July 14, 2022

Episode 92 - Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway, Alaska

"And those who have undergone [life in Alaska] claim that in the making of the world God grew tired, and when He came to the last barrowload, just dumped it anyhow, and that was how Alaska happened to be." - Jack London - Jennie is joined by special guest co-host Dave Johnson to discuss their recent visit to Gold Rush cemetery in Skagway, Alaska. Gold Rush Cemetery is Skagway’s oldest and most well-known cemetery and it is where you will find the Ordinary Extraordinary stories of many of the town’s first citizens including it's most infamous resident, Jefferson "Soapy" Smith. Join us for the first in our series on the last frontier and its cemeteries, Alaska!

Show Notes
Guest Profile

Sources used to research this episode include:

Service , National Park . "Gold Rush Cemeteries ." https://www.nps.gov/. 2 Oct. 2019. www.nps.gov/klgo/learn/historyculture/cemeteries.htm. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Service , National Park . "Klondike Gold Rush." http://npshistory.com/. 16 Aug. 2021. npshistory.com/publications/klgo/index.htm. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Lundberg , Murray . "The Gold Rush Cemetery at Skagway, Alaska ." https://explorenorth.com/. explorenorth.com/cemeteries/skagway-gold_rush_cemetery.html. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Lundberg , Murray . "Captain William Moore: Founder of Skagway, Alaska ." https://explorenorth.com/. explorenorth.com/library/bios/moore-william.html. Accessed 10 July 2022.

"Skagway History ." https://www.skagway.com/. www.skagway.com/plan-your-trip/about-the-area/history/. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Indian Tribes Of Alaska , Tlingit & Haida. "Our History ." http://www.ccthita.org/. www.ccthita.org/about/history/. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Dirlam, Sharon. "The last outpost on the way to the Klondike, SKAGWAY is full of the ghosts and spirits of Gold Rush Days--that final, frantic push of desparate souls with impossible dreams. ." https://www.latimes.com/. 30 June 1985. www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-06-30-tr-395-story.html. Accessed 10 July 2022.

James, David. "Saloons, Prostitutes, and Temperance in Alaska Territory ." https://alaskamagazine.com/. 31 Mar. 2022. alaskamagazine.com/authentic-alaska/saloons-prostitutes-and-temperance-in-alaska-territory/. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Barnard , Charles . "New Gold Rush In Old Skagway ." https://travelclassics.com/. travelclassics.com/travel-classics-archive/new-gold-rush-in-old-skagway/. Accessed 10 July 2022.

Tours, M & M. "SKAGWAY STORIES WHO WAS FRANK H. REID? ." https://www.skagwayalaskatours.com/. www.skagwayalaskatours.com/blog/skagway-stories-who-was-frank-h-reid/ . Accessed 10 July 2022.

Sleuth , Skagway. "Frank H. Reid ." https://www.skagwaystories.org/. 19 July 2010. www.skagwaystories.org/2010/07/19/frank-h-reid/ . Accessed 10 July 2022.

Alexander , Kathy. "Committee of 101 – Protecting Skagway, Alaska ." https://www.legendsofamerica.com/. 1 Apr. 2022. www.legendsofamerica.com/committee-of-101/ . Accessed 10 July 2022.

Alexander , Kathy . "Soapy Smith – Bunko Man of the Old West ." https://www.legendsofamerica.com/. 1 Nov. 2021. www.legendsofamerica.com/we-soapysmith/ . Accessed 10 July 2022.

Alexander , Kathy. "Shady Ladies of the Klondike ." https://www.legendsofamerica.com/. 1 July 2021. www.legendsofamerica.com/shady-ladies-klondike/ . Accessed 10 July 2022.

Ritter, Harry. Alaska's History The People, Land and Events of the North Country . 1st ed., Alaska Northwest Books, 2020, pp. 62-65.

Dave Johnson

Dave has been working in radio for about 26 years. He also has a large collection of PEZ dispensers. His latest hobby is playing pinball, which he does casually, and competitively in both leagues on tournaments. He also streams pinball regularly on Twitch under the name Pezjohnson. He has been happily married to Jennie, the creator and co-host of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast, for more than two decades.