Yukon History

The great gold rush of 1896-1899 attracted people from all over the world to the land of the midnight sun. Although the lure of the gold rush has passed, the magic of Yukon dreams and adventures is as strong as ever. People are still attracted to the majestic mountains, wide valleys and winding rivers.

Fort Selkirk, on the Yukon River, was originally established by Robert Campbell in 1852 as a Hudson's Bay Post. It was the first non-native settlement on the Upper Yukon River. It was destroyed by Chilkats the next year. The town site remained abandoned until 1889 when Arthur Harper operated the post until the Klondike Gold Rush. In 1899, it became the headquarters of the Yukon Field Force of the Canadian Army. Churches and schools were built and, in 1938, the Hudson's Bay Company returned to build a post.

Fort Selkirk, Yukon