Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Seattle, WA

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Seattle, WA People from around the world were drawn to Seattle on a remarkable adventure that would forever change their lives and the city.
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This Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park – Seattle, WA page is managed by the National Park Service and represents “Seattle Area National Park Sites” – an administrative structure comprised of the Seattle unit of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial (a unit of Minidoka National Historic Site), and the Wing Luke Museum of th

e Asian Pacific American Experience (an affiliated area of the National Park System). The Minidoka National Historic Site page is managed separately by the National Park Service, and the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and Wing Luke Museum pages are managed by partners. Seattle Area National Park Sites collaborates with its partners and the communities it serves to identify and share nationally significant stories associated with Seattle’s history and culture. We welcome your comments and hope that our conversations here will be courteous. You are fully responsible for the content of your comments. We do not discriminate against any views, but we reserve the right to delete any of the following:

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12/07/2024

Today’s ornament was discovered here at . 💰✨

Plan a visit for the whole family to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park & learn about the incredible history of the Klondike gold rush.

Don’t forget to pick up gifts for loved ones at the Seattle’s National Park Store. Proceeds from sales are returned to this park and other public lands to support visitor services, youth programs, & special events.

The next ornament goes out Sunday, 12/8 at 8a! Be sure to set your alarms for this one. Head to PioneerSquare.org/Holidays or click the 🔗 in bio for your daily clues! The Ornament Scavenger Hunt continues until Dec 22nd.

Good luck and happy hunting! ❄️

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Heads up, gold rushers! While the park is all about adventure, the park's calendar is taking a few breaks this holiday ...
11/20/2024

Heads up, gold rushers!

While the park is all about adventure, the park's calendar is taking a few breaks this holiday season!

The park will be closed on:

🗓️ Wednesday, November 27

🗓️ Thursday, November 28

🗓️ Wednesday, December 25

🗓️ Wednesday, January 1

Excluding the above dates, Klondike is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm.

This season, come adventure at the park with gold panning, a neighborhood walking tour, and even become a Junior Ranger!

Happy Holidays!

[Image description: Infographic with a grey background and white snowflakes with text overlaying titled ‘Klondike Holiday Hours’].

Thank you to those who have served in our nation’s military. On Veterans Day, national parks that normally charge an en...
11/11/2024

Thank you to those who have served in our nation’s military.

On Veterans Day, national parks that normally charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.

As a reminder, military passes are available at no-cost for eligible active-duty and active-duty dependents, veterans, and Gold Star Families.

Military passes are available at the Outdoor Recreation Information Center inside the REI Seattle Flagship Store, online at the USGS Online Store, and at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park’s Visitor Center in Pioneer Square.

Check out https://ow.ly/YW0b50U3BJF to learn more.

📷: NPS / Bethany D.

[Image description: Two cards with text reading ‘America the Beautiful’ and ‘Military’ overlay each other on a wood surface]

As we’re entering the park's winter season, we look back at all the people who visited us from near and far during the s...
11/02/2024

As we’re entering the park's winter season, we look back at all the people who visited us from near and far during the summer season. Over the course of two weeks this summer, we invited visitors to add places to this poster in the park’s visitor center.

From Finland to Tennessee, Cork to Cleveland, thank you so much to all those who visited us. We hope to see you again and if you haven’t visited us yet, we can’t wait to meet you!

See if you can find your home city, state, or country from our photos.

[Image Descriptions: (1) Graphic with phrase “Where Are You Visiting From?” in the middle surrounded by smaller, colorful text; (2-5) Graphics with place names handwritten in different colors; (6-7) Graphics with typed text of place names]

Happy Halloween from the Klondike Crew! Please enjoy the following costumes: 1) It’s Volunteer Cynthia as the Chilkoot P...
10/31/2024

Happy Halloween from the Klondike Crew! Please enjoy the following costumes:

1) It’s Volunteer Cynthia as the Chilkoot Pass! Complete with a Mountie at the top of the pass as well as a person returning from the Klondike with gold. And what’s that? Oh no! An unfortunate stampeder sliding down the pass!

2) Ranger Bethany as Little Red Riding Hood ready for a trip to Granny’s house. She hopes she doesn’t run into any wolves or bears!

3) It’s Ranger Emma as Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

4) It’s Ranger Aisyah as Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece who is going to be King of the Pirates!

[Image Descriptions: Image 1: A person smiling in front of a brick wall wearing a white cape with small figurines glued on to it

Image 2: A person in a straw hat with a red ribbon around it points to the back of another person wearing a white cape with a single figurine glued to it

Image 3: A person standing in front of a brick wall wearing a red cape and holding a straw basket

Image 4: A person in a black dress stands in front of a brick wall

Image 5: A person wearing a red vest and a straw hat with a red ribbon stands in front of a brick wall]

For LGBTQ+ History Month, we want to highlight the thriving q***r spaces that once existed in Seattle’s Pioneer Square n...
10/17/2024

For LGBTQ+ History Month, we want to highlight the thriving q***r spaces that once existed in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. For over one hundred years, q***r people found community in the clubs and bars that operated in the area. The Double Header, the Silver Slipper, Shelley’s Leg, the Submarine Room: these places (and more) were often the only places where q***r people could be themselves and find others like them.

Interested in learning more? Attend one of our free, ranger-led LGBTQ+ walking tours. Visit https://ow.ly/mHfy50TK4L4 to find times and dates!

[Image Description: A photograph of two park rangers leading a walking tour on a yellow and pink background. At the top of the image are the words ‘LGBTQ+ History Walking Tour.’ Below is the address: 319 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA and the word ‘Free!’]

On a Sunday in Seattle at the turn of the century, Ernest Hielscher sat down to write his papa a letter. His father had ...
09/29/2024

On a Sunday in Seattle at the turn of the century, Ernest Hielscher sat down to write his papa a letter. His father had gone north in 1898, following news of gold found in the Yukon Territory of Canada, and since then had made a living transporting goods between Seattle and Dawson City. Ernest writes about the weather, the family’s puppies, and walking to town to collect some pictures the family had taken together. Then he cuts off mid-sentence, and his mother takes over: “Ernest was going to write you such a long letter but could not finish it. He said for me to tell you he would write you one next time”.

Separated from his family for long periods of time, Ernest’s father, John Hielscher, looked forward to any letters they sent. He later wrote that when one arrived, he would “set [sic] down on a sled or chunk of ice and forget all about Alaska and at the end of the last line I come back to consciousness with a jurk [sic]”.

Today, jot a few lines to a friend or family member. It doesn’t have to be long—if you take a page from Ernest’s book, it doesn’t even have to be complete. But you could make someone’s day!

These postcards were designed by our Youth Artists-in-Residence Interns and by Ranger Chris. They are available for free at the visitor center.

📷: NPS

NPS, KLSE 1001.001 & 1001.004

[Image Description: A hand holding two post cards in front of a blue US mailbox. The postcard in front has a series of colorful paintings on it, and the one in the back says ‘Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park’ across the top.]

Happy National Public Lands Day! How do you want to celebrate your September 28th? We have a couple of ideas for you: 🐞 ...
09/28/2024

Happy National Public Lands Day!

How do you want to celebrate your September 28th?

We have a couple of ideas for you:

🐞 Head outside because National Park Service entrance fees will be waived, as will day-use fees at US Forest Service sites, Washington State Parks, Washington State Department of Natural Resources sites, and Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife sites.

🌳 Take part in a volunteer work project. Certain in-park projects may provide a fee-free day coupon to be used on a future date. See the list of National Public Lands Day events using the link below or check out all volunteer events at national parks by using https://ow.ly/2hqY50Tsbvo, keyword search National Public Lands Day.

https://ow.ly/tH9g50Tsbvp

Have fun today! It’s a chance to be a part of an impactful day to help make a difference in our public lands!

📷: NPS/David M.

[Image description: Outdoor community event with a table in the foreground covered with a green tablecloth and outreach materials, people in the background.]

Meet Lilly! Lilly is a Northwest Youth Corps intern at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. Comin...
09/20/2024

Meet Lilly!

Lilly is a Northwest Youth Corps intern at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. Coming from Maryland, this is Lilly’s first summer in Washington. She loves talking to visitors about the history of the Japanese American community in the area, picking fresh blackberries, and relaxing at the Pritchard Park Beach after work.

A recent graduate from Haverford College, Lilly has a degree in history and a minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures. In her free time, she can be found hiking, grilling fish, or reading– currently, ‘Indigenous Continent,’ by Pekka Hamalainen.

📷: NPS

[Image description: A person standing in front of a forest wearing a gray t-shirt and a baseball cap]

Meet Micah! One of our Northwest Youth Corps Education and Interpretation Interns! You can see Micah greeting visitors ...
09/02/2024

Meet Micah!

One of our Northwest Youth Corps Education and Interpretation Interns!

You can see Micah greeting visitors at the front desk, leading Trail to Treasure tours around Pioneer Square, and presenting educational programs in the theater! Bringing his local knowledge of the area and past experience from Olympic National Park, he is very excited to be a part of the team here at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park!

Micah is currently entering his last year of undergraduate studies at Western Washington University, working on a degree in Recreation Management and Leadership with a focus area in Sustainable Tourism. He loves learning, sharing, and enjoying the national parks at work and in his free time. On the weekends he can be found somewhere hiking in the Olympic Mountains, backpacking in the Olympic Mountains, or aimlessly panning for gold in the stream by his house.

📷: A. Snow

[Image Description: A person in a white shirt and tan pants, standing next to a silhouette figure that is holding an advertisement that reads: “Ho, to the Klondike!”]

On Thursday, September 5, 2024, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor center and museum will have a de...
08/30/2024

On Thursday, September 5, 2024, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor center and museum will have a delayed opening to accommodate staff development. Thank you for your understanding.

[Image Description: Partially transparent background of a brown, brick building on the corner of two paved streets with a yellow streetcar crossing in front, and cloudy, gray skies. Over top of the background are the words “Thursday, September 5, 2024, Open: 12 PM – 5 PM.”]

So many visitors have been interacting with our textile exhibit! We love seeing your suggestions for creating sustainabi...
08/28/2024

So many visitors have been interacting with our textile exhibit! We love seeing your suggestions for creating sustainability in our own lives and reading where each one of you is visiting from. Drop by our museum and add your voice to the board!

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 5 pm. Our “Fabric of Time” exhibit will be on display until May 2025.

📷: NPS

[Image Description: Nine rectangular pieces of fabric, each with writing on it. They read: Flush the toilet less - Washington DC; Buy reusable things like metal bottles - California; Support local farms! - Singapore; Recycle plastic - Vancouver, WA; Reduce waste and recycle things and dispose of waste correctly - Ashille, NC; We recycle and don’t buy fast fashion - England; Compost - Canada; Away with single use anything - Brazil; Beach clean ups - Hawaii]

Join us for FREE performances of “Klondike: The Last Adventure” presented by Living Voices Saturday, August 24 at 1:00 P...
08/19/2024

Join us for FREE performances of “Klondike: The Last Adventure” presented by Living Voices

Saturday, August 24 at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM

Come along with Bess, an independent young woman, who leaves her past behind, to join others on a dangerous journey in the hunt for gold and with hopes of a new life.



[Image Description: Eleven people in a line hiking up a snow-covered mountain carrying heavy packs. With “Klondike: The Last Adventure” written over top.]

We had a surprise visitor to the museum recently. Claire Rudolph Murphy co-authored the book “Gold Rush Women,” along wi...
08/18/2024

We had a surprise visitor to the museum recently. Claire Rudolph Murphy co-authored the book “Gold Rush Women,” along with Jane G. Haigh. Many of our rangers and volunteers have consulted this book over the years for information on some of the women who participated in the Klondike Gold Rush, whether as journalists, dance hall performers, or gold-seekers themselves. In fact, according to some sources, the person who made the pivotal discovery of gold was a woman: Kate Carmack, also known by her Tagish name, Shaaw Tláa.

As the introduction to “Gold Rush Women” states, “Popular myth portrays the gold rush North as a place where men battled nature in a struggle for gold”; Claire Rudolph Murphy and Jane G. Haigh’s work has helped to highlight the reality that women were not only involved, but played essential roles in the Klondike Gold Rush.

📷: NPS

[Image Description: A full-body photograph of Claire Rudolph Murphy standing next to a sign reading ‘Ho, to the Klondike!’ and holding a copy of her book, “Gold Rush Women”]

Meet Emma, one of our Northwest Youth Corps Education and Interpretation Interns. Growing up in the Seattle area, Emma i...
08/17/2024

Meet Emma, one of our Northwest Youth Corps Education and Interpretation Interns.

Growing up in the Seattle area, Emma is overjoyed to join the team and deepen her knowledge about the city’s history. She is also very excited to share any information she has about the local plants. Currently, her favorite local plants are willow, fireweed, and dandelion.

Emma is a recent graduate from Mount Holyoke College who completed a degree in French with a minor in Environmental Studies and a focus on Data Analytics and Society. In her free time, she can be found taking new classes, reading, listening to a wide array of music, or out in nature looking at some trees.

[Image Description: A person in a black skirt and graduation robe and a blue scarf, sitting on a tan, concrete ledge. In the background is a brick house with green grass and a blue sky.]

Chief Seattle Days start today! The Suquamish Tribe describes chief Seattle Days as an annual event to celebrate and ho...
08/16/2024

Chief Seattle Days start today!

The Suquamish Tribe describes chief Seattle Days as an annual event to celebrate and honor Chief Seattle for all of his historical accomplishments. It is open to the public and people from around the world are invited to experience the Suquamish Tribe’s hospitality, culture, and fun.

You can also take a moment today to reflect on our city’s namesake, Chief Seattle, and what it means to be imbued with his memory.

In “Chief Seattle and the Town That Took His Name,” historian David Buerge describes Chief Seattle as having lived a varied life -- from warrior to peace maker. In his early days, Seattle led many fruitful raids against other Tribes, leading him to a reputation as a strong war leader. Seattle transitioned into his role as peace maker as settlers began to arrive in the area. He saw it as a time of change, likening Americans’ actions to those of the mythic Dukwiba’l, the Changer. Knowing ways of life were bound to change, Seattle chose to nurture the new society, shaping it to be a hybrid experiment. One where his people would integrate into American ways and culture to ensure their prosperity and autonomy into the future.

📷: NPS / D. Sevier

[Image description: Bust of Chief Seattle’s likeness in the foreground. In the background and to the right of the bust is a rectangular sign with words written in Lushootseed. Further in the background, there is a tree and two brick buildings.]

Join us this weekend for FREE performances of “Within the Silence” presented by Living Voices and discover the story of ...
08/06/2024

Join us this weekend for FREE performances of “Within the Silence” presented by Living Voices and discover the story of a young Japanese American woman who was unjustly incarcerated along with her family during World War II.

Saturday, August 10 at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

[Image Description: Seven members of a Japanese American family stand with luggage in front of a guard tower.]

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319 Second Avenue S
Seattle, WA
98104

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Videos

Exhibit Room Timelapse.mov
Exhibit Room Timelapse.mov

Something new is on its way . . . Our staff has been hard at work on a new exhibit, "Fabric of Time: Examining Sustainability Through Klondike Era Textiles," featured in the park’s rotating gallery. We’ve been doing research, requesting object loans from other museums, and drawing up floorplans. And now we’re getting down to the hands-on work. It’s coming together, stitch-by-stitch! "Fabric of Time" will be open to visitors this summer and will be on display into 2025. We’re excited to see you there. [Video Description: A timelapse video of two people using rollers to paint over a beige wall with white paint. There is an orange ladder that they move partway through the video] 📹: NPS #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #KlondikeGoldRush #Textiles #Sustainability

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