Guide to the H.J. Goetzman Klondike Gold Rush Photographs
1897-1903

Man on large dirt pile dumping dirt at Chute & Willis No. 12 Gold Run mine, undated. Special Collections, UW Libraries, UW 26666z

Biographical Note

H. J. Goetzman worked as a photographer in the Yukon from 1897 until 1904. He traveled to the Yukon via the Chilkoot Trail with his wife and Miss Edith Goetzman, a relative. Trained as a commercial photographer, Goetzman recorded the scenery, life and activity of the route to the gold fields through Alaska and Canada, Dyea, the Chilkoot Trail, White Pass Canyon, Bennett, Dawson, and the Klondike gold fields. He ran Goetzman's Photographic Studio in Dawson from 1898 to 1904. At the height of the gold rush he employed seven photographers.

In the winter of 1900-1901, Goetzman traveled to Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. He made the Dawson-Whitehorse leg of the trip, a distance of 329 miles each way, with his own dog team. In January 1901, he released a photo album with views of Wrangell, Alaska, the White Pass, down the Yukon River to Dawson, up the gold creeks to Eagle City, Alaska, and on to St. Michael and Nome. He also published a souvenir booklet in 1901 with 200 views reproduced as half-tones. In October of 1902, he photographed the upper Yukon River for the White Pass Company to use as advertising material.

Over the seven years he resided in Dawson, Goetzman moved his studio to several different locations, beginning in a tent and including the following: a studio on the second floor of the partially completed Monte Carlo building on First Avenue in 1900; later in 1900, the Victoria Building on the southeast corner of First Avenue and Second Street; and in 1903, he moved to 128 Second Avenue South. In 1904, Goetzman sold his studio, negatives, and photographic supply house to J. Morte and H. Craig and moved to San Francisco. Many negatives were lost as the result of water damage from a fire in April 1907.

Historical Background

In 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush started in the Yukon Territory, Canada, with the discovery of gold in Bonanza Creek on the Klondike River. In the summer of 1897, miners arrived in San Francisco and Seattle from Alaska via two steamers, collectively carrying five thousand pounds of gold from the Klondike River in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Over the next two years thousands of prospectors rushed to reach the gold fields.

Though other more dangerous or dead-end routes were advertised by unscrupulous or ignorant entrepreneurs, ninety percent of the would-be miners arrived in the Yukon via either the Chilkoot Trail out of Dyea or the White Pass Trail out of Skagway. The Chilkoot turned out to be the most favorable, despite the steep rise of 900 feet to the summit in the last half mile. Miners had to relay a ton of supplies per person over the pass in order to gain clearance to enter Canada from the Northwest Mounted Police outpost on the other side. White Pass Trail, while slightly shorter and less steep, soon turned to a nearly impassable trail under the feet of thousands of men and horses. The trail became known as the Dead Horse Trail, in reference to the carcasses of 3000 pack animals that littered the route.

Once they arrived at Lake Bennett, the stampeders built or bought boats to float down the Yukon River to Dawson. As the first big wave of prospectors reached Dawson after the thaw in May 1898, most were disappointed as nearly all of the promising claims had been claimed by locals the year before. Many sold their outfits and left, but others stayed to work for other prospectors or in Dawson.

The gold rush transformed Dawson, which was originally a native summer fishing camp, into the "Paris of the North." The town was staked out by Joe Ladue and named after George M. Dawson, Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, who explored the region in 1887. By 1898, Dawson was the largest Canadian city west of Winnipeg with 40,000 residents. Elaborate hotels, theaters and dance halls were erected. It also included such amenities as telephone service, running water and steam heat.

With the news of gold in Nome, Alaska, people started to leave in large numbers; 8,000 people left Dawson in the summer of 1899 alone. By 1902, the population was less than 5,000. Eventually, major mining operations took over most of the Klondike gold fields in the years following the gold rush.

Scope and Content

The collection contains photographs of the Klondike Gold Rush taken by H. J. Goetzman or his studio. They include scenes of the journey from Seattle to Dawson and the gold fields, mining operations, life and events in Dawson, and other settlements in the Yukon Territory.

Arrangement

The collection is divided into two parts: 32 photographs (glass plate negatives and original prints) owned by the University of Washington and copies of 51 photographs owned by the University of Alaska, included here for reference purposes only.

Alternate Forms Available

Photographic prints made from the glass plate negative originals are available for reference purposes.

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open to the public.

Restrictions on Use

Glass plate negatives are not available for viewing.

Reproductions in any form of prints owned by the University of Alaska must be obtained from the University of Alaska Libraries.

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.

Acquisition Info

Source: Items 305.3, 305.9, 305.11, 305.16- 305.29 were purchased from Don Ulrich, 2002.

Copies of photographs from the University of Alaska Historical Library donated by Arch Roberston, 1961.

Processing Info

Processed by Amy E. Frost, 2005, and Megan Peacock, 2006.

Inventory

Box/Folder

Item

Date

En Route to the Klondike Gold Fields

1/1

1

Prospectors with supplies climbing the Chilkoot Pass (Goetzman 605)

Spring 1898

2

Lake Lebarge (Goetzman 606)

undated

3

Boats and tents along the shore of Lake Bennett. (Goetzman 600)

1898

Copyright on image attributed to M.H.Craig although likely Craig printed the photo from Goetzman original.

4

Steamer Mirvin ascending Five Finger Rapids (Goetzman 615)

circa 1898

5

Dawson's Yukon River waterfront with boats on sandbar and tents, cabins and lumber lining shorelines (Goetzman 620)

Spring 1898

Copyright on image attributed to M.H.Craig although likely Craig printed the photo from Goetzman original.

Box/Folder

Item

Date

Dawson, Yukon Territory, Canada

1/2

6

View of Dawson covered in snow

November 21, 1899

7

Boats, tents and buildings along Scows Landing at the Dawson waterfront

undated

8a

Men on scows at Dawson waterfront

October 17, 1900

"W.B. Coppings and party arriving in Dawson with 5 scows and 100 tons of merchandise."

8b

Crowd at Dawson waterfront with recently docked ships

undated

Possibly a Goetzman photograph.

9

Panorama of Second Avenue and Third Street intersection with Butler Lodging House on the corner (Goetzman 8)

1900

10

People at an intersection in front of the People's Meat Market and the South End Cafe (Goetzman 1903)

May 25, 1901

"J.R. Watson Block."

11

Men and two horse and wagon teams in front of the S-Y.T. Co. building (Goetzman 698)

undated

12

Indians dancing in a street or plaza (Goetzman 1990)

undated

2/1

13

Arch decorated with Canadian and American flags to welcome the Earl of Minto (Goetzman 651)    OVERSIZE

August 14, 1900

"Dawson awaiting the arrival of the Governor General, Aug. 14."

1/2

14

Men and women inside a Dawson ballroom

May 2, 1902

15

Men inside a gambling house

May 31, 1901

"'The Last Turn' in The Exchange. May 31, 12 P.M. 1901."

16-17

Two-part panoramic view of interior of a dry goods store

undated

Box/Folder

Item

Date

Klondike Gold Fields, Yukon Territory, Canada

Mines, or mine locations, were often named in relation to the nearest major mine, such as above or below Discovery Mine, or above or below Bonanza mine. For example, No. 2 Ab (above) Bonanza or No. 5 B (below) Discovery.

1/3

18

View of mining operations at Hester (Goetzman 33?)

undated

19

Mining operation at No. 38 Ab, Bonanza (Goetzman 453)

undated

20

Two men crossing a footbridge and a man pulled by a team of horses

undated

21

Man with dog-sled team pulling sled of moose meat

undated

Alex McDonald’s Bonanza Mining Co. Ltd.

2/2

22

Men melting gold dust and casting gold bricks    OVERSIZE

September, 1899

2/3

23

View of mining operation (Goetzman 676)    OVERSIZE

September, 1899

2/4

24

Miners loading carts, No. 2 Ab. Bonanza Creek (Goetzman 730)    OVERSIZE

undated

Boulder Hill

1/4

25

View of Boulder Hill and surrounding area (Goetzman 244)

undated

26

Miners at Boulder Hill Mine with piles of logs above mine entrance (Goetzman 243)

undated

27

Miners holding candles accompanied by a dog inside mine (Goetzman 313)

undated

Last Chance

1/5

28

Miners working at gravity tram at No. 3-4 (Goetzman 444)

undated

29

Miners in a mining shaft at No. 9 (Goetzman 337)

undated

"Mining 40 feet under ground."

Gold Run

1/6

30

Miner on top of large pile of mining waste dumping bucket of dirt on pile (Goetzman 1906)

undated

"The largest Dump in the Klondyke at Chute & Wills. No 12."

31

Mining operation, No. 37 (Goetzman 1913)

undated

32

Mining operation, No. 33A (Goetzman 1919)

undated

Box/Folder

Item

Date

University of Alaska Photographs

These photographs are for reference use only. Please contact the University of Alaska Libraries with any questions or concerns regarding these photographs.

En Route to the Klondike Gold Rush

1/7

33

Tents along the shore of Lake Bennett (Goetzman 609)

1898

Dyea to Dawson

34

Wooden buildings at Sheep Camp

June 1899

35

Men, women, and children with horse and sled in White Pass Canyon (Goetzman 117)

undated

36

Looking towards Dyea from the summit of Chilkoot Pass

undated

37

Men on the porch of a wooden building

June, 1899

"Bennett Club"

38

Men with horse-drawn carts and ferries at Whitehorse dock

circa July 1899

39

View of Whitehorse and ferries on the Lewes River

undated

40

Men standing on the river bank with stacks of food (Goetzman 89)

1897

"First grub delivered in Rampart during famin[e] of 1897."

41

Men panning for gold on the bank of the Yukon River at The Ramparts

1897

42

Men and supplies on scows along a riverbank

undated

Dawson, Yukon Territory, Canada

1/8

43

Three men on a sailboat at the waterfront (Goetzman 134)

undated

"L.A. Nurnberg arriving in Dawson on Oct. 8."

44

Eight men with pack animals on a scow at the waterfront (Goetzman 459)

May 21, 1900

"Leaving Dawson for the 'Koyukuk' (James E. Mitchell and party)."

45

Crowd of people meeting three steamers at the dock

May 23, 1901

"[First] Steamer of the season to arrive in Dawson...Mail and Passengers."

46

View of Dawson from hill across river

undated

47

Wooden houses on a hillside (Goetzman 252)

undated

"'Nob Hill' where the 400 Reside in Dawson."

The 400 were the upper class of Dawson.

48

Dogsled teams and men on a snowy street

undated

"Peel River Indians Dog Teams in Dawson with Wild Meat."

49

Men and dogsled standing in front of Nugget Express (Goetzman 111)

November 16, 1899

"Express Leaving Dawson."

50

Men rocking the gold dust out of the ruins of the Monte Carlo Hotel (Goetzman 281)

1900

".... Which burned to the ground Jan. 10, 1900."

51

People watching the McDonald Hotel burn

November 1, 1901

52

Dawson Cemetery

circa 1901

53

Dawson kindergarten class with their teacher

1901

54

Store front of the California Market, with animal carcasses displayed

November 1, 1901

1/9

55

Five men behind a roulette table

May 24, 1901

"The last roll in Dawson."

56

Crowds watching a horse race (Goetzman 469)

May 24, 1900

"First Horse Race in Dawson."

57

Alaska Commercial Company float with people in costume

May 24, 1901

"We Were Here First" banner on the front of the float in front of the A.C. Co. building.

58

Men pulling a fire hose down a Dawson Street

undated

59

A crowd gathered on a hill

June 21, 1903

"Mid-night on the mountain back of Dawson."

60

Display of produce by the Golden Gate Gardens for the Horticultural Fair (Goetzman 8)

September 1903

61

Botanical display for the Horticultural Fair (Goetzman 6)

September 1903

62

Belt made of gold nuggets

September 12, 1899

"[M]ade for Miss Rose Blumkin by Albert Mayer- Leading Jeweler."

63

Four men playing a game of curling

April 9, 1901

Sign in background reads "D.C.C. Championship Game, Tuesday 9th April, 1901 J.t. Lithgow vs. Colonel Rourke."

64

Four men behind curling equipment and trophy

circa 1901

65

Man standing next to printing press, probably in Dawson

undated

66

Man with a litter of puppies in a stroller and two adult dogs, probably in Dawson

undated

67

Northwest Mounted Policemen in uniform, probably in Dawson

undated

68

Butler's Corner Grocery store

undated

Other Towns and Settlements

1/10

69

Wooden buildings and tents at Grand Forks

September 1899

70

Ferry docked at Mayo City (Mayo) on the Stewart River

August 1903

71

Men standing and on horseback in front of a cabin

undated

72

Two men and a woman in front of a restaurant, a grocery store and a barber shop

undated

73

Group portrait in front of the Pack Train Inn, Geo. L. Rice & Co.

undated

74

Men standing in a field in front of a house, probably harvesting vegetables

undated

75

Men in suits, possibly placing posts in a field of stumps

undated

In the Gold Fields

1/11

76

Miners standing on a gravity tram (Goetzman 108)

1899

"Yukon Gold Fields, Ltd., London, Eng. Cars over hopper at head of gravity tram."

77

Mining operation at 8 below Lower Dominion (Goetzman 15.D)

undated

78

Miners of Dominion Creek No. 21 B. Upper (Goetzman 418)

undated

79

Mining operation at 34 below Upper Dominion (Goetzman 236)

undated

80

Men and women standing in a mining pit

undated

"A Clean Up on the Bonanza Creek Concession Co."

81

Miners and a woman in a mining shaft (Goetzman 315)

undated

"E.H. Elwell and crew, 67 B Bonanza. "

82

Miners at Right Fork Eureka No. 7-8 mining operation (Goetzman 2004)

undated

"Owned and Operated by F.E. Davison, A.E. Davison, Jack Ray, Dick Battle."

83

Mining operation at the bottom of hill with two log slides down the hill in the background

undated

Subject Terms

Geographic Names:

Alaska--Photographs.

Bonanza Creek (Yukon)--Photographs.

Chilkoot Pass--Photographs.

Dawson (Yukon)--Photographs.

Dyea (Alaska)--Photographs.

Grand Forks (Yukon)--Photographs.

Mayo (Yukon)--Photographs.

Stewart River (Yukon : River)--Photographs.

Whitehorse (Yukon)--Photographs.

Yukon River (Yukon and Alaska)--Photographs.

Yukon--Photographs.

Subjects:

Boats and boating--Yukon--Photographs.

Curling--Yukon--Photographs.

Gold miners--Alaska--Photographs.

Gold miners--Yukon--Photographs.

Gold mines and mining--Alaska--Photographs.

Gold mines and mining--Yukon--Photographs.

Genre Headings:

Photographs.