Stories From the Copper Belt Oral History Project this year!

The main focus of the project “Stories From the Copper Belt” is to capture the history of the Whitehorse Copper Belt.  In a time when the world is focused on the North, and certain stories of the changing North are disappearing, time is of the essence to preserve, protect, and present this unique history to a wider audience, both museum visitors and via the internet.

These audio recordings will preserve memories of the Whitehorse Copper Belt from three angles: the development of Whitehorse (before and after Whitehorse became Yukon’s capital); the effects of world events on life and work in the Copper Belt (economic and social events, world conflict); and Copper Belt as a life chapter (experiences and events, personal triumphs and tragedies, what brought people to the Copper Belt; what led them to remain in the Yukon or to move elsewhere).

By examining the very human story behind the mining history of the Copper Belt area, Whitehorse’s rapidly changing, vibrant history will convince participants to contribute and encourage others to visit and learn of a very different Whitehorse from today.

For more information or if you would like to assist us with this project (conducting interviews, providing personal stories, gathering information, audio tour development, etc.) please contact us today!

Phone: (867) 667-6355

Email: copperbelt@northwestel.net

There are some constitutional changes planned for this year’s AGM. A copy of the proposed changes is available for viewing at the Roundhouse office, 1127 First Avenue, Whitehorse, Yukon.

These changes include:

Schedule A, Bylaws:

Item 1 (d) – Change Associate Members to Life Members and include the appropriate description;

Item 3 – Change to read Life Members and add description; Membership, etc., various Items – delete all references to Associate Members;

Item 7 – Change the term of Membership to the calendar year;

Item 15 (4) – deleted;

New membership plan will be in effect from 2012. Membership benefits are now expanded more. In order to keep your membership active, renew your status at upcoming AGM!

- Free SEASON PASS to the Copperbelt Railway & Mining Museum

- 20% discount on merchandise at Copperbelt Gift shop

- Invitation to special events

- Complimentary subscription to our newsletter, Whistle Stop

- Voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting

Refreshments will be served. Public welcome.

Entrance and parking are located rear of the building. It’ll be easier to find if you follow the alley between Wood and Steele Street. http://heritageyukon.ca/_webapp_1084391/Captain_Martin_House

For further information contact the MCHRS office.

mchrs@northwestel.net or (867) 667-6355

Culture Days – Roundhouse Open House

Noon to 4PM

Culture Days is coming to the Yukon this year from September 30th to October 2nd!! This year, the Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society will be opening the Roundhouse to the public on October 1st from Noon to 4PM by donation.  We will also be running the Waterfront Trolley for one last time this year during the open house (Noon to 4PM).

For more information on local activities, visit the Culture Days Yukon website!

Have you ever wondered why the giant RECTANGULAR building at 1127 First Avenue is called a “Roundhouse”??

The MCHRS Roundhouse

Here’s your answer!

“Roundhouse” is railway jargon for a Train Repair Shop.

Roundhouses are generally a collection of buildings circling a large turntable where locomotives can be turned around to either:

• Switch directions or tracks;
• Be parked for the night; or
• Go in for repair.

Whitehorse as a transportation hub was never big enough to require a full Roundhouse, so this rectangular shape was all it ever needed.

The original White Pass & Yukon Route Roundhouse was in the vicinity of the Robert Service Baseball Diamonds on the South Access. Unfortunately, the original building burnt down.

The current Trolley Roundhouse is the rebuilt White Pass & Yukon Route Roundhouse, built in 1954. It was originally located in the Marshalling Yards (where the new Kwanlin Dun First Nation Cultural Centre is being built).  It was moved to its current location at 1127 First Avenue in 2006 and restored to be the home for the Waterfront Trolley.

Examples: Pennsylvania Railroad Roundhouse in Ohio

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fOemN5k3SWY/THq0nuC9P5I/AAAAAAAAAhY/iSeNbc5dNgY/s1600/Mystery_Roundhouse.jpg

John Street Roundhouse – View from the CN Tower

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Street_Roundhouse.jpg

Remember Thomas the Tank Engine?! Here is one of his Roundhouses:

http://www.thomas-tank-engine.com/read/thomas-the-tank-engine-roundhouse/49/

Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society is pleased to present a travelling exhibit originally from the Revelstoke Railway Museum in Revelstoke, BC.  Before arriving in Whitehorse, the exhibit was presented at Exporail, the Canadian Railway Museum, in Montreal, Quebec from January 15^th to May 29^th, 2011.

(Locomotive)

This exhibit explores the fascinating story of the Chinese labourers who contributed to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway between Port Moody and Craigellachie.  This is a presentation of their travel to BC, their living and working conditions, the contribution they made to the construction of the railway and to our nation itself.

Photograph courtesy of Revelstoke Railway Museum

Several thousand Chinese men worked on the CPR mainline from Port Moody to Craigellachie, and it is estimated that between 600 and 2220 of these workers died as a result of accidents, disease, and starvation.  The Inland Sentinel newspaper, originally published at Yale, has many articles about the Chinese labourers, and while many people believed that their presence was necessary to construct the railway, they were greatly resented by the white population, and suffered a great deal of discrimination. Their wages were half those of white men doing the same jobs, and they were often exploited by their crew bosses.

Once the CPR was completed in 1885, many of the Chinese labourers were left destitute. Quite a few of them settled in Revelstoke, where they worked mainly as cooks, servants, laundrymen, and labourers. In 1901, there were 113 Chinese people living in Revelstoke, close to one-tenth of the population. It is interesting to note that of those 113 people, only one was a woman, although half of the men were married.  This was a result of the head tax imposed on Chinese immigrants, making it very costly for men to bring their wives to Canada. The community was a vibrant one, however, and continued to thrive for many years.

Features of the exhibit include a railway workers’ campsite diorama, a video presentation of historical photographs, original artifacts, some on loan from the Port Moody Station Museum, and text available in English, French and Mandarin.

The exhibit will be presented within the Waterfront Trolley’s Roundhouse, which will also provide an opportunity for the public to view the inside of the building and take a walk through the Railbus that is currently parked in the Roundhouse.  This Railbus originally ran between Fraser and Bennet, BC, carrying hikers back and forth from the Chilkoot Trail.

This exhibit will run from July 24^th to October 8th 2011, open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10AM to 4PM by donation.

OPENING DAY

10AM to 6PM

This exhibit explores the fascinating story of the Chinese labourers who contributed to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway between Port Moody and Craigellachie.  This is a presentation of their travel to BC, their living and working conditions, the contribution they made to the construction of the railway and to our nation itself.

The exhibit will be presented within the Waterfront Trolley’s Roundhouse, which will also provide an opportunity for the public to view the inside of the building and take a walk through the White Pass and Yukon Route’s “Red Line” Railbus that is currently parked in the Roundhouse.  This Railbus originally ran between Fraser and Bennet, BC, carrying hikers back and forth from the Chilkoot Trail.

The exhibit will be open until October 8th.

“My Yukon Life” Podcast Radio met with our Summer Researcher, Alex Debryun, in June to discuss the Copperbelt Railway & Mining Museum!

Visit their website here

Episode 17
June 27, 2011
Special Guests: Yukon canoe racer and marathoner Tim Hodgson

Tim Hodgson will be racing solo during the upcoming Yukon River Quest. An accomplished canoe racer and marathoner, Tim shares some of the challenges and rewards he’s experienced during his career. He also offers tips for those who’d like to get into this rewarding sport.

We also take a ride on the historic Copperbelt Railway with Alex, the engineer (3 minutes right in the middle of the podcast).

My Yukon Life Radio Podcast – Episode 17

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