Besides more people, what else did Alaska get from the gold
rush? In just a few decades the gold rush created towns,
transportation and communications systems. Trails were turned
into roadways. Railway lines were being laid to improve the
efficiency of moving goods around the state. More people meant a
growing interest in better governance. Prospecting continued for
gold, but it expanded to an interest in other valuable minerals
and resources. The need for better communications continues to
be an enduring legacy from the gold rush. From miners trying to
stay in touch with families, to a distant government trying to
maintain order in a huge territory, everyone felt the need to
improve the communication systems. Look at the photograph of the
men commemorating the Juneau-Skaguay cable in 1901. If a
photograph were taken today for a vital communication link,
describe the picture. What would be different? What would be the
same? During the gold rush new towns learned that government
officials could be persuaded to