At one time the capital of Yukon was Dawson City but on April 1, 1953 this changed. This changed because of a population boom in Whitehorse. Whitehorse was also closer to the Alaskan Highway than Dawson City. Dawson City was the capital from 1898 to 1953.
Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the construction of the Alaskan Highway in Feb. 6, 1942. Actual construction didn’t begin until March 8, 1942. The highway was 1,390 miles long. Plans for this highway started in the 1920s but didn’t go into action until 1942. The Alaska Highway was finally completed on October 28, 1942. It was constructed mainly by the U.S. Army.
In 1919 silver and lead mines were opened. The mines opened at Keno Hill and Keno Valley. Thomas Aitken was the person who discovered the silver and lead. 1989 the mines were finally closed. By 1989 330 tons of silver and lead had been mined.
During the time of 1898 to 1900 White Pass Railway and Yukon Railway was under construction. These railways were 325 miles long each. 450 tons of explosives were used to summit. Service with these trains started in August 1, 1900. These trains would only used for gold transportation. To this day the Railway Route building is a museum.
Yukon finally became an official Canadian territory on June 13, 1898. Yukon is Canada’s second territory. Yukon’s first capital was Dawson City but it was later changed to Whitehorse. Yukon was named by Hudson’s Bay Company trader John Campbell Yukon means “the greatest river.”
In 1896 gold was discovered in the Klondike Valley. The gold rush ran from 1896 till 1900. By 1900 $22,275,000 dollars was produced by gold. 35,000 people lived in the Klondike Valley when the gold struck. 28,000 people came by 7,000 boats and 5,000 people came by other routes. On August 17, 1896 George W. Carmack and his indian friends Skookum Jim and Tagish Charlie, found the first gold which led to the gold rush.
This post was built by Hudson's Bay Company. Their fur trader John Campbell was the main builder of this trading post. Fort Frances trading post building was built along the Yukon River. The people would trade tobacco, guns, metal, and blankets at the trading post.
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