H. J. Goetzman worked as a photographer in the Yukon from 1897 until 1904. He traveled to the Yukon via the Chilkoot Trail with his wife and Miss Edith Goetzman, a relative. Trained as a commercial photographer, Goetzman recorded the scenery, life and activity of the route to the gold fields through Alaska and Canada, Dyea, the Chilkoot Trail, White Pass Canyon, Bennett, Dawson, and the Klondike gold fields. He ran Goetzman's Photographic Studio in Dawson from 1898 to 1904. At the height of the gold rush he employed seven photographers.
In the winter of 1900-1901, Goetzman traveled to Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. He made the Dawson-Whitehorse leg of the trip, a distance of 329 miles each way, with his own dog team. In January 1901, he released a photo album with views of Wrangell, Alaska, the White Pass, down the Yukon River to Dawson, up the gold creeks to Eagle City, Alaska, and on to St. Michael and Nome. He also published a souvenir booklet in 1901 with 200 views reproduced as half-tones. In October of 1902, he photographed the upper Yukon River for the White Pass Company to use as advertising material.
Over the seven years he resided in Dawson, Goetzman moved his studio to several different locations, beginning in a tent and including the following: a studio on the second floor of the partially completed Monte Carlo building on First Avenue in 1900; later in 1900, the Victoria Building on the southeast corner of First Avenue and Second Street; and in 1903, he moved to 128 Second Avenue South. In 1904, Goetzman sold his studio, negatives, and photographic supply house to J. Morte and H. Craig and moved to San Francisco. Many negatives were lost as the result of water damage from a fire in April 1907.
In 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush started in the Yukon Territory, Canada, with the discovery of gold in Bonanza Creek on the Klondike River. In the summer of 1897, miners arrived in San Francisco and Seattle from Alaska via two steamers, collectively carrying five thousand pounds of gold from the Klondike River in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Over the next two years thousands of prospectors rushed to reach the gold fields.
Though other more dangerous or dead-end routes were advertised by unscrupulous or ignorant entrepreneurs, ninety percent of the would-be miners arrived in the Yukon via either the Chilkoot Trail out of Dyea or the White Pass Trail out of Skagway. The Chilkoot turned out to be the most favorable, despite the steep rise of 900 feet to the summit in the last half mile. Miners had to relay a ton of supplies per person over the pass in order to gain clearance to enter Canada from the Northwest Mounted Police outpost on the other side. White Pass Trail, while slightly shorter and less steep, soon turned to a nearly impassable trail under the feet of thousands of men and horses. The trail became known as the Dead Horse Trail, in reference to the carcasses of 3000 pack animals that littered the route.
Once they arrived at Lake Bennett, the stampeders built or bought boats to float down the Yukon River to Dawson. As the first big wave of prospectors reached Dawson after the thaw in May 1898, most were disappointed as nearly all of the promising claims had been claimed by locals the year before. Many sold their outfits and left, but others stayed to work for other prospectors or in Dawson.
The gold rush transformed Dawson, which was 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. By 1898, Dawson was the largest Canadian city west of Winnipeg with 40,000 residents. Elaborate hotels, theaters and dance halls were erected. It also included such amenities as telephone service, running water and steam heat.
With the news of gold in Nome, Alaska, people started to leave in large numbers; 8,000 people left Dawson in the summer of 1899 alone. By 1902, the population was less than 5,000. Eventually, major mining operations took over most of the Klondike gold fields in the years following the gold rush.
The collection contains photographs of the Klondike Gold Rush taken by H. J. Goetzman or his studio. They include scenes of the journey from Seattle to Dawson and the gold fields, mining operations, life and events in Dawson, and other settlements in the Yukon Territory.
The collection is divided into two parts: 32 photographs (glass plate negatives and original prints) owned by the University of Washington and copies of 51 photographs owned by the University of Alaska, included here for reference purposes only.
Photographic prints made from the glass plate negative originals are
available for reference purposes.
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.
Reproductions in any form of prints owned by the University of Alaska must be obtained from the University of Alaska Libraries.
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.
Source: Items 305.3, 305.9, 305.11, 305.16- 305.29 were purchased from Don Ulrich, 2002.
Copies of photographs from the University of Alaska Historical Library donated by Arch Roberston, 1961.
Processed by Amy E. Frost, 2005, and Megan Peacock, 2006.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Copyright on image attributed to M.H.Craig although likely Craig printed the photo from Goetzman original.
Copyright on image attributed to M.H.Craig although likely Craig printed the photo from Goetzman original.
"W.B. Coppings and party arriving in Dawson with 5 scows and 100 tons of merchandise."
Possibly a Goetzman photograph.
"J.R. Watson Block."
"Dawson awaiting the arrival of the Governor General, Aug. 14."
"'The Last Turn' in The Exchange. May 31, 12 P.M. 1901."
Mines, or mine locations, were often named in relation to the nearest major mine, such as above or below Discovery Mine, or above or below Bonanza mine. For example, No. 2 Ab (above) Bonanza or No. 5 B (below) Discovery.
"Mining 40 feet under ground."
"The largest Dump in the Klondyke at Chute & Wills. No 12."
These photographs are for reference use only. Please contact the University of Alaska Libraries with any questions or concerns regarding these photographs.
"Bennett Club"
"First grub delivered in Rampart during famin[e] of 1897."
"L.A. Nurnberg arriving in Dawson on Oct. 8."
"Leaving Dawson for the 'Koyukuk' (James E. Mitchell and party)."
"[First] Steamer of the season to arrive in Dawson...Mail and Passengers."
"'Nob Hill' where the 400 Reside in Dawson."
The 400 were the upper class of Dawson.
"Peel River Indians Dog Teams in Dawson with Wild Meat."
"Express Leaving Dawson."
".... Which burned to the ground Jan. 10, 1900."
"The last roll in Dawson."
"First Horse Race in Dawson."
"We Were Here First" banner on the front of the float in front of the A.C. Co. building.
"Mid-night on the mountain back of Dawson."
"[M]ade for Miss Rose Blumkin by Albert Mayer- Leading Jeweler."
Sign in background reads "D.C.C. Championship Game, Tuesday 9th April, 1901 J.t. Lithgow vs. Colonel Rourke."
"Yukon Gold Fields, Ltd., London, Eng. Cars over hopper at head of gravity tram."
"A Clean Up on the Bonanza Creek Concession Co."
"E.H. Elwell and crew, 67 B Bonanza. "
"Owned and Operated by F.E. Davison, A.E. Davison, Jack Ray, Dick Battle."