E.R. Van Miert of Bellingham, Washington, is interested in some of the history of the Melbourne Hotel, which was an original 1898 Klondike Gold Rush-era hotel. It appears in the centre of this photo.
In later years, the hotel’s name changed to the Principle Hotel, then the Pearl Harbour and last, at the time it burned, it was called the Bonanza.
I think it burned down around 1973. Though please write and correct me if I’m wrong.
By the way, this hotel’s bar was a truly beautiful example of an old Klondike-style saloon, decked out with a mahogany bar and mirrors.
Mr. Van Miert’s letter follows:
Such a pleasure on my recent trip to Dawson City to read the Yukon News, April 28 Colourful Five Per Cent with a photo of the Melbourne Hotel.
Thank you for the history of the hotel. Please tell me when it burned. They all do, according to my research on our local hotels.
I’m enclosing a copy of the Klondike Nugget, December 7, 1899, linking our infamous Marshal/Colonel Winfield Scott Parker with the Melbourne and Dawson City - and a page in my research from Bellingham Bay to the Klondike 1897 - 1899 (2005).
Col. Parker lies in an unmarked grave in the old Hillside Cemetery in the necropolis above Dawson City. I was sorry his friends did not erect a stone for him.
E.R. Van Miert
Bellingham, Washington
Anyone with information about this subject, please write Jim Robb: The Colourful Five Per Cent Scrapbook - Can You Identify? c/o the Yukon News, 211 Wood Street, Whitehorse, Yukon,
Y1A 2E4, or e-mail
through the News website,
www.yukon-news.com.