WATSON LAKE,
YUKON
Carl Kenneth Lindley (1942)
Click here for Biography of Carl K. Lindley
History of the
Alaska Highway
The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was the
incident that started one of the greatest engineering feats of
the century! With the threat of the Japanese invasion during
World War II, the Alaska Highway was built. It provided a
supply route from Alaska to the lower forty-eight states. The
highway starts at mile "0", located at Dawson Creek, British
Columbia, and ends at Delta Junction, Alaska. At that point
the highway connects with the existing Richardson Highway, to
Fairbanks, Alaska.
Watson Lake, YT
The town of Watson Lake, the Yukon's Gateway, is located at the famous 635 mile marker along the Alaska Highway. It is 7.4 miles from the southeastern tip of the Yukon , and 274 miles east of the capital city, Whitehorse. In this town of about 1,700 people, is the visitor information centre, located in the Alaska Highway Interpretive Centre. Another amazing site in Watson Lake, is the Northern Lights Centre. By using the latest technology, inside a special tilted dome, features an opportunity to understand the myth, folklore, and science of the northern lights. Also located in the city is the world famous Sign Post Forest. This tradition started in 1942 by Carl K. Lindley, a U. S. Army Engineer, 341 company "D". When building many signs in the area, he added a sign to a sign post which stated, "Danville, Illinois, 2835 miles". This tradition has continued over the years from travelers passing through Watson Lake. Currently at the end of the 2017 tourist season, from all over the globe, there are more than 80,000 signs.
Carl Kenneth and Elinor Lindley at the Signpost Forest
during Rendezvous 92
50 year celebration