Appreciating the Contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers in Skgway, Alaska

Day 5 - Alaskan Cruise 

Downtown Skgway, Alaska, USA

Our shipped arrived at port Skgway at around 7am this morning.

Because we learned that Skgway is a very small town of about 900 inhabitants, there would not be a huge area to cover so we took our time disembarking the cruise ship.

Skgway is a historic town, a part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

There were a few tours ranging from $120.00 per person to a few hundred dollars.

 I regretted that we didn’t book the train tour with our cruise ship. It was supposed to be one of the most spectacular scenic train tours. 

We visited the visitor centre in town, just a few minutes walk from the cruise ship terminal.

The Visitors Centre in Skgway was worth a visit. 

It offered talks and walking tours and other programs to visitors to learn about the past, especially during the Klondike years. 

The Visitor Centr building used to be a train station taking many hopeful prospectors seeking their fortune in the northern gold fields.

Taking a seat on the same spot where the prospectors used to sit, we were there to learn about the past and the craziness of the gold rush era.

The best part about the programs offered, they were all free. Amazing! 

However, some walking tours had limited spots available therefore visitors needed to obtain the tickets ahead of time in order to be admitted. 

We were luck as we got the last three tickets for an excellent walking tour of the town.

We saw a good exhibits and watched a movie at the Visitor Centre’s theatre which gave us good information about this small Alaskan town as well as its history and development.

Skgway was the gateway for stampeders and prospectors coming through and trying to reach Dawson city in the Klondike river during the gold rush year of 1897.

Due to lack supplies and food, many prospectors died at the beginning of the gold rush period. 

Therefore the U.S. government stepped in and required each stampeder to carry with him with a year supplies, about 1000 lbs. before continuing the gold finding journey. 

What a load to carry trekking through these rough high mountains of Alaska!

We especially enjoyed the walking tour and learned from the National Park Ranger about a very interesting part of Skgway’s history but was seldom mentioned or told to the American people .

The Company L of the 24 United States Infantry known as Buffalo soldiers stationed in Skgway form 1899 to 1901. 

The Buffalso soldier was an all black regiment sent from San Francisco to this booming mining area of Dyea to keep order.

 In the Klondike era, as described by John Brady, Governor of Alaska appealing for help to Washington at the time, “ the Lynn Canal is full of gamblers, thugs and loose women, send help.”  Here came the Buffalo soldiers to help!

A very valuable history lesson for all visitors to the national park!

After our day excursion to Skgway, we reboarded our cruise ship. Tonight was Orange Party night when all the party goers dressed in orange, the national colour of Holland. The officers came out and greeted the passengers answering their questions.  A nice personal touch by the staff of the Holland America cruise ship!