Old Yukon

In this humorous and upbeat memoir, James Wickersham (1857-1939) describes his career as a pioneer judge and later as the congressional representative for a vast, snow-covered district, extending over 300,000 square miles in the undeveloped Alaska Territory. Wickersham's many adventures include traveling by dog sled over hundreds of miles through snow-covered mountains; serving as judge for the trials of many famous outlaws in the midst of the gold strikes; and hunting, mining, and climbing in his local Alaska wilderness. Though he was instrumental in the early history of Alaska, and his legacy is evident throughout the state - for example, he named the city of Fairbanks - this is the first and only work to focus on Wickersham's life during this pivotal time in Alaska's history.