1945 Hougen's history

Rawleighs Store

The little store gets a facelift in 1945. Children's clothing and toys are added to the inventory. Rolf Hougen works in the store before and after high school and on weekends. Rolf starts a photography and photo finishing business with his partner Sgt. Bruce Cameron who is with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals.

This photo shows two U.S. Army Military Police posing with Rawleigh products in Hougen's store. The U.S. Army, U.S. Airforce, and American construction companies moved to Whitehorse in early 1942 as part of the war effort. The population ballooned to 30,000 people. The Americans departed in 1946, turning over responsibility of the Alaska Highway, the airports and the telephone system to the Canadian military.