Menu

Yukon Nuggets

1959

The Whitehorse Star Reports in 1959

 
January
January 8, 1959 On January 3, 1959, President Eisenhower proclaims Alaska the 49th State of the U.S.A.
January 8, 1959 The new Dawson Elementary High School opens on January 6, 1959 with temperatures at 63 degrees F below (-52.8 Celsius) .
January 15, 1959 Bill Walker is elected president of the Kiwanis club.
January 15, 1959 Yukon Consolidated Gold Corporation announces the appointment of the Dr. Paul Kavanagh as general manager.
January 22, 1959 The White Pass paddlewheeler "Casca" is bought by Eagles Plan Tourist Attraction Plus Club, in an attempt to preserve and renovate the steamer as a tourist attraction.
January 22, 1959 The Yukon Territorial Council announces its plans to inaugurate by January 1960 the national health plan in the Yukon.
February
February 25, 1959 Old Crow post office opens February 25, 1959, marking the first Canadian postal service for this northern settlement.
March
March 5, 1959 Einar "Blondie" Hougen dies on February 28, 1959 in California after a prolonged illness. His funeral is held in Vancouver on March 5, 1959. In respect for the occasion, Hougen's Ltd. remains closed on the day of the funeral.
April
April 2, 1959 The new Whitehorse General Hospital is officially opened on March 30, 1959.
April 2, 1959 A landmark in Dawson City since 1901, the Ogilvie Bridge over the Klondike River just south of the city collapses on March 28, 1959, after being struck by a White Pass truck.
April 23, 1959 Rolf Hougen, a director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, addresses the Chamber with a request of improvement of amenities and allowance for high cost of corporate activity in the North.
April 23, 1959 The new Bailey bridge across the Klondike river at Dawson City is opened to the public on April 16, 1959.
June
June 4, 1959 Fred Lucas is elected District Governor the Lions' Yukon and Alaska District.
June 4, 1959 After more than 50 years service to the White Pass and Yukon Route, C.J. Rogers, Sr. is appointed Board Chairman.
June 18, 1959 On June 12, 1959, store owner Isaac Taylor dies at the age of 95.
June 25, 1959 The long last grave of Kate Carmack is found in Carmacks on May 18, 1959.
July
July 9, 1959 Judy Lelievre is proclaimed on July 3 the 1959 Haines Strawberry Festival Queen.
July 16, 1959 Officials of the Wenner-Gren B.C. Company propose to run the northern railway north from Prince George to the Yukon border.
July 23, 1959 The Queen and Prince Philip visit the Yukon on July 18th. They stay in the DOT residence near the old airport terminal. The royal visit is surrounded the weeklong Train of '98 Carnival. Some of the plans in her Yukon needed to be changed due to the Queen's "illness". It is later announced that the Queen is pregnant, with Prince Charles.
July 30, 1959 Premier Bennett proposes to the federal governement that British Columbia be given part of the Northwest Territories in return for full provincial maintenance of the 600-mile section of the Alaska Highway.The extra territory would include the power-rich and oil rich Mackenzie River basin and would make British Columbia the biggest province in Canada.
August
August 6, 1959 Monrice C.W. Grant is the manager of Whitehorse Motors starting July 7, 1959.
August 6, 1959 Hougen's very successful '98 Carnival promotion spreads gold fever rapidly when it became known that free gold could be panned at Hougen's Sportlodge.
August 14, 1959 The Alaska Yukon Refiners & Distributors open their separation plant at Haines Junction.
August 20, 1959 Official news of an Eagle Plain Oil Strike are aired by Commissioner F.H. Collins on August 17, 1959.
August 20, 1959 The total population of the Yukon is 13,000, of which "...9 were Eskimos, 1850 Indians and 11, 141 white".
August 20, 1959 Immigration Minister Ellen Fairclough says Indian reservations will likely remain as the centre of Indian population of Canada.
August 27, 1959 Commissioner F.H. Collins officially opens the Yukon River Bridge at Carmacks on Sunday, August 23, 1959. Speakers at the opening ceremonies are Yukon Territorial Councillor, John Livesey, and Erik Nielsen, the Yukon's Member of Parliament.
August 29, 1959 The first asphalt is laid in Whitehorse on Main Street.
September
September 3, 1959 The Selkirk Street School in Riverdale is opened by Commissioner F.H. Collins. Taking part in the official ceremonies are Mayor Gordon Armstrong, Member of Parliament, Erik Nielsen and Territorial Councillor, Charlie Taylor.
September 10, 1959 The first annual Haines car rally takes place on September 5/6 1959.
September 17, 1959 A tornado hits Watson Lake on September 9, 1959. No casualities are reported.
September 17, 1959 Old Crow gets its first piano. It has been brought down on the river from Dawson City and will be used for teaching purposes.
October
October 8, 1959 Judge Parker proposes Indian Affairs be taken over by the territory.
October 29, 1959 "Larry" Higgins, longtime Yukoner and former member of the Yukon government, passes away on September 17, 1959 at the age of 73.
November
November 26, 1959 WHTV brings cable TV to the Riverdale and Takhini areas.
December
December 17, 1959 Mayor Cameron announces on December 13, 1959 he will not run again in January's civic elections.