ASP Podcast #9: "Treadwell Gold", A conversation with historian and author Sheila Kelly
Author & Historian, Sheila Kelly
Listen to Dan and Sheila with your favorite podcast player, or via Apple Podcasts
Treadwell Gold, An Alaskan Saga of Riches and Ruin
Approaching Juneau, Treadwell on Douglas Island
The Treadwell Mining complex and Sheila's personal connection to its history
The Alaskan Gold Rush; placer mining, hard rock mining, and the Klondike
A timeline, beginning with the Tlingits to the decline of Treadwell
A description of life in Treadwell during it's heyday
The business of a successful mine; labor and management
Willy Kelly, machinist; Gus Anderson, hoist operator
The 1918 catastrophic flooding and cave in at Treadwell
The aftermath; Fire, Taku winds, the Spanish Flu
Reflections on both the Titanic and Treadwell; industrial romance and facts of Nature
ASP Episode #9
Excerpt, Dan:
“As a prelude to this podcast, a bit of context. We discussed and recorded this conversation remotely in March, when COVID-19 was, frankly, on a rampage. As a phenomenon, everyone is affected. That ranges from the utterly catastrophic to simply disruptive and difficult. From a historical perspective, disasters have always followed interesting patterns. There's the warning. There's planning. There's the event itself. And there's the aftermath.
As history can be an important teacher, it's fascinating to see how these patterns play out both then and now, and how our responses bring out the full range of human possibilities. As poignant as these times are, may we pull together in solidarity, bringing out our best, most compassionate human instincts.”