Dawson

In January 1897 William Ogilvie, Dominion Land Surveyor, surveyed the townsite and Laduemand his partner, Arthur Harper, had it officially named after Dr. George Mercer Dawson (1849-1901), Director of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada from 1895 to 1901, explorer, scientist and human being extraordinary.

Called the "Little Doctor" by all who knew him, he was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, on 1 August 1849, a son of Sir John William Dawson, naturalist, geologist and the first principal of McGill University. A severe illness at the age of 12 made him a hunchback and stunted his growth, leaving him in poor health for the remainder of his life. Tutored at home, he had an abounding interest in the natural sciences and carried this into his studies at McGill and the Royal School of Mines in London, England, where he graduated at the head of his class.

Although crippled and frail he carried out some of the most strenuous surveys ever attempted in Canada, and his yearly reports are incredible for both quality and sheer quantity of the work accomplished. In 1887, with William Ogilvie, of the Department of the Interior, he organized and headed the first geological and lateral survey conducted in the Yukon Territory. It was typical of Dawson that he chose the hardest route for himself.

He died unexpectedly, after a one-day illness, of acute bronchitis, in Ottawa, on 2 March 1901.

Source: Coutts, R. (1980): Yukon: Places & Names, Gray's Publishing Limited, Sidney, B.C., pp. 76-78.

Related Site:

• Dawson Community Profile

Faro

The newest town in the Yukon was built in 1969 to house the people from the nearby Anvil Mine. This is a large, open-pit mine producing lead, zinc and silver. On 13 June 1969, a forest fire destroyed most of the newly-built town but it was rebuilt in three months.

The game of faro was an old and simple gambling game of cards, popular throughout the early west. It was probably given to the town by Dr. Aro Aho from the name of the first claims staked on the orebody.

Source: Coutts, R. (1980): Yukon: Places & Names, Gray's Publishing Limited, Sidney, B.C., p. 95.

Related Site:

• Faro Community Profile

Watson Lake

Frank Watson of Yorkshire, England, started for the Klondike in early 1897 from Edmonton. Fighting his way through unmapped country he arrived on the upper Liard River in the spring of 1898. His illusions of easy gold in the Klondike were by this time completely dissipated. The country was appealing and he decided to stay in this region, to prospect and trap. He married an attractive Indian girl from Lower Post and from then on led an unrestricted and unhurried life. The upper Liard and its tributaries were his trapping and prospecting grounds while his home was on the shore of Watson Lake. The lake had been known since the 1870's as "Fish Lake". In 1941 the area become too crowded for him when construction was begun on the airport and the highway. He moved his family a few miles north to Windid Lake.

Source: Coutts, R. (1980): Yukon: Places & Names, Gray's Publishing Limited, Sidney, B.C., p. 280.

Related Site:

• Watson Lake Community Profile

Haines Junction

Begun in late 1942 and starting at mile 1016 on the Alaska Highway, a road was built south to Haines, Alaska, on the Pacific coast. It was a wartime measure to increase the shipment of materials and supplies from the US to Alaska. It was constructed by the US Army Engineers and follows quite closely the old Dalton Trail.

The first buildings at the junction were US Army Engineers barracks and shops. Because of its position of the settlement has continued to grow.

It was named after Haines, Alaska, a town which was originally located in 1879 by the famous pioneer missionary, S. Hall Young, as the site of a Presbyterian mission. It was given the name of the first Secretary of the Committee of the Home Missions, Mrs. Francine E. Haines.

Source: Coutts, R. (1980): Yukon: Places & Names, Gray's Publishing Limited, Sidney, B.C., p. 120.

Related Site:

• Haines Junction Community Profile