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Cyanotype photographs of William "Will" G.A. Miller trip over Dyea Trail to Dawson, circa 1898
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Cyanotype photographs of William "Will" G.A. Miller trip over Dyea Trail to Dawson
- Dates
- circa 1898 (inclusive)18981898
- Quantity
- 20 cyanotype photographs (1 box) ; 3.25 in x 3.5 in
- Collection Number
- PH1311
- Summary
- Cyanotype photographs showing a trip over Dyea Trail and Chilkoot Pass to Dawson in Alaska
- 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
The photographs in this collection include images of William "Will" G.A. Miller (11/24/1866-2/10/1956). Will Miller was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1866. In 1869, Miller and his family moved to the United States, settling in California by 1880. In 1898, Miller worked as a stenographer and lived in Alameda. Records indicate that Miller, his brother Herschal Bignoni Mascelon “Henry” Miller and his brother-in-law, Walter Benoni “Oni” Lomax, went to the Yukon in the spring of that year, leaving his wife Leola Huntley Miller and daughter Gertrude, nicknamed “The Kid,” in Alameda. In 1900, Miller returned briefly to Alameda to arrange for his wife and daughter to return to the Yukon with him to Dawson City. While prospecting in the Yukon, Miller also found work as a freelance stenographer, as well as bookkeeper and bill collector for the Ladue Company in Dawson City. The Miller family was in residence in the Yukon from 1900, returning to Alameda in 1905.
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
During the Klondike Gold Rush, from 1897 to 1899, prospectors reached the Klondike and Upper Yukon Valley by way of trails starting in either Skagway or Dyea, Alaska. The Chilkoot Trail head left Dyea, reaching the gold fields via the Chilkoot Pass. William Gustavus Augustus Miller (1866-1956) was one of over 30,000 men and women who traveled to the gold fields during those early years.
There were two routes to the Canadian gold fields which passed through the boomtowns of Skagway or Dyea. The Chilkoot Trail began in Dyea and crossed the Chilkoot Pass into Canada. This route was shorter than the trail through Skagway but the steepness of the pass excluded the use of pack animals and all goods had to be packed by the prospectors. As many stampeders were insufficiently prepared for the rigors of the trail, Canada's North-West Mounted Police (now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) declared prospectors could only enter Canada if they had at least one ton of gear, enough to supply a prospector for one year. Prospectors hauled their own gear or paid porters (often First Nations people or other prospectors needing to earn money). By 1898, several tramways were established and hauled gear and supplies over the pass for a fee.
Upon reaching Lake Lindeman on the other side of the Chilkoot pass, most stampeders needed to build their own boats in order to reach Dawson City, the last town before the gold fields. By steering their boats along the rapids of the Yukon River, they would arrive at at Dawson, located at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers.
The cyanotype images in this collection were created using a non-silver photographic process based on iron salts. The principle of the process was discovered by Sir John Herschel who presented it in 1842 to the Royal Photographic Society of London. Most cyanotypes date largely from 1880's to 1920's. They were most often used by amateur photographers. For many years the cyanotype process was used for technical drawings and illustrations ("blueprints"), and examples can be found illustrating tables and graphs. Cyanotypes were also extensively used for industrial and technical applications.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The photos in this collection depict William G.A. Miller’s travels along the 33-mile Dyea Trail, crossing the Chilkoot Pass and on to Dawson City.
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
Arrangement
Arranged according to numbers found on the back. The number 14 was not included in this collection.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Miller, William G. A., 1866-1956--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Chilkoot Pass--Photographs
- Chilkoot Trail--Photographs
- Dawson (Yukon)--Photographs
- Dyea (Skaway, Alaska)--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographic prints
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)