Welcome to my blog. My name is Gord Allison and I live in Haines Junction, Yukon. My pastime is Yukon history research, both on the land and in archives and other places. This blog is intended to share stories of Yukon history with people who might be interested in them.
Many people who came to the Yukon beginning in the latter 1800s for economic, lifestyle or adventure reasons stayed to make a mark on Yukon history and the landscape. They were part of the rural Yukon community – homesteaders, roadhouse keepers, trading post operators, trappers, woodcutters, freighters, surveyors, outfitters, etc.
The stories of many of these people and their activities are not well known or documented to any extent. I like to look for remnants that can still be found on the Yukon landscape and tie this together with archival and other research to tell the story. My aim is to document the stories of these people, places and activities so that they are part of the Yukon’s historical record, particularly after the physical evidence has vanished.
It goes without saying that the first Yukon pioneers were the First Nations people, and they are the ones most appropriate to tell their story. In the course of my history work, I sometimes come across artifacts or structures of indigenous origin, or information that may be of First Nation interest, and pass these along to the relevant First Nation.
My geographic areas of focus to date are the Kluane region of the southwest Yukon, where I live, and the central Yukon River/lower Pelly River region, where I also have a long-standing connection.
When I post something new to this blog I will send out a notification e-mail to a recipient list. If you wish to be added to, or deleted from, the recipient list, please let me know.
The stories posted can be accessed most easily from the Index and Links to Stories page.
Images such as sections of maps, survey plans, Google Earth, etc. do not show up well on the blog pages. If you want to see them clearer and larger, you can try right-clicking on them and then copying and pasting into a blank Word document.
I welcome comments, questions or information, including alerting me to errors, about anything on this blog. You can do this by one of three ways: on the Contact page; in the Comment box at the end of each post; or e-mail me directly at gordallison@northwestel.net.
You can read more background information in the About section.
The stories in this blog are based on research of known and available sources. The discovery of additional information may affect interpretations or conclusions made here. Any errors in the stories are mine alone.
Thank you for visiting this site.
Updated January 25, 2020
©Yukon History Trails – Gordon Allison 2018-2023