Jack London Museum - Dawson City, Yukon

Francis B.

Beau petit musée retraçant la vie de Jack London et surtout sa période dans le Yukon et la ville de Dawson.
On apprend quelques petites anecdotes et historiquement très chouette !

Smop L.

Sympathique mais musée de photos.

Francis H.

Jack London Museum and Cabin

The Jack London Museum and Cabin, located in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada, at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Firth Street, is a historical site dedicated to the life, writings, and Klondike experiences of the renowned author Jack London. Operated by the Klondike Visitors Association, a not-for-profit organization, the museum highlights London's year in the Yukon during the 1897-1898 Klondike Gold Rush, where he engaged in mining efforts but primarily gathered material for his literary works, such as White Fang and The Call of the Wild. The facility features interpretive exhibits, including over 60 photographs, documents, and memorabilia that chronicle London's adventures, as well as the investigative work of Yukon author Dick North, who played a pivotal role in locating and authenticating London's original cabin. Visitors can explore a replica cabin, furnished with period-appropriate objects representative of a gold rush stampeder's living conditions.

Jack London's Original Cabin

Regarding Jack London's original cabin, it was constructed in 1897 on the North Fork (also referred to as the left fork) of Henderson Creek, approximately 120 kilometers south of Dawson City, where London overwintered during his Klondike sojourn.

The structure remained abandoned in the wilderness until its rediscovery in March 1965 by Dick North, assisted by local guides Joe Henry, Victor Henry, and others, following leads from mining records and discussions with trappers. Authentication involved multiple verification methods: a signature reading "Jack London Miner Author Jan 27 1898" was located on a removed log slab, confirmed by handwriting experts; tree-ring dating placed the logs' cutting between 1875 and 1900; and cross-references between London's stories and historical records matched names and details. The signature slab was physically refitted to the cabin log, providing conclusive proof.

In 1969, the cabin was dismantled by Rudy and Robin Burian, with the logs divided to create two smaller replicas for preservation and public display. One half forms the replica at the Jack London Museum in Dawson City, while the other half was transported to Oakland, California—London's birthplace—and reassembled at Jack London Square as a tourist attraction. This division ensured the historical artifact's legacy could be shared between the Yukon and California's literary heritage sites.

Коля ?.

Museum is wonderful!
Thanks designer and stuff who established this memorized place for phenomenal writer - Jack London!
Front desk women is very educated. We enjoyed our visit to see it.

Michael S.

Nice little historic site with lots of well-organized display photos from Jack London's life. Short but nice interpretive talk was the highlight.

James C.

Though small, this museum offers a lot of info on Jack London's brief stay in the Yukon. Despite spending a short amount of time here, his northern experience served as a major source of inspiration for his large body of published fiction. This museum is definitely worth visiting if you want to know more about London's time in the Yukon and his literary work.

Kimberley O.

A wonderful glimpse into the life of Jack London. Really cool to see his cabin where he lived while in the Yukon after reading all of his vividly written stories. Staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

L S.

Arrived 25 minutes before closing and Helen was giving a pleasant audio tour of the author, his life, the cabin, and etc. Love it!