Gold Rush Hope

Hope was Alaska's first gold rush town. In 1889, before gold was found in Dawson or Nome, a man named King discovered gold nuggets in Resurrection Creek. More prospectors rushed to stake claims. On a lark, the community of tents and cabins that grew at the mouth of the creek chose to name their town after the youngest rusher to step off the next boat.

His name was Percy Hope....and the town name became official.

Many a goldrush boom town contained a strange mix of sin and servitude. This is the Methodist Church, built of logs, that was the mainstay of spiritual support for those prospectors not so lucky.

Reading material in boom towns far from civilization was often more scarce than gold nuggets and just as valuable. This was the first library in the town and as you can see from its size, didn't support a very large database.

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