"The Encyclopedia of Northern Shipping" from which this list was created was developed over several years beginning in 1995, from a wide variety of sources including corporate records, advertisements, memoirs, newspaper articles, and the compilations of Bill MacBride, Edward Affleck and John Mills. We plan to offer the entire 700-page encyclopedia as a pdf as soon as possible.

    The 18 boat names which are followed by (?) are suspect, for a wide variety of reasons - vague or inconsistent references, lack of an indication as to whether they were sternwheelers or propeller-driven, advertisements with no proof that the boats ever actually sailed (a fairly common occurrence), renamed and/or rebuilt boats, and so on. There are also many boats for which we may never find "proof" of their existence - these are generally small home-made affairs which made only one trip to one of the mining fields, where their machinery would be removed and put to work extracting gold or operating a sawmill.

    Note that this roster includes those boats which worked on the Stikine River route to the Cassiar and Klondike gold fields, and those which were reported to be enroute to Alaska.

    There are 362 sternwheelers listed on this page. There is also a separate page listing 13 side paddlewheelers; 266 propeller-driven boats; 106 barges; and 1 raft.

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When included, dates indicate the period of Yukon/Alaska service only
Some boats are listed twice due to name changes - the second listing is not numbered.

1. A. B. Graham (1898 - may not have reached Alaska)
2. Agnes E. Boyd (1898)
3. A. J. Goddard (1897-1901) - see Clara Goddard obituary
4. Aksala (1927-1952) (formerly Alaska)
5. Alameda (1898)
   Alaska (1913-1927) (renamed Aksala)
6. Alaskan (1898-1899)
7. Alaska Union (1898)
8. Alert (1898-1901)
9. Alfred J. Beach (1898, lost at sea en route to Alaska)
10. Alice (1895-1914)
11. Alice II (1909-1953)
12. All Nations (1908) (?)
13. Altona (1907)
14. Alviso (1898)
15. Anawanda (1898)
    Angeline (reported incorrectly; see Anglian)
16. Anglian (1897-1904)
    Anglican (reported incorrectly; see Anglian)
17. Arctic (1889-1897)
18. Arctic Bird (1898-1905)
19. Arctic Boy (1898-1901)
    Arctic Queen (see Emma Nott)
20. Argo (1898, lost at sea en route to Alaska)
21. Argo (1898-1900)
22. Arnold (1898-1905)
23. Athol (1898)
24. Aubur (1898)
25. Aurora (1898)
26. Aurora (1911)
27. Aurora No. 2
28. Aurum (1904-1917)
29. Australian (1899-1915)
30. Bailey (1899-1931)
    Barr - see John C. Barr
31. Barry K. (1923-1948) (formerly Lewiston)
32. Beaver (1876-1878)
33. Beaver (1895-1898)
34. Beaver (1898) (trip not completed - returned to Victoria)
35. Bella (1896-1914)
36. Bellingham (1897-1898)
37. Ben Hur (1906)
38. Bonanza King (1898-1928) (formerly Gov. Pingree)
    Bradley - see C. H. Bradley
39. Burpee (1898-1900)
40. Caledonia (Skeena and Stikine Rivers, 1891-1898)
41. Caledonia (1898-1908) (1907, renamed Northwestern)
42. Canadian (1898-1930)
43. Caribou
44. Casca (1898-1911)
45. Casca No. 2 (1911-1936)
46. Casca No. 3 (1937-1952)
47. Cassiar (Stikine River 1879)
48. Caswell (Copper River ca.1909)
49. Chas. H. Hamilton (1897-1914)
    Charles Power (1898, existence doubtful - probably Chas. H. Hamilton or T. C. Power)
50. Christine (1915-1919)
51. City of Bradford (1898)
52. City of Chicago (1898) (?)
53. City of Dawson (1898) (existence not confirmed)
54. City of Paris (1898-1901)
55. City of Sault Ste. Marie (1898-1899)
56. Clan MacDonald (1898) (existence not confirmed)
57. Clara (1898-1902)
58. Clara Monarch (1901-1906)
59. Clifford Sifton (1898-1905)
60. Clio (1898)
61. Col. McNaught (1898)
62. Columbian (1897-1906)
63. Constantine (1898, lost at sea en route to Alaska)
64. Cora (ca. 1892-1894)
65. Courser (1898)
    Crimmins - see Wilbur Crimmins
    Cudahy - see John Cudahy
66. D. A. Grant (1904) (?)
67. Daisy Bell (1898-1899)
68. Dalton (1898, built for Stikine River service, never went)
69. D. Armstrong (1898)
70. Dawson (1901-1926)
71. Delta (1905-1916)
72. Diogenes (1904)
73. Distributor (1908)
74. Dora (1898-1899) (1899, renamed Olive May)
75. Dorothy (1898)
76. D. R. Campbell (1898-1914)
77. Duchesnay (1898-1899) (renamed Gen. Jeff. C. Davis)
78. Dusty Diamond (1898-1905)
    Eldorado (1898-1903) - see Philip B. Low
79. Ella (1905-1907)
80. Ellwood (1898-1901)
81. Emil (?-1902) (?)
82. Emily M. (ca. 1898-1900)
83. Emma (Lake Bennett, 1898)
84. Emma (1898-1899) (?)
85. Emma Nott (1898-1908)
86. Englewood (1898)
87. Eugene (1897)
88. Eva Fay (1899)
    Evans - see W. H. Evans
89. Evelyn (1908-1913) (renamed Norcom)
90. Explorer (1892-1906)
91. Fannie (1900)
92. F. H. Kilbourne (1898-1901)
93. F. K. Gustin (1898-1914)
94. Flora (1898-1902)
95. Florence (1898-1909)
96. Florence Henry (?-1918)
97. Florence S. (1898-1913)
98. Flying (?-1917)
99. Flying Dutchman (Stikine River, 1862)
100. Fortune Hunter (aka Helen Bruce) (1898-1905)
101. Frontiersman (1907-1911)
102. Fulton (1898)
103. Gamecock (1898, wrecked at Columbia River Bar en route to Alaska)
104. Gem (Stikine River, 1874)
     Gen. Jeff C. Davis (1899-1933) (formerly Duchesnay)
105. Gen. J. W. Jacobs (1908-1940s)
106. Gertrude (Stikine River, 1875-1878)
     Glasscock - see Gamecock
107. Gleaner (1899-1932)
108. Glenora (Stikine River, 1874)
109. Glenora (1898-1902)
110. Glenora (1900) (?)
111. G. M. Dawson (1898)
     Goddard - see A. J. Goddard
112. Golden Hind (1904)
113. Gold Star (1898-1906)
     Gov. Pingree (1898) (renamed Bonanza King)
     Grahamona - see Northwestern
     Graff - see Mary F. Graff
114. Gulkana (1909-1911)
115. Gypsy Queen (1898)
116. Hamburg (1899)
117. Hamlin (1898-1917)
118. Hannah (1897-1914)
119. Hattie B. (1906)
120. Hattie Bell (1898)
121. Hazel B. (1918-1930)
122. Hazelton (1907-1912)
     Helen Bruce - see Fortune Hunter
     Hemrich - see Katie Hemrich
123. Herbert (1906)
124. Herman (1898-1921)
125. Hootalinqua (1946-1950s)
126. Hope (1875-1882)
127. Ida Belle (1899) (?)
128. Ida May (1900-1914) (formerly W. H. Rideout)
129. Iditarod (1909)
130. Idler (1911)
131. Illinois (1898)
132. Independence (1898-1905)
133. Indianapolis (1898)
134. Indoko Flyer (1908)
135. International (1898, lost at sea en route to Alaska)
136. Iowa (1898)
     Irving - see Willie Irving
137. Isabelle (1899-1914)
138. Iskoot (1898, lost en route to the Stikine)
     Jacobs - see Gen. J. W. Jacobs
139. James Domville (1898-1899)
140. James H. Hamilton (1899)
141. J. B. Kerr (1898)
142. Jennie K. (1899)
143. Jennie M. (1898-1899)
144. Jessie (1898)
145. John C. Barr (1898-1914)
146. John Cudahy (1897-1914)
147. John Hamilton (1897)
148. John J. Healy (1896-1914)
149. John Reilley (1898-1905)
150. Joseph Clossett (1898-1903)
     Josie C. - see Joseph Clossett
151. J. P. Light (1898-1930s)
152. Julia B. (1908-1924)
153. Kalamazoo (1898)
154. Katie Hemrich (1900) (formerly Van Vliet)
155. Kavatka (1907) (?)
156. Keno (1922-1951)
     Kerr - see Robert Kerr
157. Keystone (ca. 1900) (?)
158. Kieukik (1897) (?)
     Kilburn - see F. H. Kilbourne
159. Klondike (1928-1936)
160. Klondike No.2 (1937-1955)
161. Klondyke (1898-1917)
162. Klondyke (1920-1924)
163. Kluahne (1909-1919)
164. Koyukuk (1900-1902)
165. Koyukuk (1902-1906)
166. Koyukuk No.2 (1906-1911)
167. La France [or Lafrance] (1902-1911)
168. Lavelle Young (1898-1920)
169. Leah (1898-1906)
170. Leon (1898-1914)
171. Leota (1898-1920)
     Lewiston (1923-1948) (renamed Barry K.)
172. Lightning (1898-1916)
173. Lilly C. (1898-1900)
174. Linda (1898-1914)
175. Linderman (1898-1899)
176. Little Delta (1908)
177. Little Jim (1898) (?)
178. Little Snug (1910)
179. Lizzie B. (1898)
180. Lola Lee Collins (1898-1900)
181. Lorellei (1898-1902)
182. Lorenda (1898)
183. Los Angeles (1898)
184. Lotta Talbot (1898-1906)
185. Louise (1898-1926)
186. Louise (1898-1899)
187. Luella (1898-1910)
188. Lulu Stewart (1898)
     Lully C. - see Lilly C.
189. Lulu Stewart (?)
190. McConnell (1898-1901)
191. Mabel C. (1898)
192. Manook (1899)
193. Marathon (1909) (?)
194. Mare Island (1897)
195. Margaret (1897-1914)
196. Marion (1901)
197. Marjorie (1899-1904)
198. Martha Clow (1898-1910)
199. Mary D. Hume (?)
200. Mary Ellen Galvin (1898)
201. Mary F. Graff (1898-1904)
202. Mascot (1898, ?)
203. Mascotte (1898)
204. May (1898)
205. May D. (1898-1900)
206. May West (1896-1903); renamed Scout in 1903, then Vidette, 1903-1917
207. Midnight Sun (1911)
208. Milwaukee (1898-1900)
209. Minneapolis (1898-1947)
210. Minnesota (1898)
211. M. L. Washburn (1911-1920)
212. Mocking Bird (1898)
213. Monarch (1898-1917)
214. Monarch (1898-1902); renamed Clara Monarch (1902-?)
215. Mono (1898-1902)
216. Monte Cristo (1898-1903)
217. Mount Royal (1902-1907)
     Mukluk - see Seattle (No. 1)
218. Mumford (1866-1868)
219. Nahleen (1898-1899)
220. Nancy Belle (?)
221. Nasutlin (1898)
222. Nasutlin (1912-1951)
223. Nellie (Stikine River, 1878-1888)
224. Nenana (1933-1954)
225. Nenana (1933)
226. Nenana (n.d.)
227. New Racket (1883-1897)
228. New York (1899)
229. Niagara (1898-1899)
230. Nizina (1909)
231. Nora (1898-1903)
     Norcom (1913-1918) (formerly Evelyn)
232. Northern(1898)
233. Northern Light (1896-1898)
234. Northern Light (1898)
235. Northern Light (1914)
236. North Star (1898)
237. Northwestern (1940-1949) (formerly Grahamona)
238. Nugget (1898)
239. Nunivak (1897-1909)
240. Ogilvie (1898-1901)
     Ogilvie (1899-1915) - see William Ogilvie
241. Oil City (1898-1914)
     Olive May (1899-1908) (formerly Dora)
242. Olympia (1917)
243. Ora (1898-1905)
244. Otter (1898)
245. Otter (1899)
246. Pauline (1900)
247. Pauline (1907-1916)
248. Paul Walters (1898)
249. Peep (1909)
250. Pelly (ca. 1890)
251. Philip B. Low (1898); 1898, renamed Eldorado
252. Pilgrim (1898-1914)
253. Pinafore (1898)
254. Pioneer (1911) (?)
255. Pioneer (1916)
256. Port Simpson (1909-1910)
257. Portus B. Weare (1892-1914)
258. Powell (1898)
     Power - see T. C. Power
259. Prospector (1901-1911)
260. Pup (1905)
261. Puritan (1898)
262. Quick (1900-1912)
263. Quickstep (1898-1922)
264. Ramona (1898)
265. Rampart (1908-1914)
     Reaper - see Zealandian
266. Redlands (1898)
267. Red Rider
268. Reindeer (1898-1900)
269. Reliance (1880)
270. Reliance (1907-1927)
271. Research (1898-1911)
     Rideout - see W. H. Rideout
272. Robert Kerr (1898-1915)
273. Rock Island (1898-1906)
274. Rock Island No. 2 (1898)
275. Rothesay (1898, built for Stikine River but never came north)
276. Rough Rider (1902-1905)
277. Ruth (1898-1901)
278. St. James (1899)
279. St. Joseph (1898)
280. St. Michael (1879-1914)
281. St. Michael (1898-1913)
282. St. Michael No. 2 (1898)
283. Samson (1898)
284. Samson (1910-1949)
285. Sarah (1898-1918)
     Sault Ste. Marie - see City of Sault Ste. Marie
286. Sayak (1900)
287. S. B. Matthews (1895)
288. Schwatka (1898-1917)
289. Schwatka (1905) (?)
290. Scotia (1899-1918)
     Scout - see May West
291. Seattle (1898-1914)
292. Seattle No. 1 (1897-1900)
293. Seattle No. 3 (1898-1922)
294. Seattle No. 4 (1898-1914)
295. Selkirk (1901-1920)
296. Senator Wm. B. Allison (1898)
297. Shusana (1913-1914)
298. Sibilla (1916)
299. Skagit Chief (1898)
300. Sovereign (1898-1904)
301. Staghound (1898, wrecked at sea en route to Alaska)
302. Starkey (1898)
303. Stikine Chief (1898)
304. Strathcona (1898)
305. Sunflower (1900)
306. Susana (1913)
307. Susannah (1889)
308. Susie (1898-1920)
309. Sybil (1898-1904)
310. Tacoma (1898-1914)
311. Tana (1905-1916)
312. Tanana (1898-1900)
313. Tanana (1904-1921)
314. Tanana Chief (1898)
315. T. C. Power (1898-1914)
316. Teddy H. (1910-1929)
317. Tetlin (1908)
318. Thistle (1897)
319. Thistle (1902-1929)
320. Thlinket (1893-1904)
321. Thomas Dwyer (1897-1898)
322. Thomas Flyer (1912)
323. Tonsina (ca. 1907)
324. Tosi (1949)
325. Tourist (1907)
326. Tutshi (1917-1955)
327. Tyconda (1901-1915)
328. Tyrrell (1898-1920s)
329. Valley City (1898)
     Van Vliet (1898-1900) (renamed Katie Hemrich)
330. Vedder (Stikine River, 1914)
331. Victoria (1897-1914)
332. Victoria (1898-1900)
333. Victorian (1898-1899)
334. Victorian (1898-1916)
     Vidette - see May West
335. Viola (ca. 1898)
336. Vivian (1898-1900)
337. Wallace Langley (1936)
338. Walter J. Beach (1898)
339. Weona (1898)
340. Western Slope (1879-1880)
341. Western Star (1898)
342. W. H. Bancroft (1911)
343. W. H. Evans (1898-1900)
344. White Horse (1901-1955) (renamed Whitehorse ca. 1922)
345. White Seal (1905-1949)
     W. H. Rideout (1898-1900) (renamed Ida May)
346. W. H. Seward (1898)
347. Wilbur Crimmin (1898-1923)
348. Wild Cat (1898)
349. Wilder (1866-1867) (first sternwheeler to ascend the Yukon River)
350. Will H. Isom (1901-1914)
351. William Ogilvie (1899-1915)
352. Willie Irving (1897-1899)
353. W. K. McKenzie (1899) (?)
354. W. K. Merwin (1897-1900)
355. W. S. Stratton (1898-1899)
356. Wyvern (1898-1900)
357. York Barrington (1911) (?)
358. Yukon (1883-1901)
359. Yukon (1913-1942)
360. Yukoner (1898-1904)
361. Zealandian (1899-1931) (formerly Reaper)
362. Zodiac (1904)

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References & Further Reading:

• Affleck, Edward L. - Afflecks' List of Sternwheelers Plying the Yukon Waterways (Vancouver, BC: Affleck, 1995)
• Mills, John M. - Canadian Coastal and Inland Steam Vessels, 1809-1930 (Providence, RI: Steamship Historical Society, 1979)

To Northern Ships and Shipping

©1995-2020 Murray Lundberg:
Use for other than research purposes must be approved by the author.