What Was The Klondike Gold Rush Of Canada?

On August 16th 1896 a small group of prospectors working at Bonanza Creek on the Yukon River discovered rich pickings of gold.  This group was mainly of Indian descent and although it is not clear who actually made the discovery it was George Carmack who was credited with the fact. This was in the main because the group was afraid the claim would not be recognised if made by an Indian.

The news spread rapidly first amongst other prospectors in the area and then to the United States by July 1897.  This began the Klondike stampede of potential prospectors via San Francisco and Seattle.  By 1898 the population of the Klondike had nearly reached 40,000 and there was a serious risk of famine.

It is recorded that an estimated 100,000 people were involved in the Gold Rush with only about 30,000 actually completing the gruelling journey in search of gold.