After finally saying Goodbye to our morning visitor, we headed down the road about 116 miles to the quaint town of Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. The Yukon is about the size of California but it's population is only about 35,000 people and the majority of those live in Whitehorse, the Capital.
Construction began on the Alaska Highway in 1942, bringing over 11,000 army personnel, civilians and contractors to the Yukon to work on the project. Watson Lake's world famous "Sign Post Forest" was started in 1942 by Carl Lindley, a homesick U.S. Army soldier. Today, over 68,000 signs are hammered row upon row on the signposts. I added a sign to the Forest.
The name of a popular recreation site at the edge of town is also a reminder of those early days when an enterprising lady set up a tent at Lucky Lake to "entertain" servicemen. Today, Watson Lake is known as the Gateway to the Yukon and the highway is still a central fixture bringing thousands of visitors to the North each year.
Watson Lake is also home to the Yukon's only visitor facility dedicated to the science and folklore of the aurora borealis or "Northern Lights".
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This was reaaly cool! Neat to see all the signs from the world including Montgomery, Alabama!! I love you morning visitor!! Makes me want a burger! So great to see both of you in a picture. I am so happy for you but miss you like crazy!! Luv ya, Billie
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