Klondike Kate: Queen of the Yukon Gold Rush

Recorded live on September 16, 2026, at the beautiful McMenamins Elks Temple Spanish Ballroom in Tacoma, Washington.

Most people in the Pacific Northwest know the name Pantages. Far fewer know the woman who helped make that empire possible.

In this live episode of Rainy Day Rabbit Holes, Shea and Jody dive into the extraordinary life of Kathleen Eloisa Rockwell, better known as Klondike Kate, the Queen of the Yukon. From rebellious convent school student to Gold Rush superstar, Kate became one of the most famous women in Dawson City, earning fortunes, collecting marriage proposals, and captivating an entire generation of miners.

Along the way, she crossed paths with a young Alexander Pantages, helped finance the beginnings of his theater empire, and found herself at the center of one of the most fascinating forgotten stories in Pacific Northwest history.

It's a tale of gold rush madness, ambition, heartbreak, reinvention, philanthropy, and one unforgettable woman who refused to live by anyone else's rules.

Plus: the Sourtoe Cocktail, disastrous romance, theater scandals, homesteading in silk slippers, a lawsuit that made headlines across North America, and the surprising Disney connection that helped keep Klondike Kate's legend alive.

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