Dyea: Cultural Landscape Report [Draft], Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, National Park Service

Horton, Tonia; Schrooten, Paul; Goetcheus, Cari; Ferreira, Samson; Curran, Michele; Matthews, Laurie

This Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) focuses on the Dyea townsite, located about eight miles west of Skagway, Alaska. The site is part of the Chikoot/Dyea Unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and was the historical gateway to the Chilkoot Trail during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, National Park Service (NPS) property in the Dyea area includes the townsite, some structural remains, historic road traces, the original Dyea Town Cemetery, and the trailhead to the recreational Chilkoot Trail. Located near the mouth of the Taiya River, Dyea resides in a very dynamic natural environment. Geological forces, a successional forest, and the river have significantly impacted the cultural resources of the area, and visitation and development further threaten the site. The forest does not directly threaten the historic resources, and in fact provides some protection from erosion, looting, and development; yet the forest canopy also creates a boundary layer microclimate that is higher in moisture content than the original conditions of the townsite. Hence, the deterioration rate of surviving wood structures is significantly higher under the canopy. As a result of these factors, the historic integrity of the Dyea cultural landscape is threatened. To date, no comprehensive study or treatment plan has been undertaken to address these impacts directly or to propose management solutions. As the primary NPS document for treatment of cultural landscapes, this CLR will document the history, significance, and proposed treatment for the Dyea landscape. The period of significance for the Dyea Townsite is identified as 1880-1900, significant in areas of exploration/settlement and transportation. The NHL nomination does not acknowledge the landscape significance of the pre-gold rush/Native use era or the homestead era (1900-1930). While these might not be nationally significant, they are worth noting on a state or local level. Finally, the Dyea landscape is significant for its archeological resources. Prior to the 1896 discovery of gold near the Klondike River, the area at the head of the Taiya Inlet was occupied by a subgroup of the Tlingit known as the Chilkoot. They used the site as a seasonal hunting and fishing village, as well as a place for staging trips farther into the interior. When the rush for gold began, Dyea quickly transformed into a major port. The village that had once held 100-150 native Alaskans grew to an urban hub of about 5,000 people, as buildings replaced trees and businesses and infrastructure expanded. The increase was partially due to the nearby Chilkoot Trail, perhaps the most accessible of the commonly used routes to the gold fields. After reaching its pinnacle of development in 1898, the town declined following a deadly avalanche on the Trail and construction of a railway through Skagway. By 1903, the population consisted of about a half dozen residents that created homesteads within the former street grid. These properties were transformed into working farms until the 1930s, when most were abandoned. When the NPS took over in 1978, the area was used primarily for recreational purposes. Many of the buildings had been taken down and removed during the post-rush abandonment. Today, the Dyea townsite is a forested archeological site with some structural remains and deposits, such as pilings, foundations, pits, and artifacts. Dyea represents the challenges of managing historical resources within a dynamic natural environment. Although the current landscape contrasts sharply with the gridded settlement that existed during the period of significance, the CLR proposes “rehabilitation” to allow for new additions, alterations, and construction. These new uses would occur in the context of understanding the area's historic landscape.

Dyea: Cultural Landscape Report [Draft], Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, National Park Service

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