6/10/18 - S.S. Klondike National Historic Site

Same day, different museum.  The S.S. Klondike is a big sternwheeler riverboat that worked on the upper Yukon River from 1929 – 1955.  

It’s actually a Canadian National Historic Site, so there were park rangers in the Visitor Center.  Going aboard the old vessel is free, but we bought a Self-Guided Tour brochure for $2. The ranger recommended checking out the paddle-wheel first before going inside.

After looking at the back of the boat (and checking out the line of fishermen in the river), we went up the ramp to the Freight Deck and went inside.  They've got it set up to like it would have been when the boat was in service--except the cartons would have been full. These are printed to look like they were made years ago, but for some reason, they all look empty.

                      

Beyond the boxes and barrels is the Engine Room with steam pipes and pistons and other mechanical pieces, most of which I haven't a clue without asking George.  These are real.

After wandering around awhile, looking at things about as interesting as an auto parts store, we went up a very narrow staircase to the Sun Deck, where the sky is becoming ominous.

 

They’re doing some renovations on-board, so there were some areas (the most interesting ones!) we couldn’t go into:  Dining Room, Passenger Cabins, Observation Lounge, Boat Deck and Wheelhouse.  Second-class passengers were limited to the freight deck and the sun deck, which was all we got to see.  I don't know why we couldn't go first-class!

We could look through the ship's galley into the Dining Room.  (Seems to me that Karla said this stuff was closed last year too.  Apparently the Canadian parks service is as slow as NPS--I suppose it's all budgets and priorities, but I really wish they'd get their acts together.)

Looked like a big storm coming, so we didn’t linger.  We did detour to a tent they had near the barge to watch old pictures and movies of the riverboats in action.  

More pictures on Flickr:  S.S. Klondike NHS