Recently we took the local “Ghost Stories and Brothel” tour. The Red Onion Saloon gives these tours, which include a lot of miscellaneous information about Skagway. For example, John Nordstrom came up here during the gold rush, made $13,000 on his claim, then returned to Seattle to start his famous department store. We also learned a little history about a huge painting of a watch up on the mountain.



















During the Gold Rush it was common to advertise by painting big signs on the mountainside by the dock. Kirmse’s Curios had a large pocket watch painted to advertise their store; the hands of the clock are painted at 8:22. Our guide said that painters at that era often used that time when painting clocks because that was when President Lincoln died. However, everything I read says President Lincoln died at 7:22, so either the story isn’t true, or the Skagway artist made a mistake and decided not to fix it.

















Skagway is listed as a haunted town on several websites. The most documented ghost is Mary, at the Golden Shore hotel. Our tour guide had some other ghost stories that aren’t on the internet, such as a baby crying in the woods (killed by his grandfather who was enraged that his daughter got pregnant without being married), and a couple of happy, sociable ghosts who just don’t want to leave.

Brothels used to be a big business in Skagway. The Red Onion was one, famous mostly because the building is still here. But it’s changed a lot. When it was moved from its original location to the corner of Broadway, it was accidentally set down facing the wrong way, with the back of the building facing the main street. Rather than move the whole building again, they just cut off the front and re-installed it on the back, which faced Broadway. It’s not very noticeable, unless you look down at the floor on the inside and see the seam.















The Red Onion downstairs is a restaurant/bar. We've been there a couple of times and they have good pizza. The upstairs is a sort of a museum to the working girls of the Gold Rush. There are a couple of rooms that can be toured. They are small rooms and the walls are deeply water-stained.

Besides the Red Onion, there are several very small buildings around town. These are the original cribs, where gold miners could have 15 minutes of fun for $5 in gold. A surprising number of these buildings still exist and have been moved to various locations around town.



































Further up the street on Broadway is the Skagway Brewing Company. This local brewery makes Spruce Tip beer. It was invented by Captain Cook, who according to legend, ran out of rum and needed something to pacify his crew. Spruce tips are high in vitamin C, so it was also good for avoiding scurvy.