Broadway Avenue, Skagway, May 2007.

Skagway (IPA: [ˈskæg.weɪ]) is a city in Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. This city ispart of the setting for Jack London's book The Call of the Wild. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 862. The port of Skagway is a popular stop for cruise ships, and the tourist trade is a big part of the city's business. 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. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 823 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 823 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area is a census area located in the state of Alaska. ... Official language(s) English[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ... The Alaska Panhandle is the coast of the American state of Alaska, just west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... Jack London (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916),[1][2][3] was an American author who wrote The Call of the Wild and other books. ... For other uses, see Call of the Wild (disambiguation) The Call of the Wild is a novella by American writer Jack London. ... Pacific Sky sails under Sydney Harbour Bridge A cruise ship or a cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ships amenities are considered an essential part of the experience. ... The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&Y, WP&YR) (AAR reporting mark WPY) is a narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska with Whitehorse, the capital of Canadas Yukon Territory. ... Narrow-gauge railways are railroads (railways) with track spaced at less than the standard gauge of 4 ft 8½ in (1. ...

Skagway (originally spelled Skaguay) is from the Tlingit name for the area, "Skagua." The name has several meanings, "the place where the north wind blows," "stiffly wind-rippled water," etc. A Tlingit totem pole in Ketchikan ca. ...

History

The area around present-day Skagway was inhabited by Tlingit people from prehistoric times. They fished and hunted in the waters and forests of the area and had become prosperous by trading with other groups of people on the coast and in the interior. A Tlingit totem pole in Ketchikan ca. ...

In 1896, gold was found in the Klondike region of Canada's Yukon Territory. Beginning in the summer of 1897, thousands of hopeful miners poured into the new town and prepared for the 500-mile journey to the gold fields in Canada. This journey began for many when they climbed the mountains over the White Pass above Skagway and onward across the Canadian border to Lake Bennett, or one of its neighboring lakes, where they built barges and floated down the Yukon River to the gold fields around Dawson City. Others disembarked at nearby Dyea, northwest of Skagway, and crossed northward on the Chilkoot Pass, an existing Tlingit trade route to reach the lakes. The Dyea route fell out of favor when larger ships began to arrive, as its harbor was too shallow for them except at high tide. Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... A typical gold mining operation, on Bonanza Creek. ... Hunker Creek Valley, Klondike The Klondike is a region of the Yukon Territory in northwest Canada, east of the Alaska border. ... Motto: none Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Whitehorse Largest city Whitehorse Commissioner Jack Cable Premier Dennis Fentie (Yukon Party) Area 482,443 km² (9th)  - Land 474,391 km²  - Water 8,052 km² (1. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The White Pass is a mountain pass through the Coast Mountains in Alaska and British Columbia that leads from Skagway, Alaska, United States to the town of Bennett, British Columbia, Canada on Lake Bennett. ... Lake Bennett is a lake partly in the province of British Columbia and partly in the Yukon Territory, in Canada. ... The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. ... The Town of the City of Dawson or Dawson City is a town in the Yukon Territory, Canada. ... Taiya River estuary and site of Dyea at the beginning of the Chilkoot Trail (October 2005) Dyea is a mostly-abandoned town in the U.S. state of Alaska. ... Chilkoot Pass (el. ...

One prominent resident of early Skagway was William "Buddy" Moore, a former steamboat captain. As a member of an 1887 boundary survey expedition, he had made the first recorded investigation of the pass over the Coast Mountains, which later became known as White Pass. He believed that gold lay in the Klondike because it had been found in similar mountain ranges in South America, Mexico, California, and British Columbia. In 1887, he and his son Ben claimed a 160 acre (650,000 m²) homestead at the mouth of the Skagway River in Alaska. Moore settled in this area because he believed it provided the most direct route to the potential gold fields. They built a log cabin, a sawmill, and a wharf in anticipation of future gold prospectors passing through. William Moore was a steamship captain, businessman, miner and explorer in British Columbia and Alaska. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... The Coast Mountains are the westernmost range of the Pacific Cordillera, running along the south western shore of the North American continent, extending south from the Alaska Panhandle and covering most of coastal British Columbia. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km...

Some prospectors also realized how difficult the trek would be that lay ahead on the route and chose to stay behind to supply goods and services to miners. Within a year, stores, saloons, and offices lined the muddy streets of Skagway. The population was estimated at 8,000 residents during the spring of 1898 with approximately 1,000 prospective miners passing through town each week. By June 1898, with a population between 8,000 and 10,000, Skagway was the largest city in Alaska. Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Broadway Avenue, Skagway, in the 1970s.

In 1898, Skagway was a lawless town, described by one Canadian Mountie as "little better than a hell on earth". Fights, prostitutes and liquor were ever-present on Skagway's streets. The most colorful resident of this period was outlaw Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith. He was a sophisticated swindler who liked to think of himself as a kind and generous benefactor to the needy. He had gracious manners and he gave money to widows and stopped lynchings, while at the same time operating a ring of thieves who swindled prospectors with cards, dice, and the shell game. His telegraph office charged five dollars to send a message anywhere in the world. Prospectors sent news to their folks back home without bothering to look behind the telegraph shack where the telegraph wires ended in the brush. Soapy also controlled a comprehensive spy network, a private militia called the Skagway Military Company, the newspaper, the Deputy U.S. Marshall and an array of thieves and con men who roamed about the town. Soapy was shot by Frank Reid on July 8, 1898. It is agreed by several historians, and the descendants of Soapy Smith, that there was another man who also shot Soapy. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (4229x3386, 1473 KB) Summary Broadway Avenue, Skagway, Alaska, USA. From the Historic American Buildings Survey collection at the Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. These photographs were taken by employees of the National Park Service... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (4229x3386, 1473 KB) Summary Broadway Avenue, Skagway, Alaska, USA. From the Historic American Buildings Survey collection at the Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. These photographs were taken by employees of the National Park Service... RCMP redirects here. ... Jefferson Randolph Soapy Smith (1860-1898) Jefferson Randolph (Soapy) Smith II (1860-July 8, 1898) was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal affairs and operations of Denver, Colorado, Creede, Colorado, and Skagway, Alaska from 1879 to 1898. ... A shell game is performed with bottle caps on a cardboard box, on Fulton Street in New York City. ...

Officials in Canada began requiring that each prospector entering Canada on the north side of the White Pass bring with him one ton (909 kg) of supplies, to ensure that he didn't starve during the winter. This placed a large burden on the prospectors and the pack animals climbing the steep pass. Look up ton in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In 1898, a 14-mile, steam-operated aerial tramway was constructed up the Skagway side of the White Pass, easing the burden of those prospectors who could afford the fee to use it. The Chilkoot Trail tramways also began to operate in the Chilkoot Pass above Dyea. In 1896, before the Klondike gold rush had begun, a group of investors saw an opportunity for a railroad over that route. It was not until May of 1898 that the White Pass and Yukon Route began laying narrow gauge railroad tracks in Skagway. The railroad depot was constructed between September and December 1898. This destroyed the viability of Dyea, as Skagway had both the deep-water port and the railroad. Aerial tramway suspended on two track cables with an additional haulage rope Cable car at Zell am See in the Austrian Alps. ... The Chilkoot Trail tramways were aerial tramways that played a significant role in the Klondike Gold Rush and the Chilkoot Trail as a transportation system to move prospectors and equipment towards the Dawson City/Klondike gold fields. ... The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&Y, WP&YR) (AAR reporting mark WPY) is a narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska with Whitehorse, the capital of Canadas Yukon Territory. ... Comparison of standard gauge (blue) and one common narrow gauge (red) width. ...

Construction of McCabe College, the first school in Alaska to offer a college preparatory high school curriculum, began in 1899. The school was completed in 1900. Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar, but a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ...

By 1899, the stream of gold-seekers had diminished and Skagway's economy began to collapse. By 1900, when the railroad was completed, the gold rush was nearly over. In 1900, Skagway was incorporated as the first city in the Alaska Territory. Much of the history of Skagway was saved by early residents, such as Martin Itjen, who ran a tour bus around the historic town. He was responsible for saving and maintaining the gold rush cemetery from complete loss. He purchased Soapy Smith's saloon (Jeff Smith's Parlor), from going the way of the wrecking ball, and placed many early artifacts of the cities early history inside and opened Skagway's first museum. Martin Itjen (unknown - December 3, 1942} is most famous for being the unofficial premier tour director of Skagway, Alaska in the early 1900s. ... Jefferson Randolph Soapy Smith (1860-1898) Jefferson Randolph (Soapy) Smith II (1860-July 8, 1898) was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal affairs and operations of Denver, Colorado, Creede, Colorado, and Skagway, Alaska from 1879 to 1898. ...

The Skagway area today is home to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and White Pass and Chilkoot Trails. Skagway has a historic district of about 100 buildings from the gold rush era. It receives about three-quarters of a million tourists annually, most of whom come on cruise ships. The White Pass and Yukon Route still operates its narrow gauge train around Skagway during the summer months primarily for tourists. Seattle visitors center The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park that commemorates the Klondike Gold Rush. ... The Chilkoot Trail is a trail in the Chilkoot mountains in Alaska that leads from Dyea, Alaska, United States to Bennett, British Columbia, Canada through the Chilkoot Pass in the Coast Mountains. ... Pacific Sky sails under Sydney Harbour Bridge A cruise ship or a cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ships amenities are considered an essential part of the experience. ... The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&Y, WP&YR) (AAR reporting mark WPY) is a narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska with Whitehorse, the capital of Canadas Yukon Territory. ...

Skagway was one of the few towns in Alaska (along with Petersburg and Seward) to endorse the 1939 Slattery Report on Alaskan development through immigration, especially of Jews from Germany and [[Austria Several places in the United States of America have the name Petersburg: Petersburg, Alaska Petersburg, Illinois Petersburg, Indiana Petersburg, Iowa Petersburg, Michigan Petersburg, Nebraska Petersburg, Ohio Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg, West Virginia Slight variations appear in the names of: Petersburgh, New York Saint Petersburg, Russia Saint Petersburg, Florida Petersburg was the... Seward was the name of a number of people and places: == People== William H. Seward, Sr. ... Slattery Report A report entitled The Problem of Alaskan Development”, produced by the United States Department of the Interior under Harold L. Ickes in 1939-40, is more usually called the Slattery Report, after Harry A. Slattery, who was undersecretary of the Interior. ...

In June 2007 the city decided to disincorporate and is making the transition to borough status.

Panoramic photograph of Skagway, c. 1915.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 161 pixelsFull resolution (3451 × 695 pixel, file size: 294 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A panoramic photograph spread showing the city of Skagway, Alaska, circa 1915. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 161 pixelsFull resolution (3451 × 695 pixel, file size: 294 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A panoramic photograph spread showing the city of Skagway, Alaska, circa 1915. ...

Geography

Skagway is located at 59°28′7″N, 135°18′21″W (59.468519, -135.305962)^GR1. Image File history File links AKMap-doton-Skagway. ...

Skagway is located in a narrow glaciated valley at the head of the Taiya Inlet, the north end of the Lynn Canal, which is the most northern fjord on the Inside Passage on the south coast of Alaska. It is in the Alaska panhandle 90 miles northwest of Juneau, Alaska's capital city. The Taiya Inlet is part of the upper Lynn Canal located in Alaska near the town of Skagway. ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Fjords are very long inlets from the sea with high steeply sloped walled sides. ... Somewhere along the Inside Passage. ... The Alaska Panhandle is the coast of the American state of Alaska, just west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... Location in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska Coordinates: Country United States State Alaska Borough Juneau City and Borough Founded 1881 Incorporated 1890  - Mayor Bruce Botelho Area    - City  3,255. ...

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,202.7 km² (464.4 mi²). 1,171.8 km² (452.4 mi²) of it is land and 30.8 km² (11.9 mi²) of it (2.56%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 862 people, 401 households, and 214 families residing in the city. The population density was 0.7/km² (1.9/mi²). There were 502 housing units at an average density of 0.4/km² (1.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.34% White, 3.02% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 3.02% from two or more races. 2.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ...

There were 401 households out of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.4% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.81. This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ...

In the city the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,375, and the median income for a family was $62,188. Males had a median income of $44,583 versus $30,956 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,700. About 1.0% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

Transportation

Skagway is unique among Southeast Alaskan communities in that it is connected to the road system via the Klondike Highway, completed in 1978. This allows access to the lower 48, Whitehorse, the Yukon, northern British Columbia, and the Alaska Highway. This also makes Skagway an important port-of-call for the Alaska Marine Highway — Alaska's ferry system — and serves as the northern terminus of the important and heavily-used Lynn Canal corridor. The Alaska Panhandle is the coast of the American state of Alaska, just west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The Klondike Highway is a highway that leads from Skagway, Alaska in the United States to Dawson City, Yukon in Canada. ... The continental United States is a term referring to the United States situated on the North American continent. ... Motto: Our People, Our Strength Coordinates: Country Canada Territory Yukon County Established 1898 Government  - City Mayor Bev Buckway  - Governing body Whitehorse City Council  - MPs Larry Bagnell  - MLAs Todd Hardy Elaine Taylor Arthur Mitchell Glenn Hart Area  - City 416. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... Map of Alaska Highway (in red) The Alaska Highway, also the Alaskan Highway, Alaska-Canadian Highway, and the Alcan Highway, runs from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. ... The Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service that is operated by the government of the state of Alaska in the United States. ... Lynn Canal, Haines area of southeast Alaska The Lynn Canal is an inlet (not an artificial canal) into the mainland of southeast Alaska. ...

The Skagway Airport receives service from three bush carriers: Wings of Alaska, L.A.B. Flying Service, and Skagway Air Service, the latter of which is hubbed out of Skagway. Skagway Airport (IATA: SGY, ICAO: PAGY) is a public airport located in the city of Skagway, in the Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska, USA. // Skagway Airport has one runway: Runway 2/20: 3,550 x 75 ft. ... Wings of Alaska is a regularly scheduled and charter airline company that is based in Juneau, Alaska // Details IATA code: K5 Callsign: Wings Alaska History Wings of Alaska was set up in 1984, to fly tourists, many of them who were to visit Alaska for very short periods of time... L.A.B. Flying Service is a small bush airline based in Haines, Alaska, USA, serving Southeast Alaska. ... Skagway Air (IATA designator: N-5) is a scheduled charter airline based out of Skagway Airport in Skagway, Alaska, Service The airline exclusively serves the Lynn Canal route of Skagway, Haines, and Juneau. ...

Skagway is vehemently opposed to the proposed road out of Juneau. Although National Park Service regulations prohibit the road from continuing all the way to Skagway, a majority of residents see the long road and commuter ferries as a boon to their transportation interests, as well as making the trip to Juneau more complicated and dangerous. The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ...

Media

Skagway is served by its local semimonthly newspaper the Skagway News as well as regional public radio station KHNS which has its principal studios in nearby Haines, but also has studios and programs based in Skagway. The Skagway News is a newspaper published twice a month in Skagway, Alaska. ... KHNS logo. ... Haines is a city located in Haines Borough, Alaska, United States. ...

Skagway also receives copies of the free regional newspaper Capital City Weekly. The Capital City Weekly, or CapWeekly as it is informally known, is a free regional weekly newspaper that circulates primarily in Southeast Alaska (it is published in Juneau — Alaskas capital), but also sees circulation in Atlin, British Columbia; Bellingham, Washington; and Seattle. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Skagway, Alaska

• The City of Skagway
• Skagway Chamber of Commerce
• Skagway Convention & Visitors Bureau
• The Skagway News local newspaper
• Soapy Smith Preservation Trust
• Alaska Division of Community Advocacy - Community Information Summary
• Alaska Division of Community Advocacy - Community Photos
• Maps and aerial photos for 59°28′07″N 135°18′22″W / 59.468519, -135.305962Coordinates: 59°28′07″N 135°18′22″W / 59.468519, -135.305962
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
• University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – Eric A. Hegg Photographs 736 photographs from 1897-1901 documenting the Klondike and Alaska gold rushes, including depictions of frontier life in Skagway and Nome, Alaska and Dawson, Yukon Territory. Keyword search on "Skagway".