Belinda Mulrooney
Encyclopedia
Belinda Mulrooney was an entrepreneur and purportedly the "richest woman in the Klondike". She made one fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush
, lost it, and amassed a second, which lasted most of her life.
Mulrooney was born in Ireland. When she was young, her family either emigrated to Pennsylvania, where her father worked as a miner in Scranton
, or sent her to live with relatives there. She set out on her own and operated a sandwich stand during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
in Chicago. With her profits, she traveled to San Francisco in 1894 to set up an ice cream parlor. Undaunted when she lost everything in a fire, she found employment as a stewardess on a Pacific Coast Steamship Company
ship plying its route from California to Alaska, earning extra money by selling necessities and luxuries to the passengers. Discovery of gold at Juneau, Alaska
motivated her to move north in 1896. Then came the Klondike Gold Rush to the east, in Canada.
Instead of seeking her fortune as a prospector, Mulrooney bought supplies of "silk underwear, bolts of cotton cloth and hot water bottles" with her savings of $5000 and transported them over the Chilkoot Pass
to Dawson City, where she sold them for six times that amount in June 1897. She built a restaurant in Dawson, then a roadhouse, the Grand Forks Hotel and restaurant, near the gold fields. Prospering, she started buying mining claims as well; by the end of the year, she either owned or was a partner in five. She sold the hotel for $24,000 and set about building the finest hotel in Dawson. The Fairview Hotel opened its doors on July 27, 1898, with a restaurant and rooms for thirty guests.
Mulrooney once partnered with fellow Klondike legend Alex McDonald
to salvage the cargo from a small ship wrecked on a sand bar. McDonald got there first and took all of the food, leaving only gum boots and whiskey for her. She got her revenge, however. The next spring, when McDonald needed boots for his workers, he had to pay her $100 a pair.
On October 1, 1900, Mulrooney married self-styled "Count" Charles Eugene Carbonneau, who claimed to be a French aristocrat, but was actually a champagne salesman and former barber from Quebec
. By 1903 or 1904, the couple separated, and she lost her fortune. She obtained a divorce in December 1906.
Starting over, she moved to Fairbanks, Alaska
in 1904 or 1905 and prospered once again. She established the Dome City Bank in Fairbanks with her younger sister Margaret.
Mulrooney eventually retired to Yakima, Washington
, where she had a large mansion built. She supported her family until her money ran out. She then moved to Seattle, where she died in 1967.
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
, lost it, and amassed a second, which lasted most of her life.
Mulrooney was born in Ireland. When she was young, her family either emigrated to Pennsylvania, where her father worked as a miner in Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, or sent her to live with relatives there. She set out on her own and operated a sandwich stand during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago. With her profits, she traveled to San Francisco in 1894 to set up an ice cream parlor. Undaunted when she lost everything in a fire, she found employment as a stewardess on a Pacific Coast Steamship Company
Pacific Coast Steamship Company
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company was an important early shipping company that operated steamships on the west coast of North America.-Organization and operations:...
ship plying its route from California to Alaska, earning extra money by selling necessities and luxuries to the passengers. Discovery of gold at Juneau, Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
motivated her to move north in 1896. Then came the Klondike Gold Rush to the east, in Canada.
Instead of seeking her fortune as a prospector, Mulrooney bought supplies of "silk underwear, bolts of cotton cloth and hot water bottles" with her savings of $5000 and transported them over the Chilkoot Pass
Chilkoot Pass
Chilkoot Pass is a high mountain pass through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the U.S. state of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. It is the highest point along the Chilkoot Trail that leads from Dyea, Alaska to Bennett Lake, British Columbia...
to Dawson City, where she sold them for six times that amount in June 1897. She built a restaurant in Dawson, then a roadhouse, the Grand Forks Hotel and restaurant, near the gold fields. Prospering, she started buying mining claims as well; by the end of the year, she either owned or was a partner in five. She sold the hotel for $24,000 and set about building the finest hotel in Dawson. The Fairview Hotel opened its doors on July 27, 1898, with a restaurant and rooms for thirty guests.
Mulrooney once partnered with fellow Klondike legend Alex McDonald
Alex McDonald (prospector)
Alexander "Big Alex" McDonald was a Canadian gold prospector who made a fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush, earning himself the title "King of the Klondike"....
to salvage the cargo from a small ship wrecked on a sand bar. McDonald got there first and took all of the food, leaving only gum boots and whiskey for her. She got her revenge, however. The next spring, when McDonald needed boots for his workers, he had to pay her $100 a pair.
On October 1, 1900, Mulrooney married self-styled "Count" Charles Eugene Carbonneau, who claimed to be a French aristocrat, but was actually a champagne salesman and former barber from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. By 1903 or 1904, the couple separated, and she lost her fortune. She obtained a divorce in December 1906.
Starting over, she moved to Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
in 1904 or 1905 and prospered once again. She established the Dome City Bank in Fairbanks with her younger sister Margaret.
Mulrooney eventually retired to Yakima, Washington
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
, where she had a large mansion built. She supported her family until her money ran out. She then moved to Seattle, where she died in 1967.
External links
- Photograph of Belinda Mulrooney, The Times Leader article "History's strong women lauded"
- Photograph of the Grand Forks Hotel and environs, from the Child Collection, University of Washington Special Collections