VC Travel Guide Story

Travel Guide - Dawson City, Yukon

The year-round population of Dawson City is approximately 1800, and these people are the Spirit and Heart of the North, the flavour, the breath of fresh air that makes the town what it is today. Dawson City is living history and the residents take pride in their historical surroundings thriving in a modern day world. One can walk through its downtown and residential areas in a day and experience the old and the new. While some buildings have been restored to their classical splendour, there are just enough dilapidated relics around to give it the character of the days of '98. In the café, one will see gold miners right from the creeks, and right next to them, people from all around the world, on a visit. One hundred years ago Dawson City was the heart of the great Klondike Gold Rush. More than 30,000 people transformed a First Nation fish camp and moose pasture at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers into the largest city in Canada west of Winnipeg and north of Seattle. One hundred years later Dawson still celebrates it colourful past, yet in many respects nothing has changed. The gold mining industry still flourishes here, and people still flock here from all over the world-drawn less by the gold than the adventure of getting here and the excitement of seeing where it all began.

Today the first nation people "Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in" (River People) have adapted from a hunting and gathering society in pre-contact days to a successful self-governing body that includes the ownership of many successful businesses in the town of Dawson. Many Han people currently practice cultural activities with pride and creativity largely due to the insight of Chief Isaac. Before the Gold Rush Chief Isaac took many steps to protect his people.

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