The precise construction start date for the White Pass and Yukon Route Depot is not definitively documented. However, its construction likely began soon after May 27, 1898, following the Skagway City Council's grant of a right-of-way to the railroad company for tracks on Broadway.
Construction Timeline and Context
The White Pass and Yukon Route Depot, a significant piece of railway infrastructure, was part of the broader construction efforts for the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad.
- Railroad Commencement: Construction of the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad officially began on May 27, 1898. This marked the start of ambitious plans to connect the coast with the Yukon interior, crucial for the Klondike Gold Rush.
- Depot Groundwork: While an exact start date for the depot building itself remains unrecorded, historical accounts suggest it was probably staked out or actively under construction shortly after the Skagway City Council approved the right-of-way for railroad tracks along Broadway. This approval would have been a prerequisite for the depot's establishment in its location, tying its initiation closely to the earliest phases of railroad development in Skagway.
Therefore, although a specific "built on" date isn't available, the depot's origins are rooted in the very beginnings of the White Pass & Yukon Route railway, placing its likely commencement in the latter half of 1898.
