I was born in Whitehorse, Yukon and have spent most of my life in Haines Junction and a few years in Carmacks. I also had the good fortune of spending childhood summers with the Bradley family at Pelly River Ranch, and many occasions since, and continue to maintain this tie.
My interest is researching and documenting Yukon local history, but I recognize that a bunch of research doesn’t mean much until it’s put together to tell a story. This blog is intended as a way to make stories from the research and to make them available to people who have expressed an interest in what I’m doing and/or have assisted me in some way.
The stories that will appear here are for casual reading, so the sources of information for them are not referenced. However, each story is based on a more academic version that is properly referenced and will have additional information including GPS co-ordinates and more photographs. My intent is to deposit these versions someplace where they will be publicly available and can form part of the Yukon’s historical record.
I have to thank a number of people who have assisted me in these efforts, particularly with the on-the-land portion of my research. These are Ron Chambers, Neal Allison, Dale and Ken Bradley, Roberta Allison, Bob Allison, Brad MacKinnon, Phil Bastien, and Andrew and Laurie Barker. Phil Bastien and my wife Roberta have assisted with some of the archival research, and Phil also with technical help in getting this blog going. The stories here are greatly improved by Roberta’s critiquing and editing of them.
I am very grateful for the ongoing hospitality and friendship of Dale and Sue Bradley at Pelly River Ranch. I’m also thankful for the hospitality and company of Andrew and Laurie Barker at Carpenter’s Slough on the Yukon River and Jim Tredger and Carole Kroening at Stepping Stone on the Pelly River.
For several years Lew Johnson, formerly of Stepping Stone, has provided me with information, materials, advice and encouragement that I highly value. There are many other people who have provided me with information, photos and ideas about a variety of things. They are too numerous to mention here, but their names will undoubtedly surface in future stories.
I must especially acknowledge the ongoing contribution of Ron Chambers of Haines Junction, who has regularly accompanied me on my history endeavors. An elder of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Ron is an experienced bush traveller by all modes, an acute observer of everything around him, and above all a capable, knowledgeable and enjoyable companion. He is always willing to come along with me to look for remnants of history in places that are sometimes tough going. Any contributions I might make to the Yukon’s historical record will have Ron’s imprint all over them.
Updated January 25, 2020
©Yukon History Trails – Gordon Allison 2018-2023