Atlin

Climate diagram
	Temperature in ° C , precipitation in mm
	Source: Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000. In: Environment and Climate Change Canada . Retrieved September 14, 2012 .

Atlin
Location in British Columbia
	Atlin
	Atlin
State :	Canada
Province :	British Columbia
Regional District :	Stikine region
Coordinates :	59 ° 34 ′ N , 133 ° 42 ′ W Coordinates: 59 ° 34 ′ N , 133 ° 42 ′ W
Residents :	402 (as of 2011)
Time zone :	Pacific Time ( UTC − 8 )
Postal code :	V0W

Atlin is a town in northwestern British Columbia , Canada , on Atlin Lake. The name comes from Áa Tlein, the Tlinglit word for "large body of water". The area has been inhabited by inland Tlingit for many years; Atlin is the capital of the "Taku River Tlingit First Nation".

location

Atlin is located in the middle of the eastern shore of the elongated Atlin Lake , which has a north-south extension of about 100 km. The place is around 45 km (as the crow flies) from the border of British Columbia with the Yukon Territory , which is why it can only be reached by road from the Yukon.

history

Atlin was originally a gold rush location . The "Atlin Gold Rush" hit the Atlin area in 1898 and was one of the most profitable parts of the Klondike Gold Rush . By the end of the 1899 gold mining season, about 5,000 people had settled in the area, and Atlin was a busy and important city. On April 1, 1899, a post office was even opened in the village. Although production was greatest in the early years, gold is still mined in Atlin today . Total gold production has exceeded $ 23 million .

In the 1920s, Atlin was a popular destination for “exotic” vacations. Today's road didn't exist, so tourists had to travel via Canada's west coast, the Yukon River, and a number of lakes. Since the route was not continuously navigable, part of it, the land bridge between Tagish Lake and Atlin Lake, was also covered by a railroad. This train was operated as the "Taku Tram" from 1926 on the White Pass and Yukon Route . The last part of the trip led across Atlin Lake, including with the ship "MV Tarahne", which is now a historical monument on the shores of the lake in Atlin. The sophisticated, 3-story hotel "Atlin Inn", which was operated by the Whitepass and Yukon Route, served as accommodation. During this time, Atlin was nicknamed "Little Switzerland of the North" ( "Small due to its location surrounded by mountains Switzerland of the North"). During the Great Depression , tourism declined in Atlin, so the White Pass and Yukon Route and the hotel (which later burned down) and the traffic routes abandoned. As a result, Atlin had a very isolated position, which only changed with the construction of Atlin Road in 1950-51.

As history progresses, Atlin has been and continues to be mining - both by individuals and by large corporations. Gold , silver and molybdenum , among others , were or are mined . In addition, Atlin is now a destination for tourists who go fishing, hunting, hiking and heli-skiing, among other things.

Atlin was also affected by the impact (asteroid impact) that shut down Yukon's electricity grid on January 18, 2000 .

religion

There are three churches of different denominations in Atlin.

Attractions

Grave in the old Atlin cemetery

Atlin is rich in historical mining facilities that can be found in more or less original condition all over the region.

The Atlin Museum provides information and exhibits about the place and its history. It is located in an old schoolhouse that was built in 1902. In addition to this building, there are several other historical buildings from the gold rush time in the center of the village.

The MV Tarahne, a motor ship that ran regular services on Atlin Lake in the 1920s, lies on the shores of Atlin Lake. After it even had to be lengthened to cope with the heavy traffic, it was shut down in the wake of the decline in tourism in Atlin. It was later restored and can be visited today after registration.

A special attraction is the rich nature in and around Atlin. In addition to many lakes and mountains, there is the opportunity to experience wild animals up close. Due to its northern location, there is daylight for up to more than 18 hours in summer. The northern lights can be observed here in autumn and winter .

In winter, the frozen lakes offer many opportunities for cross-country skiing, ice-skating, hiking or snowmobiling.

Culture

The Globe Theater was built as a movie theater in 1917 and renovated in 1998. A stage was also installed. Today, plays, musicals and films are shown there. The Atlin Arts & Music Festival has been held every July since 2003 and offers performances and exhibitions by various artists from all over Canada as well as various workshops.

Infrastructure

traffic

The nearest major city is Whitehorse, 175 km away. There is also a connection to national and international air traffic via Whitehorse Airport. A regular bus service to Whitehorse is offered by the Atlin Express, which runs three times a week between Whitehorse and Atlin. The Atlin Road (Yukon Territorial Highway No. 7), which is passable all year round with normal cars, has been the most important connection to and from Atlin since it was built in 1950–51. It leads from Atlin 98 km to the north to Tagish Road, which joins the Alaska Highway after 2 km at Jake's Corner . The road is developed in the Yukon part, on the British Columbia part it is still narrow and winding, but has been paved throughout since September 2015.

Most of the streets in the center are paved, outside the center there is an extensive network of gravel roads. There is also an airfield that can be approached by small aircraft. However, there is no scheduled flight service. Today there is no more regular traffic on the lake, but there are providers of boats and boat tours on site for excursions.

Supply and disposal

At the time of the gold rush, Pine Creek already had a hydroelectric power station with two turbines that supplied the mining facilities with electricity. However, this power plant has not been in operation for a long time and is noticeably deteriorating. Today Atlin has a diesel-powered power station that supplies the town center and the surrounding districts with its own power grid with the AC voltage of 120 V / 60 Hz that is common in Canada. At the moment (2009) a hydroelectric power station is under construction, which is fed by Pine Creek and which will replace the diesel power station in the foreseeable future.

There is no public water or sewage system. The water is taken from the lake or from house wells, while the waste water is disposed of via septic tanks or waste water tanks that are emptied regularly.

communication

Atlin is connected to the public telephone network. An internet connection via satellite is possible everywhere (provided there is a power supply). However, there is no cellular network.

Healthcare

There is an infirmary in the village that offers basic health care.

education

The Atlin School offers education from kindergarten to twelfth grade (Senior Secondary School).

economy

Companies

In addition to various companies that ensure the basic supply of the place, some mining companies are active in Atlin. Due to the high raw material prices, several new mining projects were started in 2008. A camp was set up at Pine Creek, which will later serve as accommodation for several hundred workers in a molybdenum mine.

tourism

In addition to mining, tourism also has a certain importance in Atlin. From campsites to bed and breakfasts to hotels, various people and companies deal with the accommodation of visitors. In winter, heli-skiing is also practiced on the surrounding mountains.

The place is also the starting point for tours in and through the Atlin Provincial Park and Recreation Area , which is located on the opposite bank.

Web links

Atlin ( English, French ) In: The Canadian Encyclopedia .
Site of the place
Atlin Arts & Music Festival website
Taku River Tlingit run-of-river project

Individual evidence

^ Origin Notes and History. Atlin. GeoBC , accessed on August 16, 2017 .

[1] Origin Notes and History. Atlin. GeoBC , accessed on August 16, 2017 .