Chapter 4.2

The Gold Rush

Reading Guide for Chapter 4.2: The Gold Rush

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The discovery of gold began a period of major change for Alaska. Between 1880 and 1910, a series of gold strikes across Alaska brought tens of thousands of people to the territory. The 1880 census listed a population of 430 non-Native residents. By 1900, the non-Native population had jumped to 30,000, and the total population of the state had doubled.

The huge influx of new people to the territory started a new chapter in Alaska's history. Dozens of new towns were started. Many of these survived to become important communities in Alaska today, such as Juneau, Fairbanks, and Nome. New economic activity led to investment in infrastructure and transportation routes. The new towns and increase in population also led to the first local Alaskan government. Taken as a whole, the Gold Rush Era would completely transform the territory and lay the foundations for modern Alaska.

Miners at Sunrise, briefly Alaska's largest town, in 1890s

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