Places
Dawson City broke down after the gold rush. Although transportation improvements meant that heavier mining equipment could be brought in, gold production declined due to the over mining as a result of the stampede. Dawson City in 1907, was still thriving, but away from Front Street, the town had become increasingly deserted. By 1912, only around 2,000 inhabitants remained compared to the 30,000 population of the boom years and the city was becoming a ghost town. By 1972, only a mere 500 people were living in Dawson whereas the nearby towns erected during the gold rush had been completely abandoned. In the 21st century, Dawson City continued to possess a small gold mining industry, which, together with tourism, plays a main role in the local economy. Many buildings in the city center remains in the style of the Gold Rush era. The population has grown since the 1970s, with 1,300 recorded in 2006. The port of Skagway also shrank after the rush, but remains a well-preserved period town, centered on the tourist industry and sightseeing trips from visiting cruise ships. Skagway also has one of the two visitor centres forming the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the other is located in Seattle, and both focus on the human interest stories behind the gold rush. By contrast, Dyea, Skagway's neighbour and former rival, was abandoned after the gold rush and is now a ghost town.