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 "'Skagua' was the Tlingit name, which means "the place where the north wind blows." The first non-Native settler was Buddy Moore in 1887, who is credited with discovery of the White Pass route into Interior Canada. In July 1897, gold was discovered in the Klondike, and the first boatload of prospectors landed.By October 1897, according to a Northwest Mounted Police Report, Skagway "had grown from a concourse of tents to a fair-sized town with well-laid-out streets and numerous frame buildings, stores, saloons, gambling houses, dance houses and a population of about 20,000." Five thousand stampeders alone landed in February 1898, according to Customs Office records. Two trails were used by the gold seekers to reach the headwaters of the Yukon River. The 33-mile-long Chilkoot Trail began at nearby Dyea; and the 40-mile White Pass Trail began at Skagway and paralleled the present-day route of the White Pass & Yukon Railway. Thousands of men carried supplies up the 33-mile Chilkoot Trail, or took the 40-mile White Pass trail to Lake Bennett, where they built boats to float down the Yukon River to Dawson City and the gold fields, 500 miles distant. In 1898 a 14-mile, steam-operated tramway was constructed, which eased the burdens of those able to pay. Skagway became the first incorporated City in Alaska in 1900. Tales of fortune seekers, lawlessness, and Soapy Smith are legendary. Once the gold rush ended in 1900, Skagway might have become a ghost town if not for the White Pass and Yukon Railroad construction in 1898. The railroad was the first in Alaska, and provided freight, fuel and transportation to Whitehorse and served the Anvil Gold Mines in the Yukon. It employed many locals until 1982, when the Mine closed. Construction of the Klondike Hwy. in 1979 gave Skagway a link to the Alaska Highway and State ferry connection to Southeast. It is now supported primarily by summer tourism.

5.5% of the population are Alaska Natives. A federally recognized tribe is located in the community. Skagway is predominantly a non-Native tourist community, with historical Tlingit influences. Downtown buildings have been colorfully restored to reflect the history of the gold rush through the Chilkoot Pass.

During the April 1990 U.S. Census, there were 404 total housing units, and 119 of these were vacant. 404 jobs were estimated to be in the community. The official unemployment rate at that time was 10.6%. 27.5% of all adults were not in the work force. The median household income was $37,500, and 4.2% of residents were living below the poverty level.

The tourist industry flourishes in Skagway, as a port of call for cruise ships and a transfer site for interior bus tours. During 1999, 430,000 cruise ship passengers and over 150,000 independent travelers are expected to visit Skagway. Trans-shipment of lead/zinc ore, fuel and freight occurs via the Port and Klondike Hwy. to and from Canada. The State ferry connects independent travelers to Southeast Alaska. The Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park brought a restoration of downtown buildings in 1976. The White Pass and Yukon Railroad is open seasonally, providing 3-hour tours through the range. Two residents hold commercial fishing permits.

The Klondike Highway and Alaska Highway provide a connection through British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, Canada, to the lower 48 states or north to Interior Alaska. Skagway is accessed by air, road, water, and rail services. The State owns the 3,750' paved runway and a seaplane base at the boat harbor, with scheduled air taxis. Skagway receives regular State ferry and barge services. A breakwater, ferry terminal, cruise ship dock, small boat harbor, boat launch, and boat haul-out are available. The White Pass and Yukon Route Company owns two deep draft docks for cargo loading and storage.

Skagway is located 90 miles northeast of Juneau at the northernmost end of Lynn Canal, at the head of Taiya Inlet. It lies 95 air miles north of Juneau, and 108 road miles south of Whitehorse, just west of the Canadian border at British Columbia. It lies at approximately 59° 27' N Latitude, 135° 18' W Longitude (Sec. 11, T028S, R059E, Copper River Meridian). The area encompasses 455 sq. miles of land and 11 sq. miles of water. Skagway experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Average summer temperatures range from 45 to 67; winter temperatures average 18 to 37. Within the shadow of the mountains, Skagway receives less rain than is typical of Southeast Alaska, averaging 26 inches of precipitation per year, and 39 inches of snow."

From:  Skagway

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