Alaskan Inside Passage Skagway | Buy 3D Nautical Wood Chart

Skagway

In the past, the place was commonly spelled as ‘Skagua’. But a Washington D.C. bureaucrat changed it to ‘Skagway’ thinking the name was just misspelled. In just one day, Skagway was incorporated as a city in Alaska, setting back the record for Juneau.

The Gold Rush era paved the way for the popularity of Skagway. This attracted thousands of hopeful individuals to dig in the gold mines. By the year 1898, the population of Skagway ballooned to 10,000. However, it has diminished over the past few years. In the recent 2010 census, the population of the city was no greater than 920. But, the towns still maintain their historical district which attracts thousands of tourists aboard cruise ships to visit Skagway and experience a true Alaskan village.

Here’s some amazing facts about Skagway…

1.    The owner of Nordstrom department stores, John Nordstrom got his first fortune during the Klondike Gold Rush. He sold his claim for $13,000 before relocation to Seattle to start his business.

2.    The most famous villain of the Gold Rush era, Soapy Smith is a resident of  Skagway.

3.    It’s every driver’s dream to drive on a  highway with no traffic. The closest stoplight from the city center is 100 miles away and is located in Whitehorse, Canada.

4.    Unfortunately, McDonald’s is the only fast food chain in the area. You won’t get Big Mac’s anywhere else around this area.

5.    The book ‘The Call of the Wild’ by Jack London, had traveled the Chilkoot Trail and made a claim in the Stewart River. He then wrote his experiences in his book. Some of the scenes from the movie adaptations were also shot in Dyea to give authenticity to the film.

6.    Back then, at the peak of the Gold Rush Era, Skagway and Dyea competed for gold. Skagway won because of its efficient harbor and construction of the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad.

7.    More than 60,000 people died in Dyea and Skagway along its trails during the Gold Rush Era. This includes several hundred people who died because of a single avalanche.

8.    The most photographed building in  Skagway is the AB Hall. The hall is covered with more than 10,000 pieces of driftwood.

9.    President Warren G. Harding is the only US President to visit Skagway. As a tribute, locals named the Harding Glacier after him. You can glimpse the glacier from the town of Skagway.

10.    During the winter season, locals take turns opening only 1 restaurant per week.

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11.    Skagway only houses 4 bars in the area, The Bonanza, The Red Onion Saloon, The Pizza Station and The Skagway Brewing Company.

12.    Skagway also houses the oldest hotel in Alaska, the Golden North Hotel located on 3rd and Broadway. It was very popular during the Gold rush Era and the city restored it in the 1990s. If you are looking for thrills, visit the hotel…. locals say it’s haunted.

13.    The city has a peculiar way of celebrating 4th of July. They have a race of rubber duckies in Pullen Pond as a fundraising activity. Hundreds of rubber duckies are released to compete with each other.

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14.    About 2,000 people every year hike the Chilkoot trail which runs 33 miles long and typically takes about 3 to 5 days to finish. Hiker,  Geoff Roes only took 5 hours and 27 minutes to complete the whole trek.  

15.    Another record that Skagway holds is the Guinness World Record for the most number of people tossing eggs at one time. 1,162 people joined the record-breaking activity that stretched from 2nd up to 8th street on Broadway in 2008.

16.    Skagway relies heavily on the tourism industry and the numbers are staggering. Last year, the place hosted about 1 million visitors from  cruise ships alone.

17.    At any given time, Skagway can accommodate up to 5 boats. 2 on the railroad track, 1 on the ore dock, 1 on the Broadway dock and 1 at the ferry dock. The Skagway Harbor is known to have a steep drop off and it can even accommodate another boat in either of the docks.

18.    Usually, Skagway only has a population of 400 residents, but the number swells up to 3000 people during the summer season.

19.    For Starbucks and fast food fanatics, sorry… there are no franchises in the area. But you can order coffee in one of the local shops that ‘Proudly Serves Starbucks’ which is the closest you can get from the authentic one.

20.    Radio Shack is the only chain store in Skagway. Radio Shack both caters to video rentals and a tanning salon. Sorry… no spas yet.

21.    Ironman ready? every year, Skagway hosts a challenging relay race. It starts from Skagway and ends in Whitehorse. The race stretches about 110 miles along the Klondike Highway. The longest leg recorded is 16 miles and the steepest track has an elevation of 1768 feet for at least 5 miles.

22.    Skagway has a tradition of sending off the final cruise ship on the last day of the summer season. Residents will line the dock and wave to the passengers to bid goodbye (until next season).


Want to commemorate your time in Alaska? How about buying the Alaska Inside Passage 3D Wood Nautical Chart?

from Carved Lake Art Blog http://blog.carvedlakeart.com/2017/06/alaskan-inside-passage-skagway-wood-maps-for-sale.html

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