Aunt Phil's Trunk
Klondike gold miner Nellie Cashman became known for her generosity and community spirit.
The Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1898 drew thousands of hopeful prospectors north in search of fortune. While often overshadowed by tales of strong, rugged male adventurers, numerous courageous women also made the arduous journey, carving out unique roles and leaving an indelible mark on this pivotal chapter of North American history.
While dancehall girls like the infamous Kate Rockwell – known as Klondike Kate-and prostitutes were indeed part of the Klondike landscape, they represent only a fraction of the women's experiences. Journalists, teachers, physicians and entrepreneurs all played crucial roles in shaping the social and economic fabric of gold rush communities.
Martha Black, who left Chicago and her husband to travel toward the exciting new gold fields, observed that women in Dawson City generally fell into three broad categories: prostitutes at the bottom of the social ladder, entertainers like dancers in the middle, and "respectable" homemakers and businesswomen at the top. Black eventually became a successful businesswoman and later served as only the second woman elected to the Canadian Parliament.
Another remarkable woman of the Klondike was Belinda Mulrooney. Arriving in Dawson City in 1897 with only $5 in her pocket, Mulrooney quickly established herself as a savvy entrepreneur. She opened a restaurant and hotel, invested in mining claims and eventually became one of the wealthiest people in the Yukon. Known for her business sense and determination, Mulrooney exemplified the opportunities available to enterprising women in the gold fields.
Nellie Cashman, nicknamed the "Angel of the Cassiar," was another notable figure. An experienced prospector who had worked in mining camps across the American West, Cashman arrived in Dawson in 1898. While she staked claims and pursued mining, her true passion lay in charitable works. Cashman used her earnings to support a local hospital and became known for her generosity and community spirit.
At age 55, Anna DeGraf was one of the oldest women to cross the Chilkoot Trail. The widowed German immigrant carried a sewing machine and feather bed as she climbed it on crutches in 1894 in search of her son, who had left for the Yukon six years earlier. A talented seamstress, she earned money sewing tents for the Alaska Commercial Company and dresses for dancehall girls while she searched 23 years for her son. She helped start the first school in Circle City.
And the Sisters of St. Ann, a group of Catholic nuns, traveled to Dawson City to establish a hospital. During a typhoid epidemic in 1898, six nuns treated over 1,100 patients, providing crucial medical care.
Women brought a civilizing influence to the rough mining camps. They established businesses, organized social events, and worked to create a sense of community in the frontier boomtowns. Their contributions helped transform Dawson City from a collection of tents and shacks into a more structured and diverse settlement.
The gold rush offered women unprecedented opportunities for independence and self-reliance. Free from many of the social constraints of "civilized" society, women could pursue their ambitions and test their limits.
For some, like Black and Mulrooney, the frontier environment allowed them to achieve levels of wealth and influence that would have been difficult to attain elsewhere. However, these opportunities were not equally available to all women. Indigenous women often faced discrimination and marginalization despite their crucial roles in supporting and guiding newcomers to the region.
As the gold rush waned, many women who had come seeking fortune or adventure chose to make the north country their permanent home. Their legacy lives on in the rich history of the region and in the stories of pioneering spirit that continue to captivate our imagination.
This column features tidbits found while researching Alaska's colorful past for Aunt Phil's Trunk, a six-book Alaska history series written by Laurel Downing Bill and her late aunt, Phyllis Downing Carlson. The books are available at bookstores and gift shops throughout Alaska, as well as online at http://www.auntphilstrunk.com.
