Klondike historian John Gould dies at 92

John Gould, a celebrated chronicler of Klondike history, died Monday at the age of 92.

Gould fell on Christmas Day and died in his sleep the next day, a family spokesman said.

He was born in Dawson City in 1919. Over the years, Gould was a businessman, gold miner, taxi driver, mail carrier, amateur photographer and historian. He also saw service as a pilot during the Second World War.

Friend Kathy Gates once wrote that Gould’s love for Klondike history was fuelled by his father’s stories about mining in the area and Gould’s membership in the Yukon Order of Pioneers.

Gates remembers how Gould stood behind his wife, Madeleine, when she took her fight to join the all-male order all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

“He had to stand and take all the insults and crap thrown at him by those members, and a lot of women in the community who thought what she was doing was outrageous,” Gates told CBC News on Wednesday.

Gould, who knew Klondike author Pierre Berton, immersed himself in tales and facts about the area, beginning with its Gold Rush days and Dawson City’s spell as the “Paris of the North.” He loved to share history and often wrote about it. He also supported projects aimed at heritage preservation.

“He would always be, you know, very kind, never condescending and always very gentle,” said former Dawson City mayor John Steins.

Gould’s legacy must be preserved, Steins said.

“He [was] a very avid documentarian of Dawson, and I know that he has a vast collection of photos,” he said. “so I’m hoping that material is archived, not to mention his writing and other material.”