Klondike Gold Rush kicks off a frenzy in Canada’s Yukon August 16
The Klondike Gold Rush is set into motion August 16, 1896 with the discovery of gold in Canada’s Yukon territory.
The Shooting of Dan McGrew By Robert W. Service
Yukon Gold Discovery 1896
Sookum Jim Mason staked the first claim
Prospectors heading for the Gold fields
Superintendant Sam Steele, North West Mounted Police
Dawson
Extracting Gold
Issued in 1996 by Canada Post for the 100th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush
Designer was Stephen Slipp
You can see more of Stephen’s designs here Canadian stamps by Steven Slipp
Prospectors George Carmack, Dawson Charlie, and Skookum Jim were working sites along the Klondike river when they hit the motherlode at Rabbit Creek (later renamed to Bonanza Creek). It didn’t take long for word to make its way to every corner of the world, attracting over 100,000 men and women, looking to make their fortunes.

George Carmack
1896 Image courtesy Archives Canada

Skookum Jim also known as James Mason 1898 photo Image courtesy Archives Canada
It took four years, but the three men hauled out nearly a million dollars worth of gold from their claims. “Success was not kind to them. Carmack abandoned Jim’s sister, leaving her penniless. Tagish Charlie drank and gambled away his money. He drowned in 1908 when he fell off the railway bridge in Carcross.” But Sookum, after years of alcoholism and hard living, made a decision to create a trust titled Skookum Jim Indian Fund which still helps the Indigenous communities in the Yukon.
Taissumani: Sept. 24, 1896 – Skookum Jim Stakes His Claim has a great page on the three prospectors. And don’t forget to read about Sookum Jim’s legacy Skookum Jim Friendship Centre – Celebrating 60 Years in Yukon
Most left knowing little of the journey they would undertake. They followed treacherous routes that involved uncharted landscapes, snow-choked mountain passes and freezing rivers to stake their claim to fortune in the Klondike. Most would need to travel over 5000km to get to Dawson City
Klondike Gold Rush | Dawson City Yukon
Gold seekers chased a romantic dream of returning home with their pockets filled with riches and stories their exploits in the Klondike Gold Rush. But the Yukon was an unforgiving place for tenderfoot prospectors. My great grandfather was one of those thousands. He left the safety of his comfortable home in Hamilton, Ontario for the goldfields dreaming of striking it rich. He travelled with the ill-fated former Mayor of Hamilton. They took ” … the Edmonton route to the Klondike [which] proved a death sentence for [the] former mayor of Hamilton who died of scurvy on the Peel River in 1899, far from the gold fields.”
Great grandfather Harris was one of the lucky ones. He returned, never having set foot in the Klondike. The souvenirs he brought back were the effects from scurvy, health that never recovered and lost toes from frostbite.
Last year was an excellent series of stamps featuring the photographs by “Eye of Istanbul” Ara Güler born August 16, 1928