Skagway was our longest port day (7:15 am to 8:00 pm), so even though we had a 7.5 hour excursion we still had plenty of time to explore the town. After getting off the White Pass & Yukon Route train, we walked down Broadway, the main road through town.
Broadway ends in the Port of Skagway. Historic buildings line the street leading to the cruise ships, with Mount Harding standing tall in the background.
The street is lined with Gold Rush era buildings and wooden boardwalks, making you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
Two of the town’s most famous buildings are the Red Onion Saloon, a Gold Rush era bordello, and the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, home of a club formed by gold prospectors in 1899 that is covered with 10,000 pieces of driftwood.
Surrounded by mountains in every direction, it would be hard to find a town with a prettier backdrop.
We took our time wandering down Broadway, popping into lots of different shops. Skagway is a great town to find some authentic, locally-made Alaskan souvenirs.
At the end of Broadway just before the port stands the Skagway Centennial Statue. Built on the 100th anniversary of the discovery of gold in the Klondike, the statue commemorates the role of the Tlingits as guides for the stampeders.
Skagway is an interesting town to walk around. Its history and scenic location make it a unique destination. Even after a long day, the kids enjoyed exploring the main street and taking a leisurely walk back to the cruise ship.
Some Skagway fun facts:
- Skagway was the first incorporated city in Alaska. It was incorporated on June 28, 1900, the day before Juneau.
- The original spelling of the city is “Skagua”, which means “Windy Place” in Tlingit.
- Approximately 1,000 people live in Skagway today but during the Gold Rush the population was more than 10x higher.
- The city’s most famous resident is Gold Rush era outlaw Soapy Smith.
- Author Jack London hiked the Chilkoot Trail from Skagway, which provided the inspiration for his book The Call of the Wild.
- The founder of Nordstrom department store, John W. Nordstrom, lived in Skagway during the Gold Rush.
- Alaska’s oldest hotel, the Golden North Hotel, is in Skagway. It is said to be haunted.
- The most photographed building in Alaska is AB Hall, which is covered with over 10,000 pieces of driftwood.
- The Red Onion Saloon, built in 1897, operated as a bordello during the Gold Rush.
- Skagway is one of three cities in Southeast Alaska that is accessible by road.
- Roughly 1 million cruise ship passengers visit Skagway every year.
