“That’s my grandpa” the comment on my post read. May Kaela Lavelais included a screenshot from google of the page in our book We Fought the Road that talked about Willie Lavelais. Link to another story “Men of the 93rd” When Captain sent Willie with Lt. Dudrow’s platoon on a quick side job, he …
Tag Archives: Carcross
Urine and Moccasins
Urine, human urine, cured moccasins made from moose hide. Donald “Smitty” Schmitt didn’t know that when he admired the ones of the feet of guide, Johnny Johns. When Donna Blazor-Bernhardt interviewed Schmitt, an officer in Company D of the 93rd, about his experience on the Alaska Highway project, he had lots of memories, but …
Tiny Carcross
Tiny Carcross, Yukon. The soldiers of the 18th Engineers barely noticed as they travelled past and on to Whitehorse in April. In May the trains carrying the black soldiers of the 93rd Engineers, to the surprise and delight of her citizens, stopped in Carcross and discharged their passengers. Link to another story “Carcross Met the …
Carcross Met the Black Soldiers
Carcross had seen trainloads of soldiers pass through and on to Whitehorse. Now, to little Millie Jones’ delight, the black soldiers of the 93rd Engineering Regiment stopped and climbed down in Carcross. Lt. Price’s platoon came first, brought up the Regimental Chaplain, Lt. Finis Hugo Austin, and set up a post office. Millie Jones and Carcross …
Grievous Error–Mine
Grievous errors, I commit them all too often. Here’s my latest. I’ve told you stories about Carcross Yukon many times, it’s a fascinating place. But until now I’ve completely ignored the town’s most famous and important citizen–Polly the Foul Mouthed Parrot. I apologize, and I am here tonight to correct that error or at least …
Sad News
Sad news sometimes visits Stories of Northern Canada and Alaska. Sad news visited today. As of February 27, Millie Jones, the living, breathing heart and soul of Carcross, Yukon lives and breathes no more. Her heart and soul, though, will remain part of Carcross forever. Link to another story “The 93rd came to Carcross” I’ve …
A Narrow Strip of Land
A narrow strip of land forms the boundary between the water of the Lynn Canal—at sea level– and the towering mountains of Canada’s Coastal Range. Skagway, Alaska occupies that tiny strip of land. The great Klondike Gold Rush just after the turn of the 20th Century created Skagway, a boomtown of mythic proportions virtually overnight. …
Five Things Define Carcross
Five things define the tiny town of Carcross in Yukon Territory, a train depot, an empty but famous hotel, Matthew Watson’s Store, the world’s smallest desert, and, most important, a full-time population of 512 people—people with attitude. Tourists flock to the tiny downtown and provide life blood to Carcross’s economy. When you join them do …
Russell Wesley on the WP&YR
Russell Wesley’s comment popped up on my post about the White Pass and Yukon Railway the other night, and it took my breath away. Russell got my attention with this, “When I worked on the Yukon and White Pass Railway in the early 70’s, we had no modern equipment. We had a radio that was …
Tagish River
Tagish River, 1,275 feet wide, posed the first major obstacle to the 93rd Engineering Regiment. To build Alaska Highway through Yukon, the soldiers of the 93rd had to get a road out of Carcross, and during the first week of May local guide, Johnny Johns, guided Captain James Cassano as he laid out a path …