Dawson City is the second largest city in the Canadian territory of Yukon. The town was established in 1897 by Joseph Ladue, who named it after geologist George M. Dawson, who had explored and mapped the area ten years earlier. Founded by the discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1896, Dawson City grew from a temporary tent camp to a population of 17,000 in 1898, with theaters, hotels, banks and much more.

Yukon was established as a territory with Dawson City as its capital the same year. The Klondike gold rush ended in 1899, and the population quickly fell below 5,000 in 1902. During World War II, the Alaska Highway was constructed, but it did not pass through Dawson City, and therefore the territory’s development shifted to Whitehorse, which became the capital of Yukon in 1953.

Dawson City’s population dropped below 1,000 in the 1960s and 1970s, but since then it has increased in the old gold mining town due to tourism and modern gold mining. Today, there is still an atmosphere like in the old Klondike years, where you can easily imagine the rapid development of the town and daily life with the many gold diggers and their finds.

When you walk the streets, Dawson City looks like it did in the late 19th century, which is partly because new buildings must follow the old building style to ensure the city’s unique atmosphere. You can start with a visit to the Dawson City Museum, housed in the territory’s large former administration building. At the museum, you can follow the development from the original settlement to today’s city.

You can visit the Jack London Museum as well, which describes the author’s life and work. Jack London came to Dawson City at the height of the gold rush in 1897 but didn’t find the gold everyone dreamed of. Instead, he found inspiration for his works such as The Call of the Wild and White Fang. It is also interesting to visit the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, where you can explore the culture and history of the indigenous people in the area.

Front Street along the Yukon River is also a must during a visit to Dawson City. Here you will find the SS Keno, a 1922 paddle steamer built by the British Yukon Navigation Company in Whitehorse. The SS Keno carried ore on the Stewart River before its final voyage from Whitehorse to Dawson City in 1960. You cannot sail the SS Keno, but you can get the paddle steamer feel on the Yukon with the Klondike Spirit.

You can of course also experience the gold rush in and around Dawson City. If you drive approximately 20 kilometers along Bonanza Creek Road, you will come to the place where Skookum Jim, Dawson Charlie and George and Kate Carmack were the first to find gold on August 17, 1896. Here you can see the so-called Discovery Claim, and in the same area lies Dredge No. 4, where you can see large-scale gold mining from the Klondike’s later development. If you feel lucky yourself, you can make a stop at Free Claim #6, where it is permitted to do gold panning.