Skagway

August 13th –17th 2012

Skagway is the oldest incorporated city in Alaska. Another city that started up because of the Klondike gold rush.  Today tourism is the main economy in Skagway, if you need a T-shirt this is the place to go.  Every day there is 3-5 cruise ships in port, they arrive in the evening and leave the following evening making room for the next ship.

  

Views as we are entering Skagway.

 

A couple of the cruise ships and a harbor seal in the harbor, and looking across the harbor at the mountains and glacier fields.

  

A very unique front on the visitor center.  The biggest rotary snowplow I ever saw, I figure they must get a lot of snow here to need a plow that size.

Statue dedicated to the miners that climbed the 33 mile Chilkoot trail to Lake Bennett to pan for gold.  It took an average of 3 months to transport the tons of goods that were required (a years supply) to survive.

  

We spent an hour at the theater taking in a show called The Days of 98 Show, the longest running show in the north.  A musical drama that is based on historical records about a con man Soapy Smith’s reign over Skagway during the Klondike Gold Rush. 

 

Skagway Museum has a large display of Alaskan historical material, including this quilt made from duck necks.  I do remember the green in the quilt is mallard, not sure what the other ducks are. 

We did some wondering around town in and out of a few gift shops, and if you like that kind of shopping there are a few to choose from. 

Mike and I took a whale watching boat to Juneau while in Skagway.  Wait for the next posting.