Kate Carmack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Carmack
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| Born |
Shaaw Tláa
c. 1857 Near Bennett Lake, Yukon, Canada
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| Died | 29 March 1920 Carcross, Yukon, Canada
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| Occupation | Seamstress |
| Known for | With her husband and brother, credited with making the gold discovery at Discovery Claim that led to the Klondike Gold Rush |
| Spouse(s) | Kult’ús
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| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Keish (Skookum Jim Mason; brother) Dawson Charlie (K̲áa Goox̱; nephew) |
Shaaw Tláa, also known as Kate Carmack, was an important Tagish First Nation woman. She was born around 1857 and passed away on March 29, 1920. Kate is famous for being part of the group that first found gold in the Klondike River area in 1896. This discovery started the famous Klondike Gold Rush. Some people even say that Kate herself was the one who actually found the first gold nugget!
Contents
Who Was Kate Carmack?
Kate Carmack's original name was Shaaw Tláa. She was a strong and resourceful woman from the Tagish First Nation. Her life story is closely tied to one of the most exciting times in Canadian history: the Klondike Gold Rush.
Her Early Life and Family
Shaaw Tláa was born near Bennett Lake in what is now Yukon, Canada. She grew up close to Carcross, Yukon with her parents and seven brothers and sisters. Her father, Kaachgaawáa, was a leader of the Tlingit Crow clan. Her mother, Gus’dutéen, belonged to the Tagish Wolf clan. Shaaw Tláa's name in the Tlingit language means "gumboot mother."
When she was a young woman, Shaaw Tláa married her cousin, Kult’ús. Sadly, in the early 1880s, her husband and their baby daughter passed away from an illness in Alaska. After this, she returned to her home village.
In 1887, her brother Keish (also known as Skookum Jim Mason) and her nephew Dawson Charlie (K̲áa Goox̱) started working with an American named George Washington Carmack. They formed a team for hunting, carrying supplies, and looking for gold. Within a year, Shaaw Tláa and George Carmack became partners and lived together. She then became known as Kate Carmack.
From 1889, Kate and George lived in the Forty Mile region for six years. George searched for gold, trapped animals, and traded goods. Kate was very skilled at making warm winter clothes, which she sold to miners. Their daughter, Graphie Grace Carmack, was born in 1893 in Fort Selkirk.
The Big Gold Discovery
In August 1896, Kate and George were fishing for salmon at the mouth of the Klondike River. Kate's brother and two nephews came to find them. Together, this group made an incredible discovery! They found gold in a place called Rabbit Creek, which was later renamed Bonanza Creek.
This amazing find started the famous Klondike Gold Rush. Thousands of people rushed to the Yukon hoping to find their own fortune. Many stories say that Kate Carmack was the one who actually spotted the first piece of gold.
After they became wealthy from the gold, the Carmacks moved to Hollister, California. They lived with George Carmack's sister, Mrs. Hannah Rosella "Rose" Watson. Later, George Carmack decided to leave California, Kate, Graphie, and his former partners. Kate and Graphie stayed with Rose. George Carmack later married another woman in 1900. Kate then returned to Carcross in July.
Life After the Gold Rush
Kate's brother, Keish, built a cabin for her near his own in Carcross. Kate's daughter, Graphie, received her education in schools in Carcross and Whitehorse. Later, Graphie moved to Seattle, Washington.
Kate Carmack passed away in Carcross on March 29, 1920. She died during a worldwide illness called the influenza epidemic, which happened between 1918 and 1920.
Remembering Kate Carmack
Kate Carmack is remembered for her important role in the Klondike Gold Rush. In 2018, she was honored and added to Canada's Mining Hall of Fame. This recognized her presence when the first gold was found in Bonanza Creek. Her contributions, like providing food and clothing, were essential for her family's survival. Her husband, brother, and nephew were also honored for their gold discoveries many years before Kate.
