The port at Dyea had shallow water, while neighboring Skagway had deep water. Dyea was abandoned when the White Pass and Yukon Route railroad chose the White Pass Trail (instead of the alternative Chilkoot Trail), which began at Skagway, for its route.
Use of the name Dyea for its present location first occurred in 1886, when John J. Healy (1840-1908) and Edgar Wilson (1842-1895) opened their trading post there. Prior to that year, only a small hunting and fishing cabin had existed at the location.[2] Prior to 1886, Dyea or Dei-yi [phonetic spelling] had been the second half of the name Jilḵoot Dei-yi [Chilkoot-owned Trail].[3] Prior publications state that Dyea was derived from the words for “to pack” [yaa] or “carrying place” [yaa yé].[4] However, the presence of the initial \d\ sound in Dyea casts doubt on those latter possibilities, and suggests that the first syllable was in fact dei (as in dei-yi).
Dyea is now within the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. All that remains are a number of foundations surrounded by scraps of lumber and metal, 3 cemeteries, including one where almost every person buried died on the same date in 1898 in an avalanche on the gold rush trail,[5] and the ruins of the wharf.[6] Visitors can usually spot brown bears, black bears, and eagles. Brown bears tend to use the Dyea inlets to feed during salmon spawning season (July–August).
Taiya River estuary and site of Dyea at the beginning of the Chilkoot Trail (October 2005).
This one wall and section of fence is all that remains of the buildings of old Dyea today.
The graveyard containing victims of the 1898 avalanche.
Dyea appeared one time on the U.S. Census in 1900 as an unincorporated village. It has since been annexed into the city of Skagway.
Referencesedit
^Smith, Jeff (2009). Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel. Klondike Research. pp. 450–51. ISBN978-0-9819743-0-9.
^“May 1886 I established a trading-post at a place now called Dyea, … with Edgar Wilson, … who resided at Dyea up to … his death in 1895.” Healy Dep., May 20, 1903, Proceedings of the Alaska Boundary Tribunal, S. Doc. No. 162, 58th Cong. (2nd Sess. 1903), Vol. IV, App. 2, at page 233, reprinted in, Serial 4602. Prior to 1886, only a small hunting and fishing cabin had existed at this location. Krause, Aurel; Krause, Arthur (1993). To the Chukchi Peninsula and to the Tlingit Indians 1881/1882. University of Alaska Press. ISBN978-0-912006-66-6., at page 202 (map entry: “Kleines Jagd & Fischerhaus” [German]).
^“The trail … is known among the Indians as the Chilkoot trail … It was monopolized solely by the Chilkoots, who had even gone so far as to forbid the Chilkats, almost brothers in blood, from using it …” Schwatka, Frederick G. (1893). A Summer in Alaska. J. W. Henry., at page 60. It is, however, unlikely that the Indians used the English word for trail! Because the Chilkoot Indians claimed ownership of the trail, it would have been called Chilkoot Dei-yi [Chilkoot-owned Trail]. Edwards (2009). Dictionary of Tlingit(PDF). pp. 70, 476 (dei [trail]), 16 (When possessed, alienable nouns require the possession suffix -[y]i). Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^Thornton, Thomas F., ed. (2012). Haa Léelk'w Hás Aaní Saax'ú:Our Grandparents' Names on the Land(PDF). Sealaska Heritage Institute. p. 57 (#28: To pack). ISBN978-0-295-98858-0. Retrieved October 16, 2017.; Phillips, James W. (1973). Alaska-Yukon Place Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN0-295-95259-8., at page 43 (Dyea “Tlingit word purportedly meaning “carrying place”).
^"The Slide Cemetery". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
^"U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dyea, Alaska.
Dyea page at Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. AK-38, "Dyea Townsite (Ruins), Skagway, Municipality of Skagway Borough, AK", 8 photos, 1 color transparency, 1 photo caption page
November 23, 2023
dyea, alaska, dyea, former, town, state, alaska, people, live, individual, small, homesteads, valley, however, largely, abandoned, located, convergence, taiya, river, taiya, inlet, south, side, chilkoot, pass, within, limits, municipality, skagway, borough, al. Dyea d aɪ ˈ iː dye EE is a former town in the U S state of Alaska A few people live on individual small homesteads in the valley however it is largely abandoned It is located at the convergence of the Taiya River and Taiya Inlet on the south side of the Chilkoot Pass within the limits of the Municipality of Skagway Borough Alaska During the Klondike Gold Rush prospectors disembarked at its port and used the Chilkoot Trail a Tlingit trade route over the Coast Mountains to begin their journey to the gold fields around Dawson City Yukon about 800 km 500 mi away Confidence man and crime boss Soapy Smith famous for his underworld control of the town of Skagway in 1897 98 may have had control of Dyea as well 1 DyeaGhost townThe Dyea waterfront during the Klondike Gold Rush DyeaLocation within the state of AlaskaCoordinates 59 30 16 N 135 21 36 W 59 50444 N 135 36000 W 59 50444 135 36000CountryUnited StatesStateAlaskaThe port at Dyea had shallow water while neighboring Skagway had deep water Dyea was abandoned when the White Pass and Yukon Route railroad chose the White Pass Trail instead of the alternative Chilkoot Trail which began at Skagway for its route Use of the name Dyea for its present location first occurred in 1886 when John J Healy 1840 1908 and Edgar Wilson 1842 1895 opened their trading post there Prior to that year only a small hunting and fishing cabin had existed at the location 2 Prior to 1886 Dyea or Dei yi phonetic spelling had been the second half of the name Jilḵoot Dei yi Chilkoot owned Trail 3 Prior publications state that Dyea was derived from the words for to pack yaa or carrying place yaa ye 4 However the presence of the initial d sound in Dyea casts doubt on those latter possibilities and suggests that the first syllable was in fact dei as in dei yi Chilkoot Trail and Dyea Site is a U S National Historic Landmark Dyea is now within the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park All that remains are a number of foundations surrounded by scraps of lumber and metal 3 cemeteries including one where almost every person buried died on the same date in 1898 in an avalanche on the gold rush trail 5 and the ruins of the wharf 6 Visitors can usually spot brown bears black bears and eagles Brown bears tend to use the Dyea inlets to feed during salmon spawning season July August Taiya River estuary and site of Dyea at the beginning of the Chilkoot Trail October 2005 This one wall and section of fence is all that remains of the buildings of old Dyea today The graveyard containing victims of the 1898 avalanche Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 1900261 U S Decennial Census 7 Dyea appeared one time on the U S Census in 1900 as an unincorporated village It has since been annexed into the city of Skagway References edit Smith Jeff 2009 Alias Soapy Smith The Life and Death of a Scoundrel Klondike Research pp 450 51 ISBN 978 0 9819743 0 9 May 1886 I established a trading post at a place now called Dyea with Edgar Wilson who resided at Dyea up to his death in 1895 Healy Dep May 20 1903 Proceedings of the Alaska Boundary Tribunal S Doc No 162 58th Cong 2nd Sess 1903 Vol IV App 2 at page 233 reprinted in Serial 4602 Prior to 1886 only a small hunting and fishing cabin had existed at this location Krause Aurel Krause Arthur 1993 To the Chukchi Peninsula and to the Tlingit Indians 1881 1882 University of Alaska Press ISBN 978 0 912006 66 6 at page 202 map entry Kleines Jagd amp Fischerhaus German The trail is known among the Indians as the Chilkoot trail It was monopolized solely by the Chilkoots who had even gone so far as to forbid the Chilkats almost brothers in blood from using it Schwatka Frederick G 1893 A Summer in Alaska J W Henry at page 60 It is however unlikely that the Indians used the English word for trail Because the Chilkoot Indians claimed ownership of the trail it would have been called Chilkoot Dei yi Chilkoot owned Trail Edwards 2009 Dictionary of Tlingit PDF pp 70 476 dei trail 16 When possessed alienable nouns require the possession suffix y i Retrieved September 14 2015 Thornton Thomas F ed 2012 Haa Leelk w Has Aani Saax u Our Grandparents Names on the Land PDF Sealaska Heritage Institute p 57 28 To pack ISBN 978 0 295 98858 0 Retrieved October 16 2017 Phillips James W 1973 Alaska Yukon Place Names University of Washington Press ISBN 0 295 95259 8 at page 43 Dyea Tlingit word purportedly meaning carrying place The Slide Cemetery Atlas Obscura Retrieved May 10 2023 nps gov full citation needed U S Decennial Census Census gov Retrieved June 6 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dyea Alaska Guide to Dyea Alaska from ExploreNorth Dyea page at Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Historic American Engineering Record HAER No AK 38 Dyea Townsite Ruins Skagway Municipality of Skagway Borough AK 8 photos 1 color transparency 1 photo caption page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dyea Alaska amp oldid 1176423972, 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