Mining is an integral part of the history of Juneau; it is safe to say that Alaska’s capital city would not exist as we know it today but for the mines on both sides of Gastineau Channel. Dating back to the 19th century, this history is with us today in many forms, from the physical remnants of the mines to the descendants of families that came to work in mining and stayed.
Part of Juneau’s mining history that is perhaps under appreciated is the Treadwell Mine, the basis for an entire city on Douglas Island. Treadwell was in its day the largest gold mining operation that had ever existed, unparalleled in size, use of technology and productivity. While we enjoy a high standard of living here today, the infrastructure and amenities enjoyed by the workers and families of Treadwell were astounding. There was good reason no expense was spared in housing, feeding, and otherwise providing for the people of Treadwell: hard-rock gold mining was very demanding work, which occupied the workers all year except Independence Day and Christmas Day. While the workers put in full shifts daily, the entire community heard the pounding of the stamp mills, involving every man, woman, and child in the daily business of Treadwell.
When gold was found in Juneau in 1880 by Joe Juneau and Richard Harris, it was a newsworthy event all down the west coast and across the nation. One of the people whose interest this piqued was John Treadwell in San Francisco, who made his way to Juneau and thence to Douglas Island where he bought into a claim that had been staked. In short order, Treadwell worked to find investors to develop a mine that would over the next four decades yield a huge quantity of gold worth over $4 billion in today’s terms. This project used cutting-edge mining technology that advanced the entire industry and generated enough profit to pay generous wages and provide for a most comfortable, even luxurious, standard of living.
While it isn’t apparent to the casual visitor today, the community of Treadwell had thousands of residents who lived in modern private houses and dormitories. Amenities such as a social club, cinema, dance hall, library, and swimming pool kept workers and their families happy and willing to work long, hard days while yielding vast revenues for the enterprise. While little of this incredible community remains visible today, efforts have been and are still underway to make this rich history more accessible to Alaskans and to visitors to the Last Frontier.
The Treadwell Historic Preservation &Restoration Society is a nonprofit organization with a mission to promote the recreation and cultural significance of the Treadwell Historical Park &Trail. This work involves making sure historic resources are documented so that they can be stabilized and preserved, with an ultimate goal of restoring assets so they can be accessed and enjoyed by the public.
The Treadwell Society is making the living history of Treadwell accessible to Alaskans by providing information about what was there and what is currently available to be enjoyed. The historic park covers 11 acres and has two remaining structures. Fifteen interpretive signs illustrate the historical features that once were there. In 2013, the mine’s Pump House was restored. The Treadwell Office Building is now being renovated; its roof was replaced in the first phase, and the second phase will see the structure transformed into a shelter usable for things ranging from family picnics to theatrical performances. Fundraising efforts are currently underway, and this project appears on track to successful completion.
There are other ways to celebrate Juneau’s mining history beyond the permanent physical legacy of Treadwell. Perseverance Theatre is producing a play called Treadwell Gold, which opened Friday evening. I was a part of the workshop reading of this play last fall, and I found it to be an engaging piece of work. It is based on a historical book of the same name by author Sheila Kelly, who is descended from a Treadwell family. Treadwell Gold takes the historical facts of the mine and weaves them into intertwined stories of composite, fictional characters. Real lives were shaped by the opportunity to come and work and live in Treadwell, and they were shattered by the tragic collapse of the mine in 1917.
Treadwell Gold will have a short run, with a performance on Sunday, June 25 at 4 p.m., and then five more shows next weekend ending Monday, July 3. Juneau residents should not miss this opportunity to celebrate our mining heritage, as we consider the benefits mining offers our community now and in the future.
• Ben Brown is a lifelong Alaskan and Juneau resident, and serves as chairman for the Alaska State Council on the Arts.
