After recovering from a bad week of sickness in our household, Gub and I were excited to get off the rock (West Seattle) to run errands yesterday, and I was dertermined to make the most of our time out of the house. While making our way from the International District to Pioneer Square, I decided to stop in and look at the Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park. I would just call it a museum, but since it is run by the National Park Service, it is considered a park, in spite of its lack of trees or water features.

I had been meaning to pay a visit since they were in their old location around the corner. It is just as well that I waited, since their current location is of greater historical import, having been a stopover for many Klondikers back in the day. As the name implies, the subject of this establishment is the Klondike Gold Rush, which happened in northwestern Canada starting in 1897. Pioneer Square was a major stop for Klondikers headed north, since Seattle was the last city for prospectors to stock up on supplies for the trip.

The exhibition at the museum allows visitors to follow the stories of several real individuals who made the trip, including John Nordstrom, who used his riches to start his eponymous store. Children might be more interested in following the story of a young girl who journeyed with her family to seek their fortunes. Although there is a lot of written information throughout the exhibition, there are also many engaging displays and objects that allow children to get a sense of what life was like at that time, such as a little log cabin.

Unfortunately, a 20-month-old girl with a cold isn't the best audience for a museum, so my visit was cut short. I hope to be back again soon to learn more about our regional history. I already have marked my calendar for the guided walking tours that are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Each afternoon at 2 p.m., people of all ages can meet at the museum for a free tour of Pioneer Square--above ground. The ranger I spoke with said that on most days they end up on the observation deck of the Smith Tower, which sounds to me like a pretty good deal for free!

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