Alaska’s ‘gold rush’ pics are a time machine into the state’s transformation – The Sun
BREATHTAKING photos have surfaced of the historic Alaska gold rush 120 years later.
A staggering 112 metric tons of the valuable metal was found in the seaport of Nome, which would become the largest town in Alaska at the time.
Thousands of people poured into the region looking for fortune and glory, and their stories were documented by photographer Frank Nowell.
Gold was first discovered in the town of Nome in 1899, and Nowell's photos show a stunning transformation.
Nome was separated from many of the other gold rushes by the ease in which gold could be found. Prospectors found gold on the beach.
The photographer Nowell spent part of his career in Nome during the gold rush.
According to RealClear History, the "infamous" Nome rush "was near the top of the world, but the distance from civilization didn't stop potential prospectors from coming in droves."
"After the failure of the Klondike Gold Rush to produce riches, many of the miners drifted northwest to Nome.
"Claim-jumping because popular in Nome, and the schemes even brought down some high-ranking federal politicians and judges."
Photos include prospectors riding in a car, socializing in the town and searching for the gold.
The Nome gold rush lasted from 1899 to 1909.
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