold 

Desk Company‘s 1899 and 1900 catalogs are used to compare with.

Skagway Historic Sign Guidelines:

A few years ago ARO with the assistance of KLGO developed a sign guideline for the park‘s leased back 

buildings (Houston 2001). This study was put together by carefully studying all of the historic 

photographs associated with each leased back building and pulling out and highlighting all the signs 

associated with each building during the historic district‘s period of significance. The resulting guidelines 

specified exactly what type of sign or signs were acceptable for each particular building down to the 
52

colors, the fonts, the placement on the building, and even the sign dimensions. The fonts were then 

determined for each individual sign and all the fonts seen were put into a table now incorporated into the 

Skagway Historic District ordnances as acceptable sign fonts for the district. The Historic District 

ordnances allow applicants to design their signs using these sign fonts or other sign fonts found in historic 

photographs of Skagway or Dyea. The purpose of this project would be to expand the park‘s current Sign 

Guidelines (Houston 2001) to include signs found attached to every building in every corner of the town 

and also in Dyea and the various gold rush era trail-side communities. The final report would include (1) 

a general history of sign painting up to the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. (2) A discussion (with 

illustrations) of the various sign painting techniques. (3) A discussion of the differences between sign 

fonts and fonts found in publications. (4) Brief biographies of the various sign painters known to be 

operating in Skagway and Dyea during the late 19th to early 20th Centuries. (5) Illustrations depicting 

every sign font found in the area during the period of significance and where those fonts are found on a 

building. Draft photo essays on Skagway and Dyea historic signs have already been completed (Gurcke 

2009, 2010) but could be expanded. No PMIS statement has been written regarding this proposed project. 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be 

place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Skagway Infrastructure History:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested researching and writing reports on the history of Skagway‘s 

infrastructure (water and sewer systems, electrical systems, telephone and telegraph service, city and 

private dumps including garbage service, the city street system including the street lightening system). 

The town‘s infrastructure has had very little historical research done on it. Historic photographs show 

water pipes being installed early in the history of the town and wooden water pipes are occasionally found 

during excavations around town (including the park‘s own archeological excavations) but we do not know 

the extent of the water system – what parts of town were and were not covered. We do not know if the 

first water pipes fed only the fire hydrants or were businesses and homes also connected to the system 

early on? We do not know where the water came from (possibly the Dewey Lake area or wells, mountain 

streams or the Skagway River) and the cost to the consumer. We do not know when the water system 

went through technical upgrades (from wooden water pipes, to ceramic, to metal, and then to plastic). We 

do not know the date the city sewer system was installed, when or if it was enlarged, or its extent. 

Historical evidence indicates that the electrical and telephone systems were first installed during the gold 

rush but we know very little about the particulars of each system. We have encountered a few of the early 

private dumps but have no idea when the city began handling municipal garbage and where the city 

dumps was located except for the most recent ones. We know when the city streets were laid out but have 

no idea when the responsibility for maintaining them was taken over by the city. We have no idea when 

boardwalks and sidewalks were installed and only a general idea of when the city streets were paved. 

Based on questions received, the public seems especially interested in understanding the history of the 

town‘s electrical system, asking such questions as, was the system AC or DC? Knowing the history of 

the town‘s sewer and water systems would be important knowledge for park archeologists as they may 

need to determine when a particular type of water or sewer pipe was installed in order to determine when 

the trench was dug. Understanding the history of the city‘s dumps and where they might be located might

help preserve this important archeological resource. One of the questions to ask in each case would be 

how technological changes in particular infrastructures affected Skagway‘s cultural landscape. For 

example, the height of Skagway‘s power and telephone poles would be affected by the number of 

electrical and telephone companies operating in town. When the telephone and power companies merged 

into one, the height of the poles may have been reduced. Historic photographs of the downtown area 

show a trend in pole height from small poles at first, to very tall ones with many cross bars, to the more 

normal size poles you see today. This special history study could either be designed as a single study of 

the history of Skagway‘s entire infrastructure as a whole or as a series of studies each covering an

individual infrastructure. No PMIS project statement has been written regarding this potential project(s). 
53

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could 

be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Skagway Public Services History:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) also suggested researching and writing individual historical reports on 

Skagway‘s public services section (the courts, the custom and immigration service, the post office, the 

police department, the fire department, the library / museum, city public works, hospitals, chamber of 

commerce, and the city government itself). Very little is known about most of Skagway‘s public services. 

A brief report on the history of the Skagway Fire Department was written a few years ago (Mulvihill n.d.) 

but it is certainly not complete and nothing else has been written on any of the other public services. In 

most cases we do not even know out of what building(s) the individual services operated out of. We also 

know very little about the main characters that were associated with the various public services. For 

example, who were the police chiefs of Skagway from the gold rush period to the present? The same 

question could be asked for just about every other public service section in town although we do know 

who the mayors and city council members (1900-2007) were for the city government thanks to an Excel 

spread sheet compiled by the Municipality of Skagway. Since one of the buildings recently acquired by 

the NPS (Jefferson Randolph ―Soapy‘s‖ Parlor) was once part of the local fire department, such studies 

can have direct relevance to the park. No PMIS project statement has been written regarding these 

projects. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Skagway Public Recreation History:

This proposal calls for researching and writing a history of public recreation in Skagway. As part of this 

project, the development of recreational facilities such as bowling lanes (The Elks), baseball fields, dance 

halls, gymnasiums (White Pass Athletic Club, YMCA), hockey rinks, music halls, parks (Baseball Park,

Singfelder‘s Skating Park, Elks Park, Schafer Park), playing fields, playing grounds, recreational trails

(A. B. Mountain Trail, Chilkoot Trail, Denver Glacier Trail, Devil‘s Punchbowl Trail, Dewey Lake 

Trails, Icy Lake and Upper Reid Falls Trails, Laughton Glacier Trail, Lost Lake Trail, Sturgill‘s Landing 

Trail, Yakutania Point Trail) , skating rinks, tennis courts, etc., would be charted. The locations of the 

various recreational sites, facilities, and trails would be mapped. Research would be undertaken to 

determine what recreational activities these various sites or facilities were used for and during what 

period were they being actively used. The history of various recreational clubs (Alpine Club, Bowling 

Club, Camera Club, Tennis Club, White Pass Athletic Club, YMCA, etc.) in Skagway would be charted. 

Their purposes, the dates they flourished, and where their clubhouses were located, would all be 

determined. The popularity of summer and winter sports (baseball, basketball, croquet, fights, 

gymnastics, hand ball, hockey, pool, racing, skating, track, etc.) would be examined and research would 

determine if any sports leagues were formed and if so, what were the names of the teams, what were the 

team schedules like, did team rivalries develop, when did the teams flourish, and where did they play? 

The ―movers and shakers‖ of the Skagway recreational world would be determined and biographies 

would be developed for each individual. Ultimately, this paper would determine what part recreation 

played in Skagway‘s history. No PMIS project statement has been written regarding this project. 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be 

place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Skagway Entertainment History:

This proposal calls for developing a history of the social round in Skagway. Research would focus on the 

history of the various social clubs in town (German Club, Literary Club, and Women‘s Club for example) 

and explore what their purpose was, what they were doing, where they were doing it, and the dates they 

flourished. Research would be undertaken to determine if there were special clubs or organizations for 

juveniles and if so, what were they doing and where were they doing it. Researching the history of 
54

Skagway entertainment (concerts, dances, motion picture shows, theaters, parties, picnics, and outings)

would also be part of the proposal. Determining the schedule of these events (the social round), where 

and when these events were taking place and what were they like would also be included in this proposal. 

The buildings dedicated to Skagway entertainment (dance halls, concert halls, theaters) would be found 

and mapped. The major characters in Skagway‘s entertainment world would be determined and 

biographies would be developed of each individual. The role ―outside‖ entertainers played in Skagway‘s 

entertainment world would be explored and who these actors and actresses were, what companies were 

involved, and what plays were preformed here, would be part of the project. In short, this paper would 

determine the part entertainment played in Skagway‘s history. No PMIS project statement has been 

written regarding this project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this 

report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be 

place on-line.

History of Local Fraternal Organizations:

A history of the local fraternal organizations (Arctic Brotherhood, Eagles, Elks, Masons, Knights of 

Pythias, Red Men, etc.) would be developed. This study would focus on the local chapter histories rather 

than the national organizations but the relationship between the national fraternal organizations and the 

local chapters would be examined. The locations of all the local fraternal halls, the major individuals 

involved in each local chapter, the dates each chapter flourished, and the major events (both social and 

recreational) each organizations sponsored would be charted. The history of each local chapter (including 

women‘s auxiliaries if present) would be explored as would the part each organization played in 

Skagway‘s social round. The part local fraternal organizations played in the Skagway‘s history would be

fully explored. No PMIS project statement has been written regarding this project. Funding also needs to 

be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s

proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Skagway’s Indian Towns:

Skagway had at least two and possibly three (or more) ―Indian Towns‖ during its hundred years or more 

of existence. Based on two historic photographs, the first Indian Town appears to be located along the 

east mountain side, either on the Lower Dewey Lake bench or down near the waterfront. It is possible 

that these two photographs actually represent two different Indian Town locations or possibly one that 

spills down from the bench to the waterfront. In the 1930s a second (or third) Indian Town developed in 

the area encompassed by Fourth and Fifth avenues and Main and Alaska streets. This was near the Red 

Light restricted district. Other segregated Native areas or neighborhoods may also have existed 

(Thornton 2004:220). The history of these various Indian Towns would be explored in this Special 

History Study. Questions to be answered would include: (1) When did these Indian Towns develop, (2) 

Why did they develop, (3) How did the inhabitants interacted with the white inhabitants in the town 

surrounding them, (4) How did the white inhabitants of Skagway interact with the Natives of Indian 

Town, (5) Where were the Indian Towns located, (6) How long did each last, (7) What was their extent, 

(8) When did they disappeared , (9) Why did they disappear, and (10) Does anything physical survive of 

these Indian Towns – houses, outbuildings, yards, foundations, artifacts? No PMIS project statement has 

been written regarding this project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of 

this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter 

or be place on-line.

Recommendations (The White Pass Trail):

Research and write a history of the White Pass City Townsite. 

Develop individual histories of the White Pass Trail‘s infrastructure (Trail of 1897, Trail of 1898 

[Skagway River Trail], Brackett Wagon Road, telephone company)
55

Develop a publication similar to Spude‘s Chilkoot Trail; from Dyea to Summit with the ’98 

Stampeders (1980) report but for the White Pass. Complete the account by describing the entire 

White Pass Trail from Skagway, Alaska to Bennett, British Columbia. 

Develop a detailed history of the post gold rush White Pass Trail corridor. Discover what 

happened in this area immediately after the gold rush up to the park‘s creation.

Discussion (The White Pass Trail):

White Pass City History:

White Pass City was a major stopping point along both the White Pass Trail of ‘97 (Dead Horse Trail) 

and ‘98 (Skagway River Trail and the Brackett Wagon Road). It played a large role in the development 

of the trails, the Brackett Wagon Road, and the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad. We know less about 

White Pass City, however, than we know about Sheep Camp, the equivalent trail community on the 

Chilkoot Trail. Sheep Camp was supposedly a camp for sheep hunters before the gold rush, hence its 

name. We have no idea what the area where White Pass City developed was like before the rush. We 

have no maps of White Pass City although historic photographs taken from high above on the WP&YR 

high line do give some indication of the layout and extent of the town but we have no idea how the town 

developed or its full extent. Obviously propriety was bought and sold in the community during the gold 

rush but we have no idea if any type of block and lot system developed in this trail community (probably 

not). Although the historic photographs of the town give us some idea of what businesses were operating 

there, we have no list (complete or otherwise) of the businesses and other organizations in the town. We 

have no idea who the ―permanent‖ members of the community were and we do not actually know exactly 

how long the community lasted. Nor do we know exactly what happened to the community after the gold 

rush was over. If the KLGO is ever going to do archeological research in the White Pass Unit of the park 

and later open up the area to public use, knowing about the history of one of the major communities along 

this trail corridor is essential and a critical element in any development plans for the unit. No PMIS 

project statement has been written regarding this potential project. Funding also needs to be obtained for 

the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed 

occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

White Pass Infrastructure History:

Roy Minter‘s book, entitled The White Pass: Gateway to the Klondike (1987) touched on the 

construction of the Brackett Wagon Road and the original Trail of 1897 (otherwise know as the Dead 

Horse Trail) but his primary focus was on the construction of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad. 

Julie Johnson‘s book entitled A Wild Discouraging Mess: The History of the White Pass Unit of the Klondike 

Gold Rush National Historical Park (2003) also touched on the construction of both the Trail of 1897, the 

Brackett Wagon Road, and the railroad, however, we do not have a full understanding of the type and 

location of the infrastructure that supported the stampede and these various construction projects, in the 

White Pass corridor; infrastructure that will be showing up in any future archeological survey of the area. 

For example, we believe that the first trail through the area was Captain Moore‘s original Trail of 1897 but 

presumably Native Americans were using the Skagway Valley long before the gold rush so what trail or trails 

were they using and where were they located? We know that Captain Moore declared his Trail of 1897 

finished on July 14, 1897, but when did he start his trail? Where exactly did Captain Moore run his trail, 

what improvements were made to his trail and where are the improvements (bridges, corduroy sections, built 

up sections of trail, warming shelters, camps) located. How many construction camps were needed for the 

construction of the trail and where are they located? The same questions can be asked for the Brackett 

Wagon Road – where are the constructions camps, bridges, corduroy sections, built up sections of the trail? 

The locations of the construction camps for the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad are also not entirely 
56

known. It is believed a telephone system extended the length of the White Pass Trail but did it? If it did, 

where was it located, who were the principals behind it, and when did it operate? When the Skagway River 

froze during the winter of 1897 – 1898, traffic switched to the frozen river but where were the camps that 

serviced the new trail if any? White Pass City is the only community along the trail whose location is well 

known. Other communities know to have sprung up along the White Pass Trail include Liarsville, Rag 

Town, and the Ford but where exactly are these camps located and are these camps the only ones along the 

trail? Much needs to be learned about the infrastructure along the White Pass Trail. No PMIS project 

statement has been written regarding this potential project(s). Funding also needs to be obtained for the 

layout and publication of this report(s) or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed 

occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

White Pass Trail Publication:

Spude‘s semi popular publication entitled Chilkoot Trail; from Dyea to Summit with the ’98 Stampeders

(1980) used contemporary gold rush first hand accounts (diaries, letters, newspaper articles) and historic 

photographs and maps of the Chilkoot Trail to describe and document conditions on the trail from Dyea 

to the Chilkoot Pass during the rush. A second part of his report used modern maps and photographs to 

document existing conditions (as of 1979) on that portion of the trail. This proposal calls for essentially 

duplicating this publication but instead of documenting the Chilkoot Trail through historic accounts of 

travel on the trail, this project calls for using first hand accounts, photographs and maps to document the 

White Pass Trail corridor during the gold rush. Instead of stopping at the Canadian – U. S. border, the 

account would be completed by describing the entire trail from Skagway, Alaska to Bennett, British 

Columbia. There would be no need to document the existing conditions of the trail as that would be part 

of the White Pass HSR proposed below. Canadian cooperation and perhaps funds should be sought for 

this project. No PMIS project statement has been written regarding this potential project. Funding also 

needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the 

park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

White Pass Post Gold Rush History:

Like Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail, very little is known about the post gold rush history of the White Pass 

Trail corridor. We do know that the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad stayed open from 1898 to the 

present except for a brief closure during the 1980s. The railroad underwent a major renovation in the late 

1960s to accommodate the ore haul from the Ferro Mine in the Yukon. During the teens there was an 

attempt to reopen the Brackett Wagon Road to automobile traffic and in the 1920s; the Denver Glacier 

road was constructed. George Rapuzzi operated a gold mine on Mine Mountain during the 1920s and 

1930s and George Nye of Skagway‘s Home Power Company, was apparently thinking of building a dam 

on the Skagway River for hydroelectric power. During World War II the Canol pipeline and a telecommunication line were constructed along the railroad right of way. The present Klondike Highway has 

roots in the Brackett Wagon Road and actual construction went on in fits and starts throughout the 

decades of the 1950s and 1960s before finally being finished in the late 1970s. White Pass City had been 

abandoned since the gold rush but there is evidence that people have visited the ruins and collected 

artifacts from the area ever since the gold rush. While we can develop an outline of a post gold rush 

history of White Pass, a comprehensive history of the Skagway Valley (the White Pass corridor) after the 

gold rush up to the park‘s creation and perhaps to the present day should be researched and written. No 

PMIS project statement has been written regarding this potential project. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s 

proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.
57

Recommendations (Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail):

Research and write a report on the block and lot history of Dyea Townsite (property history). If 

possible extend this to include other communities along the Chilkoot Trail like Finnegan‘s Point, 

Canyon City, Pleasant Camp, Sheep Camp, and the Scales.

Develop individual histories of Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail‘s infrastructure. Basic information 

on some of these businesses can be found in Norris and Taylor (1986). 

Develop individual histories of Dyea‘s public services section (the courts, the post office, police, 

fire department, and city government or chamber of commerce) if they existed. Add to this 

proposal such organizations as the Dyea Chamber of Commerce.

Develop a detailed history of post gold rush Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail. Discover what 

happened in Dyea and along the Chilkoot Trail immediately after the gold rush.

Research and write a detailed history of Dyea‘s Native Village from its beginning to its end. 

Discussion (Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail):

Dyea Block & Lot History:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested researching and writing reports on the block and lot history 

of the Dyea Townsite. The park already has a brief history of the Dyea Townsite (Norris and Taylor 

1986) as well as a business directory of the town (Norris 1984) and a map showing the locations of some 

of the major businesses in the downtown core of Dyea. This information was gathered using historic 

photographs, newspapers, the town deed books and other property records. The information 

unfortunately is not as complete or detailed as one would want and getting back to the original primary 

source material is difficult. As indicated above with Skagway, perhaps the best way of doing this block 

and lot history of Dyea and the other trail communities would be to create electronic databases of all the 

historical records needed to create these histories especially the deed books and tax records. Once the 

databases were created and filled, at least a partial block and lot history could be run on demand. Some 

property information for Canyon City and Sheep Camp may also be available so this database could also 

be extended to these trail-side communities. No PMIS project statement has been written regarding this 

project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information 

could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Chilkoot Trail Infrastructure History:

The park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) also suggested researching and writing reports on the Dyea and 

Chilkoot Trail infrastructure history (aerial and surface tramways, city streets, construction camps, 

electrical and telephone systems, public and private dumps, trail and trail improvements, wagon roads, 

water and sewer systems). Historical information on the Dyea and Chilkoot Trail infrastructure and 

Chilkoot Trail improvements such as the Chilkoot Trail wagon road and the Chilkoot Trail tramways are

found in several reports including Spude (1980, 1984) and Norris and Taylor (1986). Much more 

historical information, however, could probably be uncovered on these subjects given enough research. 

For example, the number and location of the various construction camps used during the building of the 

aerial tramways and the wagon road are unknown. The complete story behind the proposed Lynn Canal 

Shore (or Short) Line Railroad and the Chilkoot Tunnel projects that were to ―rescue‖ Dyea from 

economic disaster are also unclear. Dyea and the communities along the trail do not appear to have had

any water or sewer systems so water must have been taken directly from the nearby streams or from wells 

and human waste was disposed of in privies or elsewhere, however, there has been no detailed research 

into these topics. Dyea, in contrast to Skagway, apparently had no electrical system. The electrical 

system along the Chilkoot Trail appears to have been confined to the Dyea-Klondike Transportation 
58

Company‘s aerial tramway but most of the specifics of that system are unknown. The company‘s 

boiler in Canyon City apparently generated enough electricity to light Canyon City and power its 

tramway engine at the Scales but was its power used elsewhere? At least two telephone companies are 

known to have operated in the area during the gold rush (one up the trail and one to Skagway) but the full 

extent of their operations, the technical aspects of their systems and how they were powered also remain 

unknown. Although Dyea‘s cross streets were well defined in the paper record, a single overview 

photograph taken of Dyea in 1899 indicates that Dyea‘s cross streets were actually poorly defined in fact. 

Was this the case and how exactly were Dyea‘s streets laid out and maintained if at all? Did the other 

trail communities have side streets and how did they maintain their streets? In short, an industrial history 

on the infrastructure of Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail should be written. No PMIS project statements have 

been written involving these project(s). Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication 

of this report(s) or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or 

newsletter or be place on-line.

Dyea’s Public Services History:

This proposal calls for researching and writing individual histories (or a single history) of Dyea‘s public 

services section (the courts, the post office, the police department, the fire department, the library, the 

hospital, and the city government) if they existed. We know that in contrast with Skagway, Dyea 

apparently had no formal city government at any time during its history but did it have an informal one –

some type of organization that governed the town like a miner‘s meeting? Dyea apparently did have a 

chamber of commerce during part of its existence but we know very little about this organization. Who 

were the people involved in this organization, when was it founded and when did it cease to function, 

what were its responsibilities, what were its powers, and what, if anything did it accomplish? A township 

committee was established to lay out the street grid at the beginning of Dyea‘s gold rush era and the same 

basic questions apply to it as to the chamber of commerce. Some of the basic city government functions 

were run by Federal authorities (the courts, post office, marshal‘s office) but how did they function, when 

were they in existence, where were they physically located, and who ran them? Dyea apparently did have 

a volunteer fire department but where was it located, when was it in existence, who was involved, what 

equipment did it have, what fires did it fight and how did it fight them? No PMIS project statement is 

listed for this project(s). Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report(s) 

or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place 

on-line.

Chilkoot Trail Post Gold Rush History:

Very little is known about the post-gold rush history of the Dyea Valley and the park‘s first RMP (NPS 

1994) suggested researching and writing a report on this topic. Spude (1984) covers this period briefly and 

Norris and Taylor (1986) while focusing on specific ruins does sometimes mention what happened to a 

particular ruin after the gold rush period. It is important to chart exactly what happened in Dyea 

immediately after the gold rush to answer once and for all the question: where did all the buildings go? 

The area‘s homesteads are an important part of that post-gold rush history as well. Some of their history 

can be found in the draft Dyea Culture Landscape Report (Horton and Curran 2001c and d) but more 

needs to be done. We need to discover exactly when they were established, who filed on them and what 

happened to them. We also need the same questions answered for the homesteads that were not officially 

filed on but rather were just squatted on. We also need to track the various hiking trips over the Chilkoot 

Trail – when did they occur, who was involved, what was the purpose, were any of them commercial, and

what was the results? Was there any attempt to repair or rebuild sections of the trail? We also need to 

find out what happened to the trail side communities and the trail infrastructure after the gold rush was 

over. A detailed history of the post-gold rush period, including the reopening of the trail to recreational 

hikers by the State of Alaska in the early 1960s, up to the park‘s acquisition of management reasonability for 

the Chilkoot Trail in 1976, would assist managers greatly in understanding how the current trail and its 

artifacts and features got to where they are now. No PMIS project statement is listed for this project. 
59

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could 

be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Dyea’s Native Village:

The history of Dyea is really a history of two towns – the gold rush era town of the white Stampeder –

and the earlier village of the Native. Although additional information is needed to fill in gaps in our 

historical knowledge of the white town (see project statements throughout this HRP), the general outline 

of the white town of Dyea is well known. The history of the second Dyea, the Native Village, however, is 

much less well known. Both towns got their name from the Tlingit word, Dayéi, ―To Pack.‖ In the 

beginning, the Tlingits using the Chilkoot Trail as a trade route into the interior would presumably have

come down the Taiya Inlet in canoes from Deishu (Haines) or other Native villages in the area and 

probably stay overnight or several nights in Dyea preparing for their hike over the Coast Mountains on 

the Chilkoot Trail. On their way back, they presumably also stayed several days in Dyea resting and 

preparing for their canoe trip back to Deishu. The hunting, fishing, and gathering that went on in the area

along with these overnight stays, probably made the Native village of Dyea a seasonal settlement until the 

Healy & Wilson trading post was established in Dyea in 1884-1886 (exact date is uncertain) but did the 

establishment of the white owned trading post truly make the Native village of Dyea permanent or was it 

permanent before that date? After that date, it is possible that the Native village became permanent and 

so that year marked the establishment of the Native town. The white village could be said to have been 

established when the Healy & Wilson trading post was built or perhaps later when the town streets were 

laid out in August 1897. Because of the packing ―industry‖ the Native village in Dyea appears to be 

unique or highly unusual among Native villages because it attracted Tlingits from all over Southeast 

Alaska as well as Tagish from the interior and apparently some whites (George Carmack for example)

who all built homes in Dyea or lived in the houses of others. Although the general location of the Native 

village within the larger gold rush era town is fairly well known, the exact layout of the village is 

unknown. 

In 1887 the population of the Native village was around 138 Natives but what was it during the gold rush? 

Who owned what in the Native village during the gold rush? Information on land ownership (both Native 

and non Native) could be found with a careful study of deed books and tax records but that information 

has not yet been compiled. Another aspect that needs a closer look is the interaction between Natives and 

the white community surrounding the Native village. KLGO currently suggests that as the gold rush wore 

on, the Native packers were replaced by the white owned freighting companies such as the three aerial 

tramways. That might imply that the Native village got steadily smaller as its inhabitants were pushed 

out of work in favor of the white packers and went elsewhere but did that actually happen? Did the 

Natives maintain packing as their sole industry in the Native village of Dyea or were there other sources 

of employment and income for its Native inhabitants. Presumably the Native village of Dyea died at the 

same time and in the same way as the white town but is that true? How was the legal title to land in the 

Native village extinguished by Harriet Pullen and the others who homesteaded land in Dyea? At least one

small tract of land in Dyea was later claimed by Jimmy Nasook (―Nah Sook‖) a Tlingit who had occupied 

a house in the Dyea Native village. Pullen‘s 1915 homestead map and surveyor‘s field notes clearly 

show that Pullen had accepted Nasook‘s claim for a small tract of land but what did that tract represent, 

an individual Native‘s claim or a village claim? There was also a feud between Pullen and Bill Matthews

(partly Tlingit) over adjoining homesteads and how that plays into the larger issue of the Dyea Native 

village should be investigated. Finally, Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka indicates that when he hiked over 

Chilkoot Trail in 1883, there was a Tagish (First Nations) village or camp north of the Tlingit village and 

on the east side of the river (Schwatka 1888) instead of on the west side, the location of both the Native 

village of Dayéi and the white town of Dyea. Did this village really exist and if it did, where exactly was 

it located, what was its history and relationship to the Tlingit village, and when did it disappear? In short, 

the Native village or villages in Dyea is a subject that needs further research. No PMIS project statement 

is listed for this project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or 
60

the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place 

on-line.

Historic Structure Reports

The historic structure report (HSR) is the primary guide to treatment and use of a historic structure. A 

separate HSR should be prepared for every major structure managed as a cultural resource by the park. 

Groups of similar historic structures or ensembles of small, simple historic structures may be addressed in 

a single report. In no case should restoration, reconstruction, or extensive rehabilitation of any structure 

be undertaken without an approved HSR (NPS 28). An HSR, of course, contains a detailed history of the 

building and its owners and occupants as well as an architectural assessment of the building‘s condition 

and a proposed treatment plan. An archeological component may also be part of the report.

The park has had detailed Historic Structure Reports done for each presently owned and restored park 

historic building (Blee, Spude, and Cloyd 1983; Cloyd 1981; Snow and Spude 1981; and Spude and 

Chappell 1984). The park has recently acquired several additional historic buildings that now require 

HSRs (Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith's Parlor Museum, the Arctic Meat Company (Meyer Meat 

Market), the YMCA Building, and the Frye-Bruhn & Company Refrigerated Warehouse all in Skagway 

and the McDermott Cabin in Dyea). The Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith's Parlor Museum HSR is 

done (NPS 2010a) while the Arctic Meat Company (Meyer Meat Market) and YMCA buildings are in 

draft form. In the first RMP (NPS 1994), HSRs were also proposed for several buildings that 

management felt the park might acquire in the near future (the Seattle Knock Down building, the Moore 

Office Building, and the Wynn-Johnson Residence). No PMIS project statement was ever written for 

acquiring these buildings or developing HSRs for any of them and there is now no indication that the park

will ever acquire these buildings. In fact, the Moore Office Building burned to the ground several years 

ago and no longer exists. 

Recent discussions have focused on the park acquiring the original City Hall log building and Moe‘s 

Frontier Bar (the Bowman Barber Shop) and perhaps a crib or two. A PMIS proposal to fund acquisition 

of Skagway's first gold rush era City Hall building (KLGO 091213) has been written and if the park is 

successful in acquiring that building, an HSR will have to be written prior to the restoration of that 

building but that has not taken place yet. As indicated above, however, HSRs are required for all historic

buildings acquired by the park and since the park has recently acquired several historic buildings, HSRs 

for each of the buildings will be done. 

Recommendations (Skagway and the White Pass Trail):

Research, write and publish an HSR for the recently acquired Frye-Bruhn & Company 

Refrigerated Warehouse in Skagway (PMIS 117945).

Research, write and publish HSRs for the Rapuzzi collection of historic buildings, which include

the following five historic structures: (Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith's Parlor Museum, the

Arctic Meat Company [Meyer Meat Market] Building, the YMCA Building, the World War II 

Commissary, and the George and Edna Rapuzzi Home) (PMIS 082878).

Integrate the architectural HSR for the White Pass & Yukon Route Depot and General Office 

Building complex (Cloyd 1981) with the history section of the same building complex (Spude and 

Chappell 1984) into one report, revise and edit it and then publish it.

Develop a popular HSR for the park owned historic buildings in Skagway. This document would 

combine the already researched historical accounts of each building, a brief discussion of the 
61

historical archeology underneath building, any interesting challenges overcome and discoveries 

found during the restoration process and modern photographs and architectural drawings of each 

park owned building, coupled with a short essay on the history historic preservation in general.

Develop and publish an HSR for the park‘s White Pass unit similar to the draft HSR (Norris and 

Taylor 1986) mentioned below (PMIS 035419). 

Discussion (Skagway and the White Pass Trail):

Frye-Bruhn & Company Refrigerated Warehouse HSR:

The Frye-Bruhn & Company Refrigerated Warehouse (built ca 1900) was acquired by the park in the 

summer of 2004 through donation by the owners. In order to save the building from destruction, KLGO 

had to move it across Fifth Avenue to the Moore (park) property where it currently sits. It was originally 

located near the Moore Sawmill on Second Avenue and was moved to the south side of Fifth Avenue in 

1902 so the building had been moved once before. A final determination about exactly where the 

building is to be located has yet to be determined although it will probably be turned around and moved 

up against the boardwalk on the north side of Fifth Avenue, almost directly across the street from its 

previous location. A PMIS project statement (117945) for doing an HSR on this building has been 

written, money has been acquired, and research has begun on a HSR for this building. Another PMIS 

project statement may need to be written to cover the cost of report publication. To decrease the cost of 

publishing this report, it could be combined into other upcoming HSRs.

Rapuzzi Buildings HSR:

HSRs have also been proposed for the George and Edna Rapuzzi collection of buildings recently donated 

to the park by the Rasmuson Foundation: the Randolph "Soapy" Smith‘s Parlor Museum (built 1897), the 

World War II Commissary Building (built ca.1942), the Rapuzzi House (built ca. 1901), the YMCA 

Building (built 1900), and the Arctic Meat Company building (Meyer Meat Market) (built 1899). A

PMIS project statement (082878) has already been written and funds have been requested and acquired to 

investigate, research, document, and write five Historic Structures Reports for these buildings. 

Acquisition of three of these buildings (Randolph "Soapy" Smith‘s Parlor Museum, the Arctic Meat 

Company [Meyer Meat Market] building, and the YMCA Building) has been complete and HSRs are 

proceeding on two of buildings. The Randolph "Soapy" Smith‘s Parlor Museum HSR is done (NPS 

2010a) (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/palor_museum_hsr.pdf – site last visited

28 April 2011) while the HSRs for the Arctic Meat Company (Meyer Meat Market) and YMCA buildings 

are in draft form. Another PMIS project statement will also need to be written to cover the cost of report 

publication. To decrease the cost of this report, it could be combined with other HSRs.

WP&YR Building Complex HSR:

The first HSR for the park covering the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad Broadway Depot and 

General Office Buildings did not include an historical data section (Cloyd 1981) although Cloyd did build 

up a rough historical chronology of the two buildings through historical photographs and other information. 

The historical data section was developed separately by Gordon Chappell and Robert Spude in 1980. The 

two documents, architectural and historical, however, were never combined into one document. Both are

essentially draft reports with minimal distribution and both documents remain unpublished. 

Archeological information on the buildings was published separately (Blee 1983). Because the Broadway 

Depot complex is the park‘s visitor center and headquarters building and is the premier example of the 

NPS‘s almost 30 year restoration effort in Skagway, the architectural and historical reports for this 

building should be combined into one Historical Structure Report, revised, edited and then published. No 

PMIS project statement has been written for this project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout 

and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper 

series or newsletter or be place on-line.
62

Popular HSR:

The park has had detailed Historic Structure Reports written for each presently owned and restored park 

historic building (Blee, Spude, and Cloyd 1983; Cloyd 1981; Snow and Spude 1981; and Spude and 

Chappell 1984). The park has recently acquired five ―new‖ historic buildings and HSRs on them are 

progressing with one already completed (NPS 2010a). The information contained in these reports, 

however, is difficult to get at because all of the reports have had small print runs and are either, almost out 

of print, are out of print, or were never published in the first place although some of the reports are now 

on-line. In addition, none of the reports describe what exactly happened during the restoration process 

and was anything new or unexpected uncovered? The current HSRs also have a lot of information that 

may not be useful to the visiting public or that is out-of-date and could easily be left out, like cost 

estimates, recommended treatment plans, task directives, and other items. This proposal calls for pulling 

together some of the more important and interesting information contained in these reports, adding 

photographs and information from the actual building restorations, and then revising, editing and laying

out the draft, and then publishing it either as a popular HSR for the park‘s historic buildings or as a series 

of booklets (mini-HSRs) on each individual building or both. The individual HSRs could also be placed 

on the park‘s web side.

This popular HSR would give the reader (the tax paying public) brief historical accounts of each building, 

photographs taken during the building‘s life prior to restoration and especially the period immediately before 

restoration to show the condition of the buildings then, photographs showing the actual restoration process,

and recent photographs showing the current condition of each building. A description of the condition of 

each building prior to the building‘s restoration (with interior and exterior photographs), and architectural 

drawings of each building before and after restoration would also be included in the final report. A short 

essay on the restoration process in general and the history and philosophy of Historic Preservation should 

lead off the publication and specific essays on each building‘s restoration challenges and unexpected 

discoveries during the restoration process would be part of each building chapter. A short description of the 

archeological findings would also be included in the final report. The overall book or booklets would be 

written in a non-technical popular style. No PMIS project statement has been written for this project. 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be 

place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

White Pass Trail HSR:

An HSR for the Dyea – Chilkoot Trail and White Pass Units has long been a part of the park‘s historical 

research objectives (PMIS 035419). In 1986 a draft HSR for the park‘s Dyea and Chilkoot Trail Unit was 

compiled by Frank Norris and Carol Taylor. Norris produced brief historical sketches of many of the 

historic ruins in the unit while Taylor produced architectural drawings of some of the ruins. Treatment 

recommendations and archeological information were to be added to the report and the whole thing was 

to have been published (see below). A similar HSR for the White Pass Unit in the same format was to be 

part of the package but the White Pass HSR was never even started. Developing an HSR for the park‘s 

White Pass Unit will be an especially difficult task because unlike the Chilkoot Trail Unit, park staff has

not been making regular trips to the White Pass Unit since 1973. Even today (2011) a trip by park staff to 

the White Pass Unit is rare indeed. This report will rely heavily on the information contained in the 

Carley (1981) archeological report and information to be acquired by a future archeological survey of the 

unit in order to identify the ruins to be reported on. A PMIS project statement (035419) has been written 

for this project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.
63

Recommendations (Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail):

Research, write and publish an HSR for the newly acquired McDermott Cabin in Dyea (PMIS 

117945).

Research, write and publish an HSR for the Matthews Cabin ruin in Dyea (PMIS 117945).

Research, write and publish an HSR for the False Front ruin in Dyea.

Complete and publish an HSR for the park‘s Dyea / Chilkoot Trail unit using information 

contained in the draft HSR (Norris and Taylor 1986) and archeological information acquired 

since then (PMIS 035419).

Discussion (Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail):

McDermott Cabin HSR:

The McDermott Cabin in Dyea was acquired by the park in 2002 by donation from the owners and it was 

immediately moved to a temporary location on park property because extensive Taiya River erosion 

occurring at the time, was threatening the complete destruction of the building. The building will be 

moved a second time for final placement. Although its history is uncertain, the McDermott Cabin (named 

for the previous owners) may be the oldest and only intact historic building in Dyea. Exactly when it was 

built is unknown but local legend has it that the building was once the Kinney Bridge Toll Gate Cabin at 

the extreme north end of Dyea and the south end of the bridge, and the building appears to have been in 

the right location for that purpose. The Kinney Bridge itself appears to have been built in December 1897 

at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush (Norris and Taylor 1986). While two gold rush era photographs 

of the Kinney Bridge do exist in the park‘s collection neither photograph show the cabin. A recently 

discovered and acquired photograph found at the University of Washington Special Collections, however, 

shows a portion of a building in the approximate location of the cabin and maybe the first and so far only 

gold rush photograph of the McDermott Cabin. Except for that possible image, no photographs of the 

McDermott Cabin have yet been found dating to a period earlier than the 1952. An HSR on the 

McDermott Cabin (PMIS 091216) has been proposed but this project statement has not been flushed out 

yet. A second PMIS project statement (PMIS 117945) to investigate, research, document, and write an 

HSR for the McDermott Cabin has been completed although it probably needs to be revised due to 

inflation. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Matthews Cabin HSR:

Matthews Cabin was probably built during the Klondike Gold Rush because newspaper fragments dating 

to the gold rush period were found in the cabin by Norman Smith (related by marriage to the Matthews

family who owned the cabin) when he visited Dyea as a boy in 1957. The newspaper fragments and 

photographs of the cabin he took in 1957 were donated to the park by Mr. Smith many years later. The 

cabin shows up on the 1922 Matthews homestead map and photographs of the cabin from 1923, 1957, 

1959, 1968, and of course more recently, are found in the park‘s Historical Photograph Collection. The 

cabin‘s location in the old townsite would have been on the west side of Broadway near its hypothetical 

intersection with Sixteenth Avenue (It is not known if Sixteenth Avenue was ever cleared). Little is 

known about this part of Dyea and there are few photographs of the area (both historic and more recent). 

It was north of the Native Village and the Healy and Wilson Trading Post and was probably north of the 

North Dyea commercial area. 
64

In 1913, William Edward Matthews, the father of William C. ("Bill") Matthews, filed on a 160-acre 

tract surrounding the present cabin. The elder Matthews, a Tlingit, settled on the land beginning on 

March 30 of that year. Matthews apparently continued to reside there for the next decade or so, except 

for the November 1915 to April 1916 period. He apparently applied again for the tract on October 20, 

1921, and his land was surveyed in early June 1922. William E. Matthews died sometime in the mid1920s, so his wife, Floris, continued in his stead. A patent, of 154.06 acres, was awarded to her on March 

6, 1928. She sold the property to Oren Kinkaid in October 1932, who in turn held onto the land for only 

three months. It was then purchased by Royal Pullen, who was one of Harriet Pullen's sons. Four 

different members of the Pullen family owned the parcel for the next 45 years. The National Park Service 

gained title to the property in February 1978 and they are its current owners (Norris and Taylor 1986). 

This ruin is the most prominent gold rush era ruin in Dyea visible from the Dyea road. Two PMIS project 

statements have already been written calling for producing an HSR for the Matthews Cabin (PMIS 91217 

and 117945). PMIS 91217 is only a place saver and contains no information. PMIS 117945 calls for 

acquiring funds to investigate, research, document, and write three Historic Structures Reports, one for 

the Ice House in Skagway (the Frye-Bruhn & Company Refrigerated Warehouse), one for the McDermott 

Cabin in Dyea (see above) and one for the Matthews Cabin also in Dyea. Funding also needs to be 

obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s 

proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

False Front HSR:

The A. M. Gregg Real Estate Office, otherwise known as the False Front, first shows up in a photograph 

taken by Eric A. Hegg in the spring of 1898 although the building may have been built a few months earlier. 

It also shows up in a photograph taken in 1899 although in that photograph it appears almost abandoned and 

had already lost part of its southern wall. The interesting thing about the two photographs is that the front 

appears to have undergone a substantial change between the two. In the first photograph, the lumber making 

up the front runs vertically, while in the second image, the boards run horizontally. Indeed when examined 

today, some vertical boards can clearly be seen underneath the horizontal boards on the front. So perhaps the 

1899 image represents a remodeling of the building rather than abandonment. In the 1899 photograph, a line 

of small spruce trees run in front of the building and today, a similar line of small and rotten stumps run in 

front of the False Front in the same location. 

The building was located on the west side of Main Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, in a mixed 

business – residential neighborhood north of the main business section. Little is known about Mr. Gregg, the 

realtor. He was living in Dyea by early December 1897 and remained in town at least until early March 

1898, and possibly until May of that year. He was one of seven known real estate agents in Dyea, and from 

the fragmentary records available, he was only moderately successful at his trade. His building survived 

more or less intact although slowly deteriorating until 1976 when it collapsed. The front was rescued from 

further degradation by several Skagway citizens, who propped it back up between two adjacent trees with a 

well-placed 2 x 6 supporting brace (Norris and Taylor 1986). The other walls had already completely 

collapsed and disintegrated. The False Front ruin is the highlight of many visitors‘ trips to Dyea because it 

is the only standing reminder of the false fronted gold rush Dyea amid the present forest. It is also the best 

surviving architectural remnant of commercial gold rush Dyea. Although an HSR for this ruin can be found 

in the proposal directly below, because of the importance of this ruin, a separate PMIS project statement 

should be written specifically for this ruin. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and 

publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series 

or newsletter or be place on-line.

Dyea / Chilkoot Trail HSR:

An HSR for the Dyea / Chilkoot Trail and White Pass Units has long been a part of the park‘s historical 

research objectives (PMIS 035419). A draft HSR was written by Norris and Taylor (1986) covering the 
65

Dyea / Chilkoot Trail Unit only. Norris and Taylor (1986) provided historical information and 

architectural drawings on the major ruins in this unit. Treatment recommendations, archeological 

information and current day photographs of each ruin were proposed to be added to the draft report in 

order to complete it, but the archeology took much longer than expected and the treatment 

recommendations were controversial so the report is still in draft form. Money, however, was found 

several years ago to revise and update the draft report and add the archeological material and current day 

photographs to it to make the report more accessible, useful, and complete but the money was spent on 

other projects and this project has yet to see the light of day. Funding also needs to be obtained for the 

layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional 

paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Existing Publications 

Publication of park sponsored scholarly research should be the end goal of all historical research and over the 

years the park has produced and published a number of archeological, historical and ethnographic studies (see 

Reference section below). Some of these studies for one reason or the other have caught the public‘s eye and 

have been quite popular. What follows is a list of existing publications that are now out of print or will soon 

go out of print but because of their importance and popularity with the public, warrant either straight 

reprinting or re-publishing with minor to major revisions to bring the works up to date.

Recommendations:

Revise and update Spude‘s Skagway, District of Alaska 1884-1912. Building the Gateway to the 

Klondike (1983) publication. Add information on the Park‘s 20+ year restoration effort, correct 

minor historical errors, and publish the final product.

Revise and update Spude‘s Chilkoot Trail; from Dyea to Summit with the ’98 Stampeders (1980) to 

include information, photographs and gold rush era accounts of trail conditions on the Canadian side

and publish the final product.

Reprint Sheila C. Greer‘s Skookum Stories on the Chilkoot / Dyea Trail (1995) book (PMIS 

100631) in cooperation with the Tagish / Carcross First Nations.

Reprint Thomas Thornton‘s Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Ethnographic 

Overview and Assessment (2004) as warranted (PMIS 119537).

Combine all park produced Klondike Gold Rush bibliographies into one document and then 

revise and update the final document and publish it on the park‘s web page. 

Break up the park‘s Administrative History (Norris 1996) into a series of smaller, more 

manageable booklets and published those papers separately and / or place the reports on the 

park‘s web page.

Discussion: 

Skagway, District of Alaska:

Robert Spude‘s Skagway, District of Alaska 1884-1912. Building the Gateway to the Klondike publication is 

the most popular report the park has ever produced. It has been reprinted twice since it was originally 

published back in 1983. This book is currently available on-line at (site last visited 28 April 2011): 

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/skagway.pdf and multiple copies of the book are 

given away each year. The book consists of an outline history of Skagway from the gold rush period up to 
66

1912, numerous historic photographs of the town, an architectural glossary of architectural elements found 

on historic buildings in town, detailed photographs of Broadway taken in 1979, a couple of maps of the town

(a hypothetical map dating to 1910 and another one dating to 1979), and brief paragraph long histories of all 

of the buildings located within the Skagway Historic District. The main customers of this book are the 

owners of buildings or businesses in the downtown historic business district who are looking for ideas 

regarding developing new signs and new building designs. Members of the Skagway Historic District 

Commission are also important users of this book to help them make decisions regarding maintaining the 

appearance of the historic district. The main problems with the book are minor historical errors found 

throughout the publication due to new information being discovered, the need for additional historical 

building photographs to make the work more useful to its prime customers, the need for an additional section 

on historic building color to also make the work more useful to its prime customers, and the fact that it will

soon go out of print unless reprinted or republished. It also does not meet the NPS graphic design and 

messaging standards. No PMIS project statement has been written for this project. Funding also needs to 

be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be place in the park‘s 

proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

Chilkoot Trail (The Euro American Story):

Robert Spude‘s publication entitled Chilkoot Trail; from Dyea to Summit with the ’98 Stampeders (1980) 

uses contemporary gold rush era first hand accounts (diaries, letters, newspaper articles), historic 

photographs, historic maps of the trail, and historical ephemera to paint a picture of conditions on the 

Chilkoot Trail from Dyea to the Chilkoot Pass during the Klondike Gold Rush. A second part of his 

report uses modern USGS maps and photographs to document existing conditions (as of 1979) on that 

portion of the trail. There are two main problems with the report, first – it had an extremely limited print 

run and the report is long out of print and quite rare. Second, the publication stopped at the Chilkoot 

Summit and does not carry the story through to Bennett, the end of the Chilkoot Trail. Essentially only 

half of the trail (or half of the story) was covered and there is no Canadian equivalent to this report on 

their side. 

The current book divides the American side of the trail into several sections and it should not be too 

difficult to do something similar on the Canadian side of the trail. The focus of this revision should be on 

letting the gold rush era Stampeders tell their own story in their own words. Let them speak of the trail 

conditions, the weather, the businesses along the trail, the other people and the hardships the Stampeders 

faced through firsthand accounts, photographs, maps, and ephemera. A final chapter could bring the story 

up to date by briefly discussing the post-gold rush history of the trail from 1900 to the present. Canadian 

cooperation and perhaps funds should be sought for this publication. No PMIS project statement is listed 

for this project. Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the 

information could be place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place online.

Chilkoot Trail (The Native Story):

This proposal calls for reprinting Sheila C. Greer‘s 1995 publication entitled Skookum Stories on the 

Chilkoot / Dyea Trail. The Carcross-Tagish First Nation and Parks Canada originally published this 

volume but the publication had such a limited print run that it went out of print shortly after it was 

published. This important report provides the Native American or First Nations‘ viewpoint on the 

prehistory, history, and present state of the Chilkoot Trail. This book provides much information on the 

pre-gold rush period when the Chilkoot Trail was one of several traditional trading routes by which goods 

were moved between the coastal Tlingit and the interior First Nation peoples during the 18th and 19th

centuries. Beginning in 1880, white prospectors were allowed to traverse the trail and there is much on 

the Native Packers and the gold rush years, when life changed so dramatically for the First Nation 

peoples. There is also much about the Native traditional land use patterns in the area and how they have 

changed. Finally, the book talks about the current Native tie to the land and how the Carcross-Tagish 
67

First Nation has welcomed the historic and modern day visitor to their land. This publication does all 

this through a combination of historical research and quotes from historical sources and Native Elders. 

The book also has a series of historical and more recent photographs and maps of the area. It is an 

excellent counterpoint to the Spude (1980) report mentioned directly above. Not only will it be a useful 

reference for the scholarly community, but it is written well enough to be important to the general public 

as well. Since the copyright to this book is in the hands of the Carcross-Tagish First Nation in Canada, a 

different way of reprinting this volume might have to be found. Perhaps we must simply request that the 

book be reprinted and offer to pay for a certain number of copies that we could distribute as needed. 

Another option, although a more expensive option, would be to research and write a history of the 

Chilkoot Trail from the Native perspective ourselves only this time focusing on the Tlingit history. A 

PMIS project statement (100631) has been written for this project but perhaps it should be updated to 

cover inflation. 

Ethnographic Overview & Assessment:

Thomas Thornton‘s Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Ethnographic Overview and 

Assessment was first printed by the NPS in 2004 with an initial print run of around 1,100 copies. By 2006 

the initial print run was exhausted and the park produced a straight reprint of the book of around 600

copies, now also nearing exhaustion. This report is currently available on-line at (site last visited 28 April 

2011): http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/ethnographic_overview.pdf. This is the 

only publication the park produces that describes in any detail the Native American involvement in this 

area and the gold rush. Prior to the publication of this report, the park was criticized for failing to even 

mention the Native American side of the gold rush story in any of its publications and interpretative 

material. With the exception of this publication, the park still does a poor job of telling this extremely 

important story. It is also a good source of the history of this area from a Native American perspective. 

This publication could use some minor editing, a more dramatic title could be devised, and the cover 

could be altered somewhat to bring it up to NPS graphic design and messaging standards. The report is 

still popular and a reprint will be necessary sometime in the near future as current supplies are exhausted. 

A PMIS project statement (119537) was written for the first reprint but perhaps that could be revised and 

used to cover a second reprint although it should be updated to account for inflation. The document 

should be closely read for material to form additional PMIS statements pertaining to the history and 

ethnography of the area. 

Klondike Gold Rush Bibliography:

Over the years the park has paid for compiling several Klondike Gold Rush bibliographies (Wells 1977, 

Konopa 1979, Adams and Brauner 1991b). The last bibliography, entitled ―A bibliography for the history 

of Skagway, Alaska, and the Klondike Gold Rush based on an earlier work by Charles Konopa‖ is 

currently available on a web page sponsored by the Tennessee Archaeology Net (site last assessed 28 

April 2011): http://www.mtsu.edu/~kesmith/TNARCHNET/Pubs/goldrush.html. Additional historical 

references can be found in some of the park publications published after the date of the last bibliography. 

For example, there are the later volumes in the 10 volume Archeological Investigations in Skagway, 

Alaska series (Cooper 1998, 2001; Kardatzke 2002; Späth and others 2000; Sprague and Welch 2001; 

Spude 2001; Spude and others 1993, Spude and others 2006), the draft Cultural Landscape Inventories 

(Horton and Curran 2001 and 2002), the most recent HRS (Johnson 2003), the KLGO‘s Ethnographic 

Overview and Assessment (Thornton 2004), the recently published Jeff. Smiths Parlor Museum Historic 

Structure Report (NPS 2010a) and The Chilkoot Trail: Cultural Landscape Report for the Chilkoot Trail 

Historic Corridor. Part 1: History, Existing Conditions & Analysis (NPS 2010b). References from 

Becky Saleeby‘s new draft publication – Beneath the Surface: Thirty Years of Historical Archeology in 

Skagway, Alaska should also be included. All three of these bibliographies should be combined into one 

document, revised, and updated to take into account the new historical scholarship. Once the final 

product is completed, it should be placed on the park‘s web site. No PMIS project statement has been 

written for this project. 
68

Administrative History Split:

The park‘s Administrative History (Norris 1996) is a rather long document at 509 pages and because of 

that, somewhat forbidding to the average visitor and staff. The full report is currently available on-line at: 

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/adhi/index.htm (site last assessed 28 April 2011)

and physical copies are still available at the park. Although it contains a wealth of historical information, 

it rarely gets used because of its size and complexity. The book could be broken up into a number of 

more manageable units and those units published separately or placed on the park‘s web page. For 

example, chapter 1 could be developed into a 20-30 page booklet on the history of the Klondike Gold 

Rush in general and chapter 2 could be developed into a similar sized booklet on the history of Skagway

and the White Pass Trail from the gold rush to the present day (1996). Parts of chapter 2 can also be used 

for a report on the post gold rush history of Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail. Chapter 6 could be developed 

into a 30-40 page booklet on the park‘s historic restoration program or perhaps could be included in the 

popular HSR mentioned above. Parts of chapters 2 and 4 could be developed into a history of the 

Klondike Highway. Other parts of the book could be used to develop a history of tourism in the local 

area or of the local Skagway Historic District Commission. Additional topics can easily be gleaned from 

the book by examining its table of contents and index. No PMIS project statement is listed for this project. 

Funding also needs to be obtained for the layout and publication of this report or the information could be 

place in the park‘s proposed occasional paper series or newsletter or be place on-line.

The Historic Research Plan (Part II):

The second part of this Historic Research Plan (HRP) deals with the nuts and bolts of historical research. 

The purpose here is not to propose topics or projects that would be worthwhile researching (those are 

found in part I) but instead to make suggestions as to how to build up the park‘s historical infrastructure

and its ability to conduct important historical research, and how to spread the word that the park, as an 

historical research institution exists – how to eventually develop a true ―Klondike Gold Rush Historic

Research Center‖ worthy of the park‘s new designation – Klondike Gold Rush International Historical 

Park. 

What are Historical Sources?

The first step in developing a Klondike Gold Rush Historic Research Center is to start gathering into one 

place the basic information necessary for research – the historical sources. There are two types of 

historical research materials – primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources are the original 

record of events recorded at the time of the historical event. For example, during the Klondike Gold Rush 

of 1896-1899, many of the gold rush Stampeders took cameras and / or kept diaries to record their 

journey. Some wrote letters home to keep their family members informed of their adventures. 

Sometimes these letters reached home town newspapers and were published. Professional photographers 

were also on the scene from the beginning recording the event as were journalists writing for local and 

national newspapers and news agencies. Newspapers were printed that recorded the passing scene and

guidebooks were published that told how to reach the gold fields. As the cities of Dyea and Skagway took 

form and grew, property transactions were recorded in official deed books. Taxes were imposed and paid 

(or not as the case may be) and a system for recoding those taxes and payments was instituted. Maps 

were made of the towns, the street grids, the individual parcels of land, and the potential of the town to 

burn for fire insurance purposes. People boarded ships and their names and freight charges were recorded 

in ships‘ manifests. Stampeders stayed in hotels and wrote down their names in hotel registers. People 

bought supplies and their names and the supplies they bought were recorded on invoices. Fraternal 

organizations were organized and soon developed membership lists and lists of officers. They acquired 

property and constructed meeting halls and held formal meetings and social events which resulted in 

posters and newspaper advertisements being printed and buildings being built. Men and women 
69

developed businesses, rented or built buildings, advertised their stock, had photographs taken of their 

buildings and themselves, and kept accounts. Although law and order was a tenuous thing during the 

early part of the gold rush, violators were arrested, tried, convicted, and some spent time in prison or they 

paid a fine or were set free and records were kept. People were born, married, and died and records were 

kept and sometimes their headboards or headstones are found in local cemeteries. People were treated by 

doctors or dentists and sometimes visited hospitals and records were kept. Stampeders crossed into 

Canada and the North West Mounted Police recorded their passage. When people left town, the post 

office had to develop a list of those people and where to forward their mail to. When there were enough 

people in towns, agents for national directory companies came to town to gather names and solicit 

advertising revenue and soon people and their businesses were published in Alaska wide business 

directories. Every 10 years, census takers in both the United States and Canada attempted to record much 

information on the individuals living at the time the census was taken. All these original records and

many more are considered primary sources. 

Secondary sources include articles, books (both fact and fiction), documentary, and non-documentary 

films, oral histories, and reminiscences written after the historical event. Sometimes secondary sources 

come from individuals involved in the event – reminiscences and oral histories, for example. Sometimes 

they come from individuals with a strong interest in the event – scholars as an example. Other times they 

come from individuals just wishing to capitalize on or make money from the event. Scholarly 

understanding of the past, however, is constantly changing as new information is found and new scholars 

research the past in different ways with different eyes, so that in order for the park historian and the park 

staff to keep abreast of the field, they must be continual on the alert for new historical information for 

KLGO.

The historian wades through both the primary and secondary sources, discovers their biases and errors, 

and understands his or her own biases, in order to come up with a reasonably accurate history of the 

event, the person, the organization, the building, the parcel of land, the time, or whatever he or she is 

studying. The reason secondary sources are written in the first place is to save the reader from wading 

through the mass of primary sources, but secondary sources can and often are bias as are primary sources. 

For example, generally many of the Stampeders had a poor opinion of the Native Americans and 

mentioned that opinion in their letters home and in their diaries while only a few Stampeders had a 

favorable opinion of the Native Americans. This is not a scientific poll and the historian must recognize 

the biases and take them into account no matter where the biases come from. The Interpreter takes this 

information from the park historian and other authors and presents it to the public as the historical truth. 

If the historian doesn‘t do his or her job as well as it should be done or other authors do a poor job of 

research, or the Interpreter doesn‘t recognize the biases and inaccuracies as well, the information 

presented to the public may be a perversion of the historical truth. The taxpaying public is therefore not 

getting their money‘s worth. 

In order to do his or her job, the historian needs to be aware of the location and extent of the primary and 

secondary sources and to be able to access them in a reasonable manner. Historical research takes time 

and one of the most time consuming aspect of the research is accessing the primary sources. A case in 

point: In 1900 United States census takers came through Skagway and recorded the names of almost 

everyone in town. Census takers wrote the information down by hand on official forms provided to them. 

In time that census information was released to the public, however, if someone wanted to access that 

information, they would have to journey to Washington D. C. to view the original forms. Later all the 

1900 census forms were microfilmed and the microfilm reels distributed to all the Federal Record Centers 

throughout the nation. Now individuals and institutions could either purchase microfilm reels of the 1900 

census or portions thereof, at any time or visit the Federal Record Centers. Recently, the 1900 census 

information for Skagway was entered into an Excel database by individuals working on projects that 

needed this information. This work (largely done by volunteers) now allows one to access the census 
70

information in seconds instead of hours or days as before. The US Census for Skagway for 1900, 

1910, 1920, and 1930 are now available on similar Excel databases. The detailed census records for the 

1940 census will come out in 2012 and in order to have the information contained in that census available 

to researchers, someone will have buy the microfilm reel covering Skagway (inexpensive) and translate 

the hand written information to an Excel database (somewhat time consuming). One of the goals of this 

HRP is to acquire relevant historical sources (primary and secondary) and to speed up the ability of 

scholars and the public as well as the park historian and other members of the park staff to access 

historical information – to do research. 

Acquiring Historic Research Materials

The park has a small although growing library and archive with many books, manuscripts, photographs, 

articles, microfilm and microfiche resources on the Klondike Gold Rush and the local area to assist in 

historical research. However, history is never static and park staff never know where the next important 

new resource may come from, therefore, the park staff (especially the park historian) must continually be 

alert and on the lookout for new historical materials and trends. Acquiring this new material requires time 

and money but the items collected can be well worth the effort. 

For example, on a weeklong research trip to the Alaska State Library in Juneau several years ago, the park 

historian found several dozen photographs of the Dyea-Klondike Transportation Company wharf site. 

This wharf and building complex was built in Dyea during the early days of the rush. Towards the end of 

the rush Company L of the 24th infantry (the Buffalo Soldiers) moved to this site from their military 

reservation in central Dyea. Because of the military‘s presence, this site became known as Soldiers‘ 

Landing. No photographs and only one map of this site were known to exist prior to the ―discovery‖ of 

these images found by the park historian during that research trip. These images would still be 

―unknown‖ if it had not been for the park‘s historian‘s intimate knowledge of the area‘s history and 

geography. After the photographs had been copied by the State Library for the park, the State Librarians 

placed one of the images on their website but misidentified the location of the image as being in Skagway 

and not Dyea and this had to be corrected by the park historian. Although the park does not own this 

historic site, the site is within the Dyea and Chilkoot Trail National Historic Landmark. Potential 

development in the area would dramatically affect the Dyea view shed and the park, and these 

photographs will impact any future discussion of the site. In addition, the photographs of the men of 

Company L at attention, on parade, and at rest found in this collection probably doubled the number of 

photographs of these Black soldiers in the local area and therefore probably doubled the number of 

images available to the park that could be used in wayside exhibits, public presentations, or on the park

web site, on this little known but important aspect of the gold rush. In addition this collection contained a 

few ―new‖ photographs of the Black soldiers in Skagway, which they moved to less than a month later 

due to a large forest fire that burned down their camp at Soldiers‘ Landing.

Another example also concerns a small photographic collection. In 1992, Dr. John Walker from the State 

of Washington walked into the visitor center and donated copies of 32 photographs his father had taken of

Skagway and along the Klondike trail in the fall of 1897. These were the first amateur photographs 

acquired by the park and a few of the prints showed individuals actually smiling amid the chaos and 

hardships of the stampede. This was the first time the current park historian had ever seen gold rush 

Stampeders actually smiling. This opens up a whole new category of research, the differences between 

pictures made by the professional and the amateur photographer during the gold rush. Two of the images 

showed Frances Scovel and several gentlemen standing on either side of her behind a large canvas sign 

that read ―The World, Sylvester Scovel Correspondent.‖ It was these two photographs that actually 

showed Stampeders smiling. In 2005, the park was contacted by Dr. Joseph Campbell, Associate 

Professor of Communications at the American University in Washington DC, who was working on a 

book about the year 1897 in journalism. The Klondike Gold Rush was one of the major news events of 
71

that year and he wondered what we had on Klondike journalists and in particular Sylvester Scovel, 

who was in Skagway on assignment for his paper. The park historian was able to make the connection 

between the photographs that Dr. Walker had donated to the park and Dr. Campbell‘s need simply 

because he remembered the image. That connection will soon be lost when the present historian retires 

unless the photographs and information about the photographs are put into a digital database that 

researchers will be able to consult.

Every year visitors bring in firsthand accounts of their gold rush era relatives‘ adventures in the stampede. 

These may be original or copies of letters or diaries, or maybe even transcripts of oral history tapes or the 

tapes themselves. They could include books, maps, newspapers, photographs, and even memorabilia. 

Although the information value of some of these gifts may be less than others, all have at least some 

value, and some of them may be critical in our understanding of particular events, buildings, people, or of 

a time. Unfortunately much more information doesn‘t make it up to Skagway. Many people who have 

priceless historic documents in their attic may not be aware they have anything of importance and 

sometimes that important material goes to the dump. Many people with priceless historic documents 

cannot afford a trip to Alaska or have no interest in such a trip. Some people may have already donated 

important gold rush documents to other institutions but the park has no idea these collections exist 

because the park historian simply does not have the time, money, or travel ceiling to search out these 

collections.

For example, a photograph taken in early 1898 of the first Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, a one story 

building on the northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and State Street was selling on Ebay a few years ago. 

The park historian simply does not have the time to regularly browse Ebay to search for such images. 

Instead, he relies on several interested volunteers who do it for him and point out interesting items the 

park should acquire. Of course, these volunteers may be interested in acquiring the items for their own 

collection so in that case, the park historian never hears about the item. In the case of the Red Onion 

photograph, the park was outbid on Ebay due to lack of sufficient capital. The only know photograph 

showing the construction of the telephone line between Dyea and Bennett was lost to the park because of 

the cost – $100. The park can always wait until historical resources come in on their own accord but 

having the ability to actively acquire historic research materials is critical to the continued functioning of 

this organization as an international historical park and the development of the Klondike Gold Rush

Historic Research Center. 

Recommendations:

Establish a permanent acquisition fund for acquiring historical research materials (aerial and 

historic photographs, manuscripts, books, articles, artifacts, microfilm reels, microfiche, oral 

interviews, etc.) to the tune of around $10,000 a year. This fund could be shared between the 

park curator and the park historian.

Use this permanent acquisition fund (above) to fund at least one historical research trip per year 

for the park historian.

Revise and update Wells (1975) interim report on the location of archival materials available in 

Skagway, Alaska. Specify where the archival materials listed in the Wells report are now located. 

Obtain the original archive material or copies for the park archives or library and transfer the 

information contained in these records to appropriate park electronic databases if this has not 

already been done.

Using Stirling (1986) as a base, contact all out-of-state libraries, historical societies, museums, 

and other historical institutions that responded to Stirling‘s mass mailing in 1985-1986 and ask 
72

about their current Klondike holdings and obtain copies of relevant holdings. Expand the 

Stirling survey to cover institutions that did not respond to the original Stirling mailings and 

international institutions.

Establish a professional level, viable oral history program that will be able to assist future park 

managers in decision-making crucial for the future health of the park. 

Establish a publicity campaign to notify local newspapers, libraries, museums, chambers of 

commerce and the general public throughout the United States and even the World of the park‘s 

continuing interest in acquiring gold rush related material. 

Compare the park‘s library holding with already compiled park bibliographies to see what 

additional historical material may be worth acquiring.

Discussion:

Acquisition Fund:

Park staff rarely knows in advance when items of historical significance will become available. Historical 

items of interest show up all the time on Ebay or other auction sites and used book and antique dealers. 

Sometimes visitors show up at KLGO willing to donate original items to the park but at other times, they 

are willing to donate only copies of the original items and may need financial help in making those 

copies. At other times a staff member may have to journey to the location where an historical collection 

is housed in order to pick up the donated material and hand carry the items back to the park because of the 

extent and fragile nature of the collection. In the past the park has sometimes been able to come up with 

the funds to acquire these items (the Brackett family photo collection comes to mind). At other times, the 

park has had to pass collections by simply because of lack of funds or have had to rely on the generosity 

of park employees who have gone out of their way to collect historic material on their own annual leave. 

The Cultural Resources, Interpretation and donation budgets have been heavily tapped for these needs –

other budgets less so. There is no separate ONPS budget for the library or museum acquisitions and 

therefore park staff never know if an important collection can be acquired or not. 

A permanent acquisition fund for acquiring historical research materials to the tune of around $10,000 a 

year should be established at this historical park. Ideally the fund should be in an account that would not 

expire at the end of each fiscal year but instead could grow from year to year to meet unexpected 

expenses somewhat like our lease-back accounts are intended to cover the cost of maintaining our historic

buildings. Perhaps the fund could be held by a non-NPS entity (such as Alaska Geographic) and 

individuals and organizations outside the park could donate to it. The GMP (NPS 1996:1) talks about 

establishing a KLSE ―friends of the park‖ support group but there is no reason not to enlarge that group to 

include KLGO and use it to funnel funds to the park‘s historic research efforts. Since KLSE and KLGO 

share the same name and interests, acquisitions of historic material can benefit both parks.
73

Research Trips:

It is important that park staff make an active effort to locate items of interest through regular historical 

research trips. Some institutions house so much Klondike Gold Rush related material that it would take 

weeks and maybe even months to examine all the items (Alaska State Library, University of Alaska 

Fairbanks, and the University of Washington come to mind). These institutions are also acquiring new 

material at a relatively rapid rate so regular research trips to these institutions every 5 to 10 years should 

be considered. Examination of the institution‘s web page or extensive correspondence with the 

institution‘s staff is often not enough to find out about all of the collections that might be of interest to the 

park – only an actual visit by a trained historian can do that (the DKT collection described above is a case 

in point). 

The park should not limit its collection activities to institutions but should also actively seek out 

collectors who have an interest in the time period or event the park is interested in. Candy Waugaman, a 

collector in Fairbanks, Alaska, generously allowed the park historian to stay at her place for a week a few 

years back while he scanned over 300 historic photographs from her collection. Michael and Carolyn 

Nore, collectors in Anacortes, Washington, have recently been sending scanned images of historic 

photographs from their collection and many of these images are unknown to the park historian. Other 

collectors are known and while they may or may not be as generous as Ms. Waugaman and Mr. and Mrs. 

Nore, this group of individuals should not be overlooked. 

The park staff never knows where the next area of management concern or interest may develop,

therefore, the park historian must be able to seek out and gather historical information wherever he or she 

can find it even if the material discovered does not appear to be of immediate concern to the park. Above 

all, these efforts must be funded adequately. As indicate above, the park should establish a permanent 

acquisition fund for acquiring historical research materials. This fund should be used to fund at least one 

historical research trip per year for the park historian and another trip for the park curator if necessary to 

discover and acquire new historical material. This acquisition fund should only be used to fund trips that 

will result in the park acquiring historical materials of interest and not to fund the necessary government 

travel of the individuals involved. 

Local Archival Resources Inventory:

In 1975 Stephen R. Wells (at the time operating out of the Sociology Studies Program at the University of 

Washington in Seattle under contract to the NPS) compiled an inventory of Archival Materials Available in 

Skagway to assist in his work on the social history of Skagway (Wells 1978). A lot has happened in the 35+ 

years since this work was compiled. Institutions have been taken over by larger institutions and had their 

archives moved, reorganized, or dismantled. Documents have been moved, lost, misplaced, or copied into 

another format (digitized for example), and other documents have been found and added to the institutions‘ 

collections. This project calls for revising and updating the Wells (1975) inventory on the location of 

archival materials available in Skagway, Alaska. The project would specify where the archival materials 

listed in the 1975 Wells report are now located. It is possible that some of the material previously 

archived in Skagway is now archived in the Alaska State Library or Alaska State Museum in Juneau or 

the Federal Record Center in Anchorage. In addition, the project calls for the park to obtain the original 

materials or copies for the park archives and / or library if this has not already been done and / or to 

transfer the information contained in these records to appropriate electronic databases if this has not 

already been done. In addition to Skagway, this inventory could be expanded to include nearby Haines

and Juneau, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. No PMIS project statement for this inventory has been written 

yet.

World Wide Web Archival Resources Inventory:

In 1986 Dale Stirling produced "The Alaska Records Survey: An Inventory of Archival Resources in 

Repositories of the U.S. and Canada.‖ This survey was an attempt to find Alaskan items in archival 
74

repositories in the two countries mentioned. The survey was conducted by simply sending out 

informational postcards to 900-odd small, medium, and large repositories in Canada and the United 

States. According to the survey 62 institutions in the United States and Canada responding to the survey 

indicating that they had historical information of value relating to the Klondike Gold Rush. The park 

should first re-contact these 62 institutions to get a better idea of what they hold and if they have acquired 

anything new in the 20+ years since the initial survey was made. The park should also make a systematic 

search of the World Wide Web to locate the names and addresses of all the 838 institutions that did not 

respond to Stirling (1986) and all the institutions that came into existence after the Stirling survey to see if 

there is any hint these other institutions contain Klondike Gold Rush related historical material. The park 

should develop its own survey questionnaire and send that out to all historical institutions in the United 

States and Canada in an attempt to discover who else has Klondike Gold Rush related historical material

in their collections. Instead of postcards, emails would probably be preferred. Because the Klondike 

Gold Rush was a worldwide event, this survey should be extended overseas to determine what Klondike 

Gold Rush information of value foreign historical institutions may hold. Once that information was 

received and compiled, the park should prioritize the collections discovered and begin acquiring copies of 

the various diaries, letters, photographs and other historical information of value from the various 

institutions reported in priority order and that would not duplicate the collections currently maintained by 

the park. In some cases, we would also need to send the park historian to research the more promising 

repositories. No PMIS project statement has been submitted for this project.

Oral Histories:

Oral histories support NPS management policies, particularly management policies related to park 

planning, cultural and natural resource management, education, and interpretation. This is especially true 

with this park. The great Klondike Gold Rush was a story of thousands of individuals pitted against the 

elements and the rest of swarming humanity. This park was established because of the people who passed 

this way during the stampede as well as the artifacts, trails, and buildings they left behind. While many of 

the stories told are similar, each individual Stampeder puts a unique twist on the main story. Although 

most if not all of the people who actually took part in the stampede are now dead, many of their sons and 

daughters are still alive as are their parents‘ stories if they can only be recorded in time. In addition to 

gold rush era Stampeders, the community of Skagway includes many people who have spent all or most 

of their lives in town and they have a wealth of accumulated irreplaceable knowledge of the area‘s 

cultural and natural resources and its history. The park also hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors per 

year over the short summer season. Many of these visitors are also elderly and some have ties to the gold 

rush or to the community of Skagway and the surrounding area as well. Some of these visitors may also 

have important local information to share.

Establishing a professional oral history program in the park would involve the following steps: (1) 

Assessing the condition of the existing oral history tapes and ensuring their copying, transcription, and 

preservation. The park‘s existing collection of oral history tapes have recently been digitized and 

transcribed so this step is mostly done although oral history tapes we acquire in the future will have to 

have this done. (2) Contacting the persons interviewed or their relatives in order to obtain written 

permission to allow these tapes to be used for research and planning purposes if that permission has not 

already been obtained. Many of the park oral history tapes recently digitized does not have the associate 

permission paperwork filed. (3) Examining archives of other institutions to search for additional oral 

histories of interest and use. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is known to have oral history tapes of 

interest to the park and other institutions probably do as well. (4) Obtaining copies of any relevant oral 

history interviews located at other institutions. (5) Working with interested parties to identify, list, and 

prioritize potential candidates for interviews. The park has recently completed a contract to develop 20 

new oral history interviews. (6) Developing oral history interview criteria, questions, and protocols up to 

current NPS oral history standards. Some of this has already been done due to the recent oral history 

contract. (7) Purchasing the necessary equipment and supplies to develop this program. The park already 
75

has tape-duplicating machines for audio and video, a high quality cassette tape recorder, and several 

video recorders. (8) Conducting a minimum of four high quality oral history interviews per year from the 

elderly citizens of Skagway or from individuals visiting the community if the opportunity presents itself. 

If time permits more interviews will be conducted. (9) Copying and transcribing each interview and 

seeing to it that the tapes and transcriptions are properly catalogued. (10) Developing a finding aid for the 

entire oral history collection. (11) Training park staff in the proper techniques in conducting oral history 

interviews so these interviews could be conducted if the park historian was out of town for some reason (a 

weekend for example) or ill and the visitor was only going to be in town for a few hours.

The park also needs to develop a ―rapid response‖ capability to conduct oral interviews on tape (video or 

audio) whenever the need arises. For example, if an elderly visitor arrives in town and wishes to talk 

about her or his earlier experiences in Skagway or the experiences of their grandparents, the park should 

be able to conduct a formal oral interview within an hour of first contact with that visitor. The park 

should have the equipment and interviewer ready at a moment‘s notice and should also have a sufficient

stock of questions to ask. This also means that the park historian should not be the only one qualified to 

conduct an oral history interview. The park has three PMIS project statements dealing with oral history: 

(1) Duplicate and Transcribe Existing Oral History Tapes (PMIS 055291) (this has been funded and 

completed), (2) Conduct Oral History Interviews (PMIS 055230) (this has been funded and completed 

although additional oral history interviews could be given), and Establish an Oral History Program (PMIS 

109082). The last project statement includes the other two previous project statements and should be 

fully funded.

Publicity campaigns:

Since the Klondike Gold Rush was truly a worldwide event, the park needs to understand that diaries, 

letters, photographs and other memorabilia related to the gold rush could be found anywhere in the world. 

The park also needs to recognize that some of these items may not be currently held in archives, libraries, 

universities, or other official repositories but instead could be found in thousands and thousands of 

homes, attics, basements, or garages for example. KLGO already receives visitors from the around the 

world and a few of those visitors have already mentioned collections related to the Klondike Gold Rush in 

foreign locations. Many of the gold rush era Stampeders wrote letters home and many of these letters 

were published in hometown newspapers because the gold rush was such an interesting worldwide event. 

Therefore information of value could also be found in the morgues of virtually any newspapers across the 

world. 

Therefore, the park should embark on a publicity campaign to notify local newspapers, libraries, 

museums, chambers of commerce and members of the public of our continuing interest in acquiring gold 

rush related material. In effect the park will be repeating history as this would be very similar to the 

publicity campaign the Seattle Chamber of Commerce conducted on behalf of the business owners of 

Seattle to try and get Stampeders to pass through Seattle on their way to the Klondike gold fields. The 

park‘s campaign would start out with the United States but should eventually cover the world, soliciting 

information from the descendents of the gold rush era Stampeders everywhere. We could start this 

campaign by placing a fancy eye catching ―advertisement‖ on the park‘s web page. We could put out a 

press release and attempt to get the story broadcasted worldwide by the national and international media. 

We could send ―letters to the editor‖ to newspapers throughout the world describing our search for new 

information. There are many other ways of getting the message out and the park could conduct a ―brain 

storming‖ session to develop those ideas. The park should probably conduct this publicity campaign 

every year for several years in order to get the message out but we should also be prepared to deal with 

the response by possibly increasing staff if the response is good. No PMIS project statement for this 

publicity campaign has been written yet.
76

Klondike Gold Rush Bibliography / Park Library Holdings:

Over the years the park has paid employees or outside scholars into compiling several Klondike Gold 

Rush bibliographies (Wells 1977, Konopa 1979, Adams and Brauner 1991b). Additional historical 

reference material can be found in some of the park publications published after the date of the last 

bibliography (1991). Klondike Gold Rush bibliographic material and bibliographies can also be found on 

the World Wide Web. No one has yet examined these various lists and compared these lists to the list of 

park library holdings to determine what additional items the park library should acquire. This proposal 

calls for comparing the park‘s library holding with the park bibliographies and other Klondike Gold Rush 

bibliographies to see what additional historical material may be worth acquiring. This is somewhat

different from the Klondike Gold Rush Bibliography proposal listed above which calls for pulling all the 

reference material found in the various gold rush bibliographies together and publishing them on the park 

web site as a single bibliography. The two proposals could be done at the same time to conserve 

resources. No PMIS project statement has been written for this project. 

Developing Historic ―Tools‖ for Further Research

Historical information is acquired not just by passively waiting for it to arrive on the park‘s doorstep, or

by actively pursuing it by conducting historical research at other institutions; it can also be acquired 

simply by pulling together existing sources of historical information into electronic databases. Once these 

databases have been established and filled in, they can be rapidly search for key words or subjects of 

interest. This speeds up research but also sometime allows the researcher to see connections that were not 

previously known. One of the major jobs of the park historian has is assisting members of the public

(mostly park visitors) who are interested in discovering if their gold rush era relatives played any part in 

the Klondike Gold Rush. Sometimes the communication this requires will result in the discovery of small 

gold mines of historical information that the relatives of these Stampeders have and are willing to share

with the park and the rest of the public. Often, however, the relatives of gold rush Stampeder are simply 

searching for genealogical information on their ancestors and have little or no information of their own. 

Developing computer databases containing genealogical information is one way to assist these 

individuals. Developing these databases and later placing these databases on-line, allows the visitor to 

easily do research on his or her own ancestor and allows the park staff (especially the park historian) to 

devote more time to other projects, for example, the visitors who have historical material they are willing 

to donate. It also will speed up historical research park employees and outside scholars conduct and will 

make this information more readily available to the public and park management. It should also increase 

the traffic on the park‘s web site and increase the park‘s visitation numbers.

Recommendations:

Assist the Skagway Museum in getting their local Stampeder database out onto the World Wide 

Web. Add information from park‘s own electronic databases to this web page or to the park‘s 

web page and include an efficient search engine to the resulting database.

Develop a historic photograph database that can be used by park staff and the public alike and 

that could be connected to a state wide historic photographic database (PMIS 035628).

Complete the current draft local newspaper index and double check it for accuracy so that it can 

be used by park staff and the public alike.

Continue to update the finding aid for the park‘s collection of firsthand accounts (articles, books, 

diaries, letters oral histories, photograph albums, and reminiscences) and place such a finding aid 

onto the Park‘s web site. 
77

Develop an electronic historic building file using photographs, maps, and newspaper articles of 

individual buildings in the historic district and place that file on the park‘s web site.

Discussion:

Local Genealogical Database:

The Skagway Museum has developed and maintains several electronic databases of peoples‘ names 

intended to help visitors search for their gold rush era Stampeder ancestors. Information from the park 

library (business directories for example) and information park employees helped acquire (diaries and 

letters for example) was used to help compile some of these databases. Other databases come from non 

park sources. Unfortunately the museum‘s databases are not on the web and searching them requires the 

assistance of the Skagway Museum staff. This allows the museum staff to have a personal relationship 

with the relative searching for information, which may result in additional historical information being 

recovered. On the other hand, this process takes time and slows down research due to the limited number 

of museum staff capable of using the databases and the lack of museum staff in general. Museum staff 

members frequently cannot respond to the public seeking information from these databases until after the 

busy summer season is over. Another stumbling block is that the museum has several databases and that 

they are all on a Mac platform rather than the PC platform that the park electronic databases are on. 

KLGO has also developed a series of electronic databases and fortunately there appears to be very little 

overlap between the two sets of databases. Like the Skagway Museum, KLGO‘s history branch is 

extremely short staffed sometimes reduced to a grand total of only one staff member, the park historian, 

for much of the year. Seasonal staff rarely exceeds one and there is not sufficient time to train the 

seasonal staff member in the complexities of the databases. Most of the park‘s databases have been put 

together by volunteers and there has been no editing or double checking of the information contained in 

the databases to insure accuracy. In addition, some of the park‘s databases, such as the newspaper index, 

are woefully incomplete missing whole decades of potential information. 

Skagway Museum databases:

Skagway Business Records, Skagway Business Directories (1899-1935), Records for the Pioneer and 

Gold Rush Cemeteries, Skagway Death Records (1897-1950), Skagway and Dyea Property Records up to 

1907, Skagway and Dyea Officials, Skagway Delinquent Property Tax Records, Skagway Customs 

Records, Skagway Voting Records, Skagway Prisoner Records, U.S. District Court Records, Skagway 

Criminal Justice Records, WWI Selective Service Records, Fraternal Organization Membership Records 

(Eagles, IOOF, Arctic Brotherhood), Mondamin Hotel Register (1898-1899), Pullen House Register 

(1919-1921), Dyea Wood Company Records, Skagway Telephone Books (1902, 1951, 1954 and 1958), 

Declaration of Intention Records.

KLGO databases:

Excel: Dyea Business Directory (1897-1899), Skagway Business Directory (1899), Skagway Wet / Dry 

Petition (1899), Historic Photography Database, Skagway Jail Records(1900-1950), Skagway Death 

Records (1897-1950), Skagway Water Customer List (October 1914), Skagway List of Mayors & Council 

Members (1900-2006), Skagway – Dyea Newspaper Index (1897-1937), US Census for Skagway & Dyea 

(1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930). Word: Skagway Business Directory (1897-1899), Canyon City Business 

Directory (1897-1899), Sheep Camp Business Directory (1897-1899), Scales Business Directory (1895-

1899).

The park should work with the Skagway Museum to at least obtain an electronic copy of all of the 

Skagway Museum databases records. This will allow park staff to use these records on their own time 

schedule instead of waiting for museum staff to ―get around to it.‖ The park should also work with the 

museum and the Municipality of Skagway to see that all official records of the city and municipality, and 
78

state and federal records pertaining to Skagway, have been placed into one digital database that can be 

easily accessed by both organizations. Ideally the park should work with the museum to get this one over 

all database placed out on the World Wide Web for all to access it at a municipality or park sponsored 

web page. An efficient search engine would have to be integrated into this database like the one currently 

found on the Yukon Archives Genealogy Database web site at (site last visited 28 April 2011): 

http://www.yukongenealogy.com/content/archives_database_search.htm. This could be done through 

grants or technical assistance or perhaps money from a ―friends of the park‖ group. No PMIS statement 

has yet been written to cover this project.

Historic Photographic Database:

The park has a rich collection of over 10,000 historic photographs depicting local scenery, the local built 

environment, local events, and the local activities of daily life before, during and after the gold rush. The 

collection is growing yearly and the time span currently covers the years from 1894 to the present. The 

photographs come from over 50 institutions and over 60 individuals and cover the area from Seattle, 

Washington to Dawson City, Yukon. The prints (mostly black and white) are currently physically 

organized mostly along geographical lines. For example, historic photographs of the Chilkoot Trail are 

divided up into portions of the trail and communities along the trail. Therefore, there are individual file 

folders filled with photographs of Canyon City (CC), Sheep Camp (SC), and the Scales (SS) (all Chilkoot 

Trail communities), as well as the Taiya River Valley (TV) (that part of the trail that runs from Dyea to 

Canyon City, Taiya River Canyon (TC) (that section of the trail between Canyon City and Pleasant 

Camp), and Long Hill (LH) (that stretch of trail that runs from Sheep Camp to the Scales). The 

photograph filing system continues into Canada with Chilkoot Summit (CS), Chilkoot Summit North

(CN) (the trail from the summit to Lindeman), Lindeman & Vicinity (L) and Bennett & Vicinity (B), etc. 

Of course there also has to be a file for photographs that cannot be identified as to place and that file is 

Chilkoot Trail Miscellaneous (CTM). The White Pass Trail is laid out in a similar way. Within the major 

communities, such as Skagway or Dyea, there are file folders for individual streets and avenues, for 

specific areas such as the ―Waterfront‖ (SW), as well as the inevitable folder marked ―Vicinity‖ (SV). 

Skagway, because it more complex than other communities and is the home community, has other 

categories such as ―Residences‖ (R), ―Public Buildings‖ (PB), ―Building Interiors‖ (BI) and the like.

This system works well if one is interested in researching a particular segment of trail or a particular 

community, or buildings along a particular street. If one is looking for such subjects as dogs, rifles, signs 

on the trail, or just about any other subject, however, one has to search through thousands of photographs, 

perhaps the entire collection for the right one. A rudimentary electronic database for the park‘s collection 

of historic photographs was developed years ago with base funding. Unfortunately due to a lack of staff 

time and the appropriate staff, the database was never populated with information. Subsequently more 

sophisticated photographic databases are becoming a reality and many high quality ones are now on the 

market but the park is not able to access them due to a lack of adequate staff and time. 

The park does have database (Excel) containing basic accession information on the park‘s historic 

photograph collection such as the accession number, who donated the image or where it came from, the 

original collection name and print number coming from the institution that we purchased the print from, 

our own code numbers, the photographer(s), the print date, the caption, and if the picture has been 

digitized or not. This database has no photographs tied to it, which would be a key consideration in 

acquiring a proper photographic database. The park currently has a PMIS project statement that calls for 

the development of a historic photograph database and the hiring of appropriate staff required for data 

entry (PMIS 035628). The project calls for sufficient funding to purchase the necessary software to 

handle such a project and to hire a skilled database entry person(s) to enter the park's large and growing

image collection into a computer database. This individual would have to: (1) Scan each image into the 

proper digital format and size. (2) Transfer the digital image to the computer database. (3) Examine each 

image and determine its subject(s). (4) Enter the subject(s) of each image in the appropriate location on 
79

the data entry form. (5) Enter additional items into the database such as the park‘s subject code and 

accession number (6) Enter the name of the photographer and his or her number into the database if 

available (7) Enter the caption of the photograph if any into the database, (8) Enter the time period if 

known into the database, and (9) Enter the institution where the print was purchased from and its number 

(if any) into the database. (10) The software would also have to handle administrative duties as well such 

as if the print had been loaned out and if so, when and to whom it was loaned to. (11) Information on 

copyright and use restrictions (if any) for each photograph would also have to be placed in the database as 

well as the contact information of all the owners of all the photographs. 

In addition to housing the park‘s entire collection of historic photographs, this database should be 

expanded to include all of the park‘s collection of images. For example: The park currently houses its 

collection of aerial photographs in two drawers of a filing cabinet in the park library. It is entirely 

conceivable that the other two drawers could be filled with aerial photograph from flights in the 1940s, 

1950s, and 1960s, once the park historian is able to identify where those flight runs are held and acquire 

copies. There are also thousands of photographs held in the park archive. While many of the historic 

photographs held in the archive have been scanned and those scanned images are now included in the 

park library collection of historic photographs, many other photographs from the over 30 years history of 

the park ‘s are still resting in filing cabinets in the park archive. These include photographs of the historic 

building restoration program, photographs of archeological excavations associated with that program, 

photographs of archeological survey work in the Chilkoot and White Pass Units, and photographs of park 

events and other happenings around the park. None of these images have been scanned. The 

Interpretative division of the park also has a large collection of historic and recent photographs (already 

scanned) that they use in their public presentations. In fact all the divisions of the park take photographs 

to illustrate the work they have done during the course of a year. Why not include all the images taken by 

park staff over the years in a single image database for ease of access. If all the images were in a 

database, it would be a simple matter of searching the database for images that any park employee needs 

for a presentation, for a press release, for a publication, to give away to the press or for any other use. 

Rather than reinvent the wheel, the best way to do this project would be to partner with an organization(s) 

that has already done much of the advance work necessary, already has the proper software, and is 

looking for partners to expand their coverage. The Alaska Virtual Library and Digital Archives project

(http://vilda.alaska.edu/ – site last visited 28 April 2011) is just such a collaborative effort initiated by the 

Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Consortium Library at the University of 

Alaska Anchorage, and the Alaska State Library in Juneau. Now in its third phase, the initiative is funded 

by a congressional award and contributions from these institutions with additional support of the 

Rasmuson Foundation. The goal of the project is to support the instructional and research needs of 

Alaskans and others interested in Alaska history and culture. Initial activities focused on scanning, 

indexing, and placing 5,000 historical images into an online, searchable database. Subsequent project 

phases have involved adding materials into the database in multiple formats such as oral histories, maps, 

documents, film clips and three dimensional objects. The collection now includes over 10,000 items and 

a number of additional partners. 

Project partners continue to add new materials to the database and are producing a guidebook identifying 

lessons learned. They are also preparing to make recommendations to other organizations throughout the 

state related to practices for participating in this venture. The park should explore ways to partner with 

this collaborative effort. The park could not put its entire collection on-line since many of the 

photographs come from other institutions (including some we would be partnering with) and some of the 

park‘s own photographs are not worth putting on-line. What the park could bring to this partnership is 

several thousand new park owned photographs to be placed on-line and the offer to scan all of the images 

we own from the partner institutions and provide those images to the partner institutions to put on-line if 

they so desire. In return we would get the opportunity to use the software (Digital Collection 
80

Management Software – CONTENTdm) for our entire collection which we would place mostly offline. There may be some costs involved but the park should explore this important opportunity. 

CONTENTdm software was originally conceived by the Center for Information Systems Optimization at 

the University of Washington. The software has evolved into a powerful digital collection management 

solution that offers scalable tools for archiving collections of any size. Today, more than 2,000 libraries 

and other cultural heritage organizations worldwide use CONTENTdm software to manage thousands of 

digital collections. The web page of the University of Washington digital collection is (site last visited 28 

April 2011): http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/advsearch.exe.

Newspaper Database:

Years ago park service contract historian Bob Spude developed a hand written ―database‖ on 3 by 5 inch 

cards from articles he had found in the numerous local newspapers (almost all of the newspapers 

published in the area during and immediately after the gold rush are now on microfilm and in the park 

library). The information contained on these cards (name of newspaper, date, page, column number and 

brief ―Headline‖ or subject of article) was eventually transferred to an electronic database (Paradox) and 

additional information and key words added to it. Subsequently this database was transferred to an Excel 

spreadsheet, where it currently resides. The original Paradox database has apparently been lost. During 

the transfer, some of the information contained in the database was truncated. 

Today this electronic newspaper index resides on the park historian‘s hard drive and several other 

locations including the regional office. It contains a brief, one sentence ―headline‖ that sum up each 

article (for example: ―ATTEMPT TO ROB CIGAR STORE OF D. LUCCI, BROADWAY‖), an 

indication of what newspaper the story came from (―DA‖ for Daily Alaskan, for example), and the date, 

page number, and column number of the article also is found in the database. A key word or words for a 

particular the article (for example: LAW & ORDER, COMMERCE, HOTEL, HEALTH) is also present 

for many of the articles but there is no definition of what a particular key word may mean or cover. As 

noted above, the ―headline‖ or subject of each article may be truncated or incomplete or in error (for 

example: ―POPCORN KATE - IN JAIL FOR HER RENDITION OF  ̳LITTL‘‖ or ―BARLEY 

PHOTOGRAPHS ALL COMPANY STERNWHEELERS FOR W‖). It is fairly obvious in these two 

cases what the missing word(s) are – ―LITTLE EGYPT‖ in the first case and ―WHITE PASS‖ (the 

railroad company) in the second, but in other cases the missing words may muddle the meaning of the 

sentence so much so that it is incomprehensible. 

The index is also prone to errors. Some of the index information may be correct while for other index entries, 

the wrong column number, wrong page number, wrong date, or even the wrong paper may have been given). 

The index is also woefully incomplete – for example, the Daily Alaskan newspaper ran from 1898 until 1924. 

It was the premiere newspaper for that period of time (often it was the only local newspaper for that time). It 

was a daily paper that contains a wealth of historical information about the area. The park has the entire run 

on microfilm with the exception of some missing issues printed during the first half of 1898, yet it is doubtful 

that much if any information from the paper was entered into the index after 1912. Other newspapers that 

have been partially indexed include the Dyea Press, the Dyea Trail, the Morning Alaskan, the Skagway 

Cheechako, and the Skagway News. Historic newspapers that the park has on microfilm that have not been 

indexed include the Alaska Daily Empire, the Alaska Daily Guide, the Alaska Mining Record, the Alaska 

Searchlight, the Alaskan, the Bennett Sun, the North Wind, the Skagway Alaskan / Lynn Canal Weekly, the 

Skagway Daily Budget and the Skagway Interloper. The park has yet to acquire gold rush era papers from 

Dawson City and Whitehorse. Nevertheless this database, despite its faults, is an excellent tool for gathering 

in depth historical information on a wide variety of cultural and natural resource subjects in a short period of 

time. 

Cathy Spude, a recently retired NPS archeologist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has read the Daily Alaskan in 

depth for many years while doing research on various Skagway subjects including the Mascot Saloon, 

saloons in general, and prostitution (Volume 10 in the park‘s Archeological Investigation in Skagway, 
81

Alaska series is one of the results of this research – Spude and others 2006). During this research she 

developed an Excel database indexing many Daily Alaskan articles. The park should at least try to

acquire the database Spude has developed and combine it with the park‘s database. All the entries in the 

existing databases will need to be quality checked to insure accuracy. Each ―headline‖ needs to be 

checked for accuracy and possibly rewritten to be sure it is complete. The newspaper index needs to be 

expanded to include all of the important articles and advertisements in all of the available local 

newspapers up to at least the 1960s if not later. Newspapers from Southeast Alaska, the Yukon Territory, 

and the West Coast should also be searched for articles on Skagway, Dyea and the Chilkoot and White 

Pass trails and those articles should also be indexed. The key words will also have to be revised and 

defined. No PMIS statement has been written for this project.

Finding Aid for First Hand Accounts:

In the slightly over 30 years since KLGO first opened its doors, the park has received numerous firsthand

accounts of the Klondike Gold Rush stampede. These accounts have been acquired through purchase, 

donation, and historical research. The accounts take the form of articles, books, diaries, letters, oral 

histories, individual photographs and albums, and reminiscences. In some cases the park has received the 

original item (in which case it is housed in the park archives) while in other cases it has been photocopies 

or typescripts of the original item(s) (in which case they are housed in the park library). Most books have 

been purchased while many articles have been photocopied.

Firsthand accounts are, of course, one of the most important primary resources for gold rush scholars and 

the park‘s interpreters. What better way to tell the story of the gold rush than in the words of the 

Stampeders themselves? Over the past decade the park has slowly developed a finding aid for firsthand 

accounts. This electronic Word document is not complete but already contains brief summaries for over 

350 firsthand accounts and runs to some 70 pages. These ―summaries‖ range from a single line of text 

simply acknowledging that the park has a collection of items under the name of a Stampeder (for example

one entry lists: ―Zane, Colonel Elmes – Extensive [Handwritten] Letters‖), while other entries consist of 

a few sentences to a small paragraph or two, and a few of the summaries run to a page or more.

The intent of these summaries is to provide the person researching the park‘s collection of firsthand 

accounts with a guide as to what is in each account. For example, if a scholar is searching for information 

on weather during the gold rush, he or she should be able to search this finding aid and find the accounts 

that mention weather and in particular find the accounts where weather is mentioned frequently and the 

weather entries are extensive and detailed. For example, the best diary for weather information in the 

park‘s collection so far is the Klondike Gold Rush diary of Lesse A. Bachelder who describes the weather 

almost daily on his journey from Skagway, Alaska to Dawson City, Yukon Territory in 1898. This 

finding aid should provide similar information for many other subjects. Unfortunately this finding aid is 

nowhere near complete. Each summer, the park historian saddles his one Student Conservation 

Association (SCA) intern with the task of reading a few of these firsthand accounts and developing a 

couple of paragraphs long summary of each account according to a set format. In addition, occasionally a 

park library volunteer will tackle an entry or two and if lucky, the park historian may be able to add one

or two firsthand account summaries per year himself. Given the rate at which these entries are made, it 

will take another 30 years to complete this finding aid, which assumes the park acquires no more firsthand 

accounts, something that is unlikely. 

In order to speed up the completion of this finding aid the park should hire a permanent librarian who 

would devote at least part of her or his work time to the task of reading the park‘s firsthand accounts and 

summarizing them. Another option would be to hire a term employee or SCA intern that would be 

employed for a year or more, to work solely on this task. Another option would be to hire a contractor to 

do this work. This project calls for the completion of a finding aid for the park‘s collection of firsthand 

accounts within a year. No PMIS statement has been written for this project.
82

Historic Building File:

In the park library there is a filing cabinet drawer that contains the start of a Historic Building File. The 

file folders cover the historic district and each folder has information about a particular building. In each 

folder there are usually a few photocopies of some historic photographs that show one aspect or another 

of the building in question. There may also be several recent photographs of that same building. A

photocopy of a newspaper article or two that discuss the construction of that building or an addition to 

that building and perhaps some hand written notes regarding the building may also be found in the 

building file. This file was probably created to assist Bob Spude in compiling his Skagway, District of 

Alaska 1884-1912 Building the Gateway to the Klondike (Spude 1983:139-161) and the Skagway Historic 

District and White Pass National Historic Landmark nomination form.

Also in the park library are the three filing cabinets that contain the park‘s historic photograph collection. 

The photographs are generally divided into certain geographical categories (for Skagway these would be 

Broadway from First Avenue to Fourth Avenue (B1), Broadway from Forth Avenue to Sixth Avenue

(B4), and Broadway above Sixth Avenue (B6), the other streets – Spring (SG), State (ST), and Main

(MA), and First through Seventh Avenues) but are not divided into file folders for each individual 

building. Also in the library are microfilm reels of the local newspapers and a map cabinet containing 

copies of various maps of the area. Some of the maps have been digitized. There are also electronic 

databases containing information on many of the Skagway characters in town such as the 1900, 1910, 

1920, and 1930 Skagway census reports. As indicated above, the Skagway City Museum has numerous 

electronic databases providing information on individuals, such as business owners. The museum also 

has original tax book and other primary sources may be located elsewhere.

A proposal has been made to develop an historic building inventory for the town in line with updating the 

Skagway Historic District section of the Skagway Historic District and White Pass NHL. If this proposal 

is funded, an electronic database of all the existing buildings in Skagway would be developed and this 

would supersede this Historic Building File. Information about each building would be placed in this 

electronic database from all available sources (photographs, newspaper articles, deed and tax records, 

census information, etc). The database would be linked to historic and recent maps in the park‘s GIS 

database. This GIS building file database would function as an easily accessible finding aid allowing 

researchers, park staff, and the public to access and review the park‘s important historic images as well as 

develop ―instant‖ building histories. This database could be expanded to include Dyea and other parts of 

the park. This GIS database could be migrated to a tablet PC running a custom ArcPad application. The 

Tablet PC would display a series of maps of Skagway‘s historic district and Dyea highlighting points of 

interest. Users would then be able to use the touch screen to access historic images of the sites while they 

view the current condition on the ground. This device could also be used by park visitors (possible rented 

from the Alaska Geographic outlet) to tour the park. Narration (MP3) could be added to the GIS database 

to enhance its use as a tour aid. The existing Historic Building file could be the start of this electronic 

building file and serve as a repository for information gathered during research on the historic structures 

in town. When the electronic building file is complete, this building file should still be retained by the 

library as a backup although perhaps moved to the park archive. No PMIS statement has been written for 

this project. 

Public Outreach

The American public supports the park with its tax dollars and the scholarly archeological and historical 

publications the park generates are an important way that the park can give back to the American public 

something in exchange for those dollars. These park cultural resource publications present a lasting legacy 

for the park and will frequently sit on individual and public library bookshelves to be used by members of the 

public including scholars for many years to come. The public also benefits from these books because they 
83

provide accurate historical information that can then be passed on to the public, through wayside exhibits, 

brochures, pamphlets, handouts, web page information, movies, and personal contact through Ranger walks 

and talks. Park staff, however, must do more to engage and educate the public about the history of the 

Klondike Gold Rush, including the people involved, the historic routes, the events that happened during the 

gold rush, the artifacts, buildings, and stories left behind by the rush. The park must also educate the public 

about the basic preservation message inherent in the NPS philosophy and make this education fun. This 

section contains some proposals that are designed to make gold rush history an important, exciting, and 

challenging part of the public‘s experience with the park but without the sometimes dry scholarly detail found 

the park‘s cultural resource publications.

Recommendations:

Develop partnerships with public and private organizations within the state and outside the state

to increase the educational opportunities at the park, support the park‘s research program, and 

improve public outreach.

Fund a historic preservation workshop every five years for the citizens of the Municipality of 

Skagway to improve public outreach (PMIS 055338).

Fund an occasional professional symposium on gold rush archeology and history to be held in 

Skagway to improve public outreach.

Fund an oral history workshop to be held in Skagway to improve the park‘s public outreach and 

to potentially contribute to the park‘s oral history program.

Work with the Skagway Historic District Commission to develop a series of historic winter

window displays for the closed up buildings so that Skagway‘s winter population and winter 

tourists would at least have something to see and read. 

Develop a popular book on the park's cultural resources to protect those resources and help 

improve public outreach.

Develop a popular guidebook on the Chilkoot Trail to help protect this heritage trail corridor and 

help improve public outreach. 

Develop and produce an hour long film on the Chilkoot Trail, its history, archeology and present 

condition to help protect this heritage trail corridor and improve public outreach. 

Develop a popular guidebook on the White Pass Trail including a history of the trail and its 

archeological remains to help protect this historic trail and improve public outreach. 

Develop and produce an hour long film specifically on the White Pass Trail, its history, 

archeology, and present condition to help protect this historic trail corridor and improve public 

outreach. 

Develop a popular guidebook on Dyea from before the Klondike Gold Rush to the present to 

protect this historic townsite and help improve public outreach.

Develop and produce an hour long film on Dyea, its history, archeology, and present condition to 

help protect this historic townsite and improve public outreach. 
84

Develop and produce an hour long film on Skagway, its history, archeology, buildings, and 

present condition to help protect the Skagway Historic District and improve public outreach. 

Develop an occasional paper series to insure that all smaller special historical studies listed in this 

plan are eventually published in one form or another once satisfactorily completed to help 

improve public outreach.

Develop an electronic virtual reality for the history of Skagway to help educate the public of all ages 

and improve public outreach.

Discussion:

Public / Private Partnerships:

Even before the park‘s authorization in 1976, the NPS had worked closely with Parks Canada and the 

Canadian government planning the international historical park. Since the Canadian and American parks 

have been established, both agencies have worked closely on the management of the Chilkoot Trail. For 

example, both governments have developed uniform wayside exhibits for both sides of the trail and there 

is even a Trail Center (or Centre) in Skagway, staffed by employees of both governments to present a 

uniform front and to present uniform information to people hiking the trail. The park also has worked 

closely with the State of Alaska Division of Natural Resources on the management of Dyea and the 

American portion of the Chilkoot Trail since the state owns a good portion of the trail corridor and 

portions of the White Pass Unit. The NPS has had a long and difficult relationship with the City of 

Skagway, now the Municipality of Skagway, since even before the park was authorized. Sometimes the 

relationship has been good but at other times it has been strained often because of personalities and the 

actions of either organization. The park, however, needs to work closely with the Municipality of

Skagway because of so many common issues and concerns. Other partners might include the Skagway 

Traditional Council and the Taiya Inlet Watershed Council (http://www.taiya.org/about_us.html – site last 

visited 28 April 2011)

KLGO has a history of working cooperatively with other governments and agencies but the park needs to 

expand its outreach to include sections of the cultural community. For example, the park already has a 

close relationship with the State Historic Preservation Officer in Anchorage due to the park‘s need to 

comply with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended and especially Section 106 of 

that act. The park, however, does very little to support the public outreach activities of this office. The 

park is not even linked to the SHPO‘s web page http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/oha/shpo/shpo.htm. The park 

is a long time member of the Alaska Historical Society http://www.alaskahistoricalsociety.org/ but aside 

for paying $45 per year for membership, the park does nothing to assist the society toward its goals even 

though their goals are fully compatible with the park goals. The same can be said of the Alaska 

Association for Historic Preservation http://www.aahp-online.net/ and the Alaska Anthropological 

Association http://www.alaskaanthropology.org/ (all web sites in this paragraph last visited 28 April 

2011). The park web page is not even linked to these three important state wide cultural resources 

organizations.

In 1997 park employees developed a poster for Alaska Archaeology Week and participated in that year‘s 

program of educational talks. The park‘s participation in the program now is simply limited to receiving

and distributing the Alaska Archaeology Month posters without doing anything else even though the 

NPS‘s Alaska Regional Office is one of the program sponsors. The regional office also sponsors the 

Alaska History Day website http://www.alaskahistoryday.com/ and are also one of the sponsors of the 

yearly Alaska History Day contest, but KLGO‘s website doesn‘t have links to either the Alaska History 

Day or National History Day web pages http://nationalhistoryday.org/ (all web sites in this paragraph last 
85

visited 28 April 2011) nor do we do anything to support such programs although the park historian 

occasionally will assist a student competing for the History Day prize if that student contacts the park 

first.

Development of the Historic Photographic Database mentioned above would provide the perfect 

opportunity to develop partnerships with some of the major historical institutions in the state such as the

Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, 

the Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and the Alaska State Library in Juneau. 

The National Archives has a branch office in Anchorage and since that agency is one of the premier 

historical agencies in the nation, it would also be a perfect partner with this international historical park. 

Yet none of these institutions are even mentioned on the park‘s web pages. 

The park should also seek out universities with historical and / or archeological departments that might be 

interested in contributing to a better understanding of the Klondike Gold Rush. Many of the universities

mentioned above and others throughout the nation have students that need topics for master thesis and 

PhD dissertations. Many of the proposed projects listed in this research plan and others not yet thought of

could be developed into theses or dissertations. A way simply needs to be found to provide funding 

assistance for the students doing the research and the park could be in the forefront of historical and 

archeological research on the gold rush era. For example, several years ago the park was able to hired 

two students (through student hire and grant funding) from the Public History program at Middle 

Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, Tennessee). These students did a good job in the park for four 

summers (1997-2000) although they were not required to write a thesis. Later the park entered into a 

cooperative agreement with the Oregon State University (Corvallis, Oregon) to supply students and staff 

and oversee the Dyea Archeological Field School (1999-2002). Again, the students were not required to 

write theses but as a result of this project one student did report on a specific archeological ruin in Dyea

as his master‘s thesis (Diederich 2004). Funding for these projects came through the Alaska Regional 

Office‘s Cultural Resource Advisory Committee.

Other universities should be consulted to see if they would have any interest in working with KLGO to 

develop a student intern program. For example, Michigan Technological University (Houghton, 

Michigan) has an excellent program in Industrial Archeology. They could easily find an MA or PhD 

candidate to work on a project dealing with one of the three aerial tramways operating along the Chilkoot 

Trail during the gold rush. Other students could work on the surface tramways or the early telephone 

system, operations found in both Skagway and Dyea and up the trails, or the early electrical systems that 

generated electricity with wood found in Canyon City and Skagway. Or Skagway‘s early water systems 

with wood stave pipes. These are state of the art technologies for the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, 

something students in Industrial Archeology and Technological History would die for. Sonoma State 

University (Rohnert Park, California) has a good reputation for doing urban archaeology and their 

students could be a good fit for projects in the Skagway historic district or in Dyea – for example another 

archeological field school or independent study by individual students. University of Alaska Southeast, 

located in Juneau 90 miles away, is the closest university to the park and probably has something to 

contribute to the park if only we would stretch out our hand. 

We currently work with the SCA who supplies us with well qualified student interns for limited amounts 

of time, usually during the summer. One of the intern positions the SCA supplies the park is for a 12 

week Historian Assistant that usually lasts from late May to early August. Candidates usually are in their

junior or senior year of a college or university program or just starting their graduate studies. This 

currently costs the park approximately $5,000 plus providing the intern with free housing. If we could 

work with a university, the SCA, a philanthropic organization, and / or maybe a friends group, perhaps we 

could find the funds for a full year or multi-year student internship program. 
86

Finally, the GMP (NPS 1996:1) talks about establishing a KLSE ―Friends of the Park‖ support group 

but there is no reason not to enlarge that group to include KLGO as well and to use it in part to funnel 

funds to the park‘s historic research efforts. Since KLSE and KLGO share the same name and interests, 

acquisitions of historic material can benefit both parks. Conducting historical research and completing 

historical reports also benefit both parks because it provides the interpreters of both parks with more 

interpretative material. A ―Friends of the Park‖ support group could be used to solicit outside funds and 

then use these funds to help fund the student interns described above. A ―Friends of the Park‖ support 

group, in cooperation with Alaska Geographic could be used to produce and help publish more historical 

reports on the gold rush. A ―Friends of the Park‖ support group could increase the communication among 

the staff of the two parks something that is sorely lacking today. Although park staff from KLSE and 

KLGO do communicate occasionally and also occasionally visit the other park, considering their common 

name and interests, it is remarkable how little the two parks really interact. 

Historic Preservation Workshop:

The first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested that the park sponsor workshops in gold rush archeology, history,

and historic preservation. A PMIS project statement was placed into the system specifically calling for 

the park to conduct a public historic preservation conference or workshop (PMIS 055338). In April 2004 

the park sponsored a two day Historic Preservation Workshop held in Skagway. The workshop featured 

nationally known speakers with expertise in Historic Preservation field and philosophy and who provided 

information on topics such as National Historic Landmarks, the roles and responsibilities of historic 

district commissions, historic preservation tax credits, heritage tourism, the role of the National Trust for 

Historic Preservation in Alaska, the role of the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, and general 

information about compatible design practices within historic districts. This type of information is 

absolutely essential to a small community like Skagway with nationally significant historic properties that 

are being heavily impacted by development connected with a booming summer tourism economy. 

The 2004 workshop met with success, however, this type of gathering should not be considered a onetime event, but instead it should be repeated on a regular basis. The Skagway Historic District, the 

Skagway Historic District and White Pass NHL, and by association, the park, is constantly under threat. 

The tourist economy continues to grow putting pressure on all the historic buildings in town and on the 

character of the historic district. The Skagway Historic District Commission is composed of local people 

with limited or no training in Historic Preservation and little opportunity to learn about the field or 

connect with professionals in the field yet these are the very people directly responsible for maintaining 

the character of the historic district. The composition of the Commission also changes over time with 

older Commissioners retiring and new individuals being appointed to membership. People buy and sell

and rent their historic properties and new owners come into the community with little or no experience 

dealing with historic properties. Large corporations come into Skagway and rent or buy historic buildings

and they have no understanding of or background in Historic Preservation, the Skagway Historic District 

and White Pass NHL, or the purpose of the park or the downtown historic district. Park permanent and 

seasonal employees rarely get a chance to think about the larger issues in preserving an historic district 

and a landmark because of the press of their jobs. Since the park does not own the historic district, it has 

to work with the Municipality of Skagway, private landowners, and the local population to preserve and 

protect this internationally renowned resource. 

This agency (the NPS) has done a lot to restore the historic buildings under its care in Skagway. This 

work is ongoing and by its example, the park has influenced others to restore, rehabilitate, or just maintain

the historic buildings they own. Yet many in the community and many of our visitors think Skagway is 

just another Disneyland. In order to help our public (and ourselves) to fully understand and embrace the 

park‘s mission, we need to reach out to the public (and our staff) on a regular basis so they can better 

understand what we do and why we do it. A Historic Preservation Workshop is an ideal way to give back 

to the local public, provide the public with the tools they need to maintain their own historic buildings, 
87

and help explain why we are here, both to the local public, the large public, and ourselves. It also 

provides a perfect opportunity to enter into local, state wide, and perhaps national historic preservation 

partnerships. This workshop should be held at least once every five years and could be sponsored by the 

park, the Municipality of Skagway, the historic preservation community both within and outside of 

Alaska, non-profit and for profit organizations. The PMIS project statement listed above (PMIS 055338)

should be updated for inflation.

Cultural Resources Symposium:

As indicated above, the first RMP (NPS 1994) suggested that the park sponsor workshops in gold rush 

archeology, history, and historic preservation. The workshop on historic preservation has already been 

described above in some detail. The workshop on gold rush archeology and history could be combined

into a professional symposium on both subjects. An example of the type of professional cultural 

resources symposium the park, in association with other partners, could sponsor could easily be 

composed of the authors of a manuscript entitled Eldorado! The Historical Archaeology of Gold Mining 

in the Far North (Spude, Mills, Gurcke, and Sprague 2011) accepted for publication by the University of 

Nebraska Press for the Society of Historical Archaeology and scheduled for publication in 2011. The 

book contains a number of chapters on the history and archaeology of gold mining in Alaska and the 

Yukon by Canadian and American scholars. The chapter titles indicate the depth and breadth of research 

in this field:

An Overview History of the Alaska-Yukon Gold Rushes, 1880-1918 by Robert L. Spude

Theoretical Perspectives on the Frontier Mining Pattern by Donald L. Hardesty

A Proposed Model for a Placer Gold Mining Settlement System by Robin O. Mills

Surprise! It Works: Predicting Social and Economic Function at Residential and Commercial 

Site Types in the Far North, 1880-1920 by Catherine Holder Spude

Already Here and Rich: A Brief Ethnohistory of Upper Lynn Canal by Thomas F. Thornton

Tobacco Pipes, Medicinals, and Decorated Dishes: The Archaeology of Gender and Economic 

Class in Households from Skagway, Alaska by Doreen C. Cooper and Catherine Holder Spude

Faunal Remains in Skagway, Alaska: Gold Rush to Working Class by David R. Huelsbeck

An Overview of Chilkoot Trail Archaeology by Eve Griffin and Karl Gurcke

Canyon City: The Archaeology of a Company Town on the Transportation Network to the 

Klondike by T. J. Hammer

Explaining Variability in Northern Gold Mining Saloons by Catherine Holder Spude, Robert M. 

Weaver, and Tim A. Kardatzke

Living at the Edge of a Boomtown: Transient Life in Dawson City during the Klondike Gold 

Rush by Michael Brand

Boom through Bust and Beyond: Changing Settlement System Functions at Coldfoot, a Placer 

Mining Town in Alaska by Robin O. Mills

Alder Smoke and Shoe Nails: Life in an Early-20th Century Mining Camp by Howard L. Smith, 

Robin O. Mills, and Catherine Holder Spude

Living the Solitary Life: Placer Mining Camps in Alaska, 1900–1950 by Becky M. Saleeby

Alaska Natives in the Gold Rush: A Look at Valdez Creek in the Early to Mid-20th Century by 

Robert E. King

Cabin Comforts: The Archaeology of Bachelor Cabins on Fish Creek, Alaska by Andrew S. 

Higgs and Robert A. Sattler

New Perspectives from the North: Comparative Opportunities and Challenges in an Archaeology 

of Eldorado by Margaret Purser

Along the lines of the International Conference on Russian America held several times at Sitka, Alaska or 

the Glacier Bay Science Symposium held occasionally in Glacier Bay, Alaska, this professional 
88

symposium in archeology and history could easily be held in Skagway with some advance work and 

help from the community and outside partners. KLGO could partner with state wide organizations such 

as the Alaska Historical Society or the Alaska Anthropological Association to hold the symposium either 

in Skagway as an isolated event or in conjunction with one of the organization‘s annual meetings. If the 

organization‘s annual meeting was held in a nearby city such as Whitehorse, Haines, or Juneau (both of 

the organizations mentioned above have held their conventions in Whitehorse and Juneau and the Alaska 

Historical Society has also held several conventions in Haines), the symposium could easily be a pre or 

post conference event. KLGO could also sponsor a gold rush symposium at the annual meeting of a 

national organization such as the Society for Historical Archaeology or the American Association for 

State and Local History. There would be problems with funding travel and the travel ceiling but with 

intelligence, determination, and outside partners, this could be solved.

In 1990 the Society for Industrial Archeology sponsored a ―Study Tour of the Yukon and Alaska‖ in 

conjunction with Parks Canada and KLGO. Members of the Society arrived in Whitehorse, spent a day

and a half in Skagway touring the area‘s industrial sites, returned to Whitehorse and spent several days 

doing the same there, and then traveled to Dawson to do the same. They traveled by bus to and from 

Skagway and by bus and DC-3 airliner from Whitehorse to Dawson and return. As a pre tour event, 

several of the more hardy members hiked the Chilkoot Trail led by Parks Canada Historian David 

Neufeld and KLGO Cultural Resource Specialist Karl Gurcke. The park should approach Parks Canada 

and the Society for Industrial Archeology about doing another similar tour in the near future. Sponsoring 

organizations probably could be found in every town visited by the tour.

 

KLGO could also approach a cultural society, such as the Mining History Association or the Alaska 

Historical Society to hold its annual meeting in Skagway. In order to carry out such an event 

successfully, the park would need the cooperation of most of the businesses in town (especially the 

hotels), the Skagway Chamber of Commerce, and the Municipality of Skagway. The major problems 

would be finding enough rooms in town to house the guests and having enough volunteers to staff the 

events. Hosting the annual meeting of a small society of a few hundred members would be possible in 

Skagway and probably quite welcomed by the community.

This symposium does not need to be an annual event or something scheduled every five years, but rather 

is should happen whenever there is sufficient demand by the scholars and research professionals working 

in this field and whenever the business community, the volunteers, and organizations such as the 

Skagway Chamber of Commerce, and the Municipality of Skagway feel up to hosting such an event. No 

PMIS statement has yet been written for developing such a symposium, however, there is a PMIS 

statement in the system for two days of a professional data sharing meeting between Natural and Cultural 

Resource staff to be held in Skagway (KLGO 091338).

Oral History Workshops:

KLGO was established because of the great Klondike Gold Rush (the historical event), the people who 

passed this way during the stampede of 1896-1898, and what they left behind (the artifacts, trails, 

buildings, and the stories). The gold rush is a story of individuals against the elements, the terrain, and 

the rest of the Stampeders. Each individual Stampeder, therefore, had a different story to tell. Although 

most of the people who actually took part in the stampede are now dead, many of their sons and 

daughters, grandsons and granddaughters are still alive. The community of Skagway also includes 

families, whose ancestors came here during the gold rush, and others who have spent all or most of their 

lives in Skagway. The park is fortunate to have members of the local community with lifetime histories 

intricately linked to the park's story. These men and women, now in their 60s, 70s and 80s, have a wealth 

of accumulated irreplaceable knowledge of the areas cultural, historical, and natural resources. Not only 

do they know about their own life, but they also have historical information passed onto them by their 
89

parents, in some cases dating back even to before the gold rush. Much of this information has never 

been written down in history books but can still be recovered through oral history interviews. 

As part of a public outreach educational campaign to help the local community preserve their history (and 

the park to potentially gain much ―new‖ historical knowledge), the park should fund oral history 

workshops on a irregular basis perhaps two to three times a decade. Such a workshop would be relatively 

inexpensive to fund, requiring the hiring of a single professional contract oral historian and perhaps an 

assistant to travel to Skagway to put on the workshop for two to three days. Current total costs for such a 

workshop are estimated to be around $5,000. The workshop could be held alone as part of a park 

educational outreach program, or in conjunction with the Skagway Museum, the local high school, or as 

part of a course sponsored by the University of Alaska Southeast with costs shared. The purpose of the 

workshop would be to teach members of the public (including staff members) how to conduct 

professional level oral history interviews (with the proper forms and equipment) and to build up a cadre 

of interviewers to assist the park staff in conducting more oral history interviews in the future. The 

workshop would also help develop an understanding in the public about the importance of oral history 

and get them acquainted with doing oral interviews with members of their own family or others in the 

community. The park would act as a public repository for copies of these oral histories if family 

members approved and some of the oral histories could actually be placed on the park‘s web page if they 

met certain criteria. Several PMIS project statements have been written that involve oral history (KLGO 

55230, 55291, and 109082) but none is specifically directed toward holding a public oral history 

workshop.

Historic Window Displays:

During his twelve year term on the Skagway Historic District Commission, the park historian often heard 

complaints from Commission members and other members of the public that during the winter, the 

―window displays‖ of closed up local businesses were unappealing, downright messy, and almost always 

detracted from the historic character of the building and the historic district. The park‘s Long-Range 

Interpretive Plan also makes mention of this fact in reference to the park‘s lease-back buildings that close 

during the winter (NPS 2005:23). Generally, business owners simply close up their buildings 

immediately after the cruise ship season ends and they leave their display windows sometimes covered up 

with painted plywood on the outside, or on the inside with mismatch paper (often butcher paper) stuck to 

the insides of the windows with tape to hide the interior, or sometimes completely vacant and blank, or 

with the left over remains of the summer display. The park is even guilty of this lack of interest in the 

winter visitor and the local public. One of the park‘s buildings, the Mascot Saloon, has large display 

windows and during the summer they are filled up with historic liquor bottles of all descriptions in order 

to replicate the display found in an historic photograph of the saloon taken in 1901. These bottles are 

removed in the fall and in their place are several enlarged historical photographs of Broadway on foam 

core panels that have not changed in the several decades that the park historian has been employed by the 

park. They are looking quite shop worn. The panels also have little text and there seems to be no theme 

to the photographical display. Simply changing the photos and developing text would do wonders for this 

display.

On several occasions in the past this problem has generated much discussion among Commission 

members and there was even one public workshop held to figure out what to do to correct this problem, 

unfortunately without results. When the park first started painting its historic buildings and then restoring 

them, the owners of adjoining property took the hint and began painting, fixing up, and / or restoring the 

buildings they owned. The park should lead by example in this case as well by first replacing the current 

Mascot Saloon winter display panels with new winter displays panels depicting some aspect of the rich 

history of the building and archeology beneath it. An excellent source for text and photograph for these 

panels can be found in Spude and others (2006). This is particularly important for the Mascot since the 

building is an exhibit depicting city life during the gold rush. While open during the summer, this exhibit 
90

is closed during the winter, leaving the winter visitor out in the cold in more ways than one. The park 

should then focus its attention on developing winter window displays for its lease-back buildings that also

close during the winter. 

These ―winter window display panels‖ should be relatively simple and easy to handle – large foam core 

panels with a mix of historical photographs, historical newspaper articles, and / or advertisements, 

perhaps some artifacts, and some text that would briefly describe the building‘s early history and owners, 

and could easily be placed in the windows. Other ―winter window display panels‖ could focus on themes 

not covered in the park‘s existing collection of exhibits, wayside exhibit panels, or brochures. For 

example, the Lynch & Kennedy front store windows could hold display panels on the African-American 

Buffalo Soldiers of Company L of the 24th Infantry who were station in Skagway from 1899 to 1902 and 

stayed at the Lynch & Kennedy when it was a barracks building on Sixth Avenue. The park historian 

would play a large part in the development of these winter panels by supplying the designers with 

historical photographs and reviewing the panels‘ text. The displays could be developed in-house or 

contracted out. They could be designed so that they could be hung on the walls of the businesses during 

the summer and then put in the display windows during the fall. The park could develop more winter 

window displays than the park has windows, and this would allow the ―winter window display panels‖ to 

be rotated around and perhaps lent out to historic district business owners. Unfortunately these proposals

have never been fully developed or funded and last winter the display windows of closed businesses were 

just as uninteresting and distracting as they have since Skagway became a summer only town and the park 

was established. No PMIS statement has yet been written for these developing these ―winter window 

display panels.‖

KLGO Cultural Resources Guidebook:

Another proposal in the park‘s first RMP (NPS 1994) called for developing a popular book on the park's 

cultural resources. Alaska Geographic in cooperation with the park has developing a ―park handbook‖

describing both the natural and cultural resources of the area. It is possible that this park handbook will 

fill the bill intended by the original proposal although it is felt that a more detailed product might be in 

order and one that focused exclusively on the park‘s cultural resources. The park currently has little that 

interprets the park as a whole to the visitor with the possible exception of the park‘s unigrid brochure and 

the new 20 minute park movie.

Although how this book would ultimately be laid out would be up to the authors and designers, here is a 

suggested table of contents. The first chapter of this proposed book would describe the land and the 

people prior to the Klondike Gold Rush. It would include the Tlingit and Tagish peoples, their history

(their stories), culture, and relationship to the land. A brief history of the early explorations of Alaska by 

Europeans and Americans would follow leading up to the opening of the Chilkoot Trail to Euroamerican 

prospectors in 1880. The various Euroamerican scientific and military expeditions over the Chilkoot 

Trail could then be briefly mentioned as well as the Native people‘s switch from a trading economy to a 

packing economy. The 1888 Packer‘s war would be explained as would Captain Moore‘s vision for 

Skagway and his trek over the White Pass. 

The second chapter would cover the Klondike Gold Rush and its effects on the local area. Some of the 

effects described would be Captain Moore‘s loss of his homestead and his long legal battle to regain at 

least a part of the property he staked before the rush and the Tlingit and Tagish people‘s loss of their land 

and their even longer political battle to regain it. The discovery of gold in the Klondike would be 

described and the reasons why the gold rush occurred (the Panic of 1893) would be explained. Maps 

would illustrate the various trails to the Klondike gold fields. The boomtowns of Skagway and Dyea as 

well as the Chilkoot and White Pass trails would be described and illustrated with historic photographs. 
91

A third chapter would deal with the aftermath of the gold rush – in the case of Skagway, the conversion 

of a boomtown to a small Alaskan railroad and tourist town. In the case of Dyea, the aftermath of the 

gold rush resulted in the conversion of a booming town into a ghost town that over the years slowly 

converted to a rich archeological site. The Chilkoot Trail was essentially abandoned for 60 years while 

the White Pass Trail was simply abandoned with the sound of locomotives replacing the sound of horses 

on the Dead Horse Trail. 

A fourth chapter would deal with Skagway becoming a boomtown once again during World War II. It 

would highlight the vital role Skagway and the WP&YR played in the war effort by funneling people, 

equipment, and supplies into the Yukon interior to build the Alaskan Highway and the Canol Pipeline. 

The effect World War II had on Skagway would be illustrated through historic photographs, firsthand 

accounts, and documents. 

The fifth chapter would discuss the early history of the park idea, the establishment of the park, and 

illustrate what KLGO is doing to help preserve the rich cultural heritage under its care. This chapter 

would show through photographs, some of the park buildings when new, their condition when the park 

acquired them after years of neglect, and the restoration process. It would show the contribution of many 

professionals (historians, historic architects, archeologists, day-laborers, painters, carpenters, maintenance 

staff, interpreters, curators, structural engineers, and others) to our understanding and preservation of such 

structures. It would discuss and explain the historic preservation philosophy and showcase the thirty year 

effort to preserve the archeological record by documenting the artifacts, features, and sites. 

The final chapter would showcase the area as it is today – photographs of the historic buildings as seen 

today, the historic gold rush era ruins in Dyea and along the Chilkoot and White Pass trails, the historic 

White Pass & Yukon Route railroad running up the White Pass Valley, the rich archeological sites, 

features, and artifacts found throughout the area and the gold rush stories brought to the park by ancestors 

of the gold rush Stampeders. The intention of the guide book would be to showcase the history and 

cultural heritage in this part of the International Historical Park and explain why it is important to 

preserve such internationally important buildings, trails, ruins, artifacts, and the stories left behind by the 

Stampeders. No PMIS statement has yet been written for developing such a guidebook but this 

guidebook could be developed in conjunction with Alaska Geographic and be a sales item in the park 

bookstore.

Chilkoot Trail Guidebook:

Currently the park has the following interpretative material on the Chilkoot Trail for visitors: (1) the park 

unigrid brochure which mentions the trail in passing, (2) the 20 minute park movie, which has a bit more 

information on the trail but nothing in depth, (3) two maps of the trail with some historic information in 

each that are given / sold to the visitor, (4) a Chilkoot Trail safety video which mentions the history and 

archeology of the trail in brief, (5) a Slide Cemetery / Palm Sunday Avalanche Site Bulletin which

provides historic information about that one specific event of the Chilkoot Trail history, (6) another site 

bulletin about the whole Chilkoot Trail, which mostly informs contemporary hikers about the basics of 

hiking the trail but also provides a very brief history of the trail, and (7) finally a series of out-of-date 

wayside exhibits at Dyea and along the trail itself that briefly describe the history of specific areas along 

the trail. 

The Chilkoot Trail is an incredible important resource for the park. The iconic image of the entire 

Klondike Gold Rush is found along the American side of the trail – Stampeders climbing the Golden 

Stairs in the middle of winter. This extremely rich historical and archeological heritage resource warrants 

much more attention than has been given the trail in the past, especially since the archeological resource 

is constantly under threat of destruction by erosion, theft, vandalism, and decay. KLGO should therefore 

develop a popular guidebook on the cultural resources found along the Chilkoot Trail with a very strong 
92

preservation message. The purpose of the volume would be to connect the major trail archeological 

features with the history of the trail. The guidebook would be based on what the hiker (or armchair 

traveler) actually sees along the way and a strong preservation message would be found throughout the 

book. 

Although exactly how this book would be ultimately laid out would be up to the authors and designers, 

here is a suggested table of contents. The first part would, of course deal with the history of the trail, 

covering the pre gold rush, gold rush, and post gold rush periods in some detail. It would discuss the use 

of the trail by the Tlingit and Tagish peoples for trade, the Klondike Stampede, the end of the commercial 

phase of the trail‘s history, the 60 year period of abandonment, and the State of Alaska and later Yukon 

Territory‘s reopening of the trail as a recreational path in the 1960s. The chapter would end with a 

discussion of the takeover of trail management responsibilities by the National Park Service and Parks 

Canada. A section on the management philosophies of the two agencies might be in order here – For 

example, the ―leave no trace‖ or ―leave only footsteps and take only pictures‖ philosophy could be part of 

the guidebook.

The next part would focus on a few of the gold rush archeological features and artifacts found along the 

trail today, describe their relationship to gold rush historic sites or linear features such as the telephone

trees and tramway lines, and illustrate their current condition with modern photographs. We already have 

fairly complete and detailed histories of all the major ruins along the Chilkoot Trail (Norris and Taylor

1986) so historical research need not be a stumbling block to completing this guidebook. Only a few 

archeological features and artifacts should be discussed because of space limitations and all the features 

and artifacts discussed should be easily found on the trail or in the campgrounds. After all, we do not 

want hikers going off trail to find some feature or artifact currently hidden (and protected, thereby) in the 

woods that we have discussed in this book. 

One suggested sidebar in the book could be on the Sunset Telephone Company‘s telephone line from 

Dyea to Bennett. There are a few historic photographs and gold rush era newspaper stories that illustrate 

this line and some additional research may need to be done to fill out the knowledge base for this feature. 

Today, what is left of this important communication line is the occasional tree with a wooden dowel 

nailed to it. Above tree line, the telephone poles are metal pipe with slightly different wooden dowels 

attached. In certain sections of the trail, the wire connecting Dyea with the communities along the trail is 

still found usually in pieces on the ground but sometimes it is hung up among the trees. Many of these 

telephone trees and telephone poles are easily seen along the trail today and illustrations of the individual 

artifacts that were part of the line (the wooden dowels, glass insulators, and even the wire) are easily 

found in 19th Century trade catalogs or held in the park museum storage rooms. All of the telephone trees 

and the metal poles above tree line also had glass insulators on them. Unfortunately those insulators were 

taken by previous hikers, which makes this an excellent preservation message because if those earlier 

hikers had left the insulators in place instead of taking them for their own personal gain, the present day 

hiker would have the ability to see a more intact resource today. This telephone line is also frequently 

mis-diagnosed as a telegraph line so this sidebar could help set the historical record straight.

The third part of the guidebook should discuss what KLGO and Parks Canada are doing to protect this 

important heritage resource and what part the visitor can do to assist in that effort. This is the place where 

we can mention the 30+ year effort to survey the archeological resources of the trail by the American and 

Canadian cultural resource staff and to monitor their current conditions by park archeologists and other 

park staff, the effort by historians to understand the history of the trail, the effort by the park rangers to 

protect the resources along the trail, and the effort by the trail crew to maintain the trail. This is the part 

that would explain why it is so important to keep artifacts where they are and not pick them up or collect 

them. We should also mention Parks Canada‘s efforts along the same vein. No PMIS statement has yet 

been written for developing such a guidebook but this guidebook could be developed in conjunction with 
93

Alaska Geographic, Parks Canada and possibly the State of Alaska DOT&PF and this film could be a 

sales item in the park bookstore. 

Chilkoot Trail Film:

KLGO should develop and produce an hour long film on the Chilkoot Trail, its history, archeology, and 

present condition. The film would focus on the trail itself, from Dyea to Bennett, the gold rush 

communities along the way, and the various trail ―improvements‖ and infrastructure that were built 

during the gold rush. In addition to telling the story of the trail through historical photographs and 

firsthand accounts, the film should also show the current condition of the ruins and relate the 30+ year 

effort to record the archeological artifacts and features left behind. Essentially this would be the Chilkoot 

Trail guidebook described above but translated into film. The film could later be edited to shorten the 

length if necessary to fit time constraints. No PMIS statement has yet been written for developing such a 

film but this film (DVD) could be developed in conjunction with Alaska Geographic and possibly the

State of Alaska DOT&PF and this film could be a sales item in the park bookstore.

White Pass Trail Guidebook:

KLGO currently has very little interpretative material specifically on the White Pass Trail: (1) The park‘s 

main unigrid brochure mentions the trail in passing, (2) the 20 minute park movie provides a little more 

information, (3) the few wayside exhibits located on pullouts along the Klondike Highway provide a bit 

more site specific information, and finally, (4) Julie Johnson's "A Wild Discouraging Mess" (Johnson 

2003), the recent HRS on the trail, provides visitors who are really interested in the history of the White 

Pass Trail with quite a bit of valuable historical information. The park currently gives away this limited 

edition volume but only to people that have a high interest in the gold rush. Those restrictions limit the 

amount of information on the White Pass Trail that is currently given out.

 

The White Pass Trail is a relative unknown treasure in the park. Fewer Stampeders hiked this trail during 

the gold rush than the Chilkoot Trail and no one travels the trail today. Yet more people see the trail in a 

single year via the Klondike Highway and the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad than ever have hiked

over the adjacent Chilkoot Trail in the past 38+ years of NPS management. The trail does not have an 

iconic image like the Golden Stairs of the Chilkoot Trail (except possibly photographs of dead horses 

along the trail), yet it was critical (or at least the Brackett Wagon Road portion of the Trail of ―98 was) in 

the construction of the WP&YR railroad. The WP&YR railroad changed the whole transportation 

dynamic in the Yukon and much of Alaska. The Chilkoot Trail was dead as a commercially viable route 

to the Klondike gold fields by 1900. Skagway and especially the railroad, on the other hand, soon had a 

monopoly over transportation throughout the Interior that lasted until the South Klondike Highway was 

built.

The park should develop a popular guidebook on the White Pass Trail similar to the proposed guidebook 

on the Chilkoot Trail but focused on this trail almost exclusively. The White Pass Trail‘s historical 

importance certainly warrants a guidebook of its own as well as its current visitation but here the 

emphasis should be on the history of the trail rather than on its archeological remains. This is because the 

park has practically no presence in the White Pass Unit and therefore cannot protect the archeological 

resource or the visitor there. In addition, the archeological resources along the White Pass Trail have only 

been minimally explored and documented at the present time and therefore it would be difficult to provide 

many images of those resources for the guidebook. It should be obvious, however, that the park simply 

cannot afford to open up the trail to hikers without first exploring the archeological potential of the area

and a guidebook that focused a lot of attention on the archeological resources would tend to attract hikers 

to the White Pass Unit before the park was ready for those hikers, and those people could easily do 

damage to the resources. 
94

Essentially what is needed here is to take the Johnson (2003) book and edited it down to around 20-50 

pages. It should also have a strong preservation message, perhaps even stronger than the guidebook on 

the Chilkoot Trail, because KLGO does not want visitors or locals hiking through the underbrush, not 

only for safety reasons but also because the cultural resource is not well understood and could easily be 

damaged or lost forever without proper documentation. No PMIS statement has yet been written for 

developing such a guidebook but this guidebook could be developed in conjunction with Alaska 

Geographic and be a sales item in the park bookstore. The WP&YR railroad and the State of Alaska 

Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) could also be partners in the development 

of this guidebook since both the railroad and the South Klondike Highway run through the White Pass 

corridor.

White Pass Trail Film:

KLGO should develop and produce an hour long film specifically on the White Pass Trail, its history and 

present condition. This would be similar to the proposed film on the Chilkoot Trail but would focus on 

this other trail. Essentially it would be a film version of the White Pass Trail Guidebook or Julie 

Johnson's "A Wild Discouraging Mess" (Johnson 2003). Like the Chilkoot Trail film, this film could 

later be edited to shorten the length if necessary to fit certain time constraints. No PMIS statement has 

yet been written for developing such a film but this film (DVD) could be developed in conjunction with 

Alaska Geographic and be a sales item in the park bookstore. As with the White Pass guidebook, the

WP&YR railroad and the State of Alaska DOT&PF could be partners in the development of this film.

Dyea Popular History Guidebook:

Skagway has Spude‘s Skagway, District of Alaska 1884-1912: Building the Gateway to the Klondike

(1983), a semi-popular book showcasing Skagway history and containing historic and recent (1979) 

photographs of the town, an architectural glossary, several maps of town, and paragraph long histories of 

individual buildings within the historic district. Dyea has nothing similar and therefore, KLGO should 

develop a similar popular but factual history or guidebook of Dyea covering the history of the town from 

before the Klondike Gold Rush to the present. This guidebook would have a very similar layout to the 

Chilkoot Trail guidebook with chapters on the pre-gold rush history, the gold rush history, and the post 

gold rush history of Dyea. An important part of this history would be the story of the Native Village in 

Dyea, its growth and demise. The post gold rush homesteads would also be an important part of this 

book. The final chapters would be devoted to what is left of the once booming gold rush town, what 

those ruins and artifacts mean, and what the park has done to help preserve this fragile cultural landscape. 

The park already have fairly complete and detailed histories of all the major ruins out in Dyea (Norris and 

Taylor 1986) so historical research need not be a stumbling block to completing this guidebook. Here again 

we can talk about the extensive archeological survey work that has been done over the years. The work 

documenting the history and cultural landscape of the place should also be mentioned and illustrated. There 

should be a strong preservation message telling people to leave things in place and why they should do that. 

The work done by the park staff to protect and maintain the place should also be mentioned. What the visitor 

can do to help protect the place should also be spelled out. No PMIS statement has yet been written for 

developing such a guidebook but this guidebook could be developed in conjunction with Alaska 

Geographic and be a sales item in the park bookstore. 

Dyea Film:

KLGO should develop and produce an hour long film specifically on Dyea, its history and present 

condition although the film could later be edited to shorten the length if necessary to fit time constraints. 

Essentially this project would be a film version of the Dyea guidebook. No PMIS statement has yet been 

written for developing such a film but this film (DVD) could be developed in conjunction with Alaska 

Geographic and be a sales item in the park bookstore.
95

Skagway Film:

KLGO should develop and produce an hour long film specifically on Skagway, its history, development,

buildings, businesses, citizens, and present condition although the film could be later edited to shorten the 

length if necessary to fit time constraints. Essentially this would be a film version of Spude‘s Skagway, 

District of Alaska 1884-1912: Building the Gateway to the Klondike (1983) publication although the film 

would be an updated and expanded version of that book. Exactly how this film would be ultimately laid out 

would be up to the directors and script authors, but here is a suggested layout. The first part would, of 

course deal with the history of Skagway, covering the pre gold rush, gold rush, and post gold rush periods 

in some detail. All the important characters in the town‘s early development would be mentioned and 

described. The Native use of the land would be characterized. Skookum Jim (Keish) and Captain 

Moore‘s first hike over the White Pass would be illustrated. The slow development of Mooresville would 

be noted. The rapid development of gold rush Skagway would be described. There is some brief Edison

film footage as well as early Hollywood films of the gold rush that could be used to assist in describing 

the town‘s development.

After the rush, the film would show the slow decline from boomtown to sleepy little Alaskan village. 

Film footage from travelogues such as ―A Summer Day in Skagway‖ (1918) could be used in this portion 

of the film. The tourism industry would be illustrated and here there are several advertising films for the 

railroad from the 1910s through the 1950s at the Yukon Archives that could be used. The characters who 

tried to preserve the tangible remains of the gold rush (Captain Moore, Shea and Patten, Martin Itjen, 

Harriet Pullen, George Rapuzzi) would be showcased. The early attempts to create a national park in the 

area during the 1930s would be highlighted. The affect of the war years on Skagway‘s cultural resources 

would be noted. NPS interest in Skagway after the war would be examined. The film would briefly 

describe the political battles to establish the park. Then information on the park‘s over 30 year building 

restoration and archeology efforts would be described and showcased. This section could be highlighted 

with photographs showing buildings as they originally appeared during the rush, as they appeared after 

the park acquired them, and their current condition. Unfortunately there are no known motion picture 

films of NPS restoring buildings in Skagway during the 1970s – 1990s, but there are certainly many still 

photographs. The park is currently in the process of restoring additional historic buildings so film footage 

of the more recent NPS building restoration effort could be used if the park had the forethought to make 

some today.

Occasional Paper Series:

KLGO has a rather active cultural resource publication program. In the thirty years since the park has 

been established, a 10 volume Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska series, three architectural 

reports (Historic Structure Reports) with more coming, an Ethnographic Overview and Assessment

report, and seven historical publications (an Administrative History, two Historic Resource Studies, a 

semi-popular history of Skagway, and several other reports) have been published. These are generally 

large reports with quite a few pages and a very limited print run. The smaller reports the park produces, 

although sometimes on very interesting topics, simply do not get published and remain in manuscript 

form. 

KLGO should develop an occasional paper series to insure that all such smaller special historical studies 

listed in this plan and others done in the past, are eventually published in one form or another once they 

are satisfactorily completed. Several small reports could be combined into one volume. This occasional 

paper series could also be used to publish small reports on the park‘s natural resources, architectural 

resources, archeological resources, cultural landscapes as well maintenance topics dealing with maintaining 

historic buildings. These studies could perhaps be published in cooperation with the Skagway Museum and 

possibly with the Skagway Public Library or a local publisher. The park should also look into inviting nonpark service historians and other cultural resource professionals or high quality amateurs to contribute to this 

series. For example Norman Smith, Sr. is a retired history teacher from Haines, currently living in Albion, 
96

Nebraska and who is related by marriage to the Dyea Mathews clan. He has been planning to write a 

history of the Pullen-Matthews feud over land in Dyea. If the report comes up to the same standards as park 

service reports, or could be edited to reach those standards, we could publish this in the occasional paper 

series. 

Over the years, the park has acquired copies of several Master Thesis that are related to the Klondike Gold 

Rush. This could be another source of papers for the series. KLGO could let universities know that this 

occasional paper series is a potential publication outlet for their students. There may be other documents we 

would like to print such as historical letters or diaries we receive from visitors if the documents are unusual 

and interesting. This publication could also be a place to list the newest acquisitions to the park museum and 

library collections. 

If the park wishes to proceed with such an occasional paper series, it should determine if none, some, or all of 

the papers need to be peer reviewed. If it is determined that at least some of the papers should be peer 

reviewed, then KLGO will need to find technical subject matter experts from both within and outside the park

who would be willing to peer review the various topics. The panel would then provide peer review for the 

reports, elevating their stature. Another decision that needs to be made is whither the series should be 

electronically distributed or actually published in hard copy or both.

Only by sharing the knowledge gained during the research process with others, and especially with the 

taxpaying American public, those who paid for the research in the first place, will the research process find 

ultimate fulfillment. By sharing this information with others through publications, new information and 

questions will inevitably arise and the circle of learning will continue. One of the challenges the park faces, 

however, is translating the scholarly publications into more popular media (publications, brochures, film, web 

pages, etc.) in order to increase popular support for the park and its programs. All historical studies 

mentioned above should eventually be published in one form or another if their quality warrants it. This

occasional paper series is one way to do that and broaden support with the public. 

Skagway History Virtual Reality:

Earlier in this document there was some discussion about how to keep the documentation of the Skagway 

Historic District and the White Pass NHL (Houston, Norris, and Cole 1998) current due to the many 

changes over time this landmark has undergone. Some of those changes mentioned included the moving, 

alteration, and demolition of some historic structures and the discovery of historic buildings not 

previously recorded. The construction of numerous non contributing elements was also mentioned as was 

the addition of new information gained through archeological and historical research done since the form 

was last revised. This new information paints a picture of a very active community where not only do 

people and businesses move but whole buildings move as well! Some buildings have been moved once, 

some twice and the informal record for the number of moves a building has made is the Goldberg Cigar 

Store at six (6) moves! Perhaps we need to put buildings on wheels to make the moving easier.

This is the age of the internet and virtual reality. Young people have grown up with the computer all their 

lives. They have become familiar with complicated electronic games so why not develop an electronic 

virtual reality database showcasing the history of Skagway? On a two dimensional level, you would see a 

detailed map of Skagway with various buildings on it. This map should have the detail of the Sanborn Fire 

Insurance Map of 1914 and 1948 or the NHL map of 1984. Starting out in 1897, the map would be relatively 

bare with some tents and a lot of trees. By clicking on a button that lists the years from 1897 to the present, 

you could pull up each year and see how the town changes – gets larger during the boom years and gets 

smaller in the post gold rush years, then booms again during the World War II years and continues to expand 

up to the present day. You could speed this up and watch the 110 year history of the town pass by in a few 

minutes. 
97

By clicking on individual buildings, you would get detailed historical information on when each building 

was built, who owned it, what it was used for, and how it changed over time (both the owner changes, 

business changes, additions or subtractions to the building itself, and find out if the building moved). Some 

of the buildings would have little or no historical information and therefore much historical research would be 

needed. Buildings that had been moved would be specially marked and by clicking on that button, you could 

see when a building moved, where it moved to and possibly its route. How buildings were moved would be 

explained and you could see how this technology changed over time by watching horses in miniature move 

the buildings in the beginning and miniature trucks taking over later in time. By clicking on another view 

you would descend to street level and look up and down Skagway streets and avenues and watch how they 

change over time. Similar virtual realities of the historic town site of Dyea and the Chilkoot and White Pass 

trails could also be done but they will need much more historical research. No PMIS statement has yet been 

written for developing such a virtual reality. 

Developing the Klondike Historic Resource Center

In the park‘s GMP there is some discussion about establishing a ―Klondike History Resource Center‖ in 

Skagway where historical research could presumably be carried out but there are very few specifics in the 

plan and what there is indicates that the center was intended to be a place where museum objects could be 

―processed, studied, conserved, exhibited, and stored‖ rather than a center where historical research could 

be undertaken although there would undoubtedly be some historical research done under the ―studied‖ 

part of that last quote. It also indicates that the center would ―provide interpretive and educational 

programs, as well as the opportunity for interagency training and academic research‖ which is more in 

line with the concept of a place to conduct historical research (NPS 1996:2.29).

Perhaps the GMP‘s best statement on the park‘s history program is found in the Affective Environment 

Section (Chapter 3). ―The park has been active in collecting historical information since its creation and 

this will continue into the future. Information from visitors whose ancestors were in the stampede will 

continue to be sought. Research trips to historical libraries and archives in order to gather relevant 

material will continue to take place ... The purchase of relevant [historical] material (books, articles, 

photographs, etc.) will continue to occur... Other sources of information (such as the Internet and the 

World Wide Web) will be tapped ... All the information that the park has collected and will continue to 

collect will do no good unless that information is assembled, analyzed, published, and interpreted. The 

park will work cooperatively with institutions of higher learning and independent scholars to insure that 

such dissemination of information occurs (NPS 1996:3.9).‖ This is all prefaced, of course, with the 

phrase ―depending on available funding and staff,‖ which generally means, any type of research, inquiry, 

analysis or other action requiring travel or other expense is not even started.

At the time the GMP was being written there was also discussion among park staff about the possibility 

of developing a type of ―Alaskan Historic Preservation Training Center‖ where the park‘s maintenance 

shop could become a center where historic preservation techniques would be taught in accordance with 

the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties (site last visited on 28 April 

2011 – http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/standguide/) and possibly where historic windows and doors

especially, and other historic wood building items from all the Alaskan parks and from outside the NPS

could be preserved, restored, or replicated. Indeed the park has sent a few employees to other parks or 

historic areas to work on non-KLGO historic buildings and has repaired historic windows and doors from 

other parks over the decade since the GMP was published. Presumably this would be something similar 

to or modeled after the Western Center for Historic Preservation (WCHP) at Grand Teton National Park

(see Appendix A).

Still another idea that was discussed among some park staff at about this same time concerned 

establishing a ―Historic Archeological Research Center‖ at the park. This could be a somewhat similar to
98

or modeled after the Western Archeological and Conservation Center in Tucson, Arizona. The park

after all has a 30+ year history of conducting numerous small, medium, and large scale historical 

archeological excavations and surveys and of doing historical research on the artifacts, buildings, and 

features found here. The park has also published 10 volumes in KLGO‘s Archeological Investigations in 

Skagway, Alaska series which provides a wealth of historical and archeological information to ―outside‖ 

scholars and the public. Recently a draft version of Beneath the Surface: Thirty Years of Historical 

Archeology in Skagway, Alaska was submitted to the park for review (Saleeby 2011). This prospective 

publication indicates the importance of the park‘s sustained program of historical archeology over the past 

decades, and would certainly rank KLGO at the very top of western U.S. historical archeological 

programs equal to Virginia City, Nevada, Virginia City, Montana, and Fort Vancouver, Washington. 

The knowledge and practical experience learned through this effort could be used in conjunction with a 

university Anthropology Department, for example, to help train historical archeologists in the rest of 

Alaska and elsewhere. Like restoring and replicating doors and windows, this could prove to be a money 

making operation for the park as park staff could turn into archeological educators and consultants. The 

park would also benefit in that a permanent or semi-permanent archeological field school could be 

established as part of the center in conjunction with some university. This would help fulfill the park‘s 

Section 110 responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended 

(http://www.achp.gov/nhpa.html – site last visited 28 April 2011). Establishing such a center could result 

in a pool of professionals (archeologists, historic preservationists, museum specialists, and even 

historians), devoted to understanding, preserving and protecting the cultural resources under the park‘s 

care as well as the history of the Klondike Gold Rush. It would also help supply other parks and 

institutions with more Alaska orientated professionals in these fields.

Unfortunately these discussions never went anywhere and in spite of the fact that KLGO has been a part 

of an International Historical Park for over ten years, KLGO is still without any type of history center to 

show case what the park has done and can do in archeology, cultural landscape, historic preservation, 

history, and museum studies. KLGO is still without a sustainable program of historical research. The 

park still does historic studies based on immediate needs rather than long term future needs. It is my great 

fear that when the current park historian retires, there will be no one to learn from or replace him and the 

park will go for another 30 years or so before hiring another historian. This will be a great loss to the 

public for without a sustainable history program staffed by knowledgeable historians, the historical 

knowledge gained today will be misplaced, lost, stolen, or allowed to turn into dust and all the money 

taxpayers have put toward this program, will have been spent unwisely.

Therefore one of the first things that should be done is to conduct several brainstorming sessions among 

park staff and members of the public to determine exactly what type of Klondike Historic Research 

Center (by whatever name it‘s called) should be developed at the park and how such a center could be 

established. Before we start that brainstorming sessions, we need to determine exactly what type of 

public historical services the park currently supplies and what type of historical services the public might 

want that could be part of this Historical Resource Center.

The park supplies a great deal of general historical information to the public through the many seasonal

Interpretative Ranger programs, walking tours of Skagway and Dyea, the park movie, brochures and other 

publications, exhibits in the WP&YR Depot and General Office Building (KLGO Visitor Center and Park 

Headquarters), the Martin Itjen House (KLGO/Parks Canada Trail Center), the Mascot Saloon, and the 

Moore House and Cabin and soon Soapy Smiths Parlor Museum. In addition there are wayside exhibits 

in Skagway, up the Klondike Highway, out the Dyea Road, in Dyea and along the Chilkoot Trail. The 

park also has had a long cultural and natural resource lecture series held in the WP&YR Depot 

Auditorium and has reached out to schools in Skagway and elsewhere through the ―Parks and 

Classrooms‖ program. The park web site (http://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm – site last visited on 28 
99

April 2011) also provides some basic historical information to the public. When the public asks for 

more information, there are books and DVDs sold by the park‘s Alaska Geographic bookstore in the 

WP&YR Depot and several other private bookstores in town. If that doesn‘t satisfy the park visitor‘s 

hunger for history, there is the park historian. At this time it might help the discussion to examine the 

park historian‘s job.

The Park Historian’s Job:

The current park historian has spent almost 30 years working for the park and knows the history of the 

Klondike Gold Rush and especially the history of the park area and its cultural resources in great detail

although he is always finding new historical information, mostly through visitors, which makes the job so 

interesting. The park historian started out with KLGO in 1984 as the seasonal lead archeologist working 

on the Dyea Townsite Archeological Project. In 1987, he became the park‘s permanent cultural resource 

specialist, apparently the first in the Alaska Region actually duty stationed in an Alaskan Park. In 2002 

he became the park historian, the first in this historical park. Over the years the park historian has 

developed an extensive set of contacts with cultural resource colleagues throughout the state and in the 

Yukon Territory. Since the park historian would likely head the Klondike Historic Research Center, 

should one be established in the immediate future, it is incumbent on us to understand exactly what this 

position does for the park and the public, as that in all likelihood would determine a major part of what 

the center‘s purpose was. So what exactly is his job? This information from the park historian‘s position 

description might help illuminate the situation. 

Major Duties (80-100%)

A. Serves as the principal advisor on historical research as related to the park. Serves as the 

technical and professional expert in local history. 

Establishes a formal, viable, historic research program for providing research services in support of 

park management needs. 

Determines historic research needs of the park and coordinates efforts toward obtaining needed 

research through various programs, grants, and contracts.

Plans and conducts historical research for planning documents, including general management plans, 

special history studies, resources management plan, environmental impact statements, environmental 

assessments, and special resource studies as required to meet the needs of the park. Plans and 

conducts oral history interviews and oversees their transcription. Conduct research essential to the 

development of special programs in support of natural and cultural resources goals and objectives of 

resource protection.

Reviews historical research project proposals, scopes of work, and task directives prepared for 

planning and other management purposes, including resources management plans.

Responsible for or makes significant contributions to the preparation of historic preservation 

documentation, compliance, and background materials for clearances, permits, licenses, etc., as 

required by Section 106 and Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NPS Management Policies, and cultural resources management 

guideline for all park undertakings.

Advises park staff on the historical significance of cultural or natural resources.

May carry out program management duties by developing work plans and schedules, scopes of work, cost 

estimates, and proposals and/or grants to justify funding requests and accomplish goals. 

May administer and track project funds and prepare accomplishment reports, as needed. Maintains awareness of 

applicable funding sources within NPS and outside.
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B. Develops and maintains liaisons and effective working relations with related groups and 

individuals, agencies, and the public. 

Attends management and professional conferences and other events for the purposes of exchanging 

information and advancing advocacy for park stewardship. 

Coordinates park historical investigations with adjacent landowners for the purposes of achieving 

broad protection strategies and minimizing human impacts on significant cultural resources.

May represent park on NPS regional task groups or similar organizations.

Provides peer review for NPS and non-NPS historical studies, as requested. Seeks peer review for own work.

C. Supports Interpretive Division

Writes responses to more complex cultural resource information requests. 

Writes or edits popular, more definitive specialized literature, and professional publications, relating 

to the park's history and archaeology. In addition to writing or editing such publications the 

incumbent will evaluate popular, specialized, and professional literature for continued factual 

accuracy in light of current research findings, and make or direct revisions as appropriate. 

Publish, through appropriate means, written findings.

Assists in providing professionally accurate cultural resources information for the interpretative 

programs.

Provide professional quality research materials for use in park‘s interpretive program. 

Prepares technical cultural resource background documentation for the development or correction of 

the park's interpretive program. 

Reviews interpretive material for technical accuracy.

Assists in the coordination of "History Day" and "Archaeology Month" activities for the park. 

Plans and participates in annually recurring "special" events such as special tours or other programs 

that relate to the history of the area.

Conducts regularly scheduled professional presentations throughout the year. Makes presentations in 

parks, public gatherings, and professional meetings on historical themes and research results.

Participates in training for park's seasonal staff.

Summarizes and interprets highly technical materials for park staff and the public.

D. Supports Curatorial Staff:

Consults and collaborates with museum, exhibit, interpretive or other staff specialists in the 

development or modification of major permanent interpretive devices such as dioramas, museum 

exhibits, or motion pictures. 

Evaluates materials to ensure continued factual accuracy in light of current research findings, and 

make recommendations for changes as needed.

Produces and maintains meticulous research records and paper and electronic files that can be shared with park 

staff and visiting researchers. 

Oversees use of vertical files, historic photo files, and special book collections in the park's library. 

Maintains computer database and files on gold rush era Stampeders, WWII veterans, families, and 

other historically related materials. These records may eventually become archived material and will 

require cooperation with curatorial staff to meet appropriate standards.
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E. Keeps informed of new developments, research, etc. as related to local history.

Locates source material within and outside the park, and makes recommendations and/or determinations of 

significance for additions to the park's library and archives collection.

Evaluates pertinent professional literature and provides management with recommendations as to appropriate 

use.

Assembles bibliographies and acquaints park staff with recent historical scholarship pertinent to the 

park's resources and themes.

The park historian serves the public like all federal employees do, however, the park historian has noticed 

that there are many different types of public and each public has their own specialized needs. Therefore 

in this discussion of establishing a Historic Research Center, it might help learning about what types of 

public the park historian serves.

The General Public:

The park historian has an interesting and complex job. His first task is to teach the park staff (mainly the 

seasonal interpreters) about the history of the Klondike Gold Rush and specifically the towns of Dyea and 

Skagway and the Chilkoot and White Pass trails so that the interpreter can pass that information along to 

the public through walking tours, presentations, and one on one conversation. This is partly done at the 

beginning of each season with seasonal training. The park historian leads a walking tour of historic 

Skagway, a driving tour of the White Pass Trail from the South Klondike Highway, a walking tour of 

Dyea and, during that tour, provides historical information on Chilkoot Trail. The park historian also 

leads a short session on the Stampeder File, the Historic Photograph Collection and how to find things in 

the park library. In the past the park historian has developed presentations on the cultural resource laws 

that govern the NPS and how to tell fact from fiction in historical work. In addition to these more formal 

sessions, the park historian acts as a mentor to all the interpreters (and occasionally to other members of 

the park staff) on all things historical. For example, the park historian may be called upon to discuss with 

interpreters possible historical topics for their public presentations and suggest sources for such talks. 

Since this is an historical park, all seasonal employees should get some type of historical training at the 

start of the season so they can at least answer the basic historical questions asked of them by members of 

the public, but there seems to be resistance to this by some in park management.

The park historian often has conversations with park interpreters (and others) regarding historical facts

and topics but this is not the only way, he passes on his historical knowledge to others. At one time the 

park historian reviewed all the seasonal interpreters‘ walking tours and presentations for historical 

accuracy but this no longer occurs because of work load issues (too many interpreters and too much other 

work). The park historian reviews all the historical publications the park produces (or should) from small 

brochures to several hundred page reports, from wayside exhibits to the park‘s web page, to ensure the 

historical accuracy of each. Some publications may slip through because there is no park policy on this 

and there are work load issues that may prevent something being reviewed in a timely manner. 

Reviewing these publications can take an extraordinary amount of time because in some cases, the facts 

are under dispute and need to be researched. The park historian has reviewed the content and script for 

the new park movie and has been the resident historical expert (talking head) for a number of gold rush 

television documentaries produced by others. He has also taken larger reports such as the multi-volume 

HSR on park owned historic buildings in Skagway and edited them down to a much more manageable 

history of park owned buildings in town. 

The park historian also acts as a backup for the interpreters by being available in case members of the 

general public have historical questions that cannot be answered by the seasonal interpreters or other staff 

members. These requests for answers are more likely to come in during the summer when the park hosts 

hundreds of thousands of visitors but they also come throughout the year usually through the internet but 
102

still occasionally come via the telephone or mail. Many of these questions can be answered right 

away because of the park historian‘s depth of knowledge of the period but some questions require

research and research can take an extraordinary amount of time. Since the park historian is usually 

without assistants or spare time for most of the year, the historian is often unable to fully research these 

questions and the public in these cases remains un-served or under-served. Unfortunately, there does not 

seem to be enough time to do any of this research in advance. This is the general public or ―first public‖ 

the park historian serves. 

The Genealogists:

The second ―public‖ the park historian serves is the people searching for their own ancestors, or for the 

ancestor of other relatives, families, or friends. These are the genealogists. Some of these individuals are

quite professional in the way they go about searching for information on a particular person in order to 

write a book or an article on that person. More common are the amateur genealogists searching for their 

own relatives. These people generally have no or minimal training in research techniques, although a few

have the skill and experience to match the professionals. So the job of the park historian in this case is 

often to briefly teach research techniques to the individuals lacking them and also point them in the right 

direction as far as their research needs are concerned. Unfortunately because of his work load, lack of 

assistants and the short time these people have in Skagway, this task is difficult and it is probable that the 

park has lost valuable historical information because of this inability to respond in depth or in a timely 

manner to this public. 

The park historian, however, has developed a genealogical hand out to help these individuals with their 

research needs by point them in the right direction. He has also developed a standard letter that he sends 

out to all inquiries of this type that does essentially the same thing. He can also supply this ―public‖ with 

information from several digital databases that have been developed over the years mostly through 

volunteer effort. For example, the official US census for Skagway and Dyea for 1900, 1910, 1920, and 

1930 have been digitized and searching them for names is a matter of seconds. Other electronic databases 

that the park has developed over the years are listed above. The more databases the park can develop, the 

better the public will be served but databases take time to develop and check for historical accuracy. The 

Skagway Museum also has several databases and the Skagway Museum Director and park historian 

frequently work in tandem to assist these folks in order to gather historical information, which we share. 

The public would be served better, however, if all these databases were merged into a single database so 

searches would be more efficient. An example of the type of web based database that the park could 

produce is found at: http://www.yukongenealogy.com/content/archives_database_search.htm (site last 

visited on 28 April 2011). There are also several web pages available that describe how to do 

genealogical research specifically in Alaska and pointing these out to the genealogical public is often very 

welcome by the individuals doing this type of research. 

In addition to looking for any information on their relatives, a subset of the genealogical public may 

sometimes come to the park bearing historical gifts – an original diary that they are willing to donate to 

the park, for example, or perhaps a photocopy or typescript of that same diary that they decide to share 

with us instead of donating the original. Some donate original or copies of letters, photographs, 

newspaper articles or memorabilia or a combination of items that their Klondike Stampeder relative wrote 

or collected during the stampede. Some of the materials are of moderate interest while other items maybe 

of extreme interest but year after year, these amateur genealogists come to the park to share their family‘s 

story. Sometimes those stories of moderate interest turn out to be real gems to a scholar that wants to use 

that material in their historical research so when this material comes in, you can never tell for sure their 

true value. It should be noted that some of this material is unique and never seen elsewhere. 

Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep track of and keep up with the incoming material, even to write thank 

you letters with little or no staff.
103

The Scholars:

The third ―public‖ the park historian deals with is the scholars. Many of these are professional historians 

but there are professionals in other fields as well, such as archeology that come a calling. They may be 

working on a popular book of some aspect of the Klondike story or perhaps on scholarly articles or books. 

Some may never visit but correspond with the park historian through email while others actually do visit

and also later correspond through email. We are also seeing a growing number of graduate students 

becoming interested in this area and time period and are researching Klondike related topics for their 

master‘s thesis or doctorial dissertation. Since these students usually lack funding for travel, they often 

depend on the park historian to point them in the right direction and provide them with much research 

material. This is a burden on the park historian but the park and the public benefits by receiving a bound 

copy of the student‘s thesis or dissertation for the park library. If the park could supply research funds to 

these scholars, the park might get thesis and dissertations tailored specifically to park needs. Sometimes 

younger scholars (generally in High School) who are involved in the state-wide or national History Day 

competitions also request information from the park or interview the park historian.

The Journalists:

Journalists are the next category of the ―public‖ that the park historian deals with. Like the genealogists, 

they range from the university journalist professor doing a scholarly book on journalism in 1897 to a 

reporter doing a travel story for a large newspaper on Skagway in 2011. In this category are also to be 

found the TV journalist and / or documentary film producers. On one hand the reporter may want a few 

minutes on air with the park historian (the talking head) to answer some basic historical questions about 

the gold rush for their documentary or travelogue, to the other hand where the park historian will have to 

take the time off for a five day journey over the Chilkoot Trail complete with cameraman and a reporter,

talking on air and in detail about various aspects of the gold rush trail and story. Twice the park historian 

has played actor in these TV documentaries becoming a bartender swept up in the stampede or a 

bartender conversing with ―Soapy‖ Smith. The park historian has often acted as liaison between film 

crews and the park traveling with the film crews to be sure they do minimal or no damage to the park‘s 

resources and also trying to keep a certain level of historical accuracy in the film. Some of these films get 

sold at local bookstores and curios stores and the park historian often finds himself being greeted by 

people he doesn‘t know who have seen the films and now want to ask additional questions.

The Fiction Writers:

Another category of the ―public‖ that the park historian serves is the fiction writer, who wants to be as 

historically accurate as possible in setting the stage for his or her fictional book on the Klondike. It is 

amazing how much historical detail these writers wish to put in their books. They often require as much 

effort as does the scholar or documentary film producer. The types of novels that the park historian has 

assisted on in the past range from juvenile adventure stories to romance novels. He was also involved as 

a faculty member with North Words Writers Symposium in Skagway in the summer of 2010 talking 

about historical research and sources.

The Fact Checkers:

A special subset of this ―public‖ is the fact checkers. These may range from an individual working for a 

magazine that is publishing an article on the Chilkoot Trail and want to have a few of the author‘s facts 

checked for accuracy to a research department of a film studio that will be filming a documentary about 

the gold rush and has hundreds of facts in the script that need checking. Some of these questions may be 

rather off the wall, such as an actual question about whether the Stampeders were using toilet paper or not

during the gold rush, which was asked by a member of the research department of a film company. The 

answer to that question is that while toilet paper (in sheets and rolls) was available in the Sears, Roebuck 

and Montgomery Ward catalogs of the period, we do not know if Stampeders used toilet paper as it pretty 

much disappears in the privies we have excavated. Sometimes it is embarrassing to find out that the 
104

research department of a film studio is larger than the research department of a certain international 

historical park. 

The Scientists:

Scientists are another subset of the ―public‖ that the park historian deals with. In this category is the 

scientist interested in a particular issue – like glacial lake outburst floods and seeks historical information 

from the park to help support a thesis or disprove it. In other cases, the scientist may want to know if a 

particular piece of property is contaminated by pollution or not. These mini-environmental impact 

statements usually involve a property transfer and are required by the bank, which is providing a loan to 

the new owner. In other cases, the scientist might want to know the source of drinking water 

contamination. Another scientist might want to photograph the current terrain from the same view point 

as the historic photographs (repeat photography) so as to detect the changes in tree cover, the retreat or 

advance of glaciers, fire scars, and / or the growth of new vegetation after the devastation of the Klondike 

Gold Rush. This type of information can often be found out by searching the park‘s collection of historic

maps and especially photographs. The task here is not so much as doing the research for them, but rather 

pointing them in the direction they need to go, being available or having finding aids to help them on their 

way and sometimes reviewing their work for historical accuracy.

The Skagway Historic District Commission – Applicants and Commissioners:

Another category of the ―public‖ that the park historian frequently works with is members of the local 

business community and the Skagway Historic District Commissioners. As mentioned above Skagway 

has a Historic District Commission that passes judgment on all construction projects taking place within 

the historic district. This means that owners of buildings in the historic district and their tenants are often 

involved in sometimes lengthy and heated discussions regarding the merits of historical signs, sign fonts, 

building color, building construction details, and the like. The park historian supplies historical 

information to both the business applicant and the Commission alike and is called upon in public 

meetings to discuss the finer points of a particular historical subject. The park historian often finds 

himself a mentor to new Commission members and new business applicants. For twelve years the park 

historian was actually a voting member of the Commission but now is more an advisor and park liaison.

The historical record (usually the historical photographic record) is generally considered the final arbiter

of historical accuracy and the park historian is usually tasked to find historical photographs or other 

information to support one view or the other. This often means going through thousands of photographs 

to answer a negative – For example, researching designs for benches in the historic district, led to the 

discovery that there were no benches on Broadway (the main street) during the historic district‘s period of 

significance (1897-1912). This led to researching historic photographs from other streets and avenues 

and other sources, such as period trade catalogs to find illustrations of benches that could be used in the 

district. There were very few off Broadway benches during the historic period but there were enough to 

provide a guideline for benches. Another major project the park historian did for the Skagway Historic 

District Commission was to develop a catalogue of historic signs used in the district during the period of 

significance. This meant scanning all historic photographs of Skagway that contained readable signs, 

transferring these scans to a Word document, cropping the scan to exclude anything except the sign, 

enlarging that image and then transferring it to a point just below the earlier picture so you have a 

photograph of the sign itself and a picture of its surroundings. This work will add additional approved 

sign fonts to the ordnances governing the Skagway Historic District Commission. Another project just 

starting is to develop a historically accurate color palette for the Skagway Historic District. Another 

similar project might involve developing a list of appropriate lights for the Skagway Historic District.

Another project the Commission has asked the park historian to do in the past is develop several ―photo 

histories‖ of particular buildings. This means searching through thousands of historic photographs for 

images of that building. Then scanning and cropping hundreds of photographs to show just that particular 
105

building and a few of the buildings that surrounding it. Then placing these photos in chronological 

order and develop appropriate text with sufficient historical information for each photo caption. Then 

research the building‘s history, usually with the help of the Skagway Museum Director, in order to add 

context to the report and its photographs. These building histories are always labeled ―draft‖ as there is 

never enough time to finalize the report and usually more information will surface in the future. 

Government Agency Employees:

The final ―public‖ that the park historian deals with is governmental agencies and their employees. This 

work often centers on the other agency‘s responsibility under the National Historic Preservation Act of 

1966 as amended and in particular, Section 106 of that Act that governs compliance and mitigation. This 

Act states that any organization using federal funds or working on federal property, or applying for a 

federal permit, must include cultural resources in the planning process for any undertaking. The park 

historian has dealt with his own federal agency (the NPS) frequently on this issue but also employees of 

other federal agencies such as the GSA and the US Army Corps of Engineers, State of Alaska agencies

such as the State Department of Transportation and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the 

local Municipality of Skagway, and also semi-private organizations such as the Skagway Traditional 

Council and the Taiya Inlet Watershed Council. Again there is a wide variety of issues involved from the 

navigability of the Skagway River to compliance on the rebuilding of state highways, construction of new 

government housing and the US Border Station. 

Dealing with this ―public‖ can be very time consuming and frustrating. Two recent cases in point – both 

the Municipality of Skagway and the Skagway Traditional Council had to stop work on two local 

construction projects because federal funds were involved and both organizations had failed to even start 

the Section 106 process. The stop work order was issued by the Alaska SHPO in Anchorage. Both 

organizations came to the park for help and the park historian was assigned the task of developing 

histories for both properties to see if anything of historical importance happened on the two properties. 

These research projects took several months to complete all the while the park historian was getting 

weekly and some cases daily anxious telephone calls from the two governments complaining about the 

delay. One of the projects involved working with the Regional Historical Architect on a standing 

building that turned out to have a history going back to the gold rush. These two major research projects 

were, of course, added to the normal workload of the park historian with no decrease in that workload or 

increase in any form of assistance. The park historian had no assistants except for a single SCA student 

intern for 12 weeks during the summer. This intern already had a full workload dealing with maintaining 

the park library and does not have the expertise to take over the park historian other duties while he 

worked on these special projects. Fortunately the park historian was able to rely on the Skagway Museum 

Director to conduct some critical needed research. Unfortunately the Skagway Museum was also 

extremely short staffed during the summer dealing with the onslaught of visitors to this town and so this 

was a particularly bad time to try to conduct historical research both for the museum director and for the 

park historian. Also, as bad luck would have it, these two projects took place at the same time and during 

the same summer.

Nevertheless the research was done, the reports were written, the SHPO approved of both reports and 

construction was able to restart on both projects. What were the lessons learned? This whole thing could 

have been avoided if the park made a regular habit of teaching NHPA and especially Section 106, to the 

organizations in Skagway that might accept federal funds or apply for a federal permit. The park also 

needs to reach out to all state and federal agencies and other groups working in Skagway and establish 

regular professional contacts with these agencies and governments so that such a thing doesn‘t happen 

again. In addition, the stress on the park historian and Skagway Museum Director would have been much 

reduced if the park and the Skagway Museum had been adequately staffed during the summer or had 

more advanced notice so that the work could have been done prior to the summer or if a lot of the 
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research had been already done. In other words, if the park had conducted historical research with 

future needs in mind.

Park Library and Museum Archives:

One of the key tools that allow the park historian to fulfill his current duties as described above and will allow 

the staff of any future Historic Research Center to fulfill their duties is a fully functioning, efficient, and 

extensive park library and archive. A comprehensive park library and archive is an absolute must for any 

type of historical program here at KLGO and this will be even more important as the park grows into its 

international historical park status. 

In the beginning, the park library, museum, and archives were all under the Ranger Division (Interpretation)

and the single interpretative specialist was responsible for maintaining all three entities. At that time, there 

were only three divisions in the park – the Ranger Division, the Maintenance Division, and the 

Administrative Division. When the present park historian (cultural resource specialist) was hired in 1987, as 

the first and only member of a fledging Resource Division, he took over the duties involved in maintaining 

the park museum and archives from Interpretation although at the time both Interpretation and Resources 

were in the same Ranger Division. In 1991 a museum specialist was hired to run the museum and archives

allowing the park historian to concentrate on other duties. The library was still in the hands of Interpretation 

until the Resource Division was formally established in 2001. At the present time, although in the same 

Resource Division, the park library and the park museum and archives are run by two separate individuals. 

The park historian is in charge of the park library while the park museum curator is in charge of the park 

museum and archive. 

NPS Special Directive 94-1 has this to say on park libraries nationwide:

Park libraries are important as local repositories of published information materials and 

as effective local access points to a greater "universe" of information stored elsewhere 

within and outside the NPS. Park library personnel physically care for, organize, manage 

and provide access to a wide assortment of library media. They document such valuable 

information as park administrative history, natural and cultural resource management and 

interpretation. Also included are copies of important research reports, other published 

resource literature produced through funded research projects and special reference 

collections, such as cartographic materials and copy photographs, to name a few. The 

park library provides immediate access to this material at the park site for staff, 

researchers, other bureaus and agencies, and the general public. This role is no small 

responsibility; nevertheless, appropriate support for the park library has long been 

neglected in the NPS.

That last sentence is of course precisely what is wrong with the park library at KLGO – a basic lack of 

appropriate support. While the park has a barely adequate library in regard to information on the history of 

the Klondike Gold Rush and the immediate vicinity, there are many gaps and omissions and it certainly does 

not meet the standards of an international historical park. Those gaps and omissions can be filled by a 

sustained program of historical research and information gathering as suggested elsewhere in this document. 

The real problem with the current park library, however, is lack of adequate staff and space. The library 

cannot maintain itself – it requires someone to physically catalog books when first acquired, place appropriate 

labels on books and stamp books with the park name, place books on the appropriate shelves and in the 

proper place, check books out when needed and then later, check books back in and then re-shelve them. 

There needs to be people to inventory the books on a regular basis to make sure they are still in the library 

and to check for damage, vandalism, or theft and repair those books that are damaged yet can still be salvaged

or buy new books for those that can‘t. The same is true for all the other media found in the current park

library (microfilm, microfiche, VHS video, CDs, DVDs, maps, manuscripts, and photographs). 
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Cataloging of newly acquired books is currently done through the cooperation of the NPS Pacific West 

Regional Library in Seattle. The park sends photocopies of the title and catalog information of all the new 

books acquired to the NPS Pacific West Regional Library and they catalog the books and other media into the 

NPS Voyager Integrated Library System (http://www.library.nps.gov/ – site last visited 28 April 2011)

and then send the labels to the park to be physically placed in the new books. Because of the lack of park 

staff, sometimes 6 months or more go by before newly acquired books are officially catalogued and get their 

labels placed on them and the books get filed on the appropriate shelves. Due to the small space, the park 

library needs someone to cull the library of out dated and inappropriate books on a regular basis. There is 

rarely anyone available to do that. As the park library slowly moves into the digital age, the park library 

needs someone to input information into various electronic library databases and keep those databases

continually updated and current. As indicated above, there is rarely anyone available to do that. There is also 

no coordinated campaign to acquire the very latest in scholarship on the gold rush.

The Main Park Library is the central repository for most of the library materials and records, such as the 

physical card cataloging system. It is currently housed in two small rooms on the second floor of the Depot 

and the park historian is the responsible official. Branch libraries have been established from time to time 

when park employees found that it was more efficient to locate a collection of library materials pertinent 

to their specialties near their work area rather than having to constantly journey to the main park library to 

access to that material. Current branch libraries (and their responsible officials) are located in the 

Superintendent‘s Office (Superintendent); Curatorial Workroom (Museum Curator); Interpretation (Chief 

of Interpretation); Mascot Archeological Lab (Cultural Resource Program Manger); Natural Resource 

Office (Natural Resource Program Manager); and the Dyea and Sheep Camp Ranger Stations (Chief 

Ranger). Permanent employees may also hold library books in their offices on a long term basis and 

branch libraries can be opened or closed as demand warrants. 

The current park historian acts as the park librarian but has no professional library training. For staff, he has 

only a single 12 week SCA intern for a portion of the summer with the possibility of a volunteer or two at any 

time during the year. During the summer season when demand for the information held in the park library is 

especially high, seasonal interpreters may help maintain certain aspects of the park library with their collateral 

duty assignments (such as the Stampeder File). The problem with seasonal, volunteer, or other short term 

staff is that these individuals have various levels of proficiency and interest to begin with. In addition, they 

rarely work in the library for any length of time thereby never gaining the proficiency needed for this 

complicated job and because of the rapid turnover in library staff, no one can get ahead of the curve and

major library projects such as building the Finding Aid for First Hand Accounts or developing the Historical 

Photograph Database take decades to complete with little or no consistency from volunteer to volunteer. The 

park historian unfortunately has too many other duties to devote full time to the park library even for a few 

days.

As indicated above, the main park library is housed in two small rooms on the second floor of the Depot. As 

the library has grown, park staff has had to reorganize the space in the two rooms several times in order to 

make the space more efficient. Currently the park library has room to increase its holdings of books, 

microfilm, microfiche, and CD/DVD media. This happened because of a recent purge of out of date and 

inappropriate material, which are currently stored in boxes lying on the library floor waiting for the library 

staff of one to find the time to formally go through channels to properly dispose of this federal property. The 

purge itself took several years to compile the outdated and inappropriate books and get them into the 

temporary boxes. It may take several more years to get the books finally removed from the library and 

surplus simply because of the lack of staff. The filing cabinets housing the collection of historic photographs 

and the park library‘s ―vertical file,‖ however, are fast approaching capacity and soon a similar purge will 

need to be done on these items. Due to a lack of space, acquiring additional filing cabinets for the library‘s 

other media will mean removing one of the two desks in the library. These two desks and a table allow a 
108

visiting member of the public, scholars, students, or employees conduct research at the park library and 

double as library workspace and sometimes the work place for other park staff on special assignments, 

therefore, a complicated dance needs to be done anytime someone needs extra work space in the library.

In short, therefore, the patron of KLGO‘s library can expect to find:

Little or no support for library patrons.

Lack of sufficient work space and crowded conditions.

Library books or other library material misplaced, missing, or stolen and not in their proper places

according to the card catalog. This results in hours of wasted research time for library patrons and 

park staff trying to find the misplaced, missing, or stolen items. The library staff, of course, is 

generally not aware that any items are misplaced, missing or stolen because there is no library staff.

Library books or other library material damaged through use or deliberate action (vandalism) and not

being repaired or replaced as needed. In most cases the park staff is not even aware of the damage or 

vandalism because of the lack of library staff.

Lack of any real accountably regarding library books and other materials purchased by government 

funds or donated to the park.

Little attempt to stay current in scholarship so the library‘s collection grows stale.

Little attempt to cull the park library collection of unwanted or out of date material so the space for 

new and up to date material steadily grows smaller until the library no longer has the space for 

anything new.

No budget specifically dedicated to the park library.

No permanent library staff that can devote most or all of their time to the park library.

Incomplete finding aids or help for park staff and library patrons.

As an example of the problems the park library faces, I note the following: several years ago, the park 

historian found that one of the park‘s library books had been sliced in order to remove several pages with 

photographs from that volume. This was found out only because the park historian was looking for a 

particular photograph that he believed to be in a particular book. When he could not find it in one copy of 

that book, he spent several hours trying to find the photograph in other books or in the park‘s historical 

photograph collection without any luck. Then he went back to another copy of the same book that he had

searched before in the belief that the photograph must be there. He quickly found the image he was searching 

for. Then, going back to the copy of the book he had originally searched before he quickly located the signs 

that several pages in that book had been sliced or cut out and removed. No one could tell when this happened 

or who did the vandalism because the library has no permanent staff and the park staff is all too busy with 

other jobs. The park library has no security system other than the security of the building and checking out 

and using books are strictly on the honor system. To this day no one knows if other books have been sliced 

or damaged.

The park archive is a different story. It is one part of the park museum and the NPS national museum 

program seems to have done a much better job of acquiring money to fund museum and archives in parks 

than the NPS national library program. The park museum has a large collection of original objects dating 

from the gold rush and after and a large collection of archeological artifacts gained through 30 years of 

excavations. There is also a large natural resource collection (Herbarium). The park archive contains all 

records associated with natural and cultural studies in the park. These records include but are not limited 

to field notes, daily journals, drawings, maps, photographs, negatives, slides, sound recordings, motion 

picture footage, raw data sheets, instrument charts, remote sensing materials, inventories, catalogs, 

analytical study data, and computer records and data to mention a few categories. Records generated as 

part of museum activity, such as hygrothermograph charts, must also be retained as part of the museum 

collection. Historical paper items (books, pamphlets, photographs, and other ephemera) acquired by the 

park either through purchase or donation are all part of the park museum collection. The park museum 
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collection is in several other building separate from the park headquarters although the upstairs vault 

in the park headquarters building does contain some museum objects. The park curator has control over 

the use of archive material in that nothing can be taken out without approval of the museum curator and 

everything that comes back in has to be checked in. In addition, a regular annual inventory is done on a 

random portion of the park‘s museum collection to be sure it‘s present in the collection. This level of 

control makes it more difficult to use the items in the park museum but on the other hand, there is not the 

same level of frustration trying to track down an item in the park library when it is misplaced, lost or 

stolen. The park museum has one permanent curator and one term employee.

Generally the rule for acquiring individual items or collections has been that original items acquired by 

the park are housed in the park archive and museum while non-original items acquired by the park are 

housed in the park library. The problem with this is that some of the non-original items such as the 

Stampeder firsthand accounts are very rare items even though they may be just photocopies. If they do 

disappear, the only source for acquiring a replacement copy is the family that provided these items in the 

first place. The other problem is that the original items in storage in the park museum (such as the 

original Stampeder letters and diaries) are usually not copied so that the information they contain are not 

available to patrons of the park library. If this copying could be done whenever historic paper items 

arrived, then there would be less pressure to use the items in the museum collection and they would 

preserve longer. The park librarian (historian) and curator are planning on working closer together on 

solving these problems and in the future all incoming Stampeder files will be considered original items 

for the park archives but will be copied for the park library.

Recommendations:

Research NPS Resource / Research / Learning Centers listed in Appendix A and conduct several 

brainstorming sessions among park and regional staff and others including the public to determine 

the type of Historic Resource Center the park should establish in order to fulfill the needs of the 

public, park stakeholders, NPS staff, and other interested parties.

Conduct a professional survey among the public, the stakeholders, and other interested parties to 

further refine exactly what type of historical services the public might want KLGO to provide and 

how best to deliver these services.

Hire a second permanent park historian with the appropriate professional skills to increase the 

park‘s ability to conduct historical research and help develop a vibrant historical program worthy 

of the park‘s international status. 

Work with universities or other institutions with strong historical or historic archeological 

emphasis and local philanthropic organizations such as the Rasmuson Foundation, to develop 

historical and historic archeological graduate student grant programs so that some of the historical

and archeological studies noted above can be tackled by graduate students at a considerable cost 

savings to the government.

Hire a permanent librarian with appropriate professional skills to increase the efficiency and scope of 

the park library. This person would also be responsible for the maintenance of various electronic

databases implemented or proposed for the park and could also be responsible for the park 

archive and other library related duties. 

Work with a university or other institution and local philanthropic organizations to develop a 

library internship training program so that institutions of higher learning can funnel their graduate 
110

students through KLGO to the mutual benefit of the student, the university, and KLGO and at 

a considerable cost savings to the government. 

Establish a permanent library budget to cover the cost of new books and other media.

Discussion:

Brainstorming the Historic Resource Center:

What do the various and diverse publics noted above want from KLGO in terms of historical services? 

What historical services does the park, other parks in the region, the regional office, and the NPS 

management team in Alaska need from KLGO? What historical services do the other governmental 

agencies we interact with including our international park cooperators want from KLGO? Does the park 

fulfill those needs now or are there gaps in the park‘s coverage? Are the park‘s stakeholders (Stampeder 

relatives, scholars, journalists, members of the local community, and government employees including 

employees of other parks, agencies, governments and KLGO‘s international partners) being adequately 

served by a single park historian, who currently manages the this international historical park‘s entire 

historical program, or are their needs being partly or wholly unmet? Is a Historic Resource Center needed 

or will it be view by the public as a waste of taxpayers‘ dollars? If not needed is the status quo okay or 

should something replace it? If it is needed, how should it be organized (an historical research center, an 

historical archeological research center, a museum artifact preservation center, a historic building 

preservation center, or a combination of some or all of the aspects listed above)? How many people 

should staff the center? Where should the center be located? How should the center relate to the other 

divisions in the park and the park itself? How should the center relate to the outside world? How should 

the center be funded?

These and other questions surround the establishment of a Historic Resource Center. One way to find

some of the answers to these questions is to establish a planning team of relevant park and regional staff 

to start gathering information about the NPS Resource, Research, and Learning Centers located in other 

National Parks and Regional Offices (Appendix A). There is no reason to ―reinvent the wheel‖ and 

gathering information from some of these other centers will help KLGO refrain from making the same 

mistakes others may have made with their centers and will also help refine the concept of KLGO‘s

Historic Resource Center. This is the essence of history – to be able learn from the mistakes of others. 

This list (Appendix A) should be carefully studied in order to establish a model of what the park‘s 

Historic Resource Center could look like. The planning team should then contact staff members of the

centers that most closely resemble this model to gather additional information on how their centers were

established, how they are structured today, and what they envision their centers will look like in the 

future. Essentially the information gathering and brainstorming sessions proposed here would mirror the

planning work that went into KLGO‘s General Management Plan (GMP). Like the planning that went 

into this document, there should be several public workshops to see what the public thinks of such a plan. 

Planning for a Historic Resource Center could be dovetailed into the planning for a new, revised, or 

amended GMP to save money. Once the professional surveyors have been hired (see below), they should 

be involved in at least some of the brainstorming sessions both before and after the formal survey 

mentioned below has taken place. No PMIS statement has yet been written for gathering information, 

conducting these brainstorming sessions or revising the park‘s GMP although PMIS 123026 deals with 

developing a Dyea Planning Document for the park.

Public historical services survey:

Once the information gathering and brainstorming sessions mentioned above are at a certain stage, it 

becomes important to ask members of the general public some of the questions listed above through a 

professionally designed survey. This type of survey should not be done off the cuff by park staff but 

rather should be constructed by hired professionals. The professional surveyors hired could assist the 
111

park staff in some of the work of gathering information on already established centers (Appendix A) 

and should be involved in some or all of the brainstorming sessions in order to develop the proper 

questions for the survey. The survey professionals hired should review Appendix A and the information 

gathered by park staff in order to get a better idea about the range of possible resource center types

implemented by other parks in the National Park Service system and the model that most closely 

resembles the wishes of the park staff. The professional surveyors should also consult closely with 

members of those already established centers to gather ideas about how they were formed and how they 

are structured if that has not already been done by park staff. It is possible that before some of these 

centers were established, the founding park went through a similar process including information 

gathering, brainstorming, public workshops, and public opinion surveys and that information could be 

useful in this public process. The professional surveyors should also consult closely with park and 

regional staff to determine the type of questions that should be included in the survey and how they think 

a future KLGO Historic Research Center should look like, be organized, and run. No PMIS statement has 

yet been written for researching, developing, and giving such a survey.

Hire a Permanent Second Historian:

People are necessary in all aspects of park operations. In order to insure that an organization functions 

smoothly and productively, you need the right number of people for the job. It is difficult to determine 

that as often the work load increases and decreases depending on the seasons or other factors and certain 

individuals are more productive than others. Information technology can affect the productivity of staff 

as well as other staff members. High workloads and insufficient staff, however, puts burdens (high stress) 

on the existing park staff, which in turn may lead to miss deadlines, mistakes, health problems and other 

complications along the way, and eventual ―burn-out‖ of individual staff members. Low workloads 

means the park is wasting taxpayer‘s money. There should be sufficient staff in all aspects of park 

operations to do the work yet maintain adequate but not excessive workloads. Like Goldilocks, park 

management must determine the level of workload (stress) for each person (job) that is just right, not too 

little or too much. This is a difficult task.

As indicated above, the park is a national and international historical park but unfortunately the park has 

not treated history as a park resource worthy of investing much time and money in. This lack of support 

places a tremendous burden (stress) on the park‘s only historian. The park historian is always behind in 

his work and can never ―catch up‖ because of his heavy workload. If the park historian becomes ill, 

historical work at the park grinds to a halt until he returns. If the park historian is sent on a detail 

elsewhere, historical work at the park grinds to a halt until he returns. If the park historian is assigned too 

many special interest projects, historical work for the public and others will grind to a halt as these other 

special interest projects take precedent. If the park historian retires, historical work at the park will grind 

to a halt until the position can be filled. If a new historian is hired, he or she will have to start from 

scratch and it will take decades before the new historian can be as familiar with the park history as the old 

one is now, as not all the current historian has learned in the past 30 years can be written down or 

transferred in a few hours or days. How can the transfer of decades of information be speeded up?

The only position presently funded which can assist the park historian (and speed up that flow of 

information) is the yearly Student Conservation Association (SCA) Intern. This is a 12 week position in 

the summer that assists the park historian by trying to maintain the park library and conduct minor 

historical research. While the park historian is grateful for this help, it is way too little to seriously help 

the historian in his numerous duties and speed up the transfer of information between the old historian 

and his successor. Although SCA interns have been helping the park since 1991, none of these interns 

have returned for a second summer and therefore none has developed any type of commitment to the 

park‘s historical resources. The history of the Klondike Gold Rush is very complex. It was a mass 

movement of people from all over the world. It cannot be ―learned‖ or understood in a few days, months 
112

or even years. It cannot be ―learned‖ on the cheap (a little bit of knowledge can be dangerous) but 

needs a sustained commitment of time and money. 

Let us look at the numbers: KLGO is responsible for maintaining over twenty historic buildings, a 

number of non-historic buildings, the Dyea campground, and the Chilkoot Trail. No one would expect 

the park‘s Maintenance Division to do that work with only one person. The park is responsible for 

providing historically accurate information to almost a million visitors each summer and again no one 

would expect the KLGO‘s Interpretative Division to do that work with only one person. KLGO has a 

mult-million dollar budget, around 60 permanent and seasonal employees and no one would expect the 

park‘s Administrative Division to do all the paperwork necessary in keeping a park of that size operating 

with only one person. No one would expect the park‘s Ranger Division to assist the public during 

emergencies, operate the permit system for the park, staff the Trail Center, arrest the occasional ―bad 

guy‖ and maintain a careful watch on park property and resources in order to protect them and do all of 

that with a staff of one. Yet this international historical park seems to think that all it needs is one park 

historian!

A second park historian would provide what the park is lacking:

A person to provide essential backup for the park‘s historical program in case the current park 

historian is ill or traveling or out of the office for some reason.

A person to relieve the burden (excessive workload) on the current park historian so that he can 

be more productive. 

A person to increase the park‘s capacity to conduct needed historical research and help develop a 

vibrant historical program (more research orientated, less crisis management) worthy of the 

park‘s international historical status.

A person that would come from a different background and therefore would provide the park with a 

new and fresh perspective on the area‘s history. 

A person that would consult on an ongoing basis with the current park historian so that when that 

historian retires decades of valuable historical information would not be lost. 

A person that would maintain momentum toward the establishment of a Historic Resource Center

 

In order to accomplish the tasks outlined in this document and develop the park‘s historical program into 

a program worthy of the park‘s international historical status, a second historian is essential! 

Develop Historical / Archeological grant program:

Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR) has developed a graduate student grant program in cooperation with 

the Lee Family Foundation (Appendix A). The program is intended to encourage independent field 

research by graduate students enrolled in accredited institutions. It benefits the student researcher by 

providing an opportunity to demonstrate how their research can apply to land management issues. It 

benefits the park by providing park staff with a better understanding of the park‘s resources. The web site 

for this program indicates that research proposals should focus on some aspect of the natural or 

cultural resources of JOTR and can include, but not be limited to: botany, wildlife, desert ecology, 

archaeology, ethnography, paleontology, geology, soil science, museum science, resource management, 

and conservation.

Some of the other parks listed in Appendix A may have developed similar programs. Alaska has a 

comparable philanthropic organization in the Rasmuson Foundation based in Anchorage. The park has 

previously worked with the Rasmuson Foundation over the acquisition of the George and Edna Rapuzzi 

Collection of historic buildings and artifacts. In that case, the Rasmuson Foundation purchased the entire 

Rapuzzi Collection from the owner and donated it to the park and the Municipality of Skagway. The 

JOTR web site indicates that grants of up to $4,000 are available to assist students with expenses. In light 
113

of the higher cost of living in Alaska, grants of up to $5-10,000 would probably be advisable although 

depending on the project, higher grants may be necessary. The park could contribute to this grant 

program by supplying the graduate student selected with housing in Skagway at no cost (best during the 

fall, winter, or spring) and, of course, would supervise and mentor the graduate student, especially when 

he or she is working in the park. Like JOTR‘s program, KLGO‘s graduate student grant program would 

focus on some aspect of the natural or cultural resources of KLGO although some of the subject fields 

listed above like desert ecology would not be appropriate. In order to develop this program, the park 

should first begin gathering information from JOTR on their student grant program. KLGO should also 

find out if other parks have developed similar grant programs. The park should then compile this 

information and begin a conversation with the Rasmuson Foundation regarding establishing a similar 

graduate student grant program at KLGO in order to get some of the projects listed above completed. No 

PMIS statement has yet been written for developing such a grant program.

Hire Permanent Park Librarian:

The park does not have a librarian and this has resulted in many problems as illustrated above. Park 

management seems to feel that there is not enough work in the library to require the services of a fulltime, year round permanent librarian. That maybe partially true, however, when you add the hundreds or 

perhaps thousands of hours of staff time that are wasted yearly by other park staff trying to find specific 

reference material in the park library that has been misplaced, lost, stolen or damaged, hiring a permanent 

park librarian or trying to solve this problem by other means makes financial sense. If management 

thinks out of the box, there may be other ways to solve this problem at least temporarily. For example, 

take the librarian position and couple it with other duties such as park archivist, park web master, 

technical support person for the computer databases proposed here, and / or clerk to the Stampeder 

program described elsewhere, would probably create a position with more than sufficient tasks for a 

person to do all year. 

Since the library is used by all park divisions, not just the interpretation and resource divisions, another

option might be to share the library workload among divisions. This would be a temporary ―fix‖ for the 

current problem and I would not endorse this as a long term solution but it would certainly make the 

library a bit more responsive to the library patrons. Currently, all the park‘s divisions share the work load 

of the Superintendent when that person is out of the office. The ―Acting Superintendent‖ workload 

rotates among divisions. Why not rotate the library workload among divisions as well? For example, 

there are five divisions in the park at the present time (Administrative, Interpretation, Maintenance, 

Resource, and Rangers). Since the Resource Division supplies the park historian and the money for the 

SCA summer library intern, that division would be exempt from this rotation. As indicated above, the 

Interpretation Division usually assigns a seasonal in the summer to assist in one aspect of library

maintenance (essentially a clerk to the Stampeder files) and as long as that practice continues, that should 

be sufficient to meet that division‘s share. Under this plan, the other three Divisions (Administrative, 

Maintenance and Rangers) would each be assigned library duties for only one of the three remaining 

seasons of the year (fall, winter, and spring). Instead of assigning one person in each of these three

Divisions three months worth of library duty, the library workload in the winter is such that each Division 

would only have to supply one person for a day or two per month during the term they were responsible 

for and that should keep the library maintained barely adequately throughout the year. If interest and time 

permitted, and with the approval of the person‘s supervisor, the person assigned to manage the library 

during a Division‘s period of responsibility could put in more time to upgrade the library‘s efficiency but 

a maximum of say 5 days per month could be established. Not only will this sharing of responsibility 

help in the maintenance of the park library, it will also allow members in each Division to become more 

familiar with the library holdings, thereby increasing their own knowledge and productivity. 

 
114

Develop Librarian Internship Program:

The current Student Conservation Association (SCA) Internship Program is a great program that helps 

maintain the park library during the busy summer months. Fortunately, we have always gotten interns 

that are highly motivated to do their job and have some library experience, although usually only as a 

user. Unfortunately, the current 12 week program for only one intern per summer is simply too short and

provides too little help for the library and too little work experience for the student intern. A JOTR type 

graduate student grant program mentioned above (see also Appendix A) might provide a perfect template 

for enlarging this internship program by providing more help in maintaining the park library. In order to 

develop this program, the park should first begin gathering information from JOTR on their student grant 

program as indicated elsewhere. KLGO should also find out if other parks have developed similar grant 

programs. The park should then contact one or more university library programs to see if they were 

interested in working with KLGO to provide a place where their students could get practical work

experience by helping KLGO develop a park library worthy of its international historical park status. The 

park could then begin a conversation with the Rasmuson Foundation regarding establishing a similar 

graduate student grant program (or internship program) at KLGO. Essentially the Rasmuson Foundation 

would supply all or some of the funds necessary to support a student library professional for at least 9-12

months each year. KLGO would supply the housing at no cost to the student intern, supervision and 

mentoring. The student would bring the park library up to the standards of the profession and this would 

save thousands of hours of staff time searching for misplaced, missing, or stolen items. No PMIS 

statement has yet been written for developing such a grant program.

Establish Permanent Library Budget:

Currently there is no budget for the park library. The approximately $5,000 for the SCA intern to help 

maintain the park library during the summer comes out of the Park Historian‘s budget. Money for library 

supplies, library books, and other library media, also generally comes from the Park Historian‘s budget 

although other Divisions will occasionally buy books for their own divisional interests. The current 

amount of money spend on the library is insufficient for a library of international historical park status. 

The park needs to recognize how important a resource the park library is to the park and fund it properly. 

Establishing a sufficient library budget to be able to sustain the library is an absolute must for an 

international historical park. 

Conclusions:

There appears to be a fundamental disconnect at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The park 

was founded because of an international historical event (the Klondike Gold Rush) and the detritus left 

behind by that event (the buildings, trails, archeological sites, artifacts, the Stampeder stories, and the oral 

history of the people still living). KLGO would not be here if that historical event had not occurred or 

detritus left behind had been destroyed. Yet the park seems to invest the money it is given in everything 

else but a vibrant historical program worthy of an international historical park. Yes, the park 

Maintenance Division helps maintain the park‘s collection of historic buildings and the Interpretation and 

Ranger Divisions help tell the story of the Klondike Gold Rush and protect the park‘s resources, but how 

can these divisions be assured the information they are presenting to the international public is historically 

accurate without an adequate historical program that can do the needed detailed historical research 

necessary to insure accuracy. The park needs to get beyond the current crisis management in historical 

research and develop a world class historical program and facility. 

The public who visits (either physically or virtually) and the public who lives here is very much interested 

in the history of the area. As evidence of this, numerous scholarly works and popular non-fiction and 

fiction books have been written on the Klondike Gold Rush or with a Klondike Gold Rush theme. 

Television documentaries have also been produced on the gold rush. The local community has been 

relying on its gold rush history for its very economic survival ever since the gold rush. So it has invested 
115

in numerous gold rush museums, publications, and other devices to keep the story of the Klondike 

Gold Rush alive. In addition, the park receives inquiries from all over the world requesting information 

on the gold rush or seeking help in finding their gold rush ancestor. KLGO management unfortunately 

does not seem to have a similar passion or even interest.

History is not a static series of events but is as ever changing as the human condition. How we view the 

past is also ever changing. Years ago, the typical Klondike Gold Rush ―Stampeder‖ was viewed as a 

white male and the only women in the rush were prostitutes of ―dancing girls.‖ Recent scholarship has 

given us the stories of women and African American Stampeders and Native Americans miners yet the 

park continues to rely on secondary sources that important as they are tend to tell the old tale of the gold 

rush. Park historic research is always almost done in a crisis and done in a crisis, it may not be as 

historically accurate or complete as it should be. 

The first part of this Historic Resource Plan provides KLGO management with a number of ideas (project 

proposals) for conducting basic historical research in this park in order to decrease the necessity for the 

continued use of historical crisis management in this park. It is not a complete list but it is a start. The 

second part provides a road map for establishing an active Klondike Gold Rush Historic Research Center

to facilitate this research and help the public and the park‘s staff better understand the history of this area 

and its importance. This center, if properly supported would make the park a preeminent international 

location for learning about the Klondike Gold Rush and conducting scholarly historical research on the 

Klondike Gold Rush in particular and gold rushes in general and providing historical answers about the 

area and the historical event for members of the Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park public. 

It will also help preserve the park resources due to a better understanding of those resources.

Finally to paraphrase former Director Horace M. Albright – Historical research is fundamental to the 

actual survival of Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park!
116

Selected References:

Adams, William Hampton and David R. Brauner

1991a Historical Archaeology in Skagway, Alaska: Archaeological Overview and Assessment of the 

Downtown Skagway Unit, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Philomath, OR: 

Wabana Press (Draft).

Adams, William Hampton and David R. Brauner (compilers)

1991b A Bibliography for the History of Skagway, Alaska, and the Klondike Gold Rush based on an 

earlier work by Charles Konopa. A web version of this bibliography can be found at the 

Tennessee Archaeology Net Bibliography Page (site last visited 28 April 2011): 

http://www.mtsu.edu/~kesmith/TNARCHNET/Pubs/goldrush.html.

Antonson, Joan M.

1975 Dyea Site (AHRS SKG-006), National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Registration Form. 

Anchorage, AK: Alaska Division of Parks.

1976 Chilkoot Trail (AHRS SKG-067), National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Registration 

Form. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Division of Parks.

Bearss, Edwin C.

1970 Proposed Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Historic Resource Study. Washington, DC: 

National Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/bearss.pdf – site last 

visited 28 April 2011).

Beaty, Richard, and Ronald Charles

2003 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park 2003 Chilkoot Trail Archeological Inventory. 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Berton, Pierre

1972 Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush 1896-1899. Revised Edition. Toronto, ON: McClelland 

and Stewart Limited.

Blee, Catherine H.

1983 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska. Volume 1: The White Pass and Yukon Route 

Broadway Depot and General Office Buildings, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park 

Skagway, Alaska. Denver, CO: National Park Service.

1988 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska. Volume 2: The Moore Cabin and House, 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska. Denver, CO: National Park Service.

Blee, Catherine H., Robert L. Spude, and Paul C. Cloyd

1983 Historic Structure Reports for Ten Buildings. Administrative, Physical History, and Analysis 

Sections, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Skagway, Alaska. Denver, CO: National 

Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/klondike_hsr.pdf – site last 

visited 28 April 2011).

Brauner, David R., and James Bell

2005 Ground Penetrating Radar and Metal Detector Sampling at the Dyea Townsite, Alaska. Report to 

the National Park Service, Skagway, AK, from Department of Anthropology, Oregon State 

University, Corvallis.
117

Brauner, David R., and Matthew J. Diederich

2007 Archaeological Sampling of the Dyea Town Site (49-SKG-0006): 2000–2002 Field Seasons. 

Report to the National Park Service, Skagway AK, from Department of Anthropology, Oregon 

State University, Corvallis.

Brown, C. M.

1973 Chilkoot Trail (Mile 0 to Canadian Border). National Register of Historic Places Inventory –

Registration Form. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Division of Parks.

Campbell, W. Joseph

2006 The Year that Defined American Journalism: 1897 and the Clash of Paradigms. New York, 

NY: Routledge. 

Carley, Caroline D.

1981 Inventory of Cultural Resources in the Chilkoot and White Pass Units of Klondike Gold Rush 

National Historical Park. Reconnaissance Report No. 40. Seattle, WA: University of Washington, 

Institute for Environmental Studies, Office of Public Archaeology.

Carstensen, Richard and Kathy Hocker

2005 Documenting vegetational change through repeat photography in Southeast Alaska, 2004-2005. 

Repeat photography field journals, Summer 2005 (Draft pdf file). 

Choate, Glenda J.

1989 Skagway, Alaska Gold Rush Cemetery, History and Guidebook. Skagway, AK: Lynn Canal 

Publishing.

Choate, Glenda and Nan Fawthrop

1985 Dyea Shell Midden. National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Registration Form. Juneau, 

AK: Alaska Archives Resource & Records Management, Inc. (Draft).

Chappell, Gordon and Robert L. Spude

2003 An Assessment of Research in History needed at Golden Spike National Historic Site Promontory 

Summit, Utah. San Francisco, CA and Santa Fe, NM: National Park Service.

Cloyd, Paul C.

1981 Historic Structure Report, Administrative Section, Physical History and Analysis Section, White 

Pass and Yukon Route, Broadway Depot and General Offices Building, Klondike Gold Rush 

National Historical Park, Alaska. Denver, CO: National Park Service (Draft).

Cloyd, Paul, Steve Burke, and Mark Tabor

1992 Design Guidelines for the Klondike Gold Rush Maintenance Facility. Denver, CO: National Park 

Service.

Cooper, Doreen C.

1998 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, [Alaska,] Volume 6: Residential Life on Block 39. 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska. Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2001 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska, Volume 8: A Century at the Moore / Kirmse 

House. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska. Skagway, AK: National Park 

Service.
118

2003 Echoes Along the Taiya: Archaeological Survey on the McDermott Property. Report to the 

Natural Resources Conservation Services, Anchorage, AK, from R & D Consulting, Skagway, 

AK.

2005 Guide to the Skagway Death Records Database, manuscript and two Excel databases entitled: 

Skagway Death Records 1897-1950 and Gold Rush Deaths 1897-1908. Skagway, AK: R & D 

Consulting.

Copeland, Randall

1981 Design Guidelines for Skagway Historic District. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, 

Skagway, Alaska. Denver, CO: National Park Service.

Cruikshank, Julie with Angela Sidney, Kitty Smith and Annie Ned

1990 Life Lived Like a Story. Life stories of Three Yukon Elders. Vancouver, BC: University of 

British Colombia Press.

Cruikshank, Julie

1991 Dän Dhá Ts’edenintth’é Reading Voices: Oral and Written Interpretations of the Yukon’s Past. 

Vancouver, BC / Toronto, OT: Douglas & McIntyre. 

Cruikshank, Julie

1998 The Social Life of Stories: Narrative and Knowledge in the Yukon Territory. Lincoln, NE: 

University of Nebraska Press.

Davis, Craig W. 

1978 The Old Dyea or Native Cemetery Excavation and Exhumation Project Report. Anchorage, AK: 

National Park Service. 

DePuydt, Ray, Gwen Hurst, Stephanie Ludwig, and Alfred Cammisa

1997 Archaeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska, Volume 5: Additional Investigations at the Mill 

Creek Dump and the Peniel Mission, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska. 

Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Diederich, Matthew J.

2004 Ghosts of the Gold Rush: Archaeological Investigations at Feature 96 in the Klondike Gold Rush 

National Historical Park, Dyea, Alaska (49-SKG-0006). Master‘s thesis, Department of 

Anthropology, Oregon State University, Corvallis.

Dilliplane, Timothy (Ty) L., Sandra Watson, and Aaron Trotter

2004 Project Report: Chilkoot Trail Archeological Inventory Survey, 2002. Manuscript, Skagway, AK:

National Park Service.

Driscoll, Cynthia Brackett

1996 One Woman’s Gold Rush: Snapshots from Mollie Brackett’s Lost Photo Album, 1898-1899. 

Kalamazoo, MI: Oak Woods Media.

Ebell, S. Biron

1991 Archaeologists in the Mist: The 1989 Surveys at the Summit of Chilkoot Trail National Historic 

Site. Restricted Manuscript Series. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.
119

Ebell, S. Biron, and Michael P. Zywina

1990 Chilkoot Trail National Historic Park End of Season Report, 1988. Microfiche Report Series No. 

436. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

Fenicle, Diane L.

1992 Cultural Resources along the Chilkoot Trail: Pleasant Camp to Sheep Camp and Dyea Excavations. 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Fortini, William R., Jr.

1995 Final Report – Field Season 1995. Compliance Projects KLGO 95-03, 95-04, 94-17, 94-25, 94-27, 

94-28, 94-29, 95-A, B, C, D, E, F, G; Chilkoot Trail Survey; and Sites CT No. 126 and 140. 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Grauman, Melody Webb

1977 Preliminary Report on Historic Significance of the Dyea Cemetery. Memorandum to the 

Superintendent, KLGO from the Historian, Fairbanks, AK: National Park Service.

Greer, Sheila C.

1995 Skookum Stories on the Chilkoot / Dyea Trail. Carcross, YT: Carcross-Tagish First Nation.

Griffin, Eve

1996 Chilkoot Trail Archeological Inventory Survey 1996, Fieldwork Summary Report and Feature 

Records. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

1997a Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Archeological Compliance Report, Project 97-16: 

Conserve Union Iron Works Boiler at Canyon City. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park 

Service.

1997b Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Archeological Compliance Report, Project 97-30: 

Conserve the Dyea False Front. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

1997c Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Archeological Feature Form, CT155: Alaska Railroad 

& Transportation Tram Tower with Hoist Machinery. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park 

Service.

1998 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Chilkoot Trail Archeology 1998, Survey Report 

and Feature Records. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

1999 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Chilkoot Trail Archeology Survey Report. 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2000 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Chilkoot Trail Archeology Survey Report. 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2001 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Chilkoot Trail Archeology Survey Report. 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Griffin, Eve and Karl Gurcke

2011 An Overview of Chilkoot Trail Archaeology. In Eldorado! The Historical Archaeology of Gold 

Mining in the Far North, by Catherine Holder Spude, Robin O. Mills, Karl Gurcke and Roderick 

Sprague, editors. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press (In Press).
120

Gurcke, Karl 

1986a Gold Rush Archeology: The Survey and Testing of Dyea, Alaska, 1984–1985. Manuscript, 

Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

1986b Cultural Resources along the Chilkoot Trail: Trailhead to Finnegan's Point. Manuscript, Skagway, 

AK: National Park Service.

2007 A Preliminary History of Block 34, Skagway, Alaska (Draft photo essay). Manuscript, Skagway, 

AK: National Park Service.

2008a The Ada Haskin‘s House: A Preliminary Block and Lot History, Skagway, Alaska (Block 74, 

Lot 5) (Draft photo essay). Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2008b Block 89: A Preliminary Block and Lot History, Skagway, Alaska (Draft photo essay). 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2008c Block 106: A Preliminary Block and Lot History, Skagway, Alaska (Draft photo essay). 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2008d Block 119: A Preliminary Block and Lot History, Skagway, Alaska (Draft photo essay). 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2009 Dyea Signs (Draft Photo Essay). Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2010 Skagway Signs (Draft photo essay). Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

2011 Keller‘s Drug Store and Curio Shop (1898): A Preliminary Building History (Draft photo essay). 

Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Gurcke, Karl with assistance by L. C. Cassidy

2008 A Preliminary History (Draft) Of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Superintendent‘s Desk. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Hanable, William S.

1973 Chilkoot Trail (Dyea to Canadian Border). National Register of Historic Places Inventory –

Registration Form. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Division of Parks (Draft).

Hayes, David

1993 Final Report of 1993 Field Survey: Canyon City to Pleasant Camp; and Compliance Projects from 

Dyea, Sheep Camp, and 14.2 Mile Bridge. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

1994a Final Report of 1992 Archaeological Field Work: Compliance Projects at Finnegan's Point, 

Pleasant Camp, Sheep Camp, 12-Mile Bridge, and 11.5-Mile Trail Re-Route. Manuscript, 

Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

1994b Final Report: 1994 Field Season. Chilkoot Trail Survey: Pleasant Camp to Sheep Camp, West 

Side of the Taiya River, Canyon City Tent Site, and Sheep Camp Ranger Station Pit Toilet 

Compliance Projects. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.
121

Hems, David, and Peter Nieuwhof

1992 Bennett City Archaeology and Management Report: End of Season 1991. Microfiche Report 

Series No. 496. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

Higgs, Andrew S.

2004 Chilkoot Trail Unit Cultural Resource Inventory 2004 Summary Report. Manuscript, Skagway, 

AK: National Park Service.

2005 Chilkoot Trail Unit Sheep Camp Recreational Campground Relocation Project Cultural 

Resource/Archeological Survey 2005 Summary Report. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National 

Park Service.

2008 Chilkoot Trail Unit, Chilkoot Trail Archaeological Inventory Survey 2006–2007: Scales to 

Summit. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Horton, Tonia and Michele J. Curran

2001a Moore Homestead (100051) Cultural Landscape Inventory Report. Anchorage, AK: National 

Park Service (Draft).

2001b Skagway Historic District (100050) Cultural Landscape Inventory Report. Anchorage, AK: 

National Park Service (Draft).

2001c Dyea Historic Townsite (100046) Cultural Landscape Inventory Report. Anchorage, AK: 

National Park Service (Draft).

2001d Chilkoot Trail (100047) Cultural Landscape Inventory Report. Anchorage, AK: National Park 

Service (Draft).

2002 White Pass Historic Transportation System (100121) Cultural Landscape Inventory Report. 

Anchorage, AK: National Park Service (Draft).

Houston, Bonnie Stevens

2001 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Sign Guidelines. Anchorage, AK: National Park 

Service.

Houston, Bonnie S., Frank Norris and Terrence Cole

1998 Skagway and White Pass Historic District National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic 

Places Inventory - Registration Form. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service.

Jesperson, Michele, and M. Dean Pittenger

1986 Archeological Inventory: Fred Mahle's (AA-006529); Andrew C. Mahle's (AA-006272); and 

Harlan Mahle's (AA-006528) Native Allotments, Southeast Alaska. Manuscript, Anchorage, AK: 

Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Johnson, Julie

2003 A Wild Discouraging Mess: The History of the White Pass Unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Park. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service (site last visited 28 April 2011 –

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/klondike.pdf).
122

Kardatzke, Tim

2002 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska. Volume 9: Excavations at the Pantheon Saloon 

Complex. Skagway, AK: National Park Service. 

Konopa, Charles

1979 A Bibliography of the Klondike Gold Rush. Seattle, WA: National Park Service.

Leeper, Karlene

1990 Cultural Resources Along the Chilkoot Trail: Finnegan's Point to Canyon City (and some work in 

Dyea). Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Lunn, Kevin

1994 Lower Long Lake—Upper Deep Lake Rapids. A Cultural Resource Inventory and Assessment at 

a Recreational Hiking Campground on the Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site. Microfiche 

Report Series No. 512. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

Mayer, Melanie J.

1989 Klondike Women: True Tales of the 1897-98 Gold Rush. Athens, OH: Swallow Press / Ohio 

University Press.

Mayer, Melanie J. and Robert N. DeArmond

2000 Staking Her Claim: The Life of Belinda Mulrooney, Klondike & Alaska Entrepreneur. Athens, 

OH: Swallow Press / Ohio University Press.

Minter, Roy

1987 The White Pass: Gateway to the Klondike. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska Press.

Morgan, Lael

1998 Good Time Girls of the Alaska – Yukon Gold Rush. Fairbanks, AK: Epicenter Press.

Mulvihill, Carl E.

n.d. A Skagway Fire Department History. Skagway, AK: Privately printed.

Murphy, Claire Rudolf and Jane G. Haigh

1997 Gold Rush Women. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Northwest Books.

Murray, Jeffrey S., and C. R. Toews

1984 Chilkoot Trail National Historic Park Preliminary Resource Reconnaissance and Evaluation. 

Manuscript, Winnipeg, MB: Parks Canada.

Murray, Jeffrey S., and Jennifer F. A. Hamilton 

1986 Cultural Resource Inventory, Proposed Chilkoot Trail National Historic Park: Summary of 1984 

Archaeological Survey. Microfiche Report Series No. 349. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

National Park Service (NPS)

1962 Skagway and White Pass, Alaska. The National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings Nomination 

Form. Washington, D C: National Park Service.

1976 Master Plan. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park / Alaska – Washington. Denver, CO: 

National Park Service.
123

1994 Final Resource Management Plan: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Skagway, 

AK: National Park Service.

1996 General Management Plan, Development Concept Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Skagway, Alaska and Seattle, Washington. 

Anchorage, AK: National Park Service (site last visited 28 April 2011 –

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/klondike_dcp.pdf).

1998a Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Museum Management Plan. Skagway, AK: National 

Park Service.

1998b NPS- 28: Cultural Resource Management Guideline. Washington, DC: National Park Service 

(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/nps28/28contents.htm – site last visited 28 April 

2011).

2000 Final Resource Management Plan, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Skagway, AK: 

National Park Service.

2005 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park – Alaska, Long-Range Interpretive Plan. Harpers 

Ferry, WV: National Park Service.

2009 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Foundation Statement. Skagway, AK: National 

Park Service.

2010a Jeff. Smiths Parlor Museum Historic Structure Report. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service.

(http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/palor_museum_hsr.pdf – site last visited 

28 April 2011).

2010b The Chilkoot Trail: Cultural Landscape Report for the Chilkoot Trail Historic Corridor. Part 1: 

History, Existing Conditions & Analysis. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service.

Nieuwhof, Peter 

1992a Bennett Cemetery (32T470) Condition Report 1991, Chilkoot Trail National Historic Park. 

Microfiche Report Series No. 496. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

1992b Homan River Sawmill (458T) Archaeological Survey 1991, Chilkoot Trail National Historic 

Park. Microfiche Report Series No. 496, pp. 1–12. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

Nieuwhof, Peter W., W. David Hems, and Catherine A. Flynn 

1993 Lindeman City (30T) Revisited: Archaeology Report 1992. Manuscript, Winnipeg, MB: Parks 

Canada.

Norris, Frank B., compiler

1984 A Directory of Businesses in Dyea, Alaska (including maps). Anchorage, AK: National Park 

Service. 

Norris, Frank B.

1987a Chilkoot Trail and Dyea National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places 

Inventory - Registration Form. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service. 
124

1987b Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, National Register of Historic Places Inventory 

– Registration Form. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service (Draft).

1996 Legacy of the Gold Rush: An Administrative History of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical 

Park. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service (site last visited 28 April 2011 –

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/adhi/index.htm).

Norris, Frank B. and Bonnie S. Houston

1990 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, National Register of Historic Places Inventory -

Registration Form. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service. 

Norris, Frank B. and Carol Taylor

1986 Historic Structures and Sites: Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service 

(Draft).

Olson, Sarah M.

1985a Historic Furnishings Report: The Moore Cabin and the Moore House. Klondike Gold Rush 

National Historical Park, Skagway, Alaska. Harpers Ferry, WV: National Park Service.

1985b Report on the Historic Window Displays for Seven Storefronts, Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Park, Skagway, Alaska. Harpers Ferry, WV: National Park Service.

Phillipy, Greg

1999a ―Desperation Borne of Necessity: The White Pass Trail.‖ Presented at the Alaska Historical 

Society annual meeting, October 5, Anchorage, Alaska. Published in ―Proceedings of the Alaska 

Historical Society Annual Meeting, October 4-6, 1999, Anchorage Museum of History and Art.‖ 

"Our Stories: Voices From Alaska’s Museums and Historical Societies."

1999b Conservation assessment and recommendation for the Mason gravestone in the Slide Cemetery in 

Dyea. Manuscript, Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Porsild, Charlene

1998 Gamblers and Dreamers: Women, Men, and Community in the Klondike. Vancouver, BC: UBC 

Press.

Rasic, Jeffrey T.

1998 49-SKG-148: A Pre-stampede Rock Shelter on the Chilkoot Trail. Manuscript, Skagway, AK:

National Park Service.

Rhodes, Diana Lee

1988 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska. Volume 3: The Mill Creek Dump and the Peniel 

Mission, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Denver, CO: National Park Service.

Saleeby, Becky

2011 Beneath the Surface: Thirty Years of Historical Archeology in Skagway, Alaska. Anchorage, AK: 

National Park Service (Draft).

Schwatka, Lt. Frederick

1888 A Military Reconnaissance in Alaska. Senate Document 1023. Washington, DC: Government 

Printing Office. 
125

Skagway, Alaska, City of

1994 Skagway Historic District Design Guidelines: A Place to Live, Work, Play & Visit. Skagway, 

AK: City of Skagway, Alaska.

Snell, Charles W.

1965 Skagway and White Pass Historic District. National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, 

Nomination Form (Revised). Washington, D C: National Park Service.

Snow, David E.

1987 Chilkoot Trail Design Guidelines. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service.

Snow, David E. and Robert L. Spude

1981 Historic Structure Report, the Mascot Saloon Group, Historic Buildings 35H, 35G, and 35F, 

Historical and Architectural Data Sections, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Skagway, 

Alaska. Denver, CO: National Park Service.

Späth, Carl, Kurt P. Schweigert and Robins O. Mills

2000 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska, Volume 7: Block 37, Lot 1, Klondike Gold Rush 

National Historical Park, Alaska. Skagway, AK: National Park Service.

Sprague, Roderick and Debra Welch

2001 The Archaeology of the Lynch & Kennedy Building, Skagway, Alaska, 1978 and 1986 Seasons. 

Moscow, ID: University of Idaho (Draft).

2002 An Archeological Overview and Assessment of the Chilkoot Trail and White Pass Units of Klondike 

Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho (Draft).

Spude, Catherine H., Douglas D. Scott, Frank Norris, David R. Hulesbeck, Linda Scott Cummings, and 

Kathryn Puseman

1993 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska. Volume 4: Father Turnell's Trash Pit, Klondike 

Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska. Denver, CO: National Park Service.

Spude, Catherine H., with contributions by Karl Gurcke, Gwen Hurst, and David Huelsbeck

2006 Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska. Volume 10: The Mascot Saloon. Skagway, 

AK: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (site last visited 28 April 2011 – 

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/mascot_saloon_vol10.pdf).

Spude, Catherine H., Robin O. Mills, Karl Gurcke, and Roderick Sprague, editors

2011 Eldorado! The Historical Archaeology of Gold Mining in the Far North. Lincoln, NE: 

University of Nebraska Press (In Press).

Spude, Robert L.

1979 Bark Canada. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form. Skagway, AK: 

National Park Service.

Spude, Robert L. 

1983 Skagway, District of Alaska 1884-1912. Building the Gateway to the Klondike. Occasional Paper 

No. 36. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska, Cooperative Park Studies Unit (site last visited 28 

April 2011 – http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/skagway.pdf).
126

1984 Historic Use of the Chilkoot Trail, Alaska. Data Compiled for BLM Case File AA-37758, 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service.

Spude, Robert L., compiler 

1980 Chilkoot Trail. Occasional Paper No. 26. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska, Cooperative Park 

Studies Unit. 

Spude, Robert L. and Gordon S. Chappell

1980 White Pass and Yukon Route / Pacific & Arctic Railway & Navigation Company Skaguay Depot 

and Railroad Building. National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Registration Form. San 

Francisco, CA: National Park Service (Draft).

1984 Skagway's Railroad Headquarters: The Broadway Depot and the General Offices of the White Pass 

and Yukon Route, Historic Structure Report. Anchorage, AK: National Park Service.

Stirling, Dale

1986 The Alaska Records Survey: An Inventory of Archival Resources in Repositories of the U.S. and 

Canada. AHC Studies in History #209 (May). Anchorage, AK: Alaska Historical Commission.

Swanson-Iwamoto, Karen

1991 White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, Canol Pipeline, Telecommunication Line (World War II). 

National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Registration Form. Sitka, AK: USDA Forest 

Service, Tongass National Forest (Draft).

Taylor, Carol

1987 Chilkoot Trail Historic Structure Report Recommended Treatment documents/drawings. Klondike 

Gold Rush National Historical Park. Skagway, AK: National Park Service (Draft).

Thompson, Erwin N.

1986 White Pass & Yukon Route and Canol II [World War II]. National Register of Historic Places 

Inventory - Nomination Form. San Francisco, CA: National Park Service (Draft).

Thomson, Sharon

2000 1998 Investigations, Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site. Manuscript, Winnipeg, MB: Parks 

Canada.

Thomson, Sharon, and David Hems

1996 Chilkoot Trail Threatened Sites Archaeological Project: Pre-Contact Sites at Bennett, British 

Columbia. Manuscript, Winnipeg, MB: Parks Canada.

Thornton, Thomas F. 

2004 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Ethnographic Overview and Assessment. With 

contributions by Deborah McBride, Saurabh Gupta, Carcross-Tagish First Nations, Chilkat Indian 

Village, Chilkoot Indian Association, and Skagway Traditional Council. Anchorage, AK: 

National Park Service (site last visited 28 April 2011 –

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/klgo/ethnographic_overview.pdf).

United States Census Bureau

1900-1930 Individualized returns, Alaska, Southern District [Excel spreadsheet]. Washington, DC: 

U. S. Census Bureau.
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Vickers, Rod

1978 A Report on the 1977 Fieldwork of the Chilkoot Trail Archaeology Project. Research Bulletin 

No. 96. Ottawa, ON: Parks Canada.

Waddell, Peter J. A.

1979 The 1978 Yukon Marine Archaeological Survey. Restricted Manuscript Series. Ottawa, ON: 

Parks Canada.

Wasch, Diane Shaw, Perry Bush, Keith Landreth, James Glass, et al. (Arlene R. Kiriv, Editor)

1990 World War II and the U.S. Army Mobilization Program: A History of 700 and 800 Series 

Cantonment Construction. Washington, DC: Legacy Resources Management Program, United 

States Department of Defense, HABS/HAER Cultural Resources, National Park Service, United 

States Department of the Interior. 

Wells, Stephen R.

1975 Interim Report: Archival Materials Available in Skagway, Alaska for Use as Secondary Data 

Sources in Skagway Community Study. Report to the Pacific Northwest Regional Office, National 

Park Service. Seattle, WA: Sociology Studies Program, Cooperative Parks Study Unit, College of 

Forest Resources, University of Washington.

1977 Skagway: An Annotated Bibliography, 1900–1977. Report to the Pacific Northwest Regional 

Office, National Park Service. Seattle, WA: Sociology Studies Program, Cooperative Parks Study 

Unit, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington.

1978 Skagway: A Frontier Community Investing its Past in its Future. Social History (1897-1975) and 

Assessment of the Social impacts of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. Report to the 

Pacific Northwest Regional Office, National Park Service. Seattle, WA: Sociology Studies Program, 

Cooperative Parks Study Unit, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington.

Wilkie, Rab and the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre

1992 Skookum Jim: Native and Non-Native Stories and Views About His Life and Times and the 

Klondike Gold Rush. Whitehorse, YT: Yukon Tourism, Heritage Branch.

Yehle, Lynn A. and Richard W. Lemke

1972 Reconnaissance Engineering Geology of the Skagway Area, Alaska with Emphasis on Evaluation 

of Earthquake and Other Geologic Hazards. U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 72-454 

(preliminary). Denver, CO: United States Geological Survey.
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Appendix A: National Park Service Resource / Research / Learning Centers located in other 

National Parks and Regional Offices.

Since its founding in 1916, the National Park Service has been charged with caring for the nation's 

remarkable wealth of natural and cultural heritage sites. National Park Service sites provide some of the 

finest natural laboratories on earth. They also preserve sites and landscapes significant for their 

association with a wide array of cultural groups and defining events in American history. These protected 

ecosystems offer unparalleled opportunities to study and learn about natural systems and our collective 

past.

In 1998, the National Park Service Omnibus Act was passed, setting forth a research mandate for the 

Secretary of Interior to provide for the highest quality science and its use in decision-making. The Act 

promotes cooperative agreements with universities and colleges to obtain multi-disciplinary research 

results and information products to assist park management at local and regional levels. The legislation 

also encourages scientific study in parks by a broad range of entities so long as that research is 

commensurate with park protection.

Information on National Park Service Resource / Research / Learning Centers operated out of various 

parks and regional offices is listed below. This information was obtained by a search of National Park 

Service web sites. The intention is to show how other parks have dealt with a similar need – developing a 

resource and research center for learning. This should not be considered a complete list (All park and 

learning center web sites last visited 28 April 2011).

National Park Service Research Learning Centers:

NPS Research Learning Centers ("Centers") have been developed to facilitate research efforts and 

provide educational opportunities. They are places where science and education come together to preserve 

and protect areas of national significance. They have been designed as public-private partnerships that 

involve a wide range of people and organizations including researchers, universities, educators, and 

community groups. 

One of the primary goals of the Centers is to attract non-NPS scientists to conduct research in national 

parks. These scholars then assist managers by conducting research on prioritized park projects. In turn, 

research results help park managers in making science-based decisions.

Additionally, staff at the Centers has the expertise to synthesize the information and transfer it to local 

communities and a broader audience electronically as well as other means of dissemination. The Centers 

may be physically located at one particular park or, as some Centers are part of a larger network of parks, 

while one park may act as the host activities may occur at any of the parks that are part of the network. 

Currently there are thirteen Research Learning Centers and two proposed Learning Centers.

Ellis Island National Monument:

The Bob Hope Memorial Library at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum contains books, periodicals, 

contemporary and historical photographs, film and video productions, unpublished manuscripts, archival 

collections, oral history interviews and other research materials relating to the history of the Statue of 

Liberty, Ellis Island, immigration history and the National Park Service. While these materials can only 

be used on-site, the library staff provides public reference services including research assistance, photo, 

text and audio duplication (including digital copies) and general reference services. The Library is open to 

the public, but researchers are advised to make appointments in advance and are required to sign a 

registration form acknowledging certain research regulations. Please note that no original immigration 
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records are located in the Library. However, the staff can advise researchers about how to contact 

other institutions for this information.

American Family Immigration History Center (AFIHC) at Ellis Island. Official site for Statue of Liberty 

and Ellis Island Foundation containing manifests of 25 million immigrants, passengers, and crew 

members who entered New York Harbor between 1892 and 1924. Records can be searched at Ellis Island 

or on-line. 

The Ellis Island Institute is a place for life-learning, a place of discovery and reflection located at a worldclass historic site, Ellis Island in New York Harbor. The Institute is dedicated to the issues of migration 

and public health, the themes of Ellis Island, and the ones that continue to have particular relevance today. 

Click here for an interactive Ellis Island experience.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site:

The Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Archives and Reference Collection (ARC) is a new, combined 

resource comprised of the park‘s library, museum archives, and research files. The ARC, including the 

library, is managed by the Division of Cultural Resources.

To help facilitate research in the park the Northwest Cultural Resources Institute (NCRI) was founded 

onsite in 2005. As it grows, it will become one of the Pacific Northwest's premier research and learning 

facilities for cultural resources. The NCRI is a cooperative partnership based at the Vancouver National 

Historic Reserve, dedicated to facilitating research and educational activities relating to the cultural 

resources of the area. The foundations of the NCRI include the archaeological collection, the 

archaeological resources remaining in situ, and the extant historic architecture. These cultural resources 

form an unparalleled opportunity for researchers, students, and members of the public to study within the 

fields of archaeology, history, curation and collections management, museum studies, preservation and 

conservation, and historic architecture.

Frederick Law Olmstead National Historic Site: 

The Olmsted Archives documents over 5,000 landscape design projects undertaken by the Olmsted firm 

from the 1860s to 1980. Included in the collection are plans for major metropolitan park systems, parks 

and parkways, our national and many state capitol grounds, school and college campuses, residential 

suburbs, arboretums, and private estates. The Olmsted Archives contains an estimated 140,000 landscape 

architectural drawings and plans, 30,000 photographic negatives, 60,000 photographic prints, 70,000 

planting lists, 12,000 lithographs, financial records, job correspondence, reports, and models. There are 

also study collections on urban design, landscape architecture, and the fine arts in general, and a reference 

collection of maps and atlases.

Gettysburg National Military Park:

Gettysburg National Military Park maintains a large and diverse museum collection that is used to tell the 

story of people and events surrounding the famous battle. Maintenance of this vast resource is the 

responsibility of the Office of Museum Services. As with all museums, only a small percentage of the 

collection is on exhibit. The items not on display are preserved in a controlled storage environment where 

they are protected and receive periodic use by researchers. The new visitor center and museum complex 

houses the entire museum collection and many of the primary relics and articles related to the Campaign 

and Battle of Gettysburg are on exhibit as well as a number of items selected for their rarity and relevance 

to the story of the Civil War and the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery. To that end, the 

office also maintains the Gettysburg National Military Park Archives, a collection of primary documents 
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and planning records relative to the history of the battlefield park as well as original plans for the 

battlefield, maps, drawings, and documents. The Archives also includes duplicates of the William S. 

Tipton photo collection (the originals of which are now housed at the National Archives and Records 

Administration), as well as photos taken in the park from 1863 to today.

The primary focus of the Park Library and Research Center is to manage the park's collection of books 

and records relative to the American Civil War, the Gettysburg Campaign, dedication of the Soldiers' 

National Cemetery, and the development, interpretation, and administration of Gettysburg National 

Military Park. The center‘s holdings include bound volumes, vertical files, manuscripts, photographs, 

maps, microfilm and audio-visual materials as well as some rare first edition regimental histories, 

campaign studies, and memoirs. The library is a historic reference facility and study center for the use of 

park staff in research, planning and writing park programs, providing information that will enhance the 

interpretation of the battlefield and National Cemetery. The Gettysburg National Military Park Library 

and Research Center is open to the public by appointment only. For additional information on the library 

and our holdings, visit the park's web pages.

Glacier National Park:

Glacier National Park‘s Museum and Archive Collection consists of historic, archeological, ethnographic, 

biological, geological, paleontological, and archival objects. These disciplines are represented by a 

diversity of objects and specimens such as photographic prints and negatives, original Lake McDonald 

Lodge furnishings, documents, maps, architectural drawings, herbarium specimens, and fossils.

Glacier National Park‘s George C. Ruhle Research Library, located at Park Headquarters, serves the park 

staff, volunteers and members of the general public. The collection consists of books, magazines, articles 

and pamphlets relating to the history, culture, geology, animals and plants of Glacier National Park.

Golden Gate National Recreational Area:

Golden Gate NRA History & Culture - Collections: 

The Park Archives and Records Center contains over 3 million documents, photographic images, oral 

histories and maps that document all areas and facets of the history associated with Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area from Spanish exploration and the establishment of the Presidio in 1776 to the Indian 

occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1969 as well as the current activities of the park. The Park Archives and 

Records Center houses a large collection of transferred Presidio Army Records pertaining to the Presidio 

of San Francisco and surrounding military sites. NPS management of these Army records means that 

there is access to a continual line of information about the natural and cultural resources of lands that 

were formerly managed by the Department of Defense. The primary contents of this collection include 

over 50,000 engineering drawings and maps of military sites, individual buildings, and coastal defenses. 
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Governors Island National Monument:

The National Park Service‘s Historic Preservation Training Center is dedicated to the idea that historic 

building preservation education requires a hands-on experience with a wide variety of materials and 

places to become a journeyman preservation practitioner. The center established in 1977, meets the 

growing demand for craft skills development for National Park Service employees working to preserve 

thousands of historic structures within the National Park System.

In 1995, the Center joined the NPS Training and Development Division to become one of four NPS 

Training Centers. The Historic Preservation Training Center is currently located in Frederick, Maryland.

Grand Canyon National Park:

The Grand Canyon National Park Research Library contains a comprehensive collection about Grand 

Canyon and related subjects, including books, periodicals, government documents, reports, pamphlets, 

DVDs, CDs and videos. The library is open to everyone, free of charge. To visit the Grand Canyon 

National Park Research Library walk through the South Rim Park Headquarters lobby and continue 

diagonally across the courtyard to the northwest corner. Checkout privileges are extended to National 

Park Service employees and interns, Volunteers-in-the-Parks, Albright Training Center staff and students, 

Grand Canyon Semester students, Grand Canyon Unified School District faculty and students, and Grand 

Canyon Association members. All others may use the library as a reference library or receive its 

materials through interlibrary loan. There are 2 Internet PCs for public use, with a WI-FI zone in the 

library and surrounding courtyard.

The Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection preserves objects for research and exhibit purposes 

in order to document the area's unique cultural and natural history. Grand Canyon National Park staff has 

been preserving natural and cultural history items since the park was created in 1919. The Museum 

Collection focuses on objects from the Grand Canyon region. There are over 900,000 objects in seven 

different collections: archeology, ethnology, biology, paleontology, geology, archive manuscripts, and 

history. 

Grand Teton National Park:

The Western Center for Historic Preservation (WCHP) is an education and resource center dedicated to 

the preservation and maintenance of cultural resources in our Western national parks. The center 

promotes leadership in preservation education and skills development with government partners and 

educational institutions committed to the same goals. The center was created to address a broad range of 

preservation concerns in the Intermountain Region, including reducing maintenance backlogs and 

improving stewardship of historic resources. In the short term, the WCHP will prepare park maintenance 

and cultural resource staffs in Grand Teton and Yellowstone for the task of preserving rustic structures.

For the longer term, the WCHP will help build maintenance capacity in inter-mountain parks and other 

federal agencies to ensure that deferred maintenance needs have been addressed and that a permanent 

reduction in the backlog can be sustained. The WCHP was jointly developed by the National Park 

Service and the National Trust. 
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Harpers Ferry National Historical Park:

The Library of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park contains approximately 3,000 volumes that 

primarily pertain to the park's six themes: John Brown, Civil War, African-American History, Industry, 

Transportation, and Natural Heritage. The Research Room houses the park's collection of historic 

photographs, historic maps, architectural drawings, archeological reports, historic building reports, 

armory records, Storer College records, John Brown records, and much more. Many of the records in the 

Research Room are on microfilm, and microfilm readers are available.

Use the searchable Online Image Collection database to locate and view historic photographs, technical 

drawings, rare postcards, and contemporary images from Harpers Ferry. The database may be searched

by interpretive theme, geographic location, collection topic, year, or keyword. By combining different 

search criteria, you can create powerful image searches.

 

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park:

The Museum Collection at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park consists of over 380,000 objects under the 

general classifications of Archeology, Ethnology, History, Archives, Biology, Paleontology, and 

Geology. The purpose of the museum collection is to preserve specimens for study, reference, education 

and resources management. Objects may also document the people and events from the park's history.

A Research Library is available for use by the public. The library material focuses on subjects that

support park staff efforts to preserve and interpret the natural and cultural resources at Hawai'i Volcanoes 

National Park. The collection consists of bound books, rare books, periodicals, reference and scientific 

research files, and audiovisual material. Borrowing privileges are limited and must be approved by the 

library manager.

The Archives serves mainly to document the people, places and events within the park over its history. 

Administrative records and photographs dating back to 1918 provide useful information to park staff and 

researchers. Monthly reports by park superintendents dating from 1922 are especially valuable in that 

they record everything from resources management to visitor statistics. Currently there are 360,249 

objects in the park archives. The collection consists primarily of park records, reports, photographs, 

slides, maps, drawings, and plans. The public may conduct research in the archives by appointment only.

Independence National Historical Park:

Archeology – Archeologists have been digging at Independence National Historical Park since the 1950s 

and their work has uncovered the stories of many well-known figures like George Washington and Ben 

Franklin and those less-documented by history. The archeologist‘s trowel has even uncovered evidence 

of Native Americans who inhabited the area long before the arrival of Europeans. The excavation and 

study of archeological sites and artifacts is an important part of the National Park Service's mission and is 

provided for in federal preservation law. By conducting such studies the National Park Service acts to 

preserve and protect the resources under its care for all Americans.

The Independence Archeological Laboratory – The laboratory is a working facility dedicated to 

processing materials recovered from archeological excavations conducted between 2000 and 2003 prior 

to, and during, construction of the National Constitution Center.

Library & Archives – The Library & Archives support the research, education, interpretive, and resource 

management programs at Independence National Historical Park. The Library & Archives collect, 
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preserve, and make available for research use to National Park Service staff and the general public, 

published and documentary materials

Museums Branch – Independence National Historical Park has been re-accredited by the American 

Association of Museums, the highest national recognition for a museum. Accreditation signifies 

excellence to the museum community, the government, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going 

public. Independence National Historical Park is one of only nine accredited national park museums.

National Constitution Center (NCC) – Located in the third block of Independence Mall in Philadelphia, 

the National Constitution Center tells the story of the U.S. Constitution through more than 100 interactive 

and multi-media exhibits, photographs, sculpture, text, film and artifacts. The Center shows how much

the Constitution has shaped the past, and also how it touches everything in our lives today. Operating in a 

unique, public-private partnership with the NPS, the National Constitution Center allows visitors to be 

sworn in as president, slip on the robes of a Supreme Court Justice and decide cases, and walk among the 

life-sized statues of the 42 delegates who were present at the signing of the Constitution.

Inupiat Heritage Center:

The Inupiat Heritage Center in Barrow, Alaska was designated an affiliated area of New Bedford Whaling 

National Historical Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts to ensure that the contributions of Alaska 

Natives to the history of whaling is recognized. More than 2000 whaling voyages from New Bedford 

sailed into arctic waters during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Many Alaska Natives, 

particularly Inupiat Eskimo people, participated in commercial whaling. In addition to crewing on the 

ships they hunted for food for the whalers, provided warm fur clothing, and sheltered many crews that 

were shipwrecked on the Alaska coast.

The Inupiat Heritage Center was dedicated in February 1999 and houses exhibits, artifact collections, 

library, gift shop, and a traditional room where people can demonstrate and teach traditional crafts in 

Elders-in-Residence and Artists-in-Residence programs. As an affiliated National Park, the North Slope 

Borough owns and manages the Inupiat Heritage Center. The Heritage Center is one of several partners, 

associated through New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park legislation, who participate in telling 

the story of commercial whaling in the United States. Park partners operate independently but collaborate 

in a variety of educational and interpretive programs.

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial:

The Cultural Resources Department stores, maintains and provides reference services for the artifact, 

photograph, archives and library collections of the park. The JNEM Archive is charged to preserve 

records and manuscripts that document the administrative history of the park and its associated themes. 

As the corporate memory of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the Archive also makes its 

resources available to the public in accordance with objectives outlined in the park's Statement for 

Management. The JNEM Library is a research facility available to researchers studying American 

westward expansion and related subjects. The Visual Image Study Collection contains over 20,000 slides 

and 8,000 photographs. Some of the main subject groupings are: the Gateway Arch, the Old Courthouse, 

the Museum of Westward Expansion and events at the park.

Slides and photographic prints may be examined in the library for study purposes; however, they cannot 

be loaned to researchers. Many of the images in the collection can be reproduced for purchase, subject to 

copyright regulation. Payment in advance is required for all photo orders. Please allow two weeks after 

payment for photographic orders to be filled. Any rush, express mail or special handling request will 

result in an additional charge.
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The Museum Gazettes explores historical subjects reflecting park themes in short, summary narratives 

without footnotes. The following is a list of all the Museum Gazettes grouped by topic. A gazette is 

available electronically if the title is underlined. If the title is not available on this Web site, please 

contact the JNEM Library at (voice) 314-655-1600 to request a copy.

Joshua Tree National Park:

The Joshua Tree National Park‘s Museum Collections document the cultural and natural resources of the 

park and the park‘s efforts to manage those resources. The collections also illustrate the story of the park, 

its environment, and the people who have inhabited it. Park holdings include small collections of birds, 

mammals, reptiles, insects, and paleontological specimens; herbarium specimens; mining, homesteading, 

and prehistoric American Indian artifacts; administrative archives and photographs, and fine art. 

Significant collections include the William H. and Elizabeth C. Campbell Archeological Collections, 

historic photographs, and prehistoric ollas.

Included in the research facility is a 6,000 volume research library encompassing cultural and natural 

resource information for the desert region. Research reports, oral history transcripts, desert studies 

volumes, National Park Service planning documents, video tapes, and newspaper and magazine articles 

are available for use. Access is available to the collections for research that will provide public benefit 

and not harm the objects or documents. Loans of material may be made to institutions and agencies upon 

written request citing the nature of the need and the adequacy of facilities to care for the loaned material.

Joshua Tree Graduate Student Research Program:

Joshua Tree National Park has instituted a program to encourage independent field research by graduate 

students enrolled in accredited institutions. The program benefits the student researcher by providing an 

opportunity to demonstrate how their research can apply to land management issues. In addition, it 

provides park staff with a better understanding of the resources at Joshua Tree National Park. Thanks to 

The Lee Family Foundation, grants of up to $4,000 are available to assist students with expenses.

Research proposals should focus on some aspect of the natural or cultural resources of Joshua Tree 

National Park. Appropriate fields of study include, but are not limited to: botany, wildlife, desert 

ecology, archaeology, ethnography, paleontology, geology, soil science, museum science, resource 

management, and conservation.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Our National Parks are special places for special people. They‘ve been created for everyone as a whole, 

not just for one particular individual. When an artifact is removed, it is a piece of history that cannot be 

replaced. That one item could tell a story or be the missing piece to a puzzle that will remain a mystery 

forever. Stolen items are not just a loss for the Battlefield but for everyone who hopes to learn more 

about American history. The more we learn, the more we understand the past and what we are to become 

in the future. 

The Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield museum has many artifacts that were discovered by our 

Regional Archaeological Team. Some items have been found by visitors years ago who did the right 

thing and turned them in to the staff so they could be displayed and we could all learn a little more. These 

items have been inventoried, researched and preserved so that we may educate visitors on who 

participated in the Battle of Kennesaw. They tell the story of what happened here at the mountain and 

how this battle was a turning point in the Atlanta Campaign.
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Helping us preserve history helps preserve history for everyone. If you see someone relic hunting, 

metal detecting or finding and removing artifacts, please do not approach them. Notify the visitor center 

immediately ... A federal law enforcement officer will investigate further.

Relic Hunting and Metal Detecting at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Relic Hunting...

Metal Detecting...

Finding an artifact and removing it...

Are NOT allowed at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield.

Keweenaw National Historical Park:

Keweenaw National Historical Park was established to preserve and interpret the story of the rise, 

domination and decline of the region‘s copper mining industry. Unlike many parks, however, the U.S. 

Congress legislated that the National Park Service and the park's advisory commission partner with sites 

owned and operated by state and local governments, private businesses and nonprofit organizations to 

achieve this goal. The Keweenaw Heritage Sites program, administered by the Keweenaw National 

Historical Park Advisory Commission, is one aspect of this partnership.

The Keweenaw History Center, home of the park's museum and archival collections, is a historic structure 

that is not accessible to wheelchair users at this time. Future projects for the building will provide for 

universal accessibility. Keweenaw National Historical Park‘s museum and archival collections are 

accessible to researchers by appointment only. At least twenty-four hour advanced notice is required, but 

does not guarantee staff availability. No rush orders will be accepted. The collections are closed on all 

federal holidays and weekends.

To access Keweenaw‘s museum and archival collections, researchers must complete and sign the 

following forms: Access Policy, Researcher Registration form and Copyright Waiver. Anyone interested 

in obtaining reproduction copies in the form of one-time use digital files of historic images from the 

museum collections, please review the reproduction fee information.

Lava Beds National Monument:

Basin Legacy Oral History Project – Are you or a family member a past or current resident of the 

Klamath Basin with a story to share about homesteading, early exploration at Lava Beds, the Civilian 

Conservation Corps, or the Tulelake Segregation Center? Lava Beds National Monument is interested in 

your story! We are looking for people interested in being interviewed and sharing their stories for the 

Basin Legacy Oral History Project. These recorded interviews allow your history to be preserved and 

passed on to future generations. By participating, your family will also receive a copy of the interview to 

cherish. 

Lowell National Historical Park:

Education and Research: Lowell National Historical Park is a great resource for both educators and 

students. The park offers education programs at the Tsongas Industrial History Center. Students can learn 

more about the history of Lowell at the Patrick J. Morgan Cultural Center, or explore the park handbook,

brochures, and Park Library and Museum Collections.
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Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park:

The NPS Conservation Study Institute, based at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, works with national 

parks and partners to advance leadership and innovation, and in collaborative conservation for the 

stewardship of our national system of parks and special places. 

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site:

The National Archives for Black Women‘s History documents the legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune. The 

archives collects materials about and illustrating Mary McLeod Bethune, the National Council of Negro 

Women, other African American women's organizations, and individuals associated with those 

organizations. The archives also document the ongoing preservation and interpretation of the Bethune 

legacy. The archives collect information in all media with a special focus on the years of Mary McLeod 

Bethune's life, 1875-1955.

Mesa Verde National Park:

Mesa Verde National Park is the first national park set aside to ―preserve the works of man.‖ 

The Archeological Site Conservation Program (ASCP) mission is to preserve the 600 cliff dwellings with 

standing architecture in Mesa Verde National Park. By visiting these sites to assess their condition, 

carefully record architectural details, and maintain them through repair, we ensure that the sites are 

preserved for the benefit of future generations. Over the past 12 years the ASCP at Mesa Verde has 

shared its archeological expertise with many other southwestern area public lands. This support has 

ranged from sharing methods, forms and database standards, and staff in order to complete documentation 

and preservation projects. ASCP staff members from Mesa Verde have worked at archeological sites at 

Hovenweep NM, Navajo NM, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Canyonlands NP, Glen Canyon NRA, 

Gila Cliff Dwellings NM, Salinas Pueblo Missions NHP, and at sites managed by the Bureau of Land 

Management in Utah and Colorado, and at Forest Service properties in Colorado.

Mesa Verde National Park Partnerships

Fort Lewis College (FLC) located in Durango, Colorado, has established a unique program to provide 

internships for undergraduate students to work with park professionals at Mesa Verde National Park. 

Since 2002, this program has paired student interns with national park professionals and FLC mentoring 

faculty members. Intern projects at Mesa Verde have included archeology, natural resource management, 

curation, park planning, visitor education and interpretation, and GIS. Students who take advantage of 

the archeological internships benefit by gaining field experience in some of the best-preserved 

archeological sites in the world. For the college, internships provide an arena for the practical application 

of academic concepts and classroom training, and such programs enhance the professional interaction of 

two institutions with similar educational goals. For the park, fostering a relationship with the college can 

also provide a professional resource for programs, access to skilled and interested personnel, and provide 

low-cost professional-level help for specific tasks. Whether or not these experiences translate to career 

choices for the students, they embody real-world learning and service experiences in a supportive work 

environment.

In 1994, The National Park Service and the Architectural Conservation Laboratory and Research Center 

(ACL) of the University of Pennsylvania began a collaboration effort to help preserve many of the earthen 

finishes still present in some cliff dwellings. The Conservation of Architectural Surfaces Program for 

Archeological Resources was designed to develop coordinated methods for the survey, analysis, 

stabilization, and interpretation of the masonry and architectural surface finishes in the cliff dwellings of 

Mesa Verde National Park. Funding for this effort has been provided by The Getty Grant Program, 
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National Park Service, Colorado Historical Society, The Samuel H. Kress Foundation, and the 

Ballantine Family Fund. This partnership has resulted in the documentation and treatment of surface 

finishes at several cliff dwellings in the park, including Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree House, and Long House.

The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, located in southwestern Colorado, is dedicated to 

understanding, teaching, and preserving the rich history of the Ancestral Pueblo Indians who inhabited the 

canyons and mesas of the Mesa Verde region more than 700 years ago. Mesa Verde National Park and 

Crow Canyon have partnered over the years to map Yucca House National Monument and to interpret the 

prehistory of the area. In 2007, Crow Canyon and Mesa Verde again worked together to study the effects 

of long-term interaction between humans, their cultures, and the environment within what is now the 

national park. This project uses computer models to determine the amount of resources available to 

Ancestral Puebloan populations during their occupation of the mesa and where those resources were most 

plentiful. Research is ongoing and findings from this project will add significantly to the overall 

interpretation of the prehistoric occupation of the park.

CyArk is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to digitally preserve cultural heritage sites through 

collecting, archiving, and providing open access to data created by laser scanning, digital modeling, and 

other state-of-the-art technologies. Using staff from Texas Tech University, CyArk has created digital 

maps and images of some of the buildings in Spruce Tree House, Fire Temple, and Square Tower House. 

Minuteman Missile National Historical Site:

Minuteman Missile Oral Histories are now online. These include valuable interviews with former missile 

field personnel, local citizens and contractors who were part of the Minuteman's history for over three 

decades.

Minuteman Missile NHS currently has over 4500 artifacts in the collection. The majority of these artifacts 

were the furnishings and other miscellaneous items that were transferred from the U. S. Air Force with 

the buildings. These items range from the couches in the day room to the water testing equipment used to 

monitor the well water. The proper management and storage of these artifacts is an essential part of our 

cultural resources program. You will have the opportunity to see many of these items as you tour our site.

Donor Form: Our collection is constantly growing. As former Air Force personnel, civilian contractors 

and other employees find out about the site, they have either saved these items for an eventual donation to 

the museum or kept them as souvenirs of their service. While we are accepting items into the collection, 

we ask that you download this form and fill it out. You may either e-mail it back or print it out and mail it 

back for consideration of your items. We would like to make sure that these items fit into our scope of 

collections.

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area:

The Mississippi River Forum is intended to increase coordination between a multidisciplinary group of 

practitioners and decision-makers who are not consistently aware that related work is being done by 

others. The Forum is also an opportunity for practitioners to connect their work to those in different fields 

who also impact the quality of the river. The Forum allows distinct groups to create and participate in 

knowledgeable conversations with others, and to communicate others‘ needs back to members of their 

own discipline. It is the goal of the Forum to ensure that those in the position of somehow impacting the 

quality of the river are sharing information, knowledge, lessons learned, and debate about how best to 

achieve a healthy Mississippi River.
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Morristown National Historical Park:

The Morristown National Historical Park Library and Archives represent in large measure the 

convergence of two separate collections. With the founding of the park in 1933, it acquired the collection 

of the Washington Association of New Jersey. Twenty-two years later the park was again the beneficiary 

of another significant contribution when Lloyd W. Smith bequeathed his substantial archival and book 

collections to the park. Mr. Smith, an investment banker from Florham Park, NJ, spent nearly half a 

century collecting and bringing together representative samples of virtually every aspect of our western 

European cultural heritage.

In addition to the library holdings donated by the Washington Association of New Jersey, Mr. Smith‘s 

bequest in 1955 enables the park today to boast a library collection of nearly 50,000 volumes and an 

archive of nearly 250,000 manuscripts-journals, diaries, account books, letter books, military orderly 

books, inspection returns, muster lists-and other documents.

Nez Perce National Historical Park:

The Nez Perce National Historical Park Research Center includes the park archives and library collection 

that is available for on-site use to assist in the study and interpretation of Nez Perce history and culture.

The primary themes of the collection include:

Nez Perce culture - prehistoric and historic.

Nez Perce contact with missionaries and Christian influence.

The Nez Perce War of 1877.

Secondary themes include:

The effect of commercial ventures on the Nez Perce.

The Nez Perce and westward expansion.

Natural resource management of areas associated with Nez Perce history.

The archives collection contains park administrative and resource management records and donated 

manuscript collections. Included is a database of approximately 4,000 images available on a digital 

image viewer. The library collection consists of approximately 3,000 items including books, theses, 

dissertations, and reports. Also included are reprints, audio/video tapes, microforms, subject and 

biographical files, maps, and periodicals. The research center is open Monday through Friday 9:00 am –

3:00 pm. Due to limited staffing and to ensure that the researcher's needs are met in a timely manner, 

appointments for an on-site visit are required. If you would like to schedule an appointment or have a 

question, please call the park Archivist/ Research Center Manager at (208) 843-7042.

Oregon National Historical Trail:

Emigrant Names Search: Recently the Oregon-California Trails Association, a primary partner with the 

National Park Service long distance historic trails office, developed a website to provide researchers, 

interested family descendants, and other emigrant trail enthusiasts with a tool for searching pioneer 

emigrant names. The website, called ―Paper Trail," is a database with information from thousands of 

trail-related documents of the mid-19th century western migration. Whether people traveled west for gold, 

land, religious freedom or new opportunity, they wrote diaries, letters, articles and recollections about the 

journey. From over 3500 original documents, Paper Trail organizes information into an easy-to-search 

database, featuring names, dates, routes, travel parties, locations and interesting features. The information 

from each document is searchable by emigrant name or by author. The name search is free; further 

searches require a modest subscription payment.
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San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park:

The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park J. Porter Shaw Library Reading Room is the 

research portal into the Park's collections – reference staff is available by phone, email, fax or in person 

by appointment to assist you with your research in the Park's collections – with books, photographs, or 

even the objects cared for by collections staff.

The Park's collections are partially represented in three different online catalogs depending upon format:

Published items (e.g., books, periodicals, etc.) cared for by the Library can be found in Worldcat

and in the NPS Combined Library Catalog. A LibX browser plugin for the NPS Combined 

Library Catalog is available for Firefox and for Internet Explorer browsers. 

For finding aids to archival collections cared for by the Historic Documents Dept., search the 

Online Archive of California and the NPS Museum Collections Catalog which lists archival 

collections, photographs and manuscripts. 

Artifacts in the care of the Collections Dept. are also in the NPS Museum Collections Catalog. 

All types of items are included in the NPS Focus Digital Library & Research Station, which also 

searches the NPS Combined Library Catalog, as well as other resources. 

Sitka National Historical Park:

The Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center (SEAICC) was established in 1969 to impart the cultural 

values of Southeast Alaska Native Culture to students and visitors. The center achieves this goal by 

providing a place for local Sitka Tlingits to teach themselves about their own culture, while also helping 

Park visitors understand the Native people whose history is part of the Park story. Although it is housed 

in the Park visitor center, SEAICC is an independent, non-profit Native organization.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield:

The John K. and Ruth Hulston Civil War Research Library was founded in 1985. A new library building 

was dedicated in April 2003. The core of the library collection was donated by Springfield attorney John 

K. Hulston and his wife Ruth. Currently the library contains approximately 6,500 volumes concentrating 

on the Civil War period and the Civil War in the Trans-Mississippi Theater.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSSS): Those seeking ancestors via the Internet should 

also consult the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, a database that contains brief service histories 

(name, rank and unit) for most Civil War soldiers. Those seeking information on Missouri soldiers 

should also consult the Missouri State Archives Soldier Database.

Yellowstone National Park:

The Yellowstone National Park Heritage and Research Center (HRC), located at 200 Old Yellowstone 

Trail in historic Gardiner, Montana, is a state-of-the-art facility that is home to Yellowstone National 

Park‘s museum collection, archives, research library, historian, archeology lab.
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Yosemite National Park:

Yosemite National Park – History & Culture

The Yosemite Museum has the honor of being the first museum built as a museum in the National Park 

Service. The collection is home to more than 1 million historic records and another million archeological 

artifacts.

The Yosemite Research Library, maintained by the museum, is a research resource with some 10,000 

books relevant to Yosemite, as well as photographs and articles. The library is open to the public.

The Yosemite Archives, located in El Portal, contains National Park Service records, personal papers, and 

manuscript collections. It also includes the oral history collection. For more information about available 

collections, research, and access – download the archives repository guide [1.3 MB PDF].

The Biodiversity Heritage Library catalogs resource documents from 12 science-based institutions that 

have 2 million volumes of literature to support researchers.