19-08-2013 Monday - Bonanza Creek - Dawson walking tour & Diamond Tooth Gerties

Dawson City became famous during the Klondike Goldrush.  Our activity for this morning was a trip out to Bonanza Creek.













Before going out this morning John took photos of some of the buildings.  The roads are still dirt and they have the wooden boardwalks in front of the buildings.


















We can see evidence here of what is left behind from all the gold mining.  People dig and put the discarded dirt into piles.  There were piles everywhere - it was a very unusual landscape.








 First we visited Dredge No. 4.  See description below.
























Then Chris, our coach driver, donned his suspenders and boots and took us down to the river to give a gold panning demonstration.  We then walked around and looked at all the old equipment that used to be used.




























 On the way back to Dawson.
 
 
 
 
 










One of the historic buildings.












The Klondike Spirit paddle wheeler in action.








The afternoon was free time and most of us took a walking tour around the city.  We started off in the information centre where there were some interesting displays. A model of dredge #4.










Then our walking tour guide took us around to some of the buildings where we then had access to the inside and were able to look around - this is the post office. 














As you can see they dress in period costume.












In some of the buildings they had the front of the
buildings done out with displays but the actual
insides are not able to be entered as the buildings
are just being propped up.










Some are owned by the Park Services and some privately owned.












Inside the bank.










 



It was hard to get the old buildings without 'new'
cars in front of them.









Outside the Red Feather Saloon.









Inside the Red Feather Saloon.











Although it looks like the side of the mountain might have been blasted in the hunt for gold, it was actually a landslide that created this 'look' and is known as Moose Head Slide at the back of Dawson City.






In the evening the group went to 'Diamond Tooth
Gerties' which was the gambling hall of the time and
people were actually playing games in the background but the main feature was the 'show' where there was a singer and can can girls.

Although most scandalous in the time they wore more clothes than I've seen some current day children's dance performances wear!








Quite a few costume changes. (same as nowadays)

































































Some "victims" from the crowd did a "dance" with the girls.




































It was a bit of a laugh and we were all able to join in with a sing-a-long. Julia, one of our group joined in with one song.








And Peter, one of the group, was picked on by the singer too.












The outside of "Diamond Toothed Gerties".