Martin Itjen
Encyclopedia
Martin Itjen is most famous for being the unofficial premier tour director of Skagway, Alaska
in the early 1900s. He held many distinct titles, including that of miner, railroad employee, hotel operator, hack service, the town's undertaker, Ford motor car dealer, and a tour guide. Much of Skagway's early history was saved from destruction because of his interest in the city.
Martin was born in Dorum
, Germany
. He arrived in the United States
on February 5, 1891 in Charleston, South Carolina
. Relatives say Martin denied his German citizenship, claiming he was from Austria, possibly to evade the German draft of the era. From Charleston, Martin went to Jacksonville, Florida
and set up shop as a storekeeper. It is assumed by Martin's descendants, that Martin met his wife, Lucille Petitclare here, as Lucy's death certificate also notes that she had several cousins in Florida.
from Jacksonville, Florida
, as a stampeder, in the spring of 1898, at the height of the Klondike gold rush
. He later sent for his wife, Lucy, to join him in Skagway. He tried his luck at prospecting. Martin took up employment working for the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, while seeking his fortune in gold prospecting. Becoming overly successful at neither, he went into the undertaking business. Between 1915 and 1917 He ran a hack service. It was a wagon that he used as a tour taxi and a coal hauling business.
that at the pull of a handle, Martin would make Soapy salute walking pedestrians as he passed them. The buses toured the streets of Skagway and visited the Gold Rush Cemetery and other Skagway attractions. Martin's tour was quite a show: he recited poetry, told stories, and related humorous anecdotes of Skagway during the gold rush.
In 1935, as a great publicity stunt, Martin took his "street car" to Hollywood to promote Skagway tourism. He called on big screen starlet, Mae West
, to "come up and visit him sometime." The pair was popular with newsmen and photographers. Martin attracted numerous screen queens to his side, for photographs, while in the movie capital. Skagway, Alaska
had become a tourist stop, thanks to Martin.
In 1938 Martin published a book and an LP (long playing) record, entitled, The Story of the Tour on the Skagway, Alaska Street Car. Martin's tours were theatrical productions, complete with motorized mechanical actors, poetry and humorous ancedotes, all relating to the colorful history of Skagway and its inhabitants.
's grave, who was at the height of power when Itjen arrived, and was killed in Skagway at the Shootout on Juneau Wharf
. A postcard from the era shows Martin, just outside of the graveyard, showing off the world's largest nugget, chained to a tree with a huge chain. In reality, it was just a huge bolder Martin had painted gold. In 1935 Martin purchased and restored Soapy's saloon as part of his streetcar tour. Guests, upon opening the front door to enter, were greeted by an effigy of Soapy Smith
standing at the bar. With Martin's mechanical artistry, the front door made Soapy's head turn towards the entering guests, as his hand, complete with beer mug, raised in a toast of welcoming.
Martin Itjen died on December 3, 1942, and Lucy died December 27, 1946. They are buried very near Martin's "world's largest nugget". Their home has been restored by the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
, and is used as a Trail Center for those wishing to hike the gold trails.
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
in the early 1900s. He held many distinct titles, including that of miner, railroad employee, hotel operator, hack service, the town's undertaker, Ford motor car dealer, and a tour guide. Much of Skagway's early history was saved from destruction because of his interest in the city.
Martin was born in Dorum
Dorum
Dorum is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany.The Land of Wursten, whatever a rather autonomous farmers' republic including Dorum, had long been claimed by the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, until in 1524 it could be definitely be subjected...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He arrived in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on February 5, 1891 in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Relatives say Martin denied his German citizenship, claiming he was from Austria, possibly to evade the German draft of the era. From Charleston, Martin went to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and set up shop as a storekeeper. It is assumed by Martin's descendants, that Martin met his wife, Lucille Petitclare here, as Lucy's death certificate also notes that she had several cousins in Florida.
Introduction to the Klondike (1898)
Martin Itjen came to Skagway, AlaskaSkagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
from Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, as a stampeder, in the spring of 1898, at the height of the Klondike gold rush
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
. He later sent for his wife, Lucy, to join him in Skagway. He tried his luck at prospecting. Martin took up employment working for the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, while seeking his fortune in gold prospecting. Becoming overly successful at neither, he went into the undertaking business. Between 1915 and 1917 He ran a hack service. It was a wagon that he used as a tour taxi and a coal hauling business.
Story of the Skagway streetcar
When business was slow he built a tour bus from an old Ford bus. Martin referred to it as a "streetcar." He began giving tours of the goldrush town. By the 1930s he became Skagway's premier tour agent. The most picturesque car carried a bear cub on the front, the bear growling and pointing to the right or left as the car turned. A small mannequin on the front was operated by foot pedal. He nodded his head, waved a flag, rang a bell, and puffed exhaust smoke through a cigarette. One of the buses had an effigy of Soapy SmithSoapy Smith
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
that at the pull of a handle, Martin would make Soapy salute walking pedestrians as he passed them. The buses toured the streets of Skagway and visited the Gold Rush Cemetery and other Skagway attractions. Martin's tour was quite a show: he recited poetry, told stories, and related humorous anecdotes of Skagway during the gold rush.
In 1935, as a great publicity stunt, Martin took his "street car" to Hollywood to promote Skagway tourism. He called on big screen starlet, Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
, to "come up and visit him sometime." The pair was popular with newsmen and photographers. Martin attracted numerous screen queens to his side, for photographs, while in the movie capital. Skagway, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
had become a tourist stop, thanks to Martin.
In 1938 Martin published a book and an LP (long playing) record, entitled, The Story of the Tour on the Skagway, Alaska Street Car. Martin's tours were theatrical productions, complete with motorized mechanical actors, poetry and humorous ancedotes, all relating to the colorful history of Skagway and its inhabitants.
Opens Soapy Smith museum
Martin branched out to become the badly needed caretaker of the city's gold rush cemetery. This included badman Soapy SmithSoapy Smith
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
's grave, who was at the height of power when Itjen arrived, and was killed in Skagway at the Shootout on Juneau Wharf
Shootout on Juneau Wharf
The Shootout on Juneau Wharf was a gunfight that occurred at about 9:15 PM on Friday, July 8, 1898, in Skagway, District of Alaska, in the United States.-Background:...
. A postcard from the era shows Martin, just outside of the graveyard, showing off the world's largest nugget, chained to a tree with a huge chain. In reality, it was just a huge bolder Martin had painted gold. In 1935 Martin purchased and restored Soapy's saloon as part of his streetcar tour. Guests, upon opening the front door to enter, were greeted by an effigy of Soapy Smith
Soapy Smith
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
standing at the bar. With Martin's mechanical artistry, the front door made Soapy's head turn towards the entering guests, as his hand, complete with beer mug, raised in a toast of welcoming.
Martin Itjen died on December 3, 1942, and Lucy died December 27, 1946. They are buried very near Martin's "world's largest nugget". Their home has been restored by the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park commemorating the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s. The gold rush was in the Yukon Territory, and this park comprises staging areas for the trek there, and routes leading in its direction...
, and is used as a Trail Center for those wishing to hike the gold trails.
External links
- Bob Wieking, descendant of Martin Itjen
- Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park- Point mouse onto Martin Itjen house and click
- http://www.skagwaystreetcar.com/ourStory.html, Skagway Street Car Company - Martin's Street Car Tour Company Revived!