The town of Dawson City came into prominence during the Klondike gold rush of 1898, when the population boomed and the city grew from a moose pasture into a bustling metropolis of some 30–40,000 people, all seeking their fortune in the new “Paris of the North.” The town continues to mine gold, but tourism is now one of Dawson City’s key sources of income.

Dawson City Museum  has exhibits on the Klondike, with features on the gold rush and artifacts from that period. A popular attraction is Diamond Tooth Gertie’s , the gambling hall complete with a honky-tonk piano and can-can girls.