The Invincible Martha Black

A Klondike Gold Rush odyssey featuring "The First Lady of the Yukon." Climb the treacherous Chilkoot Pass, run the Whitehorse Rapids, and experience what was once the most famous city on Earth: Dawson City.
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*LISTEN WITH DESCRIBED VIDEO: • The Invincible Martha ...
There were many, MANY more entertaining characters in Dawson City we wish we’d had time to include in the episode. We’re very much hoping that we’ll be able to cover some of them in more detail in the future. In fact, we’ve already shot a bunch of footage for an episode about Klondike Kate Rockwell and her rival in Whitehorse, Klondike Kate Ryan, which we’ll be releasing some time in 2019. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it!
There was also Belinda Mulroney, “the richest woman in the Klondike”, whose broken-down pet mule, Gerry, had a habit of poking his head into the saloons to and getting drunk on free booze until he finally got kicked out. (At least, according to some stories - including the tales Pierre Berton tells in “Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush”, although we’ve been told that he could get more than a little carried away with repeating the most exciting myths sometimes.)
There was “Swiftwater” Bill Gates, a dishwasher from Idaho whose claim on Bonanza Creek was so rich he paraded through the muddy streets in a top hat, with a diamond pin in his tie and the only starched collar in town. He fell so deeply in love with a teenage dancer that he offered her her weight in gold if only she would marry him-but still got soundly rejected. He died decades later, searching for silver in Peru.
There was Charlie Kimball, who sold his claim on Bonanza Creek for $100,000, opened a dancehall and was so excited by its success that he got drunk for three straight months, spent all his money on booze, and lost his dancehall in the process.
There’s more to the story of Martha and George, too-especially when it comes to their contributions to the First World War.
When the war broke out, the Blacks were determined to do their part. George created his own Yukon Infantry Company and convinced nearly 300 men to sign up. And when they sailed off to join the fight, Martha made sure she was with them. She spent the war in England, working harder than she’d ever worked before: volunteering for the Red Cross and the YMCA, writing reports for the newspapers back home, and visiting wounded soldiers in hospital. She was even made a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society thanks to a series of talks she gave about the flora of Yukon. (She was very much an expert on the subject; in fact, the Canadian Pacific Railway displayed the art she made of pressed flowers in hotels across the country.)
Just a few months before the end of the war, George joined the list of the wounded. At the Battle of Amiens, his legs were hit by shrapnel and cut through by a machine gun bullet.
And the Blacks were far from the only Yukoners who made sacrifices during those terrible years of the war. Dawson City and Whitehorse spent more per capita on war bonds than any other cities in Canada. And in 1918, the territory was devastated by the sinking of the SS Sophia. The steamship was owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, ferrying passengers between Alaska and Vancouver - including soldiers destined for the front lines in Europe. There were more than 350 people on board when the ship struck a reef. It was stranded there for nearly 48 hours, in sight of the desperate rescuers who tried and failed to save the passengers before the ship finally sank beneath the waves. Every single one of them died. This, too, is a story we’d like to cover in more detail someday. You can read more about the sinking of the Sophia from the Canadian mint, who created a memorial coin this year, here: bit.ly/32oong4
Note: The portrait of Martha Black used in the episode for her journey to Dawson is a substitute for the fact there are no usable photos of her during her younger days. Rather than use a photo of an elderly Martha Black, we chose to find a public domain image that closely resembled her since Martha was not an elderly woman when she first came to Yukon--she grew old here in Canada, and we didn't think it would make sense to use a late photo for her 20s and 30s. We believe strongly that the animations in Canadiana episodes are a way to connect to the past, so we make decisions to strengthen that sensibility, even if it means fudging some lines (think: re-enactments).
A big thank you to Alpine Aviation, Janet and Gerd, and to our pilot Andrew who gave us the experience of a lifetime flying over Chilkoot Pass!

[@Canadiana]

Be sure to watch to the end to see Adam partake in one of the strangest rites of passage in the country: the Sourtoe Cocktail! And check out the description to get a snapshot of a few of the other wild characters who called Dawson City their home during the Gold Rush. Thanks for watching!

[@markdemell3717]

This one hit me in the heart.

[@raed.n3902]

i swear this channel is a masterpiece , it's a hidden treasure !

[@Mikkelltheimmortal]

Wow she sure was an amazing woman. It seems to me that she was born in America but came to life in Canada. She really imbued the spirit of those who were either strong enough or just too stubborn to give up on dreaming and life

[@realFl1ck]

You guys need more views

[@rastamon5403]

Your videos are incredible, I don't understand how you don't have more of a following. Your voice is great for narration. Do you pay for all your flights/lodging etc yourself to make these videos?

[@Canadiana]

Thank you so much for your kind words. We are a team of four working on these videos mostly as a labour of love. Last year we received a small amount of grant funding for 8 episodes which covered our travel expenses. We couldn't have done this without the grant. We're still editing the remaining episodes so there's a few more left to come out through the spring, but after those we'll no longer have the means to continue making these videos-unless we catch some sort of much needed break :) Thanks for watching and many thanks for your encouragement!

[@Vilsoncunha061017]

Yes, I agree with you, because I'm lerning english and, I understood perfectly.

[@deborahleah8704]

This is priceless history. Bravo! Find your future grants🙏🇨🇦💯💪

[@poishish1]

Once again so interesting !!!! Bravo !

[@Canadiana]

Thank you Stephane!

[@mikeappleyard1898]

I nearly died laughing when he said she kept getting "more and more pregnant". I know he only meant that her pregnancy was progressing, thus making a difficult life in the Yukon even more difficult. But the way he said it just sounded so stupid, I couldn't stop laughing for several minutes.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@edreurink6717]

Just as you're laughing at his poor choice of words, I'd like to point out your poor choice of words. Maybe "stupid " was a tad harsh.

[@billpetersen298]

Hardly a poor choice of words. When it’s so funny. I’d say, well written.

[@p4p3rm4t3]

Wow! Thank you so much for these. If I was rich I'd fund 10 seasons.

[@tylerbrown6002]

I just found this channel and I love it. It’s so nice to see a group with a passion for showcasing this great nations rich history and culture.

[@RalphGuest]

I LOVED this story. Talk about taking a roadtrip! Adds a whole new meaning to ‘Black-Power’, wouldn’t you say?

[@k.n.v.b1113]

WOW!!! such and amazing story !! and well produced !

[@JasonKucherawy]

Well done Adam and Canadiana crew!

[@rondavis459]

heard a lot about klondike women but first time for this one. well done

[@sarablueshoes6950]

Thank you! I've been wanting to find a Canadian history channel for so long. Added bonus! You're videos are Exceptionally well done! Historical pictures, great visuals! I'm hooked! Cheers!

[@gregmchale5011]

your team does a wonderful job, professional and important, thank you for you all have enriched our nation, our lives and history.... keep it up!

[@Canadiana]

That's very kind of you to say! That kind of encouragement is what keeps us going!

[@undead4456]

This is incredibly well done! I sincerely hope that you guys can keep the videos coming. I had the privilege to visit white horse last summer and I totally understand Miss black, that place stays with you.

[@fumblerooskie]

I like these stories. I wish I had known about this channel sooner.

[@joshuavandenheuvel6065]

Thank you for these videos. I dont know if you see the comments but your videos are truly truly next level. They are fun, informative and calming. Carry on!

[@Canadiana]

We do! Thank you for watching and for the kind words. We hope you enjoy the rest of the season!

[@bobpowers9637]

Amazing channel. Don’t sell out...keep doing more of the same. Nothing gold can stay ....

[@amybergue2891]

Yukon is indeed a place we fall in love with very easily. Thanks for this marvellous video

[@fumblerooskie]

This is an oddly beautiful story.

[@hotord205]

this is a amazing story and you are very good to tell them 👍👍

[@TheApplecyder]

Love your content! Great host, awesome quality and interesting topics.

[@MartaCharchut-ye7ov]

Love your channel . I teach citizenship classes and English - great content to share with my students .

[@Canadiana]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@CCitis]

Tough Woman. Fascinating Story.

[@joellandry2406]

Spectacular.

[@kendale2003]

I do enjoy learning more about Canada and its past... Very Interesting!!!! Thankyou for putting your time & energy in creating these vids!!! ★★★★★

[@glenparr1155]

Robert Service would make a good Yukon icon story as well. Or Sam Steele.

[@Canadiana]

We've got a couple more short Yukon stories coming!

[@stevedonaghey6436]

Fantastic.

[@robinhooper7702]

Just Subscribe and I gladly hit the notify. Shared you on my facebook friends as well. You made me so proud to be a Canadian. Thanks for that.

[@thisismyoutubehandle1]

This was beautiful.

[@zeldarobinson3382]

An incredible woman .

[@carlandre8610]

I think You could be another Pierre Burton. My country was one of my favourite books growing up. I ended up reading many more books by Burton later in life. Thanks for exposing our exciting history.

[@heathermacdonald7854]

Fascinating. The end was a bit abrupt though. How long did she serve? When did she die?

[@jordonpohl7393]

Thank you for such awesome content! I grew up here in Victoria BC, fifth generation and have loved and hated learning some of our history. It is awesome to see others passionate about their local history as it really is so recent and important to recognize

[@bryanrobertson9667]

This is awesome. Nice work.

[@kristianrjsYT]

I love the Klondike gold rush history, all the stories and lore around the Yukon continue to amaze me. I got to go to Dawson City in September last year, I can't wait to go back. Welcome to the Sourtoe club!

[@Fknheck]

Wow I’ve been to that bridge over the Yukon river I had no idea this had happened there. I find that part really interesting about rafting the rapids that’s my job

[@anndalynnketellapper8296]

My new favourite channel!!

[@nancy78811]

Your videos are giving so much more context and details to the history I learned in the Canadian school system. Thank you for making these.

[@russparker1647]

Thank you. I love this channel.

[@victor-emmanuel7485]

The way you work with sound in your storytelling and editing is simply awesome! What an epicly great youtube channel 👍

[@averylott2214]

Just finding your channel but these are amazing!

[@ravisahota8977]

Great episode

[@BigfootForestVanIsle]

She was amazing!

[@dtruetheeness]

What an incredible story.

[@selfinvolved21]

So interesting ! !!!

[@lindasue8719]

This is only the second video I've watched and already I'm wondering why CBC hasn't picked this up!! ❤️👍🏼🇨🇦

[@sarahtown6105]

Wow! How coolz. I thoroughly enjoy learning about my country's origins!

[@vidhunnanayakkara4289]

They need to make inspirational movies about these stories from canadiana

[@brendacooper5729]

You forgot about George Carmacks and Tagish Charlie, and it was the wife who was scooping water into a pail for coffee that found the flakes in the gravel in the bottom of the pail. There were no local prospectors, they had the place to themselves until they went back to register their claim, the people living in the are were indigenous trappers, the nearest town was a couple of hundred miles away, the actual gold rush did not take place until the following year.

[@daniellel.7365]

Really interesting.

[@cardboardempire]

The Mounties famous red coats. As no unit or army ever wore a red coat up to that point...

[@joshuavandenheuvel6065]

Bedankt

[@Canadiana]

Thank you!

[@cheriecranley-vandekraats111]

I miss living there, it was a beautiful majestic place. Winters were the best, not a lot of tourists and it was dark.

[@user-se6vg7mr1z]

Great storytelling by Canadiana, they are recounting the tales for Canada, there should also be an "Americana", and also an "Australiana", possibly also a "Kiwiana", along with many more "frontier stories" in various different homelands, spread between several continents, these stories are the stories of "legend" and represent the spirit and courage that's needed to overcome challenges, nature, the elements & inclement weather with very little resources at hand, in the initial stages of a "colony" or a "society" or a "culture", starting something from scratch is no small achievement, some actually overcome enormous obstacles, and some have to invent it. The invention of something such as was mentioned, is the "specialty" of the poofters of Eastmal, they specialize in fantasy fiction, where they more often than not, just "COPY" OTHER TALES FROM PREVIOUS ERAS, FROM OTHER CULTURES, AND THEN STAMP IT THEIRS. With this Martha Black story, it is totally believable, as these tough tales of tough conditions, in the frozen North, would be the absolute Norm in those days, where there was very little in terms of resources, services, technology, or anything else, that's how it was in those days, it was tailor-made for those who where very inventive (not in spinning yarns) those that very, very industrious, those that where very practicable, skillful, clever, nimble, a kind of inspector gadget of the times, using only limited resources, of what was available in complete frontier situations, knowledge of numbers, engineering, building, nature, the elements and alchemy would have been useful, and actually life-saving in those conditions, they where the "GROUNDBREAKERS" and the "PIONEERS", cutting a swathe, cutting a path, it was filled with innovations, inventions, creations, originality, it was not for everyone, while later others would follow. Can it be possible, that the "originals" - who pioneered the land, and the culture, eventually get pushed-out? NO, IT CAN'T. I will now tell you a funny little tale of "pretend gangsters" - in pretend scenarios, in pretend situations, in pretend pretensions, with invented, scripted "street-credo's", prancing around like poofy punks, with made-up names, with made-up "nationalities" and made-up "origin stories", one of these hard-core poofters was an "Brazilian" - who was much-more a "Poofy Indian" or a "Paki", a sub-continental, pretending to be a "South American" Latino "gangester", who wore a "pony-tale" (as he was a pony-boy Turk poofter - pretending to be a Brazilian) and he used to prance around BONDI BEACH (of the Great Bondi Swindle fame) he used to hang around the beach day & night, in tight little budgie-smugglers, with his pony-tale swinging a-la Fabio-esco, he used to play volleyball, beach football, and beach paddleball, and beach budgie-smuggling with other poofs. I can't recall his "pretend name", it might have even been Fabio, or something like that. He was in "Bondi Central" for a few years or so, when his "Buzkashi Contract" ran-out, and he was called back to Brazil, he was "bronzed to a crispy" from living 24/7 on-the-beach, he had the gay pony-tale, and it was "not wanted" in Brazil, where he was told by his poof-merchants back home, "Don't come back, with that hairstyle, you have a new-look for a new-job" - So he got together with another "of the most famous poofters in Bondi, his name Dimitri-the pretend-Russian-Gangster, and they decided to VALUE-ADD, A SIMPLE HAIR-CUT............. The two biggest poofters in Bondi, the gaylord Brazilian Turko, and the throat-puppet Russian False-Jew Dimwitri, both just poofters of the FJ-system, both pretend gangsters, both with pretend street-credo, desperate for fantasies, of tough-guy imagery, both Eastmal dickheads, with ZERO-CREDIBILITY, just poofter credentials, from sucking dicks, since childhoods, that's their "hood status". A few days before Fabio flys back to Brazil, they have a gay-get-together, sucking dicks, sitting on the floor, in slave-status conditions, they have their gay-bash, maybe a "mardi-gras-style-bash" and the next day, punzy poofter Fabio, prancing around the Beach, with tight little budgie-smugglers, is floating around near the beach-gym equipment, poof-bossy-boots Dimwitri, also wearing poofy tight red budgie-smugglers, have a kind of FACE-OFF, A BATTLE-OF-THE-BUDGIE-SMUGGLERS, with the prancing Brazilian/Paki-Turko, getting "pummeled" to the ground, and pretend-tough-guy Dimwitri, PULLS-OUT A WEAPON (NOT A HARD-ON, AS HE CANNOT GET-IT UP) Dimwitri, with tough-guy pretentions, with a gangster-script, written for him, pulls-out a "ARMA BLANCA" (A KNIFE) AND CUTS-OFF THE PONY-TAIL OF PONY-BOY FABIO, A SHOW-DOWN ON THE PROMENADE, A LEMONADE BATTLE, ON THE BEACHFRONT, THE BATTLE -OF-THE-BULGE, THE BATTLE ROYALE, THE D-DAY INVASION, DIMWITRI CUTS OFF THE PONYTALE. FABIO, CRYING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL, TERRIFIED OF ANY FURTHER CONSEQUENCES, BEGGING FOR MERCY. HIS PONY-TAIL COPPING A MONUMENTAL WHIPPING, PONY-BOY BEATEN, REJECTED, REHEARSED, RETREATED, THEY SAID HE GOT-ON-A-FLIGHT, JUST A FEW DAYS LATER, WITH SHORT BACK'N'SIDES, WITH A NEW IDENTITY, AND A NEW MISSION, WITH A NEW SUBMISSION BEFOREHAND. POOF-MERCHANT FABIO FLY'S BACK TO BRAZIL. DIMWITRI MEANWHILE, AFTER CUTTING-OFF PONY-BOYS PONY-TAIL, GETS HIS POOF MATE, ANOTHER RUSSIAN POOF, TO CLIMB "THE LIGHT-POLE" - TO IT'S FURTHEST REACHES, HIGHER THAN ANYONE HAS EVER CLIMBED BEFORE. UP & UP THE LIGHT-POLE ABOUT 8 METERS, TO THE TOP. HE TAPES-UP THE PONY-TAIL WITH STICKY-TAPE, ROUND AND ROUND MANY TAPES OF THE STICKY STUFF, TO MAKE SURE THE PONY-TAIL DOESN'T COME-OFF, AND FALL TO THE GROUND......THAT PONY-TAIL WAS UP-THERE FOR OVER A DECADE, AS A WARNING TO OTHERS [THE BEACH] THE BONDI BEACH BELONGS TO POOFTER RUSSIAN FALSE JEW PARASITES. AMEN. *THIS "FARCE-OF-THE-CENTURY" IS THE STUFF OF LEGEND. OF LEGENDARY STUPIDITY AND PRETEND STREET CREDENTIALS, OF EASTMAL USING THEIR BAG OF DIRTY-TRICKS (THE GREAT BONDI SWINDLE) AND THEN USING FANTASY TO RE-INFORCE IT. OF POOFTERS PRETENDING TO BE TOUGH-GUYS. OF PONYTAILS GETTING RAILROADED BY PROXY, GETTING CUT-OFF AND PARADED. OF POOFTER WIRES GETTING CROSSED IN BONDI. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS STORY IS ONLY EVOLVING SINCE WW2, IT'S ONLY IN IT'S INFANCY. DIMITRI IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE FJ'S IDIOCY & FOOLISHRY. THE SPEND-THRIFTS, THROWING BUZ-CASH AROUND THE PLACE LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS, PAYING SOCK-PUPPETS.

[@herzogsbuick]

"As she got more and more pregnant" I'm listening

[@Sharperthanu1]

I feel so sorry for everyone in this especially the horses.

[@megadethforlife84]

I love the video! You might want to tuck in your shirt though!!!

[@Canadiana]

We are thinking of doing a wardrobe change for our next season, but unfortunately we've still got some untucked shorts to put out before then!

[@JJ-ml9sj]

Sad that such a long-standing channel like this seems to struggle to earn subs, cuz these vids are quite fun to watch :) Is a liquor bottle with a toe in it ever called... toe-quilla? Sorry, I'll show myself out...

[@markdemell3717]

That toe drink is just so wrong.

[@jordonpohl7393]

Such a BA! 🙉🙌

[@Grrr604]

guitar part at the beginning is a theory of a deadman song

[@iscaylis]

Next CBC tv series? Lol

[@karenpeck8525]

[@greenman6141]

The horrors we humans have put horses through. It's shameful.

[@vidhunnanayakkara4289]

Who in the world would actually have the guts to dislike this video. :( To the four people that disliked this video, "Wt* WHY!"

[@gordonfarrell6732]

Malaria??

[@SchenectadySlim]

Yaaaaaas Qween!

[@broomfieldsdual-sport]

Poor husband at home with two kids .

[@killer3883]

Left her first 2 kids because she was bored 😞

[@davidhelmes9587]

Why would this woman just leave her family for money .. .

[@1st1anarkissed]

Just how nasty does a husband have to be that his pregnant wife walks to the arctic to escape him?

[@jayneterry8701]

Do you find it difficult to weed through the truth and fiction? Your an interesting story teller but sometimes I find it just to hard to believe!

[@s.leighinc.7972]

Wow

[@hammerhome7879]

Sad to see that rugged individualism is being attacked and destroyed in the "new world"

[@armchairwanderer1287]

😊👍

[@laurieedeburn2449]

share

[@Oldjongcrow416]

🙄👈 SHE REALLY LEFT HER HUSBAND AND TWO KIDS,,, AND YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO WORSHIP HER FOR BEING GREEDY.👈👀👍

[@pleasureincontempt3645]

Nicely done! If you’re ever short on content I would suggest covering the Black Donnellys. A fascinating tale.