Cyr’s Gold Dredge

Embrace the spirit of the Yukon's illustrious gold mining past with a visit to Cyr’s Gold Dredge, an iconic relic from a bygone era where fortune-seekers and ingenious minds converged in pursuit of precious metals. Crafted with remarkable Yukon resourcefulness, the dredge was engineered in 1940 by two enterprising souls, Laurent Cyr and Boyd Gordon, who infused life into this mechanical marvel by repurposing a Caterpillar tractor into its heart, supplemented by a car motor and an array of homemade components.

Floating majestically downriver to its designated workstation, Cyr's Gold Dredge stands as a testament to the tenacity and cleverness embodied by the miners during the fervent Goldrush period. With its improvised bucket line, the dredge efficiently churned through river gravels, its rotating trammel screening the sediment with precision, leaving behind gold-bearing concentrates that shimmered with the promise of wealth.

The legacy of Cyr’s Gold Dredge is immortalized by the significant triumph of its initial run, where 72 ounces of ‘flour’ gold were extracted from the river bars within a mere 20 days—a remarkable feat that encapsulates the hope and enthusiasm of the age. Although a planned return to the rich river bars did not materialize, the dredge remains a cherished historical treasure, offering a tangible connection to the adventurous spirit and innovative prowess of those who once walked the path of wild ambitions in the rugged northern landscape.

Today, visitors to this historical monument can revel in the ingenuity of the past, drawing inspiration from a tangible piece of Yukon gold mining heritage that whispers tales of determination, innovation, and the timeless allure of gold. Description by ChatGPT.