| What makes it historical? |
Seattle owes its metropolitan status to the influx of gold-hungry prospectors in the late 1800s! After the steamship Portland first pulled into Seattle with a “ton of gold” on July 17, 1897, the surge took off! Seattle’s population doubled to 80,000 in three short years from the mad rush of prospectors. Even the mayor quit to join the hunt!
Despite the promise of easy riches, getting to the far north was perilous, living in the far north was hazardous, and the overwhelming majority of prospectors went home without a fleck of gold dust to their name! Nonetheless, many of them took this in stride to consider their Klondike Gold Rush experience one of the greatest adventures of their lives! |
