| Skagway is a Southeast Alaskan paradise, full of
culture and brimming with life. Parts of the city seem stuck in 1897, never
progressing beyond the height of the Alaskan gold rush era. This is speaking
in architectural terms though, as some of the restaurants and shopping
facilities offer distinctly 21st century fare. This unique blend of old and
new really enhances the atmosphere of Skagway. There is so much to see and
so much fascinating history to soak up. The saloons and bars, some of which
date back to 1898, are splendid, full of artifacts and local heritage.
Because of Skagway's geographic set up, you will want to make sure that your
cruise company has made all your traveling arrangements for you. Though
Skagway is a small enough town that you can pleasantly travel around it on
foot, side trips from Skagway to any of the neighboring cities can prove to
be a difficult proposition. For example, the city of Haines is 14 miles away
by ferry, but if you try and rent a car and drive to Haines, it is an
unbelievable 359-mile trip to get there because of the poor or nonexistent
access to roads around Skagway. In any event, lucky for you, downtown
Skagway is quite compact and all of the best sights are reachable by foot.
In 1897, people from all over the world flocked to Skagway in search of a
quick fortune. The gold rush gave thousands of men and women false hopes and
dreams, and when the riches didn't pan out, the city really declined. By
mid-1898, Skagway was not a pleasant place to be, as poverty and shantytowns
had pretty much taken over. This bustling town of 200,000 shrank to a mere
700 when the gold rush ended. It took a while, but slowly people began to
realize that there was much more to Skagway than an old gold rush town. In
the last two decades, tourism has really kept the city afloat, and with the
historic cemeteries, interesting museums, fantastic parks, and lively
saloons, Skagway has entered the new millennium with a great deal of
confidence. |
