Women of the Klondike

Dancers, actresses, prospectors, saloon owners, prostitutes and wives — there was no such thing as a conventional woman in the Klondike.

Text by Tanja Hütter

 — Posted November 22, 2010

  • Sepia photograph
    Klondike Kate: ”We wore tights in those days. If we hadn't the Mounted Police would have run us out of the country.“
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Yukoners in Dyea Canyon Alaska: Mr. Williams, Belinda Mulrooney, John Lee, Dan Fraser, Bob Menzie, Gus Biegler, Ed Hutchinson, Mr. Williams, Cleve Gillett, Marlin Mosier, and Bert Bower.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Dutch Kid: Dawson dance hall girl ... note on image says she became a nurse. Possibly also known as Kate Wilson.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Ethel Neile, the Oregon mare, Dawson dance hall [girl], 1898, in rhinestone-trimmed black dress.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    A "fair" staker, 1898, dressed in practical clothing, boots and hat.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    The Gypsy Queen: Wife of Curley Monroe, Dawson; a variety singer, dancer, etc., bedecked in pearl bodice, choker, and crown.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    At Dawson-Klondike, July 1900. George A. Jeffery, Mrs. Deborah S. Wickersham, James Wickersham, his son Howard, Albert R. Heilig and son Reed, Mrs. Heilig and her daughter Florence (front, right).
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Jessie Jones dressed up in costume for a performance on stage as Richelieu in 'Article 5th.'
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Kate Rockwell (perhaps Klondike Kate), circa 1899.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Possibly Fabruda Manzar, famed "Little Egypt" of Chicago World's Fair, who later performed in Skagway and Dawson during the gold rush.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Lucy Lovell, Dawson dance hall (actress). Chair is made of antler and horn.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    May Stanley, Dawson dance hall girl.
    Alaska's Digital Archives
  • Black and white photograph
    Rose Blumkin, Dawson fairy, 1898.
    Alaska's Digital Archives

Life was harsh in the Yukon during the gold rush, and men went without the basic necessities. Food options were minimal and favourite meals took the place of sex in their fantasies.

And yet, there was still room for gaiety and distractions of the fairest kind. Women left their mark on Dawson City, delivering a respite from the hardships of moiling for gold.

We've showcased a collection of images of well-known dance hall girls from the hey day of the Klondike, as well as the women who worked in the gold fields.

Herstories matter

If you believe that stories of women's history should be more widely known, help us do more.

 

Your donation of $10, $25, or whatever amount you like, will allow Canada’s History to share women’s stories with readers of all ages, ensuring the widest possible audience can access these stories for free.

 

Any amount helps, or better yet, start a monthly donation today. Your support makes all the difference. Thank you!

Yes, I'd like to make a difference!

The images are all courtesy of Alaska’s Digital Archives. To see more of the characters who illustrate this rough-and-tumble time in the Yukon, visit Alaska’s Digital Archives, a collaboration of multiple institutions.

Learn more about Belinda Mulrooney, the Irish-American spitfire/business woman, who appeared in Charlotte Gray’s article “After the Gold Rush,” in the December 2010-January 2011 issue of Canada’s History.

Themes associated with this article

Related to Women

The Mothers of Confederation

Life was a story of unending toil for many women in pioneer Canada.

Article

36 More Great Women

In a perfect world, the thirty-six women on this list would be household names. But for too long history textbooks have focused on great men, to the exclusion of all others.

Article

The Refugee Who Changed Canada

Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova put Ottawa on the map as a centre for caring and compassion.

Article

Choosing Great Women

Choosing Canada’s Great Women is not easy. Listen to Charlotte Gray, one of the judges on our panel, as she describes the pleasures and pitfalls of ranking the great women of history.

Podcast