Robert W. Service (1874-1958), a British-born poet and author of Scottish heritage, felt compelled to leave his home country to explore the Alaskan wilderness, after relocating to North America.
In the late 19th century, the small but bustling town of Skagway, in southeast Alaska, was once a gateway destination for scores of fortune-seekers striving to strike gold to benefit impoverished families they left behind. They endured a treacherous journey during an historic trek known as the Klondike Gold Rush, which had a low survival rate. Read more about its history here: https://www.nps.gov/articles/klgo-skagway-tourism.htm.
Skagway has kept Robert Service’s memory as the poet of the Yukon alive through special events and programs, though the pandemic era severely impacted these opportunities. At this point, the most reliable remnants travelers can find are copies of his books that are available for purchase in several local shops, particularly those that are locally owned.
In present day, the town is known for attracting approximately a million visitors each summer, up from the original 60 tourists from Boston in 1898, according to https://www.nps.gov/articles/klgo-skagway-tourism.htm.
As you travel to this well-preserved historic town, check out Robert W. Service’s poetic writing style in the free e-book, Trail of ’98, available from www.gutenberg.org. Links to many of his poems can be found here: https://www.internal.org/Robert_W_Service.
“Write verse, not poetry. The public wants verse. If you have a talent for poetry, then don’t by any means mother it, but try your hand at verse.” — Robert W. Service
Skagway is the third stop on our Alaska Author Adventures Trail. A video of our visit to Skagway in 2022 will be added to this page and our YouTube channel soon.
Patricia Smart
Our purpose is to attract interest in the diverse literary history of the US. We are not-for-profit and have no official relationship with any entity or organization included anywhere on the site except for the John Corcoran Foundation. We receive no compensation for any entities or products and do not endorse, nor receive endorsements, from businesses. We are not responsible for any problems travelers may experience on the way to, during, or leaving any of the locations. As information changes over time and human error is always a possibility, we do not accept legal responsibility for the information on this website, nor any websites to which it links. Inclusion in this site is solely informational and does not signify endorsement of viewpoints. The word "landmark" is intended generically, as several identified places do not have official landmark status with any entity. This website is designed to be an ad-free public service.
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