Whitehorse

Helene Dobrowolsky is a historian and an author based in Whitehorse, where she has operated a heritage consulting business with her partner, Rob Ingram, since 1988. Their many projects have included research, planning, writing, exhibit development, and interpretation. This is her sixth book. Linda Johnson moved to the Yukon from Ontario in 1974. She served as Yukon Territorial Archivist for 18 years and was a founding member of the Yukon Historical and Museums Association. Her publications include three books on northern history and cultures.

Whitehorse traces the storied past of Yukon’s capital city, from its origins in ancient aboriginal camps through the epic changes of the Klondike Gold Rush, the building of the Alaska Highway, and the settlement of First Nations land claims. Set amidst rolling mountains on the edge of the Yukon River’s swift green waters, the city today blends aboriginal traditions with the tastes, music, and cultures of people from around the world. Yukon authors Helene Dobrowolsky and Linda Johnson headed up a talented team of writers and researchers to create this portrait of a legendary place. From its early days, Whitehorse was Yukon’s transportation hub, linking the Pacific with trails, then rails, then the elegant sternwheelers that steamed downriver to Dawson City until highways and air travel took their place. The town hosted a dazzling parade of people over the centuries, many of whom appear in these pages: hunters, traders, gold-seekers, soldiers, miners, ships’ captains, entrepreneurs, dog-mushers, storytellers, sports icons, politicians, community builders, adventurers, and artists. Filled with lively writing, colorful anecdotes, and an impressive array of contemporary and archival photos, Whitehorse celebrates the history of a very special place.