Tour at the saloon
Belinda Mullvaney
This morning I walked down to the visitors center just in time to take the walking tour of Dawson. It was quite interesting and fun. The guide took us to different places and told us some history of the building, then this lady dressed up in 1890’s clothes came out and pretended she was telling the story of the original time. She was supposed to be Belinda Mullvaney, an early female entrepreneur that became wealthy building boarding houses and other establishments in and around Dawson. We found out eventually that the gal dressed up for the part has really lived here for 30 years.
After the tour, which lasted until noon, I rode back up Bonanza Creek to check out the places I missed yesterday because of rain. The Discovery Claim National Historic Site, place of the original gold discovery in 1896 that sparked the Klondike Gold Rush, was nothing more than a small path down to the creek with a few plaques to tell about the men and what happened.
Then I drove on up the road a way where you can pan for gold for free. This is the only place on the stream that is not a private claim. There were several people down in the creek trying their luck at finding a flake of gold. After years of miners digging up the dirt in the 1890’s, and maybe four dredges that had chewed through the valley, there is probably not much left for the recreational panner. But they never get it all and new flakes get washed down every year. Do you think I took my gold pan down to the stream?
Yukon River
The sky was starting to look like rain again and the mosquitos were biting like mad at the creek, so I headed back to town with only one little flake of gold. Important: Always take DEET when you are in nature up here!
I bought a loaf of bread, some cookies, and a pound of hamburger at the local market that came to $20.50. I’m trying to eat up some of my provisions – pushed to the back of my cupboard – instead of buying much up here. Before I made my hamburger for dinner, I took a walk along the Yukon Riverbank and read more plaques about the traffic to and from Dawson in the early
days.
Loading the ferry
Tonight I have a plan to go to Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall. I’m not too sure what to expect but it is one show everyone seems to go to. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow. I’m planning on going to the 10 pm show to miss the crowds at 8:30. I sure hope they don’t try to pull me up on stage – I would never go to a show that would have me in the act!
I always enjoy walking tours. That would have really appealed to me, too.
That’s going to be a late night show for you! I guess with the long days, it doesn’t feel quite so late though, when the sun is still up. We’ll be anxious for the report.
I can just see you up on stage with the can can girls!