Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory

Description: Blue with the town seal in the center.
Chris Pinette - 07 October 1999

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Originally a First Nation campsite, Whitehorse was named after the rapids south of the city which were said to resemble the manes of charging white horses.

In 1897, the difficulty of traversing the White Horse Rapids in Miles Canyon led to the creation of a horse-drawn tramway serving those on their way to the Klondike to seek gold. This became known as Canyon City.

White Horse became a major transportation hub and in 1942 was a focal point when the U.S. Army constructed the Alaska Highway. White Horse continued to be a transportation and communication hub afterwards, being incorporated as a city in 1950. In 1953, the capital of the Yukon was transferred from Dawson to White Horse and on March 21, 1957 the name was changed by the Geographic Board of Canada to Whitehorse.

Source http://www.yukoninfo.com/whitehorse/info/whitehorsehistory.htm
http://www.visitwhitehorse.com/home.html
Phil Nelson, 12 May 2005