Skagway, Alaska

Skagway was once the gateway to the Klondike gold rush. Now it is beautifully restored as a National Historic Site. The National Park Service has done an amazing job in restoring around 20 buildings (and still going).

The cry of "gold" brought tens of thousands of would be prospectors through Skagway on their way to the gold rich creeks around Dawson City in the Yukon. They came North to Skagway by boat out of Seattle and then made their way North by foot and then hand made boat for 700 miles. It was an unbelievable journey and many died along the route or once they reached Dawson and found all the claims taken.

But lets see Skagway now. This is the old train station which has been renovated and is used as the Park's visitors center. There is something for everyone in this town.

Here is entertainment for the men. This is a lady of the evening, I assume also renovated by the Park Service.




And here is a carriage ride for the ladies.










Here is a train ride for the entire family.










And here we go back to the men. This is the Mascot Bar, restored perfectly (except the bottles are empty). In Skagway's heyday there were more than 30 drinking establishments. The only business that was more pronounced in Skayway than bars were ladies of the evening.

There is a lot of fascinating history here and throughout Alaska. If you would like to read about the entire history of Alaska then get yourself a copy of James Michener's book "Alaska". It is a fascinating, partly fictionalized, history of Alaska from the land bridge with Russia to statehood.