Why read Gold at Fortymile Creek?

Book cover of Gold at Fortymile Creek: Early Days in the Yukon

Book description

The book, based on the accounts of dozens of prospectors, follows the first gold-seekers from their arrival in 1873 until the stampede to the Klondike in 1896. Gates captures the essence of these early years of the gold rush, about which very little has been written. He chronicles the trials,…

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American history

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Why read it?

1 author picked Gold at Fortymile Creek as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Frances Backhouse

Author

This impeccably researched book by Yukon historian Michael Gates provides the backstory to the 1896 discovery that kicked off the Klondike gold rush. Small numbers of gold-seekers began prowling the creeks of Alaska and the Yukon as early as 1873 and their stories are every bit as fascinating as the stories of those who followed. These men, and the occasional woman, were a particularly hardy lot who put themselves through incredible hardship in hopes of finding a fortune. They were perfectly positioned to beat the rush to the Klondike goldfields and some of them did clean up. But regardless of…

From Frances' list on The best books for understanding the Klondike Gold Rush.