When you think of a prospector, what comes to mind? For many, it’s the famous photos of Chilkoot Pass that pop into your head. Lined with people top to bottom, as they attempt to reach the Yukon River that would sail them downstream to their fortunes during the Klondike Gold Rush. We know today that for most, those fortunes never panned out, but the image of what a prospector looked like remains.
Prospector with equipment outside tent, Golden, British Columbia, 1884
To put it simply, prospecting is the exploration for new minerals, such as gold, silver, or copper. Ideally, those minerals would have a monetary value, so the person searching for them, the prospector, could strike it rich. With gold being one of those most precious metals, and therefore worth the largest sums, it was at the top of most prospector’s wish lists, but not all prospectors were searching for those yellow nuggets. As you’ll see from this collection of historical photos, prospectors were also in search of minerals, other precious metals, coal, and even fossils.
Prospector and pack horses, Kitchner, British Columbia, n.d.
I hope you enjoy this stroll down memory lane through Canada’s western provinces and territories. If you enjoyed this collection, you might also like these Vintage Photos of Camping from Western Canada.
Prospector’s cabin in Rocky Mountains, 1887-1889Prospector’s tents on waterfront, Dawson, Yukon Territory, 1899Prospector unloading aircraft, Taltheillie Narrows, Northwest Territories, 1940s-1950sCominco gold prospector, Taltheillie Narrows, Northwest Territories, 1940s-1950sProspector panning for gold, Yukon Territory, n.d.John Kaasa, hunter, fisherman and prospector, 1961-1962Charles Gottchall, coal prospector, Big Smoky area, Alberta, 1923Jujiro Wada by dog sled. Wada was a Japanese whaler, prospector, dog musher and trapper in Canada’s north. The building behind is the home of Stuart Taylor Wood (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and his family, Herschel Island, Yukon, 1919Prospector with burro, Donald, British Columbia, before 1898Henry Van Meer, prospector, and pack horse, Cariboo, British Columbia, 1936Coal prospector and tipi, Big Smoky area, Alberta, 1919-1925Charles Gottchall, coal prospector, Big Smoky area, Alberta, 1923Jim Warren, gold prospector, Tom Creek, northern British Columbia, 1935A well-equipped prospector on the trail, 1934Oscar Nelson, trapper and prospector, from Beauval and Lac la Ronge, Saskatchewan, at Nistowiak Lake, Saskatchewan, 1952Winter camp at Nistowiak Lake, Saskatchewan, 1952Coal prospect near Horburg, Alberta, 1922A prospector in the Cariboo gold fields, Williams Creek, British Columbia, 1900-1915Prospectors Hayes and Nixon originally from Ft. McMurray, standing on a boat, the “North Swan”, at Ft. Chipewyan, 1951. Object #A17155Unidentified prospectors at their camp by Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, n.d. Object #A5812Old prospector’s cabin, 1923-1924. Object #CL271Daniel Hill, prospector, at camp near Great Bear Lake, Northwest Territories, n.d. Object #A5813Exterior of the log cabin belonging to Louis Garski, trapper and prospector, n.d. Object #A5947Prospector moving camp, 1911. Object #A7897Prospectors Camp, 1911. Object #A7904
The photos above were collected from the Glenbow Archives and the Provincial Archives of Alberta. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for each photograph on the Glenbow website by searching the identification number that is printed on the photo. There is also the option to purchase a high resolution copy. If you search the object number that can be found in the photo captions, you will find additional information about the photographs on the Provincial Archives website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from across Alberta. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
Tyler is originally from Saskatchewan, and yes he cheers for the Roughriders, but don’t hold that against him as Calgary has been his home for the past eight years. He is a teacher working at a wilderness-
based treatment program for youth working to overcome addiction. Tyler is also a volunteer with the GOT Parks initiative, which aims at reconnecting Canada’s youth with our national, provincial, and territorial parks. During his time away from work, Tyler enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and snowboarding, team sports, travelling, photography, spending time with good friends, and being at home with his wife and German Shepherd, Rome.
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