TRANSIENCE IN DAWSON CITY, YUKON, DURING THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH Michael James Brand B.A., Simon Fraser University, 199 1 M.A., University of British Columbia, 1995 DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Department of Archaeology O Michael James Brand 2003 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY August 2003 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL NAME: Michael James Brand DEGREE: Ph.D. TITLE OF THESIS: Transience in Dawson City, Yukon, During the Klondike Gold Rush EXAMINING COMMITTEE: Chair: Dr. A.C. D'Andrea Associate Professor Dr. D.V. Burley, Professor Seniowervisor Dr. E.C. ~%owhofjl,~ssistait Professor Internal Examiner - - Dr. A.C. Praetzellis, Professor External Examiner Anthropology Department Sonoma State University Date Approved: PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of ThesislProjectlExtended Essay Transience in Dawson City, Yukon, During the Klondike Gold Rush Author: gEFthesBrand (name) (date) ' 0 ABSTRACT The purpose of this dissertation is to gain an understanding of transience in Dawson City, Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush through a combination of archaeological and documentary data. The period of interest is between 1898 and 1910, beginning with the gold rush and the height of transience in the community and ending with the replacement of individual placer mining by large-scale corporations. The goals of this analysis are to: (1) examine and elucidate the material expressions of transience in the archaeological record; and (2) clarify the position and role of transients in resource communities of the past. Data for this dissertation was obtained through archaeological survey and excavation on the hillsides surrounding Dawson City and Klondike City during 1998 and 1999, and archival research. Six archaeological assemblages from residences located on the hillsides around Dawson City are used to compare archaeological signatures of transience in the Klondike to evidence of transience in other mining communities. The artifacts and archival material are then used to establish the role of transients in the community and elucidate the transient experience of those who participated in one of Canada's most significant historical events. Results indicate the hillsides were marginal areas both physically, and within the social context of the community. Hillside residents lived in small, poorly furnished cabins, and ate a monotonous diet consisting mainly of dried and canned food. They showed little concern with the latest fashionable consumer goods. Instead, their material possessions were practical, portable and durable. Homemade or reused artifacts are also common in the assemblages. A number of significant issues in the community were examined with specific attention to transients, and reveals not only tensions in the community between the permanent and transient portions of the population, but also the means by which transients could, or could not participate. The analysis supports previous archaeological studies of transience that found small assemblages, with a limited diversity of artifact types. Two trends are evident in the assemblages that likely characterize most transient sites: (1) cultural material focused on food preparation and consumption; (2) practical, functional objects dominate all artifact categories. DEDICATION For Tracy and to the memory of Arne Carlson a good friend taken too soon. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank my supervisor Dr. David Burley for his guidance, and for my first job in archaeology many years ago. I also thank Phil Hobler, my second committee member, for his help, always having a good story, and grizzly bear pictures taken at an uncomfortably close range. I am grateful to Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn, and Dr. Adrian Praetzellis for taking the time to participate on my committee, and for their insightful comments on the dissertation. I owe a debt of gratitude to Jeff Hunston, Ruth Gotthardt, Greg Hare, and Brent Riely at the Yukon Heritage Branch for all their help. I thank the Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation for allowing me the opportunity to work on the Klondike City hillside, and Tim Gerberding and Georgette Mcleod for their support of this project. I am grateful to the City of Dawson for their support of my project, particularly Jim Kincaid, City Manager. Michael Gates, Paula Hassard, Louise Ranger and Dave Neufeld, of Parks Canada, and Mac Swackhammer, Paul Thistle and Cheryl Thompson at the Dawson City Museum, were always quick to offer their assistance. Josee Bonhomme and Laurie Butterworth provided me with numerous useful maps. The staff of the Yukon Archives were very helpful, in particular Clara Rutherford, Dorothy Corcoran, Angela Wheelock and Murray Lundberg. The Yukon Archives also kindly gave me permission to use some of their historic photos. Nancy Lewis-deGraff, Denise Dollin, Paula Carlos, Audry Wipp and Violet Matthews at the Land Titles office in Whitehorse, helped me track the changing ownership of the hillside lots. Financial support for the Dawson City Hillside Archaeology Project was provided by Northern Research Endowment Fellowships from the Northern Research Institute, Yukon College, and grants from the Northern Scientific Training Program. I am also grateful for Graduate Fellowships from Simon Fraser University, and bursaries from the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. Brendan Hogan, Marni Amirault, Shane Christiansen, Andy Crowther, Camlann Easton, Spruce Gerberding, Randy Henry, Andy Isaac, Jesse Koeller, Alex Kormendy, James MacDonald, Glen Mackay and R.J. Nagano all assisted me during the fieldwork. Many friends in the Department of Archaeology have assisted me through the course of this program, including Tom Arnold, Andrew Barton, Robbin Chatan, Cathy D'Andrea, Ross Jamieson, Bob Muir, Farid Rahemtulla, Richard Shutler, Cheryl Takahashi, Shannon Wood, Lori White, and Mike Will. Cheryl kindly drafted Figures 16, 19, and 2 1 for me. Ann Sullivan, Lynda Przybyla and Robyn Banerjee in the Department of Archaeology office have been good friends and assisted me in ways too numerous to list. Tom Arnold, Richard Brolly, Robbin Chatan, T.J. Hammer, Geordie Howe, and Marianne Berkey each deserve a merit badge for heroically taking on the task of proofreading a chapter, for which I am eternally grateful. I am particularly grateful to Geordie Howe, Richard Brolly, and Brenda Williams, and in the Yukon, Greg Skuce, Sally Robinson, Barb Hogan, Chris Thomas, and T.J. Hammer and his family for their friendship and the innumerable way they have helped me over the last six years. I would not have been able come this far had it not been for the support of my family. My parents, Jim and Kathy, have supported me everyway possible from the first day I announced I wanted to be an archaeologist. My brother Alan and his family, Carolyn, Caitlyn and Jake, have also been amongst my biggest supporters. Finally, Tracy Rogers has been my biggest supporter and most constructive critic. She has stood by me during the thick of things, proofread the entire dissertation and put up with my insanity on a daily basis, which is more than anyone should have to bear. I alone am responsible for any and all shortcomings in this document. TABLE OF CONTENTS .. Approval ............................................................................................................................... 11 Abstract ............................................................................................................................. 111 Dedication ......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ .v. Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ vll List of Tables .................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xi List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ........................................................................... xiv Chapter One: Introduction ...............................................................................................1 Why Study Transience? ...........................................................................................1 The Study Area and Data .........................................................................................8 Dissertation Organization ....................................................................................1 Chapter Two: Theoretical