Arctic Brotherhood Hall

The “A-B” on the facade of this driftwood-covered building alludes to the secretive club to which the building played host. The Arctic Brotherhood Hall was built in 1899 during the Klondike gold rush, according to the National Parks Service. The fraternal order of the Arctic Brotherhood was a fairly exclusive social club, only white men over the age of 18 who resided north of 54th parallel north line were eligible for membership. The first of many crafted by the brotherhood, the hall is situated in the historic Skagway district in Skagway, Alaska, in the Alaskan Panhandle. According to the city’s website, the Hall is the most photographed building in all of Alaska, drawing attention due to the over 8000 pieces of driftwood that decorate the exterior. The building also serves as the visitor center for Skagway, using its unique visual appearance as a landmark to welcome tourists to the historic city.

–Nikki Ranney, 2023

Sources:

• Bowman, Ashley (2014), The Arctic Brotherhood: The Story of Alaska-Yukon's Most Influential Order, Skagway, AK: Lynn Canal Publishing
• Klondike Gold Rush NHP: Skagway, District of Alaska—1884-1912 (Appendix) (nps.gov) 
• Visitor Center (skagway.com)

Nikki Ranney, Seymour Rosen

driftwood

1 folder: images

205 Broadway
Skagway, Alaska, 99840 us
Latitude/Longitude: 59.4539849 / -135.3184314

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