Klondike Riverboat Model

This is the name of two sternwheelers, the second now a National Historic Site located in Whitehorse, Yukon. They ran freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City, along the Yukon River, the first from 1929 to 1936 and the second, an almost exact replica of the first, from 1937 to 1950.

The SS Klondike is a historic sternwheeler riverboat that played a vital role in transportation along the Yukon River in Canada during the early 20th century.

Here’s a brief overview of its history:

SS Klondike I

• Built in 1929 by the British Yukon Navigation Company (a division of the White Pass and Yukon Route).
• Constructed in Whitehorse, Yukon, using salvaged materials from an earlier ship, the SS Klondike (original) which had run aground.
• It was designed to carry cargo without the need for a barge, a significant innovation at the time.
• It transported freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City, covering about 740 km (460 miles) along the Yukon River.
• In 1936, the first Klondike ran aground and was wrecked near the Thirty Mile section of the river.

SS Klondike II

• Built in 1937 to replace the wrecked original using some salvaged parts.
• Also operated between Whitehorse and Dawson City.
• Provided essential services transporting ore, goods, and passengers in the remote Yukon.
• As road transportation became more prevalent in the 1950s, sternwheelers like the SS Klondike were retired.
• Retired in 1955, it was then preserved as a historic site.

Preservation

• In 1966, the SS Klondike was moved to its current location in Whitehorse and restored.
• It became a National Historic Site of Canada.
• Today, it is maintained by Parks Canada and serves as a popular tourist attraction and museum, showcasing life in the Yukon during the sternwheeler era.

         
Member of The Nautical Research Guild

Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Klondike