WAUAdamsEdwardCPHColl295.xmlGuide to the Edward C. Adams Photographs 1902-1910Adams (Edward C.) PhotographsFunding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2006 (Last modified: 1/5/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0295Adams, Edward CEdward C. Adams photographs1902-19101904-19061 photographic print47 negatives (2 boxes) : glass11 negatives (1 box) : nitrate Collection materials are in English.Photographs of Dawson, Yukon Territory, including birds-eye views, city streets, building exteriors and interiors, and people. Also included are photographs of Bennet Lake, Miles Canyon, modes of transportation, and various winter views.

Edward C. Adams worked as a photographer at C.W. Bart's studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1896 and later moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia, to become a partner in the Adams & Pierce Studio. Adams established Adams & Co. in Dawson, Yukon Territory, with Charles D. Rothwell around 1901. George W. Larkin joined as partner in 1903. The partnership with Larkin dissolved in 1905 and the company reverted to its previous name of Adams & Co., continuing on until 1915. Adams’s photographic equipment was later purchased by the Dawson photographer E.O. Ellingsen.

In 1896 the Klondike Gold Rush started in the Yukon Territory, Canada, with the discovery of gold in Bonanza Creek on the Klondike River. The gold rush transformed Dawson, originally a native summer fishing camp, into the "Paris of the North." The town was staked out by Joe Ladue and named after George M. Dawson, director of the Geological Survey of Canada, who explored the region in 1887. Dawson was located near the Klondike River. The route the gold seekers took to reach Dawson was via the Yukon River, Miles Canyon, and Bennett Lake. Transportation to Dawson was limited to steamboat, dogsled, and horseback.

By 1898 Dawson, with 40,000 residents, was the largest Canadian city west of Winnipeg. Elaborate hotels, theaters, and dance halls were erected. It also included such amenities as telephone service, running water, and steam heat. The Bank of British North America opened offices in Dawson in a tent and business grew quickly. The Bank of Commerce opened its doors a month later, exchanging bank notes totaling over a million dollars for gold. The bank notes lasted only two weeks, with the bank shipping out over $750,000 in gold. By 1899 most the gold bearing creeks had been claimed by prospectors, with speculators claiming the rest. With the news of gold in Nome, Alaska, people started to leave Dawson in large numbers; 8,000 people left in the summer of 1899 alone. By 1902 the population was less than 5,000.

Major mining operations took over most of the Klondike gold beds in the years following the gold rush. The Klondike Mines Railway was finished in 1905 and helped mining companies transport resources in and out of the isolated goldfields. Gold production declined after an all-time high in 1911. In the early 1960s Dawson City was declared a National Historic Site.

During the height of its popularity, Dawson suffered four major fires, all between 1897 and 1900. While the fire in 1897 only burned down the opera house and two saloons, the 1898 fire destroyed 26 buildings. In the fires of 1899 and 1900, nearly the entire business district was wiped out. After 1900 the danger of fire diminished with improved fire protection and equipment, along with the shift toward building materials of galvanized iron and tin. However, due to continued fires, including one in September 1904, one section of Dawson became known as the "Burned District."

The photographs are arranged in 4 series:

Dawson, Yukon TerritoryBennett Lake, Yukon TerritoryMiles Canyon, Yukon TerritoryYukon Territory

This collection consists of photographs of people, activities, buildings, and street scenes in Dawson, Yukon Territory. Additional subjects covered are the Yukon, Miles Canyon, Bennet Lake, and the Yukon and Klondike Rivers. The photographs were made by Adams & Co. unless otherwise noted.

58 contact prints made from the original negatives are available for public use in the Special Collections division, University of Washington Libraries.

Portions of this collection have also been issued electronically via the World Wide Web by the UW Libraries' Digital Initiatives Program under the title Alaska and Western Canada Collection .

Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries, for details.

Edward C. Adams Photograph Collection. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle, Washington.

Processed by Megan Sykes, 2005, and Megan Peacock, 2006; processing completed in 2006.

Rothwell, Charles DLarkin, George WAdams & CoAdams & Larkin PhotoDawson (Yukon)--PhotographsDawson (Yukon)--Buildings, structures, etc.--PhotographsYukon Territory--PhotographsDwellings--Yukon Territory--Dawson--PhotographsStreets--Yukon Territory--Dawson--PhotographsPhotographic printsGlass negativesNitrate negativesReproductionsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)City and Town LifePioneersPhotographs

 

Dawson, Yukon Territory

The Dawson photographs were made by Adams & Co. unless otherwise noted.

1/11-4Adams & Larkin PhotoFour-part panoramic view of Dawson landing and hills1902 1/25-6Adams & Larkin PhotoView of Dawson City and the Yukon River from a hillside above Dawsoncirca 1903 1/27Adams & Larkin PhotoCompany warehouses on river with the city and a hill in the backgroundcirca 1903

Possibly part of a larger panorama.

Visible buildings include those labeled, N.A.T. & T.Co., Northern Commercial Co., and White Pass & Yukon Railroad.

1/38First Avenue north from Queen Street1904 June 10 1/39First Avenue south from Queen Street, Mechanics Emporium Block on corner, with large wooden tower in middle of street1904 June 10 1/310Queen Street east from First Avenue from corner, with Mechanics Emporium and Goetzman Photography building1904 June 10 1/311King Street east from Second Avenue at corner, with Portland Building and Pioneer Baths1904 June 10 1/312King Street west from Third Avenue at corner, with Knickerbocker Furnished Rooms and Northern Liquor Co.1904 June 10 1/313Second Avenue south from King Street at corner, with Portland Building and Rochester Building1904 June 10 1/314Possibly Princess Street with Gem Bakery at the corner1904 June 16 1/315First Avenue south from Princess Street at corner, with the Fair View Hotel1904 July 1 1/316Queen Street west from Second Avenue at corner, with the Bank of British North America1904 July 1 1/317Queen Street east from Second Avenue at corner, with the Bank of British North America, Hotel Cecil, Pioneer Drug Store, and the Labbe Hotel1904 July 1 1/318Third Avenue south from Queen Street at corner, with Butler's Corner Grocer & Outfitter and Rook Brothers Groceries1904 July 1 1/319Edward C. AdamsShriners from Gizeh Temple, Victoria, British Columbia, in a parade in a Dawson street1910 1/320Telephone pole and log cabin building at corner, with a view of the street, including the Telephone Office1908Adams & Co

On item: "N.C. Co's. block showing Y.G. Co's. offices."

1/321People viewing remains of fire in Dawson's "Burned District"1904 September 23 1/422Adams & Larkin PhotoGymnasium Bathhousecirca 1903 1/423Adams & CoStaff and nuns on upper and lower porches at St. Mary's Hospitalundated1/424Adams & CoHarvest festival produce display on the sidewalk at Avery's South Dawson Grocery1906 September 20 1/425Men and horse-drawn wagons and buggy at Bonanza Marketundated1/426Adams & Larkin PhotoGovernor's residencecirca 1903 1/427Adams & Larkin PhotoBuilding with two windows made out of Klondike bottlescirca 1903 1/428Shack with tin sheets on exteriorundated

On item: "The tin age."

1/529Interior of H.W. Butler's grocery storeundated 1/530Interior of dry goods shop with sweets, cigars, and stationery for saleundated 1/531Edward C. AdamsInterior of D. Kearney's clothing storeundated 1/532Edward C. AdamsYoung girls seated around banquet table in Yukonia's Grillundated1/533Edward C. AdamsCustomers and barbers inside Burlick's Barber Shopundated 1/534Interior of M & N Billiard Roomundated1/535-36Adams & CoInterior of D.A.A. Natatorium showing swimming pool and exercise equipmentundated 1/537Interior of Arctic Brotherhood Hallundated1/538Adams & Larkin PhotoLillian M. Hall Stock Company on stage practicing the play Camillecirca 19031/539-40Adams & Larkin PhotoPyramid of gold bars worth over half a million dollars at the Bank of British North Americacirca 1903 1/641Man with bicycle and bear on a chainundated1/642Caledonia Scottish dance troop with Archie Black, conductorundated1/642aAdams & CoSmall group of indigenous people sitting on shrub-covered hillsideca. 1904-1908

Printed on photo: Leapyear on the Lower Yukon

1/643Adams & CoGroup in front of G.B. of G Mess House at midnight1906 June 21 1/644Adams & CoPeople in horse-drawn wagon, Labor Day1906 September 3

Possibly Labor Day celebration activity.

1/645Curling team, winners of the Grand Challenge Cup, posing with trophies, brooms, and stones1905 or 1906 1/646Trophies of the Dawson Curling Club1905 or 19061/647Woman's basketball team1907 1/648Yukon Lawn Tennis Club groupcirca 1901-1910 May 251/649Edward C. AdamsSix comic illustrations of the Yukon1909 March

On item: "Points of interest and the large commercial industries and resources of the northland."

Bennett Lake, Yukon Territory1/750Adams & Larkin PhotoBennett Lake from Caribou Crossingcirca 1903Miles Canyon, Yukon Territory1/851-52Adams & Larkin PhotoFour men on boat in Miles Canyoncirca 1903

One picture is signed, but its similarity to the other image makes it likely that both views are by the same photographer.

Yukon Territory

The photographs were made by Adams & Co. except where noted.

1/953Men and dogsled team1901 Spring 1/954First train over the Klondike Mines Railway1905 September 30 1/955Cabins in snow-covered landscape with dog in foregroundundated1/956Adams & Larkin PhotoSnow-covered landscapecirca 19031/957Adams & Larkin PhotoSteamer Yukoner on the upper Yukon Rivercirca 1903

On item: "One of the floating palaces."

1/958Adams & CoMammoth cakes of ice thrown up at the opening of the Yukon River at breakup1906

Ice is eight to ten feet thick.

1/959Edward C. AdamsIce flow on the Klondike Riverundated