Klondike Gold Rush Facts
a story of the real west from the last best west
On August 16, 1896, George Carmack dreamt about gold. Carmack dreamt of nugget eyes that gleamed from salmon in the Klondike River 20 steps from his feet. The next morning the old prospector pulled the first gold nuggets out of Rabbit Creek, in the Klondike Valley of the Yukon Territories. The Klondike Gold Rush drew 100,000 pilgrims to the gold fields of Canada.
“Neither law nor order prevailed, honest persons had no protection from the gang of rascals who plied their nefarious trade,” wrote mounted police officer Sam Steele, describing the scene at the base of the treacherous Chilkoot Pass. “Might was right; murder, robbery, and petty theft were common occurrences.”
More Gold Rush Facts
Carmack, Dawson Charlie and Skookum Jim, mighta started the Klondike gold rush, but they weren’t too bright when it came to picking the town site. There’s a legend says they were drunk when they staked out the city limits on boggy ground, right on the flood plain of the Klondike River.
Tens of thousands of would be prospectors rushed to the gold fields, but they were mostly too late. Most of the payin’ claims were staked out and filed in the six months after August 16, 1896.
Klondike gold miners needed gear. Outfitters in San Franscisco, Seattle, and Vancouver made fortunes selling to the Klondike Gold Dreamers.
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“Hi-Ho its off to the Gold Fields I go!” |
East to the Klondike Valley and the gold fields.
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Half way up the mountain, not a |
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The NWMP declared, “1 ton of food or you can’t go to the Klondike Valley!” |
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70 feet or more snow fell on the Coastal Mountains in the winter of 1897-98. |
20,000 Gold prospector’s sat at |
May 29, 1898. The ice broke and the crowd headed for the Klondike gold fields. |
All the Gold in the Klondike couldn’t save 1/3 of the sprawling town from burning in the spring of 1899. |
Dawson City, Yukon Territories, Within a few months after the great fire of ’99, the city rebuilt in a much grander style. Klondike Gold paid for the nails that were $0.25/E. |
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Big Boy Hatband - hand-made by the last best west 1/2" inch of quality dyed tooling leather with a 3 stamp pattern. Color: Deadwood Brown also available in Black, Timbre Brown, Burnt Coffee Brown and Royal Blue. Shown on our Laboeuf hat from 2010s True Grit. ORDERING THE RIGHT SIZE MEDIUM FITS HAT SIZES 6 3/4 TO 7 3/8 LARGE FITS HAT SIZES 7 1/2 TO SIZE 8
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Spotted Horse Cowboy Hatband hand made in leather by the last best west
8 Turquoise spots on 1/2" inch 2 tone dyed and speckled leather
Spotted Horse Cowboy Hatband shown on our Cimarron hat.
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Ordering the right size
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Medium Fits hat sizes 6 3/4 to 7 3/8
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Large fits hat sizes 7 1/2 to 8
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ThunderHeart Custom Hatband - For all us superstitious cowboys! Antiqued Thunderbird conchos on 3/4" leather dyed dark Timbre Brown. Also available in Black, Deadwood Brown, Burnt Coffee Brown and Royal Blue.
We have adapted a stained oak slider so every customer gets a perfect fit for their replacement hatband. It’s surprisingly fast and you can easily take our hatband off and put it on a different hat.
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Tracker Custom Hatband 1" inch of quality tooling leather stamped with 7 bear paws. You supply the 1,000 yard stare! Shown in Timbre Brown also available in Black, Deadwood Brown, Burnt Coffee Brown and Royal Blue. Shown on our Wasey hat.
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Turtle Totem Custom Hatband - The Turtle will guide you. 1" inch of quality tooling leather stamped with 7 turtles.