Alaska History, Spring 1995
Whitehorse's waterfront, the heart of the city for the first half-century of its existence, is the focus of this slight book. Historically the juncture of railroad and steamboat, Whitehorse served as an important transshipment and distribution point and, as the authors observe, the waterfront was the center of this activity.
To their credit, the authors take the story of the Whitehorse waterfront past the gold rush period and through the twentieth century. A serious fire in 1905 changed the complexion of the waterfront, although most of the facilities were quickly rebuilt. Construction of the Alaska Highway and Canol pipeline during World War II turned what had been a quiet town into a bustling port. But the popularity of the highway spelled the end of the sternwheelers, and the town turned its back on the river as its traffic came increasingly by land.
Back Cover copy
For decades the Whitehorse waterfront teemed with life as trains from the coast met boats bound for the Klondike goldfields. "Edge of the River, Heart of the City" captures those glory-days and takes the reader through the booms and busts of Whitehorse's past.
This important new addition to Yukon history also provides readers with an historical walking tour of the Whitehorse waterfront. Take a walk along the river and find the heart of the city.
