George Mercer Dawson - Dawson, Yukon Territory
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Weathervane
N 64° 03.555 W 139° 26.374
7W E 576156 N 7104549
This plaque in tribute to George Mercer Dawson, is located on the dike, across from Church Street and Saint-Paul's Church. The plaque is mounted on a big boulder and sits next to a tree and bench.
Waymark Code: WM12Q07
Location: Yukon Territory, Canada
Date Posted: 06/29/2020
Views: 3
Inscription on the plaque:
George Mercer Dawson
Born: August 1, 1849 - Pictou, Nova-Scotia
Died: March 2, 1901 - Ottawa, Ontario
In 1887, the Federal Government directed the Geological and National History Survey of Canada to map and define the Yukon District of the N.W.T. as developments in placer gold mining were attracting increasing numbers of miners and prospectors. The assignment was to survey the International boundary between Alaska and Yukon along the 141st meridian. Geologist George Dawson led the Yukon expedition and left Ottawa on 22nd of April 1887, accompanied by William Ogilvie, a surveyor for the Department of the Interior. Dawson traveled into the Yukon's wild, remote country to survey, study and record the geography, geology, botany, native languages and legends. Even though Dawson endured frail health most of his life, he carried out some of the most strenuous surveys attempted in Canada and did more than anyone else to create a modern map of the Canadian West.
Although he never set foot in Dawson City, he predicted that a major gold discovery would happen in the Yukon River Basin, almost a decade before the 1896 gold discovery which precipitated the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. William Ogilvie officially surveyed the town site on January 11, 1847 for Joseph Ladue and partner Arthur Harper who, at Ogilvie's suggestion, named it Dawson City. Dawson City was officially incorporated on January 9, 1902. Dawson began his career with the Geological Survey of Canada in 1875, and served as Director from 1895 to 1901. He was the Commissioner on Bering Sea Resources, 1892 and became President of the Royal Society of Canada, 1893. He is remembered as an as an authority of ethnology, archeology, and botany, as well as geology, and is known as "The Father of Canadian Anthropology".
Monument sponsored by the Hougen Family
"In honour of Brent Hougen who lived in Dawson
at the turn of the century."
Website with more information on either the memorial or the person(s) it is dedicated to: [Web Link]
Location: Flower Garden, Dawson Dike, across from Church Street
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