Mystery Boat

The AHS Mystery Boat rests on Trainor Avenue between First and Second Street. *Photo by Carolyn Moore*

Excerpted from research done by Kate Fisher

“Dick Dunlop was the owner of the boat. Dick was a millwright (sawmill) on Taku Arm. (Source Win Acheson). He married Helen Louisa Solis in Atlin in 1907.
Pictures of the boat were found in Ernie and Vickie Clarke’s photo collection.” -KF

The cabin wraps around and has small windows - even the front window is fairly small. The cabin superstructure has changed several times over the lifetime of the boat. The boat length is about 17 ft

“It is the shape of the stern that leads me to think its identification is correct. The superstructure has no doubt changed over time.” -KF

Check these details: at the stern, the gunwale dips down. The rest of the gunwale runs parellel to the rub rail.
*Photos by Carolyn Moore*

Brad Smith and Carolyn Moore tracked down photos of the Mystery Boat in the 70's. It must have been important; it's beached right between the Tarahne and the Atlinto. Notice the identifying shape of the gunwale at the stern.

Floating now on a sea of gravel. Her superstructure was jerry-rigged together by the three people who relocated her. To move her here, they placed 2 straps under her and lifted her gently with a fork lift, rocking her slowly onto her gravel sea. *Photo by Carolyn Moore*

Perhaps some day we will know more about the AHS Mystery Boat. For now, we know an awful lot about the family who owned it. “Dick Dunlop was a millwright (sawmill) on Taku Arm. (Source Win Acheson). He married Helen Louisa Solis in Atlin in 1907. It was Helen’s 2nd marriage: She came from St. Louis, MO to Skagway in 1898. She married Harry Henning, also of St. Louis, in Skagway before traveling over the Chilkoot in April 1899. Her son Frank Henning was born June 7, 1899, 1st white boy (not child) born in Atlin. Harry left Helen with a 3 year old in 1902 after his tragic suicide. Alone, she continued to run their tent restaurant which they had started in Discovery. In 1905 Helen worked in a cafe located in Atlin at Discovery Avenue and First Street. This restaurant was lost to an Atlin fire in 1916. Helen was referred to by all as ‘Nanny’.” -KF

“Dick shared stories of his early days by writing an article for the Whitehorse Star of July 10, 1957. One of his first jobs in the north in 1898 was making rails for the Taku Tram. He only prospected one summer and then focused on his sawmill. He was never a drinking man, but confessed to ‘cussing'. He called it ‘up river’ language: “the further up the creek you got, the tougher the language got.” Dick Dunlop passed away July 20, 1957, just 10 days after the Whitehorse Star article appeared. Helen lived to be 80, passing away in 1956.” -KF

The Atlin Museum