In the late 1890s, news of a Gold Rush in the Klondike region of northwestern Canada swept America. Although gold was first discovered in August 1896, it took until the following Summer for the news to spread to prospectors in Seattle and San Fransisco. Thousands of these stampeeders, as they were called, flocked to the yukon in search of their personal fortune.
The majority of these prospectors entered the Klondike via the treacherous chilkoot pass - which was so dangerous that the Canadian government required travelers to bring one ton of food and other traveling supplies with them. Rain storms, heavy snow and deadly avalanches were common, but Stampeeders still persisted in using the chilkoot because it was the cheapest and quickest path to Yukon gold.
with a mass migration of these stampeeders came a need for night life, gambling halls, & entertainment , which was filled by Klondike Kate - also known as Kathleen Rockwell - after struggling in New York, she came to Seattle with a troupe around 1897 and followed them up into the Yukon. She even had to dress like a man to sneak through the Chilkoot Pass. Once she arrived She hooked up with up and coming theater mogul Alex Pantages , and soon became infamous for entertaining the miners at the high end saloons of Dawson City,
where her fans and admirers literally threw gold at her feet while she danced.
around the height of her notoriety in 1897, Klondike Kate was immortalized in song by popular New York actress and singer Fay Templeton, and although the song was published in 1898 it has never before been recorded - we hope you enjoy our rendition of "Queen of the Yukon", ( a song curtesy of the Library of Congress)
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