Archives West Finding Aid

Affixed to the photograph is a contemporary newspaper clipping describing the flash powder incident that resulted in Cantwell's burned hands.

Written on photo: Fisherman's Luck.

Written on photo: a Rattler.

Written on verso: [illeg.] at Androffsky Yukon River. (Most likely referring to the Andreafsky River, a 120-mile tributary of the Yukon River).

Written on photo: A last look at Dawson.

Written on verso: Scenery between the sound & Alaska on the inland route.

Text from clipping: Returned from Dawson. George G. Cantwell, of Puyallup, has returned home after an extended absence in Dawson, where he had been engaged in the photographic business.

Written on photo: Home again.

This is probably Cantwell and his family.

Written on photo: Nisqually Flats.

Written on verso: Following the creek.

Written on photo: Only tired.Written on verso: Returning - near end of trail.

Written on front of photo as W.H. Hohag. Written on verso as Walton Hoahg.

Written on verso: The red man on top of a new mountainFrom accompanying newspaper clipping: An exceedingly interesting article entitled, "An Ascent of Mount Baker," written and illustrated by George G. Cantwell, appears in the August Outing. Mr. Cantwell is the first man to take a camera to the top of this mountain. Local pride should create a demand for many copies of the magazine in Puyallup, where the author has grown to manhood.

Written on verso: Regeristring [sic] in the last tree.

Written on photo: Copyright by B & C.Written on verso: The crater taken from main peak a mile distant.

Caption on cartoon reads: G.G. Cantwell, who has been spending a few days among the bravs and klootchmen on Tulalip Indian Reservation with his trusty camera.

Written on verso: Our camp at timber line.

Written on verso: Dolly Vardens caught in Baker Lake.

Written on verso: Up Salmon Creek-1/2 mile from camp. All hands wearing pants.

Written on verso: The stream behind the camp. North fork of Skykomish.

Written on verso: At Silver Lake.

Written on verso: Morning in camp just after we had killed three coons close beside the tents.

Written on verso: The faithful six on the way home.

Written on verso: Silver Lake-7 miles from Everett.

Written on verso: At Starr Soda Springs 7 miles from camp.

Written on photo: An optical illusion.

All photographs affixed to original page of the Cantwell Family Photograph Album, which was disassembled during processing.

All clippings affixed to original page of the Cantwell Family Photograph Album, which was disassembled during processing.

Written on verso: Winter sun seen from the divide.

Written on verso: After a ptarmigan hunt.

Written on verso: At work on some caribou heads.

Written on verso: Climbing Mt. Rainier Aug. 6-1896. Cantwell was in the first expedition to reach the summit of Rainier, also Mt. Baker.

Written on verso: This cow was made in the taxidermy shop for a production of "Evangeline" at a theatre here.

The deadliest event of the Klondike gold rush occurred on Palm Sunday, April 3, 1898, between Sheep Camp and the Scales on the Chilkoot Trail. Numerous snow slides took place on that day, and over 60 stampeders (gold prospectors) ultimately lost their lives.The Palm Sunday avalanche, as it came to be known, was one of the most widely reported events of the gold rush.

The Chilkoot trail rose 900 feet to the base of the Chilkoot Pass to an area called the Scales. This was a rough rock-strewn area so named because it was the last place where travelers could have their packs reweighed, and adjustments could be made to their payments. The Scales was also used as a place where travelers could store their provisions and supplies while going to lower levels to get the remainder, before continuing on their journey up the Pass.

Written on photo: Looking down Dyea Trail.

Written on photo: Winter Traveling.

Written on photo: Klondykers.

Written on photo: Over the ice to Dawson.

Written on photo: Doughnuts & Coffee.Roadhouse 54 was located near Dawson, and was so named because it was located at the fifty-fourth claim below "Discovery", i.e. the first claim staked out on Hunker Creek.

The Dalton Trail is a 246-mile trail that runs between Pyramid Harbor, west of Haines, Alaska in the United States, and Fort Selkirk, in the Yukon Territory of Canada, using the Chilkat Pass. In 1900, the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway was completed to neighboring Skagway, and this ended much of the traffic on the Dalton Trail. The west portion of the present-day Haines Highway follows much the same route as the Dalton Trail.

Klondike stampeders set up camp along the shores of Lake Lindeman and Lake Bennett during the winter of 1897-1898 where they had to wait for the river ice to break before they could set sail down the Yukon into Dawson. Most stampeders needed to build their own boats, having declined to drag a boat over the pass. The preferred wood cutting technique was known as "whipsawing" in which logs placed on stands were sawed by one man standing on top of the log with one end of the saw and a second man standing below the log holding the other end.

Written on photo: Lindemann.

On the afternoon of August 16, 1896, the first piece of gold was found in the Yukon by prospectors camping near Bonanza Creek (then Rabbit Creek). Located around 17 miles south-southeast of Dawson City, it is considered to be the place where the Klondike Gold Rush started.

Written on photo: Hill Claims, Lower Bonanza.

Written on photo: Freighting on Bonanza.

Written on photo: Looking up Eldorado from #10.

Written on photo: Underground on #16 Eldorado. Adams & Larkin signature (heavily obscured) appears in lower right corner.

Written on photo: Following the paystreak underground. 44 Bonanza. Adams & Larkin signature (heavily obscured) appears in lower right corner.

Written on photo: Thawing with steam, #16 Eldorado. Flashlight by [illeg.]. Adams & Larkin signature (heavily obscured) appears in lower right corner.

Cheechako Hill was named for the newcomer "cheechakos" who ignored the advice of seasoned sourdoughs and dug into the hills above the rich Bonanza and Eldorado creek beds. Oliver Millet from Lunenberg, Nova Scotia was the first to attempt mining for gold in the high hills overlooking the creeks, after his claim on the El Dorado came up empty. The hill became one of the richest areas in the Dawson district.

Written on photo: Photo by Cantwell.

Written on photo: Adams & Larkin. Looking down Bonanza from Chechaco [sic] Hill. Cantwell signature (heavily obscured) appears in lower right corner.

Written on photo: Gold Hill. Chechaco Hill.

Written on photo: Big nugget from Sulphur Creek.Visual evidence suggests that this photograph is most likely a composite print, as central figure appears superimposed against snowy background.

Written on photo: 29 & 30 above Sulphur.

Written on photo: Working a bench

Written on photo: Sinking a shaft.

Written on photo: Dog miner at work in a drift. Adams & Larkin.Drift mining methods were used extensively to mine placer deposits (an accumulation of valuable minerals formed by gravity separation during sedimentary processes) during the gold rush. During summer, surface deposits could be worked, but some placer deposits were buried too deeply; through drift mining methods, miners were able to recover much of the gold buried under the permafrost, with high-grade gravels to be washed during the spring thaw.

Written on photo: Firing a drift.Drift mining methods were used extensively to mine placer deposits (an accumulation of valuable minerals formed by gravity separation during sedimentary processes) during the gold rush. During summer, surface deposits could be worked, but some placer deposits were buried too deeply; through drift mining methods, miners were able to recover much of the gold buried under the permafrost, with high-grade gravels to be washed during the spring thaw.

Written on photo: Bed Rock Underground - 37 Above Hunker. "Cantwell Photo 62" (heavily obscured) appears in lower right corner.

Written on photo: In Louse Towne.

Written on photo: Dawson Fire Apr. 26, '99.With the many wood buildings in Dawson, fire was a constant menace. Two majors fires broke out in 1897 and 1898, both started accidentally by the same dance-hall girl, Belle Mitchell. But the worst blaze occurred on April 26, 1899, when a saloon caught fire during a strike by the newly-formed Dawson Fire Brigade. With all the wealth around town, it seems the town fathers didn’t see fit to pay their fire fighters a decent wage. Over 100 buildings were destroyed in the blaze, with damage reaching over $1 million in the day’s money.

Written on photo: Christmas in Dawson.

Written on photo: Waiting for mail

Written on verso: Waiting for mail in Dawson.

Written on photo: Dawson Smallpox Quarantine Station.The first case of smallpox in the Yukon Territory occurred in Dawson City on June 3, 1900. For the purpose of isolating smallpox patients, the Yukon Council established a quarantine station on Dog Island, about two miles down river from Dawson City. The quarantine station provided not only for the complete isolation of patients, but also the potential to dock quarantined steamer ships at that location should an outbreak be detected aboard.

Written on photo: St. Andrew's Ball, Dawson Nov. 30, 1900. Cantwell Photo. Dawson, Y.T.

Written on photo: Dawson 1900. Cantwell Photo.

Written on photo: Dawson at 60 degrees below.

Written on photo: Adams & Larkin photo 49. Cantwell's name heavily obscured in lower right corner.

Written on photo: Leaving Dawson for Valdes. Cantwell.

Written on photo: Dawson, June 1901. Adams & Larkin.

Written on photo: Adams & Larkin Photo. Cantwell's signature heavily obscured in lower right corner.

Written on photo: On the shady side of Easy Street.

Written on photo #49: U.S. Mail Leaving Dawson. Adams & Larkin Photo. Dawson, Y.T. 66. "Photo by Cantwell 66" heavily obscured in lower right corner.Written on photo #50: "Adams & Larkin Photo" written directly over barely obscured "Cantwell Photo" in lower right corner.

Written on photo: Opening of the Yukon - May 17, '99

Grand Forks was first settled in 1896 and became the second largest settlement in the Klondike, with approximately 10,000 people living in or near the town during the gold rush. Located at the confluence of Bonanza Creek and Eldorado Creek, it was the only community besides Dawson City to have its own municipal government.

Written on photo: Up the Klondyke in Winter.

Written on photo: Indian Camp.

Written on photo: Indian Grave, Moosehide Creek.

Written on photo: Moose calves.

Written on photo: At the Windlass.

Stamped on verso: Geo. G. Cantwell.

Written on photo: On the Trail.

Written on photo: Mushing Wood.

Written on photo: Grayling, the Trout of the Yukon.

Written on photo: One Little Injun.

Written on photo: A Klondyke Garden. "Adams and Larkin Photo" appears heavily faded in lower right corner.

Written on photo: King Salmon of the Yukon. "Adams & Larkin, Dawson, Y.T." written in lower right corner.

Written on photo: In the Heart of the Rockies.

Written on photo: A Camp Yarn.

Written on photo: Ed. S. Orr & Co. Valdes - Fairbanks Winter Stage. Cantwell.

Scanned from negative.

Written on photo: Prospectors returning to camp.

Written on photo: Reflections - Valdez Bay.

Written on photo: Prince William Sound from Upper Terminal S.G. Co. Tram. Landlock Bay.

Written on photo: Midsummer - Valdez Bay.