Bennett, British Columbia
| Bennett | |
|---|---|
| Ghost Town | |
|
Bennett, 1 June 1898, during the Klondike Gold Rush | |
 Location of Bennett within British Columbia | |
| Coordinates: 59°51′N 135°00′W / 59.850°N 135.000°WCoordinates: 59°51′N 135°00′W / 59.850°N 135.000°W[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Location | Bennett Lake at border between British Columbia and Yukon, Canada |
| Tent camp for klondikers | 1897–1899 |
Bennett, British Columbia, Canada is an abandoned town next to Bennett Lake.[1] It was built during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897–99 at the end of the White Pass and Chilkoot Trails from the nearby ports of Skagway and Dyea in Alaska. Gold prospectors would pack their supplies over the Coast Mountains from the ports and then build or purchase rafts to take them down the Yukon River to the gold fields around Dawson City, Yukon. When the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad was completed in 1900 it went right to Whitehorse, passing the port town. This led the entire economy of Bennett, based on stampeders and river travelers, to collapse.[2]
One of the establishments in Bennett was the Arctic Hotel, a combination saloon, restaurant and hotel by Friedrich "Fred" Trump, grandfather of American businessman and president-elect Donald Trump.[2]
Today, the historic Bennett townsite is part of the Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site of Canada and managed by Parks Canada.[3] Bennett is also a stop on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad during the summer months.
References
- 1 2 "Bennett". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
- 1 2 Markusoff, Jason (October 13, 2016). "Inside the wild Canadian past of the Trump family". Maclean's.
- ↑ "Campground Guide". Hiking the Chilkoot Trail. Parks Canada. Retrieved 2016-10-28.