CHILKAT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC

HAINES, AK

Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0119 The Municipality and Borough of Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska on the Alaska Panhandle. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,240,[3] up from 968 in 2010.[4] The population doubles in the summer tourist season in order to deal with more than 1,000,000 visitors each year.[5] Incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007, it was previously a city (urban Skagway located at 59°27′30″N 135°18′50″W) in the Skagway-Yakutat-Angoon Census Area (now the Hoonah–Angoon Census Area, Alaska).[5] The most populated community is the census-designated place of Skagway. Skagway was an important port during the Klondike Gold Rush. The White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad, part of the area's mining past, is now in operation purely for the tourist trade and runs throughout the summer months. The port of Skagway is a popular stop for cruise ships, and the tourist trade is a big part of the business of Skagway. Skagway is also part of the setting for Jack London's book The Call of the Wild, Will Hobbs's book Jason's Gold, and for Joe Haldeman's novel, Guardian. The John Wayne film North to Alaska (1960) was filmed nearby. The name Skagway (historically also spelled Skaguay) is derived from sha-ka-ԍéi, a Tlingit idiom which figuratively refers to rough seas in the Taiya Inlet, which are caused by strong north winds. <a href="https://www.alaska.org/detail/skagway-convention-visitor-bureau" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.alaska.org/detail/skagway-convention-visitor-bureau</a>
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0119 Credit: HBarrison

The Chilkat Valley Historical Society Inc. (CVHS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage of the Chilkat Valley of Alaska. Located in Haines, Alaska, CVHS is a volunteer-run organization that was founded in 1991 by a group of local residents who recognized the unique history and culture of the region.

CVHS works to promote an appreciation of the rich history of the Chilkat Valley through educational programs, public events, and preservation of artifacts. The Society maintains a museum which houses an extensive collection of artifacts from the region’s past. The collection includes items from the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes, as well as items from the early homesteaders and miners who settled in the area.

In addition to preserving and exhibiting artifacts, CVHS also offers educational programming. The Society’s educational programs cover a variety of topics, including the area’s history, culture, and geology. The Society also works to promote the region’s heritage through special events such as the Chilkat Valley Cultural Festival, which takes place each year in Haines.

CVHS is actively involved in preserving the Chilkat Valley’s history and culture and works to ensure that its unique heritage is not forgotten. Through its museum, educational programming, and special events, CVHS works to promote the rich history of the region and foster an appreciation of the area’s unique heritage.

CHILKAT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC is a Historical Societies, Historic Preservation in HAINES AK. US MID #8400200070

The museum is classed as HSC (Historical Societies, Historic Preservation). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Western (Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington).

Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0119 The Municipality and Borough of Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska on the Alaska Panhandle. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,240,[3] up from 968 in 2010.[4] The population doubles in the summer tourist season in order to deal with more than 1,000,000 visitors each year.[5] Incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007, it was previously a city (urban Skagway located at 59°27′30″N 135°18′50″W) in the Skagway-Yakutat-Angoon Census Area (now the Hoonah–Angoon Census Area, Alaska).[5] The most populated community is the census-designated place of Skagway. Skagway was an important port during the Klondike Gold Rush. The White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad, part of the area's mining past, is now in operation purely for the tourist trade and runs throughout the summer months. The port of Skagway is a popular stop for cruise ships, and the tourist trade is a big part of the business of Skagway. Skagway is also part of the setting for Jack London's book The Call of the Wild, Will Hobbs's book Jason's Gold, and for Joe Haldeman's novel, Guardian. The John Wayne film North to Alaska (1960) was filmed nearby. The name Skagway (historically also spelled Skaguay) is derived from sha-ka-ԍéi, a Tlingit idiom which figuratively refers to rough seas in the Taiya Inlet, which are caused by strong north winds. <a href="https://www.alaska.org/detail/skagway-convention-visitor-bureau" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.alaska.org/detail/skagway-convention-visitor-bureau</a>
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0124 1964 Designation of Skagway and White Pass as a Registered National Historic Landmark.
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0123 Skagway Railroad Museum
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0122 Skagway Railroad Museum
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0121 Skagway Railroad Museum
2023 08 19_Alaska_0120
2023 08 19_Alaska_0117 A sculpture of a prospector and his dog outside the Alaska Geographic Museum Store (National Park Service) in Skagway, Alaska, USA. Six blocks of downtown Skagway, Alaska are designated as a National Historic District. Within this zone, private, state, city, and federal interests have cooperated to preserve or restore the late 1890s atmosphere. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park manages over 20 buildings in the Skagway Historic District and just outside its boundary. These buildings are being preserved by the National Park Service to honor the struggles of the stampeders of the Klondike Gold Rush and to preserve the legacy of this important event in our nation's history.
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0116 In less than 20 years, Skagway grew from a tent city of gold stampeders to an established town, the major economic and political center of the District of Alaska (1884-1912). This history is embodied in Skagway's architecture. Reflecting the general American culture brought into the region during the gold rush, the construction, style, and features of the buildings contrasted sharply with the earlier traditional Native structures and the massive buildings of Russian America. Basically Victorian, many of the structures still stand — making Skagway one of the best-preserved examples of turn-of-the-century architecture in the far northwest. Whether to study the town's influence in Alaskan history or to reconstruct or renovate specific buildings in Skagway itself, it is helpful to understand the architecture of this substantial remnant of the Klondike gold rush. The town's growth, and its architectural development, can be divided into four phases of building activity: PHASE I, Pioneer Tent City, 1887 to 1897 The first phase of Skagway's development began when Captain Moore and his son Ben constructed the first cabin and ended after the first wave of stampeders built upon the land, after disputes over lot titles had been settled or sent to the courts and after buildings were aligned with the streets instead of the trail. Buildings dating from this period of time tend to be simple in construction and detail. Log cabins, tents, and quickly constructed wood frame structures abounded. During the first days of the stampede, land ownership was undecided. Stampeders were unsure whether gold would continue to be found in the Klondike, and businessmen built with one aim — to make the most money as quickly as possible. Except for the few log structures, buildings erected during this period tended to be tall and narrow in proportion. Board and batten building fronts were extended occasionally to create false fronts. These were lavishly painted or covered with canvas signs. Tents were all sizes and shapes. Ornamental details were nonexistent. Structures such as the Moore cabin, the Seattle Hotel, and the Goldberg Cigar Store were characteristic of this period. Few of the buildings of this phase have survived. What has been retained is a land use pattern which reflects a definite business orientation toward the east side of the valley as well as a grid of streets, lots, and blocks which reflect the general layout of Skagway during this early period. PHASE II, Gold Rush Boom Town, fall 1897 to spring 1899 The second phase has received the most publicity. It is the era of mad dashes for the passes, of crowded saloons, and of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, con man extraordinaire. The completion of the railroad over the White Pass and the increase in federal laws (and their enforcement) in the spring of 1899 symbolized the end of the "Days of 98." There was a more intense use of the land during this phase. The construction of building facades along the front of property lines created a nearly continuous linear mass along the streets. Boardwalks were built at different levels and were usually cluttered. False fronts of one, two and three stories were ornamented with painted signs, sign boards, and ornamental advertisement figures — boots, clocks, wooden Indians, and barber poles. Utility lines and telephone poles appeared. Fire towers on Fourth and Sixth avenues loomed over the downtown area while tower-like structures used by breweries were located outside the business district in cramped alley ways such as Hiroshima or Jap Alley, French Alley, and Paradise Alley. One-story cigar stores, saloons, and prostitutes' cribs abounded. Outside the business district, homes were situated back from the property front and side lines. Each of these small log cabins and wood-frame structures was set in its own frame of trees, grass, and an occasional garden. All of these buildings were considered temporary, filling the quick demand caused by the gold rush. Most have been torn down or have been altered by later additions and renovations, placing their architecture more accurately in a later period. Because of the accessibility of Puget Sound dealers, construction materials were easily shipped to Skagway on steamships. Unemployed craftsmen were lured north to build the new town, but because profits from the stampede depended on how quickly buildings were available, structures were of poor quality. Fire was a hazard. During 1898-1899 several fires destroyed clusters of buildings, including the grand three-story 50-by 100-foot People's Theater and the 50-room Brannick Hotel. The Mascot and Idaho saloons, the St. James Hotel, and the Hegg Photograph Studio belong to this phase, although they later received new window or facade treatments. The least altered reminders of this era are Jeff Smith's Parlor and the Pacific Clipper Line office. With the completion of the railroad and the change in attitude toward long-term commitments to Skagway, the second phase ended. PHASE III, Mature Railroad Town, 1899 to 1905 The third phase began when the rails reached from the ocean to the headwaters of the Yukon River in 1899 — the sign that Skagway had succeeded in its ambition to be the dominant gateway to the interior. It is best known as a period of sturdier buildings, of churches and fine residences, of a new morality, and of town pride. Beginning about 1899 and continuing through the next decade, building styles became more elaborate and complex. This change was greatly facilitated by the establishment of scheduled steamer service to Puget Sound cities and by the development of the White Pass & Yukon Route transportation system. Larger and heavier tools, materials, and building elements became available. Plate glass windows replaced multi-pane display windows. Pressed metal ornamental details appeared on facades. Imported machinery and the arrival of skilled craftsmen and architects improved the sophistication of construction. Many of the structures built at this time were multi-storied, well-constructed, and elegantly detailed. Garish signs were replaced by appealing facades; canvas awnings appeared, as did bay windows and electric display lights. Rustic details, such as those on the Arctic Brotherhood Hall and Pantheon Saloon, added a representative touch of Alaskan rustic rugged individualism, but they still fit into the verticality and symmetry of Skagway's Victorian architecture. During this third phase, city and public efforts strived for permanence. City ordinances changed the streetscape by requiring all sidewalks to be on one level and by mandating brick chimneys. The Methodists built the only granite structure: the two-story McCabe College, one of Alaska's first institutions of higher education. The origins of residential design in Skagway are commonly traced to the popular Queen Ann style. Henry Dozier, a Seattle architect hired by the White Pass & Yukon Route, used this style in designing cottages for the railroad company officials. The W.H. Case residence combines Victorian Gothic with Queen Anne details. Some residences mixed features from so many different styles that they are best classified simply as Victorian mélange. Exceptions to the Queen Anne residential styles stand out, particularly Captain Moore's "steamboat" mansion (now the Pullen House) and the bungalow-style homes along Main Street. It is probable that most of these designs were derived from pattern books, although professional architects had offices in Skagway. The work of professional architects is best seen in public buildings such as the Twelfth Avenue School, Elks Hall, WP&Y Railroad Building and Methodist Church (on the corner of Fifth and Main). PHASE IV, Tourist Town, 1905 to the present. The fourth phase of building activity was influenced by tourism as well as by a brief economic spurt in 1908. A local drive to improve the town's appearance was part of a reaction to criticism about Skagway's being the "scrap heap of creation," as one visitor phrased it. Local groups organized to clean up the town, and civic improvements at first meant tearing down early gold rush era shacks. By 1907, however, businessmen were suggesting the creation of a New Skagway by building a business corridor along Broadway Avenue. They actually used little new construction; instead, people merely moved structures from other parts of town onto Broadway. The Golden North Hotel was moved and a third floor added. The Trail Inn/Pack Train bar complex had been two army barracks which were moved to Broadway and adorned with an exuberant three-story facade, 100 feet long, with a corner tower. The avenue's new appearance was due to new architectural styles; in fact, the facades built in 1908 could have been built in 1900 or earlier. However, the overall townscape had changed. The major businesses that once lined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, were now shifted 90 degrees to face the railroad tracks down Broadway. In less than 20 years, Skagway grew from a tent city of gold stampeders to an established town, the major economic and political center of the District of Alaska (1884-1912). This history is embodied in Skagway's architecture. Reflecting the general American culture brought into the region during the gold rush, the construction, style, and features of the buildings contrasted sharply with the earlier traditional Native structures and the massive buildings of Russian America. Basically Victorian, many of the structures still stand — making Skagway one of the best-preserved examples of turn-of-the-century architecture in the far northwest. Whether to study the town's influence in Alaskan history or to reconstruct or renovate specific buildings in Skagway itself, it is helpful to understand the architecture of this substantial remnant of the Klondike gold rush. The town's growth, and its architectural development, can be divided into four phases of building activity: PHASE I, Pioneer Tent City, 1887 to 1897 The first phase of Skagway's development began when Captain Moore and his son Ben constructed the first cabin and ended after the first wave of stampeders built upon the land, after disputes over lot titles had been settled or sent to the courts and after buildings were aligned with the streets instead of the trail. Buildings dating from this period of time tend to be simple in construction and detail. Log cabins, tents, and quickly constructed wood frame structures abounded. During the first days of the stampede, land ownership was undecided. Stampeders were unsure whether gold would continue to be found in the Klondike, and businessmen built with one aim — to make the most money as quickly as possible. Except for the few log structures, buildings erected during this period tended to be tall and narrow in proportion. Board and batten building fronts were extended occasionally to create false fronts. These were lavishly painted or covered with canvas signs. Tents were all sizes and shapes. Ornamental details were nonexistent. Structures such as the Moore cabin, the Seattle Hotel, and the Goldberg Cigar Store were characteristic of this period. Few of the buildings of this phase have survived. What has been retained is a land use pattern which reflects a definite business orientation toward the east side of the valley as well as a grid of streets, lots, and blocks which reflect the general layout of Skagway during this early period. PHASE II, Gold Rush Boom Town, fall 1897 to spring 1899 The second phase has received the most publicity. It is the era of mad dashes for the passes, of crowded saloons, and of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, con man extraordinaire. The completion of the railroad over the White Pass and the increase in federal laws (and their enforcement) in the spring of 1899 symbolized the end of the "Days of 98." There was a more intense use of the land during this phase. The construction of building facades along the front of property lines created a nearly continuous linear mass along the streets. Boardwalks were built at different levels and were usually cluttered. False fronts of one, two and three stories were ornamented with painted signs, sign boards, and ornamental advertisement figures — boots, clocks, wooden Indians, and barber poles. Utility lines and telephone poles appeared. Fire towers on Fourth and Sixth avenues loomed over the downtown area while tower-like structures used by breweries were located outside the business district in cramped alley ways such as Hiroshima or Jap Alley, French Alley, and Paradise Alley. One-story cigar stores, saloons, and prostitutes' cribs abounded. Outside the business district, homes were situated back from the property front and side lines. Each of these small log cabins and wood-frame structures was set in its own frame of trees, grass, and an occasional garden. All of these buildings were considered temporary, filling the quick demand caused by the gold rush. Most have been torn down or have been altered by later additions and renovations, placing their architecture more accurately in a later period. Because of the accessibility of Puget Sound dealers, construction materials were easily shipped to Skagway on steamships. Unemployed craftsmen were lured north to build the new town, but because profits from the stampede depended on how quickly buildings were available, structures were of poor quality. Fire was a hazard. During 1898-1899 several fires destroyed clusters of buildings, including the grand three-story 50-by 100-foot People's Theater and the 50-room Brannick Hotel. The Mascot and Idaho saloons, the St. James Hotel, and the Hegg Photograph Studio belong to this phase, although they later received new window or facade treatments. The least altered reminders of this era are Jeff Smith's Parlor and the Pacific Clipper Line office. With the completion of the railroad and the change in attitude toward long-term commitments to Skagway, the second phase ended. PHASE III, Mature Railroad Town, 1899 to 1905 The third phase began when the rails reached from the ocean to the headwaters of the Yukon River in 1899 — the sign that Skagway had succeeded in its ambition to be the dominant gateway to the interior. It is best known as a period of sturdier buildings, of churches and fine residences, of a new morality, and of town pride. Beginning about 1899 and continuing through the next decade, building styles became more elaborate and complex. This change was greatly facilitated by the establishment of scheduled steamer service to Puget Sound cities and by the development of the White Pass & Yukon Route transportation system. Larger and heavier tools, materials, and building elements became available. Plate glass windows replaced multi-pane display windows. Pressed metal ornamental details appeared on facades. Imported machinery and the arrival of skilled craftsmen and architects improved the sophistication of construction. Many of the structures built at this time were multi-storied, well-constructed, and elegantly detailed. Garish signs were replaced by appealing facades; canvas awnings appeared, as did bay windows and electric display lights. Rustic details, such as those on the Arctic Brotherhood Hall and Pantheon Saloon, added a representative touch of Alaskan rustic rugged individualism, but they still fit into the verticality and symmetry of Skagway's Victorian architecture. During this third phase, city and public efforts strived for permanence. City ordinances changed the streetscape by requiring all sidewalks to be on one level and by mandating brick chimneys. The Methodists built the only granite structure: the two-story McCabe College, one of Alaska's first institutions of higher education. The origins of residential design in Skagway are commonly traced to the popular Queen Ann style. Henry Dozier, a Seattle architect hired by the White Pass & Yukon Route, used this style in designing cottages for the railroad company officials. The W.H. Case residence combines Victorian Gothic with Queen Anne details. Some residences mixed features from so many different styles that they are best classified simply as Victorian mélange. Exceptions to the Queen Anne residential styles stand out, particularly Captain Moore's "steamboat" mansion (now the Pullen House) and the bungalow-style homes along Main Street. It is probable that most of these designs were derived from pattern books, although professional architects had offices in Skagway. The work of professional architects is best seen in public buildings such as the Twelfth Avenue School, Elks Hall, WP&Y Railroad Building and Methodist Church (on the corner of Fifth and Main). PHASE IV, Tourist Town, 1905 to the present. The fourth phase of building activity was influenced by tourism as well as by a brief economic spurt in 1908. A local drive to improve the town's appearance was part of a reaction to criticism about Skagway's being the "scrap heap of creation," as one visitor phrased it. Local groups organized to clean up the town, and civic improvements at first meant tearing down early gold rush era shacks. By 1907, however, businessmen were suggesting the creation of a New Skagway by building a business corridor along Broadway Avenue. They actually used little new construction; instead, people merely moved structures from other parts of town onto Broadway. The Golden North Hotel was moved and a third floor added. The Trail Inn/Pack Train bar complex had been two army barracks which were moved to Broadway and adorned with an exuberant three-story facade, 100 feet long, with a corner tower. The avenue's new appearance was due to new architectural styles; in fact, the facades built in 1908 could have been built in 1900 or earlier. However, the overall townscape had changed. The major businesses that once lined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, were now shifted 90 degrees to face the railroad tracks down Broadway.
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0115 In less than 20 years, Skagway grew from a tent city of gold stampeders to an established town, the major economic and political center of the District of Alaska (1884-1912). This history is embodied in Skagway's architecture. Reflecting the general American culture brought into the region during the gold rush, the construction, style, and features of the buildings contrasted sharply with the earlier traditional Native structures and the massive buildings of Russian America. Basically Victorian, many of the structures still stand — making Skagway one of the best-preserved examples of turn-of-the-century architecture in the far northwest. Whether to study the town's influence in Alaskan history or to reconstruct or renovate specific buildings in Skagway itself, it is helpful to understand the architecture of this substantial remnant of the Klondike gold rush. The town's growth, and its architectural development, can be divided into four phases of building activity: PHASE I, Pioneer Tent City, 1887 to 1897 The first phase of Skagway's development began when Captain Moore and his son Ben constructed the first cabin and ended after the first wave of stampeders built upon the land, after disputes over lot titles had been settled or sent to the courts and after buildings were aligned with the streets instead of the trail. Buildings dating from this period of time tend to be simple in construction and detail. Log cabins, tents, and quickly constructed wood frame structures abounded. During the first days of the stampede, land ownership was undecided. Stampeders were unsure whether gold would continue to be found in the Klondike, and businessmen built with one aim — to make the most money as quickly as possible. Except for the few log structures, buildings erected during this period tended to be tall and narrow in proportion. Board and batten building fronts were extended occasionally to create false fronts. These were lavishly painted or covered with canvas signs. Tents were all sizes and shapes. Ornamental details were nonexistent. Structures such as the Moore cabin, the Seattle Hotel, and the Goldberg Cigar Store were characteristic of this period. Few of the buildings of this phase have survived. What has been retained is a land use pattern which reflects a definite business orientation toward the east side of the valley as well as a grid of streets, lots, and blocks which reflect the general layout of Skagway during this early period. PHASE II, Gold Rush Boom Town, fall 1897 to spring 1899 The second phase has received the most publicity. It is the era of mad dashes for the passes, of crowded saloons, and of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, con man extraordinaire. The completion of the railroad over the White Pass and the increase in federal laws (and their enforcement) in the spring of 1899 symbolized the end of the "Days of 98." There was a more intense use of the land during this phase. The construction of building facades along the front of property lines created a nearly continuous linear mass along the streets. Boardwalks were built at different levels and were usually cluttered. False fronts of one, two and three stories were ornamented with painted signs, sign boards, and ornamental advertisement figures — boots, clocks, wooden Indians, and barber poles. Utility lines and telephone poles appeared. Fire towers on Fourth and Sixth avenues loomed over the downtown area while tower-like structures used by breweries were located outside the business district in cramped alley ways such as Hiroshima or Jap Alley, French Alley, and Paradise Alley. One-story cigar stores, saloons, and prostitutes' cribs abounded. Outside the business district, homes were situated back from the property front and side lines. Each of these small log cabins and wood-frame structures was set in its own frame of trees, grass, and an occasional garden. All of these buildings were considered temporary, filling the quick demand caused by the gold rush. Most have been torn down or have been altered by later additions and renovations, placing their architecture more accurately in a later period. Because of the accessibility of Puget Sound dealers, construction materials were easily shipped to Skagway on steamships. Unemployed craftsmen were lured north to build the new town, but because profits from the stampede depended on how quickly buildings were available, structures were of poor quality. Fire was a hazard. During 1898-1899 several fires destroyed clusters of buildings, including the grand three-story 50-by 100-foot People's Theater and the 50-room Brannick Hotel. The Mascot and Idaho saloons, the St. James Hotel, and the Hegg Photograph Studio belong to this phase, although they later received new window or facade treatments. The least altered reminders of this era are Jeff Smith's Parlor and the Pacific Clipper Line office. With the completion of the railroad and the change in attitude toward long-term commitments to Skagway, the second phase ended. PHASE III, Mature Railroad Town, 1899 to 1905 The third phase began when the rails reached from the ocean to the headwaters of the Yukon River in 1899 — the sign that Skagway had succeeded in its ambition to be the dominant gateway to the interior. It is best known as a period of sturdier buildings, of churches and fine residences, of a new morality, and of town pride. Beginning about 1899 and continuing through the next decade, building styles became more elaborate and complex. This change was greatly facilitated by the establishment of scheduled steamer service to Puget Sound cities and by the development of the White Pass & Yukon Route transportation system. Larger and heavier tools, materials, and building elements became available. Plate glass windows replaced multi-pane display windows. Pressed metal ornamental details appeared on facades. Imported machinery and the arrival of skilled craftsmen and architects improved the sophistication of construction. Many of the structures built at this time were multi-storied, well-constructed, and elegantly detailed. Garish signs were replaced by appealing facades; canvas awnings appeared, as did bay windows and electric display lights. Rustic details, such as those on the Arctic Brotherhood Hall and Pantheon Saloon, added a representative touch of Alaskan rustic rugged individualism, but they still fit into the verticality and symmetry of Skagway's Victorian architecture. During this third phase, city and public efforts strived for permanence. City ordinances changed the streetscape by requiring all sidewalks to be on one level and by mandating brick chimneys. The Methodists built the only granite structure: the two-story McCabe College, one of Alaska's first institutions of higher education. The origins of residential design in Skagway are commonly traced to the popular Queen Ann style. Henry Dozier, a Seattle architect hired by the White Pass & Yukon Route, used this style in designing cottages for the railroad company officials. The W.H. Case residence combines Victorian Gothic with Queen Anne details. Some residences mixed features from so many different styles that they are best classified simply as Victorian mélange. Exceptions to the Queen Anne residential styles stand out, particularly Captain Moore's "steamboat" mansion (now the Pullen House) and the bungalow-style homes along Main Street. It is probable that most of these designs were derived from pattern books, although professional architects had offices in Skagway. The work of professional architects is best seen in public buildings such as the Twelfth Avenue School, Elks Hall, WP&Y Railroad Building and Methodist Church (on the corner of Fifth and Main). PHASE IV, Tourist Town, 1905 to the present. The fourth phase of building activity was influenced by tourism as well as by a brief economic spurt in 1908. A local drive to improve the town's appearance was part of a reaction to criticism about Skagway's being the "scrap heap of creation," as one visitor phrased it. Local groups organized to clean up the town, and civic improvements at first meant tearing down early gold rush era shacks. By 1907, however, businessmen were suggesting the creation of a New Skagway by building a business corridor along Broadway Avenue. They actually used little new construction; instead, people merely moved structures from other parts of town onto Broadway. The Golden North Hotel was moved and a third floor added. The Trail Inn/Pack Train bar complex had been two army barracks which were moved to Broadway and adorned with an exuberant three-story facade, 100 feet long, with a corner tower. The avenue's new appearance was due to new architectural styles; in fact, the facades built in 1908 could have been built in 1900 or earlier. However, the overall townscape had changed. The major businesses that once lined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, were now shifted 90 degrees to face the railroad tracks down Broadway.
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0112 In less than 20 years, Skagway grew from a tent city of gold stampeders to an established town, the major economic and political center of the District of Alaska (1884-1912). This history is embodied in Skagway's architecture. Reflecting the general American culture brought into the region during the gold rush, the construction, style, and features of the buildings contrasted sharply with the earlier traditional Native structures and the massive buildings of Russian America. Basically Victorian, many of the structures still stand — making Skagway one of the best-preserved examples of turn-of-the-century architecture in the far northwest. Whether to study the town's influence in Alaskan history or to reconstruct or renovate specific buildings in Skagway itself, it is helpful to understand the architecture of this substantial remnant of the Klondike gold rush. The town's growth, and its architectural development, can be divided into four phases of building activity: PHASE I, Pioneer Tent City, 1887 to 1897 The first phase of Skagway's development began when Captain Moore and his son Ben constructed the first cabin and ended after the first wave of stampeders built upon the land, after disputes over lot titles had been settled or sent to the courts and after buildings were aligned with the streets instead of the trail. Buildings dating from this period of time tend to be simple in construction and detail. Log cabins, tents, and quickly constructed wood frame structures abounded. During the first days of the stampede, land ownership was undecided. Stampeders were unsure whether gold would continue to be found in the Klondike, and businessmen built with one aim — to make the most money as quickly as possible. Except for the few log structures, buildings erected during this period tended to be tall and narrow in proportion. Board and batten building fronts were extended occasionally to create false fronts. These were lavishly painted or covered with canvas signs. Tents were all sizes and shapes. Ornamental details were nonexistent. Structures such as the Moore cabin, the Seattle Hotel, and the Goldberg Cigar Store were characteristic of this period. Few of the buildings of this phase have survived. What has been retained is a land use pattern which reflects a definite business orientation toward the east side of the valley as well as a grid of streets, lots, and blocks which reflect the general layout of Skagway during this early period. PHASE II, Gold Rush Boom Town, fall 1897 to spring 1899 The second phase has received the most publicity. It is the era of mad dashes for the passes, of crowded saloons, and of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, con man extraordinaire. The completion of the railroad over the White Pass and the increase in federal laws (and their enforcement) in the spring of 1899 symbolized the end of the "Days of 98." There was a more intense use of the land during this phase. The construction of building facades along the front of property lines created a nearly continuous linear mass along the streets. Boardwalks were built at different levels and were usually cluttered. False fronts of one, two and three stories were ornamented with painted signs, sign boards, and ornamental advertisement figures — boots, clocks, wooden Indians, and barber poles. Utility lines and telephone poles appeared. Fire towers on Fourth and Sixth avenues loomed over the downtown area while tower-like structures used by breweries were located outside the business district in cramped alley ways such as Hiroshima or Jap Alley, French Alley, and Paradise Alley. One-story cigar stores, saloons, and prostitutes' cribs abounded. Outside the business district, homes were situated back from the property front and side lines. Each of these small log cabins and wood-frame structures was set in its own frame of trees, grass, and an occasional garden. All of these buildings were considered temporary, filling the quick demand caused by the gold rush. Most have been torn down or have been altered by later additions and renovations, placing their architecture more accurately in a later period. Because of the accessibility of Puget Sound dealers, construction materials were easily shipped to Skagway on steamships. Unemployed craftsmen were lured north to build the new town, but because profits from the stampede depended on how quickly buildings were available, structures were of poor quality. Fire was a hazard. During 1898-1899 several fires destroyed clusters of buildings, including the grand three-story 50-by 100-foot People's Theater and the 50-room Brannick Hotel. The Mascot and Idaho saloons, the St. James Hotel, and the Hegg Photograph Studio belong to this phase, although they later received new window or facade treatments. The least altered reminders of this era are Jeff Smith's Parlor and the Pacific Clipper Line office. With the completion of the railroad and the change in attitude toward long-term commitments to Skagway, the second phase ended. PHASE III, Mature Railroad Town, 1899 to 1905 The third phase began when the rails reached from the ocean to the headwaters of the Yukon River in 1899 — the sign that Skagway had succeeded in its ambition to be the dominant gateway to the interior. It is best known as a period of sturdier buildings, of churches and fine residences, of a new morality, and of town pride. Beginning about 1899 and continuing through the next decade, building styles became more elaborate and complex. This change was greatly facilitated by the establishment of scheduled steamer service to Puget Sound cities and by the development of the White Pass & Yukon Route transportation system. Larger and heavier tools, materials, and building elements became available. Plate glass windows replaced multi-pane display windows. Pressed metal ornamental details appeared on facades. Imported machinery and the arrival of skilled craftsmen and architects improved the sophistication of construction. Many of the structures built at this time were multi-storied, well-constructed, and elegantly detailed. Garish signs were replaced by appealing facades; canvas awnings appeared, as did bay windows and electric display lights. Rustic details, such as those on the Arctic Brotherhood Hall and Pantheon Saloon, added a representative touch of Alaskan rustic rugged individualism, but they still fit into the verticality and symmetry of Skagway's Victorian architecture. During this third phase, city and public efforts strived for permanence. City ordinances changed the streetscape by requiring all sidewalks to be on one level and by mandating brick chimneys. The Methodists built the only granite structure: the two-story McCabe College, one of Alaska's first institutions of higher education. The origins of residential design in Skagway are commonly traced to the popular Queen Ann style. Henry Dozier, a Seattle architect hired by the White Pass & Yukon Route, used this style in designing cottages for the railroad company officials. The W.H. Case residence combines Victorian Gothic with Queen Anne details. Some residences mixed features from so many different styles that they are best classified simply as Victorian mélange. Exceptions to the Queen Anne residential styles stand out, particularly Captain Moore's "steamboat" mansion (now the Pullen House) and the bungalow-style homes along Main Street. It is probable that most of these designs were derived from pattern books, although professional architects had offices in Skagway. The work of professional architects is best seen in public buildings such as the Twelfth Avenue School, Elks Hall, WP&Y Railroad Building and Methodist Church (on the corner of Fifth and Main). PHASE IV, Tourist Town, 1905 to the present. The fourth phase of building activity was influenced by tourism as well as by a brief economic spurt in 1908. A local drive to improve the town's appearance was part of a reaction to criticism about Skagway's being the "scrap heap of creation," as one visitor phrased it. Local groups organized to clean up the town, and civic improvements at first meant tearing down early gold rush era shacks. By 1907, however, businessmen were suggesting the creation of a New Skagway by building a business corridor along Broadway Avenue. They actually used little new construction; instead, people merely moved structures from other parts of town onto Broadway. The Golden North Hotel was moved and a third floor added. The Trail Inn/Pack Train bar complex had been two army barracks which were moved to Broadway and adorned with an exuberant three-story facade, 100 feet long, with a corner tower. The avenue's new appearance was due to new architectural styles; in fact, the facades built in 1908 could have been built in 1900 or earlier. However, the overall townscape had changed. The major businesses that once lined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, were now shifted 90 degrees to face the railroad tracks down Broadway.
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0111 In less than 20 years, Skagway grew from a tent city of gold stampeders to an established town, the major economic and political center of the District of Alaska (1884-1912). This history is embodied in Skagway's architecture. Reflecting the general American culture brought into the region during the gold rush, the construction, style, and features of the buildings contrasted sharply with the earlier traditional Native structures and the massive buildings of Russian America. Basically Victorian, many of the structures still stand — making Skagway one of the best-preserved examples of turn-of-the-century architecture in the far northwest. Whether to study the town's influence in Alaskan history or to reconstruct or renovate specific buildings in Skagway itself, it is helpful to understand the architecture of this substantial remnant of the Klondike gold rush. The town's growth, and its architectural development, can be divided into four phases of building activity: PHASE I, Pioneer Tent City, 1887 to 1897 The first phase of Skagway's development began when Captain Moore and his son Ben constructed the first cabin and ended after the first wave of stampeders built upon the land, after disputes over lot titles had been settled or sent to the courts and after buildings were aligned with the streets instead of the trail. Buildings dating from this period of time tend to be simple in construction and detail. Log cabins, tents, and quickly constructed wood frame structures abounded. During the first days of the stampede, land ownership was undecided. Stampeders were unsure whether gold would continue to be found in the Klondike, and businessmen built with one aim — to make the most money as quickly as possible. Except for the few log structures, buildings erected during this period tended to be tall and narrow in proportion. Board and batten building fronts were extended occasionally to create false fronts. These were lavishly painted or covered with canvas signs. Tents were all sizes and shapes. Ornamental details were nonexistent. Structures such as the Moore cabin, the Seattle Hotel, and the Goldberg Cigar Store were characteristic of this period. Few of the buildings of this phase have survived. What has been retained is a land use pattern which reflects a definite business orientation toward the east side of the valley as well as a grid of streets, lots, and blocks which reflect the general layout of Skagway during this early period. PHASE II, Gold Rush Boom Town, fall 1897 to spring 1899 The second phase has received the most publicity. It is the era of mad dashes for the passes, of crowded saloons, and of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, con man extraordinaire. The completion of the railroad over the White Pass and the increase in federal laws (and their enforcement) in the spring of 1899 symbolized the end of the "Days of 98." There was a more intense use of the land during this phase. The construction of building facades along the front of property lines created a nearly continuous linear mass along the streets. Boardwalks were built at different levels and were usually cluttered. False fronts of one, two and three stories were ornamented with painted signs, sign boards, and ornamental advertisement figures — boots, clocks, wooden Indians, and barber poles. Utility lines and telephone poles appeared. Fire towers on Fourth and Sixth avenues loomed over the downtown area while tower-like structures used by breweries were located outside the business district in cramped alley ways such as Hiroshima or Jap Alley, French Alley, and Paradise Alley. One-story cigar stores, saloons, and prostitutes' cribs abounded. Outside the business district, homes were situated back from the property front and side lines. Each of these small log cabins and wood-frame structures was set in its own frame of trees, grass, and an occasional garden. All of these buildings were considered temporary, filling the quick demand caused by the gold rush. Most have been torn down or have been altered by later additions and renovations, placing their architecture more accurately in a later period. Because of the accessibility of Puget Sound dealers, construction materials were easily shipped to Skagway on steamships. Unemployed craftsmen were lured north to build the new town, but because profits from the stampede depended on how quickly buildings were available, structures were of poor quality. Fire was a hazard. During 1898-1899 several fires destroyed clusters of buildings, including the grand three-story 50-by 100-foot People's Theater and the 50-room Brannick Hotel. The Mascot and Idaho saloons, the St. James Hotel, and the Hegg Photograph Studio belong to this phase, although they later received new window or facade treatments. The least altered reminders of this era are Jeff Smith's Parlor and the Pacific Clipper Line office. With the completion of the railroad and the change in attitude toward long-term commitments to Skagway, the second phase ended. PHASE III, Mature Railroad Town, 1899 to 1905 The third phase began when the rails reached from the ocean to the headwaters of the Yukon River in 1899 — the sign that Skagway had succeeded in its ambition to be the dominant gateway to the interior. It is best known as a period of sturdier buildings, of churches and fine residences, of a new morality, and of town pride. Beginning about 1899 and continuing through the next decade, building styles became more elaborate and complex. This change was greatly facilitated by the establishment of scheduled steamer service to Puget Sound cities and by the development of the White Pass & Yukon Route transportation system. Larger and heavier tools, materials, and building elements became available. Plate glass windows replaced multi-pane display windows. Pressed metal ornamental details appeared on facades. Imported machinery and the arrival of skilled craftsmen and architects improved the sophistication of construction. Many of the structures built at this time were multi-storied, well-constructed, and elegantly detailed. Garish signs were replaced by appealing facades; canvas awnings appeared, as did bay windows and electric display lights. Rustic details, such as those on the Arctic Brotherhood Hall and Pantheon Saloon, added a representative touch of Alaskan rustic rugged individualism, but they still fit into the verticality and symmetry of Skagway's Victorian architecture. During this third phase, city and public efforts strived for permanence. City ordinances changed the streetscape by requiring all sidewalks to be on one level and by mandating brick chimneys. The Methodists built the only granite structure: the two-story McCabe College, one of Alaska's first institutions of higher education. The origins of residential design in Skagway are commonly traced to the popular Queen Ann style. Henry Dozier, a Seattle architect hired by the White Pass & Yukon Route, used this style in designing cottages for the railroad company officials. The W.H. Case residence combines Victorian Gothic with Queen Anne details. Some residences mixed features from so many different styles that they are best classified simply as Victorian mélange. Exceptions to the Queen Anne residential styles stand out, particularly Captain Moore's "steamboat" mansion (now the Pullen House) and the bungalow-style homes along Main Street. It is probable that most of these designs were derived from pattern books, although professional architects had offices in Skagway. The work of professional architects is best seen in public buildings such as the Twelfth Avenue School, Elks Hall, WP&Y Railroad Building and Methodist Church (on the corner of Fifth and Main). PHASE IV, Tourist Town, 1905 to the present. The fourth phase of building activity was influenced by tourism as well as by a brief economic spurt in 1908. A local drive to improve the town's appearance was part of a reaction to criticism about Skagway's being the "scrap heap of creation," as one visitor phrased it. Local groups organized to clean up the town, and civic improvements at first meant tearing down early gold rush era shacks. By 1907, however, businessmen were suggesting the creation of a New Skagway by building a business corridor along Broadway Avenue. They actually used little new construction; instead, people merely moved structures from other parts of town onto Broadway. The Golden North Hotel was moved and a third floor added. The Trail Inn/Pack Train bar complex had been two army barracks which were moved to Broadway and adorned with an exuberant three-story facade, 100 feet long, with a corner tower. The avenue's new appearance was due to new architectural styles; in fact, the facades built in 1908 could have been built in 1900 or earlier. However, the overall townscape had changed. The major businesses that once lined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, were now shifted 90 degrees to face the railroad tracks down Broadway.
Skagway, AK_2023 08 19_0110 In less than 20 years, Skagway grew from a tent city of gold stampeders to an established town, the major economic and political center of the District of Alaska (1884-1912). This history is embodied in Skagway's architecture. Reflecting the general American culture brought into the region during the gold rush, the construction, style, and features of the buildings contrasted sharply with the earlier traditional Native structures and the massive buildings of Russian America. Basically Victorian, many of the structures still stand — making Skagway one of the best-preserved examples of turn-of-the-century architecture in the far northwest. Whether to study the town's influence in Alaskan history or to reconstruct or renovate specific buildings in Skagway itself, it is helpful to understand the architecture of this substantial remnant of the Klondike gold rush. The town's growth, and its architectural development, can be divided into four phases of building activity: PHASE I, Pioneer Tent City, 1887 to 1897 The first phase of Skagway's development began when Captain Moore and his son Ben constructed the first cabin and ended after the first wave of stampeders built upon the land, after disputes over lot titles had been settled or sent to the courts and after buildings were aligned with the streets instead of the trail. Buildings dating from this period of time tend to be simple in construction and detail. Log cabins, tents, and quickly constructed wood frame structures abounded. During the first days of the stampede, land ownership was undecided. Stampeders were unsure whether gold would continue to be found in the Klondike, and businessmen built with one aim — to make the most money as quickly as possible. Except for the few log structures, buildings erected during this period tended to be tall and narrow in proportion. Board and batten building fronts were extended occasionally to create false fronts. These were lavishly painted or covered with canvas signs. Tents were all sizes and shapes. Ornamental details were nonexistent. Structures such as the Moore cabin, the Seattle Hotel, and the Goldberg Cigar Store were characteristic of this period. Few of the buildings of this phase have survived. What has been retained is a land use pattern which reflects a definite business orientation toward the east side of the valley as well as a grid of streets, lots, and blocks which reflect the general layout of Skagway during this early period. PHASE II, Gold Rush Boom Town, fall 1897 to spring 1899 The second phase has received the most publicity. It is the era of mad dashes for the passes, of crowded saloons, and of Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, con man extraordinaire. The completion of the railroad over the White Pass and the increase in federal laws (and their enforcement) in the spring of 1899 symbolized the end of the "Days of 98." There was a more intense use of the land during this phase. The construction of building facades along the front of property lines created a nearly continuous linear mass along the streets. Boardwalks were built at different levels and were usually cluttered. False fronts of one, two and three stories were ornamented with painted signs, sign boards, and ornamental advertisement figures — boots, clocks, wooden Indians, and barber poles. Utility lines and telephone poles appeared. Fire towers on Fourth and Sixth avenues loomed over the downtown area while tower-like structures used by breweries were located outside the business district in cramped alley ways such as Hiroshima or Jap Alley, French Alley, and Paradise Alley. One-story cigar stores, saloons, and prostitutes' cribs abounded. Outside the business district, homes were situated back from the property front and side lines. Each of these small log cabins and wood-frame structures was set in its own frame of trees, grass, and an occasional garden. All of these buildings were considered temporary, filling the quick demand caused by the gold rush. Most have been torn down or have been altered by later additions and renovations, placing their architecture more accurately in a later period. Because of the accessibility of Puget Sound dealers, construction materials were easily shipped to Skagway on steamships. Unemployed craftsmen were lured north to build the new town, but because profits from the stampede depended on how quickly buildings were available, structures were of poor quality. Fire was a hazard. During 1898-1899 several fires destroyed clusters of buildings, including the grand three-story 50-by 100-foot People's Theater and the 50-room Brannick Hotel. The Mascot and Idaho saloons, the St. James Hotel, and the Hegg Photograph Studio belong to this phase, although they later received new window or facade treatments. The least altered reminders of this era are Jeff Smith's Parlor and the Pacific Clipper Line office. With the completion of the railroad and the change in attitude toward long-term commitments to Skagway, the second phase ended. PHASE III, Mature Railroad Town, 1899 to 1905 The third phase began when the rails reached from the ocean to the headwaters of the Yukon River in 1899 — the sign that Skagway had succeeded in its ambition to be the dominant gateway to the interior. It is best known as a period of sturdier buildings, of churches and fine residences, of a new morality, and of town pride. Beginning about 1899 and continuing through the next decade, building styles became more elaborate and complex. This change was greatly facilitated by the establishment of scheduled steamer service to Puget Sound cities and by the development of the White Pass & Yukon Route transportation system. Larger and heavier tools, materials, and building elements became available. Plate glass windows replaced multi-pane display windows. Pressed metal ornamental details appeared on facades. Imported machinery and the arrival of skilled craftsmen and architects improved the sophistication of construction. Many of the structures built at this time were multi-storied, well-constructed, and elegantly detailed. Garish signs were replaced by appealing facades; canvas awnings appeared, as did bay windows and electric display lights. Rustic details, such as those on the Arctic Brotherhood Hall and Pantheon Saloon, added a representative touch of Alaskan rustic rugged individualism, but they still fit into the verticality and symmetry of Skagway's Victorian architecture. During this third phase, city and public efforts strived for permanence. City ordinances changed the streetscape by requiring all sidewalks to be on one level and by mandating brick chimneys. The Methodists built the only granite structure: the two-story McCabe College, one of Alaska's first institutions of higher education. The origins of residential design in Skagway are commonly traced to the popular Queen Ann style. Henry Dozier, a Seattle architect hired by the White Pass & Yukon Route, used this style in designing cottages for the railroad company officials. The W.H. Case residence combines Victorian Gothic with Queen Anne details. Some residences mixed features from so many different styles that they are best classified simply as Victorian mélange. Exceptions to the Queen Anne residential styles stand out, particularly Captain Moore's "steamboat" mansion (now the Pullen House) and the bungalow-style homes along Main Street. It is probable that most of these designs were derived from pattern books, although professional architects had offices in Skagway. The work of professional architects is best seen in public buildings such as the Twelfth Avenue School, Elks Hall, WP&Y Railroad Building and Methodist Church (on the corner of Fifth and Main). PHASE IV, Tourist Town, 1905 to the present. The fourth phase of building activity was influenced by tourism as well as by a brief economic spurt in 1908. A local drive to improve the town's appearance was part of a reaction to criticism about Skagway's being the "scrap heap of creation," as one visitor phrased it. Local groups organized to clean up the town, and civic improvements at first meant tearing down early gold rush era shacks. By 1907, however, businessmen were suggesting the creation of a New Skagway by building a business corridor along Broadway Avenue. They actually used little new construction; instead, people merely moved structures from other parts of town onto Broadway. The Golden North Hotel was moved and a third floor added. The Trail Inn/Pack Train bar complex had been two army barracks which were moved to Broadway and adorned with an exuberant three-story facade, 100 feet long, with a corner tower. The avenue's new appearance was due to new architectural styles; in fact, the facades built in 1908 could have been built in 1900 or earlier. However, the overall townscape had changed. The major businesses that once lined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, were now shifted 90 degrees to face the railroad tracks down Broadway.

Contact CHILKAT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC

CHILKAT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC
BOX 623
HAINES
AK
99827

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CHILKAT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC Information

MID # 8400200070
Name CHILKAT VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC
Alternate Name
Classification Historical Societies, Historic Preservation, , Western
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) 510180584
NTEECC A82
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM) 201306
INCOME 0
REVENUE 0
LAT/LONG 59.230122, -135.443134
CODES FIPS State Code: 02
FIPS County Code: 100
US Census Tract: 000100
US Census Block: 3009