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The gold rush started in 1896 and ended 1899. There was 29 million dollars found in gold. Dawson city became the largest city between Winnipeg and Seattle because of the gold rush. Areas in the gold rush where the Yukon region, the Klondike region and Alaska region. Before the gold rush there were only a few working steam powered sternwheelers on the Yukon river. 60 sternwheelers, 8 tugs, 20 barges were in service on the river. Steamers would take wood from Whitehorse to Dawson City. Depending on it's size it would generally carry 120 cords of 4 foot wood. Barges were pushed ahead to handle weight. None of the steamers on service at the time of the gold rush actually survived.
Gold Rush History
About the S.S Keno
The S.S. Keno is a very special preserved historic sternwheeler paddle steamer and a national historical site in Canada.The S.S. Keno is docked on a dry dock in Dawson city The boat was created by the British Yukon navigation and was in service in 1922 and out of service in 1931.The S.S keno transported silver, zinc and ore. It took everything down the Stewart river from mines in the mayo district. It was retired from commercial service in 1951 because of the extension and improvement of the Klondike highway. After its retirement the S.S. Keno was laid in a shipyard in whitehorse before being donated to the Canadian government in 1959. On August 25 1960 the S.S. Keno left whitehorse and sailed to Dawson city where it was dry docked and its now the last Yukon sternwheel steamer.
History
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