In a remote Canadian territory, the Klondike River conceals a hidden treasure trove of over 6,000 tons of gold. The story began on August 16, 1896, when Skookum Jim Mason, Dawson Charlie, and George Washington Carmack stumbled upon gold in a small tributary of the Klondike River. This discovery wasn't entirely accidental, as it was suggested by Canadian prospector Robert Henderson. Intrigued, they decided to explore further.
Unexpectedly, they struck real gold in the tributary, marking the beginning of a serious mining venture. George Washington Carmack swiftly delineated mining zones and registered their claims. News of their find attracted numerous gold miners in the area.
As the rainy season passed, the river unveiled substantial gold reserves at its bottom. After each rainy season, the gold became more abundant as the water washed away rocks and mud, revealing the yellow layer beneath. Many individuals flocked to mine gold after each rainy season, while others visited for tourism.
Despite the challenging terrain, gold diggers persisted in their pursuit, reaping large batches of gold and changing their lives. George Washington Carmack became wealthy shortly after the discovery, estimated to have mined over $1 million in gold.
Many miners invested in land, buying, selling, and renting it out. On July 14, 1897, the steamship Excelsior arrived in San Francisco, allowing anyone with gold to immediately exchange it for cash. Towns flourished around mining sites, attracting tourists and gold miners. The population in the Klondike and Yukon rivers' confluence grew from over 500 to more than 30,000 in three years.
These "gold mining towns" saw times when their population exceeded 200,000, equivalent to a large Canadian city at the time. The total value of the mined gold reached nearly $7 billion.
To this day, over 200 active gold mines remain in the river vicinity, with modern machines revealing the presence of rare minerals in addition to gold. However, government regulations only permit gold mining to maintain ecological balance.
