Whitehorse, YT

This city of 20,000 is the Capital of the Yukon Territory and has a proud heritage going back to the days of the Klondike Gold Rush. It sits at the northern end of the White Pass, a major, difficult passage for the “stampeders” at the dawn of the 20th century. They made their way from the harbor at Skagway 113 miles to Whitehorse. After adding supplies they would travel another 400 miles to Dawson City. That trek could take several months. Most of them found no gold. The people who made the money were those who provided services. A railroad track would be built between Skagway and Whitehorse; however, by the time it was completed, the gold rush was over. The train is still operative during the summer (see depot picture above).

During WW II, Whitehorse had a renewed importance. The Japanese had invaded the Aleutian Islands, and the U.S. Army took over the rail system in order to transport troops and supplies. Many engineer and railroad troops were stationed in Whitehorse. This was their second “gold rush.”

The third “gold rush” is still happening and consists largely of tourists. From May until the end of September Whitehorse gets lots of business. In addition to train rides there are cruises down the Yukon River and motorbus tours. We found a spacious, well-furnished room at the Klondike Inn at a reduced rate of $99. The Visitor Center is terrific and offers a guided walking tour. We learned that one of the city’s most noted citizens was Robert Service, a bank employee with a great sense of humor. He became internationally known for his poignant poetry. Poems like “The Cremation of Sam McGee” and “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” are familiar to most of us. We actually saw Sam’s cabin. He was alive and well at the time Service obtained his permission to use his name in the famous poem. The most fun we had was attending the show, Frantic Follies. We applauded the talented cast who built their “dance hall” theme around some of Robert Service’s poems. They were multitalented: Dancing, singing, telling jokes and playing a variety of instruments. There were also many costume and makeup changes that were elegant, funny, ridiculous, but well-timed.

Whitehorse boasts the world's largest weather vane, which is positioned in front of the airport. It is an old DC-3 which saw duty in WW II. It actually turns on it's spindal as the wind changes direction.