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August Hahn Collection of Eric A. Hegg Photographs, ca. 1897-1898
Overview of the Collection
- Photographer
- Hegg, Eric A., 1867-1948
- Title
- August Hahn Collection of Eric A. Hegg Photographs
- Dates
- ca. 1897-1898 (inclusive)18921903
- Quantity
- 25 photographic prints
- Collection Number
- PH0557
- Summary
- Photographs of the Klondike Gold Rush, gold miners and Klondike towns taken by Eric A. Hegg.
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Eric A. Hegg was born in Bollnas, Sweden, in 1868 and came to America with his parents when he was three years old, settling in Wisconsin. Hegg studied art and photography (possibly as an apprentice to a local photographer). At fifteen, he opened his own studio in Washburn, Wisconsin. At the age of twenty-one, Hegg moved to the Puget Sound area, and by 1897, he owned two photo studios in Bellingham Bay, Washington. In that year, he left for the gold fields with a group of men from Bellingham Bay on the Skagit Chief sternwheeler. Having arrived too late in the season to get all the way to Dawson, Hegg stayed close to the coast, photographing stampeders, first in Dyea, then with a second studio in Skagway. With his brother Pete and several others he formed a party continuing on to the Klondike, heading over Chilkoot Pass, successfully navigating through White Horse Rapids, on to Lake LaBarge, Thirty Mile River, past Five Finger Rapids, and arriving in Dawson in July, 1898. He later went to Nome and opened a studio there, continuing to photograph the gold rush. Eric Hegg died in San Diego in 1955.
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
The discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1896 brought a stampede of hopeful gold seekers. Alaska was the gateway through which most miners passed as the routes through Alaska were more accessible than those through Canandian territory. Ships left San Francisco, Seattle, and Port Townsend, among other ports, for the Alaska panhandle. From there one of the most popular routes went from Dyea over the Chilkoot Pass. A longer but less steep route began in Skagway and went over the White Pass. The Canadian government required every prospector to carry in at least a one-year supply of food, and a single miner's food and supplies might weigh several tons. Once over the passes, gold seekers built boats to make the rest of the trip along the Yukon. While the trip over the pass could be difficult, the trip downriver was equally arduous, with early freezes and perilous rapids. The miners crossed Lake Bennett and then proceeded down the Yukon to Dawson City, and on to seek their fortune.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains photographs made by E. A. Hegg depicting images of the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska and Yukon Territory, ca. 1897-1898. Most show miners, prospectors, and Klondikers on their way to the gold fields or engaged in mining activities. Towns (such as Skagway and Dawson) also appear in the photographs.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Frontier and pioneer life--Alaska--Photographs
- Frontier and pioneer life--Yukon--Klondike River Valley--Photographs
- Gold miners--Alaska--Photographs
- Gold miners--Yukon--Klondike River Valley--Photographs
- Gold mines and mining--Yukon--Klondike River Valley--Photographs
- Gold rushes--Alaska--Photographs
- Gold rushes--Yukon--Klondike River Valley--Photographs
Personal Names
- Hegg, Eric A., 1867-1948
Geographical Names
- Alaska--Gold discoveries--Photographs
- Dawson (Yukon)--Photographs
- Dyea (Alaska)--Photographs
- Klondike River Valley (Yukon)--Gold discoveries--Photographs
- Skagway (Alaska)--Photographs
Other Creators
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Personal Names
- Hahn, August (collector)
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
