Secrets of the Past

speaker Edward Loy, author of “Chasing the Echo: The Call of the Klondike”, an examination of the lives and contributions of the Watts family during the Klondike Gold Rush. Beginning in 1863, John W. Watts made Lafayette his home until his passing in 1901. His son Charles, a dedicated journalist and printer, ventured from Lafayette to Salem, eventually settling in Albany in 1882. Driven by adventure, Charles journeyed to Alaska in 1897 amid the fervor of the gold rush, where he penned 79 letters to his wife and daughter back in Albany. These letters reveal intimate insights into family life and the socio-economic challenges of the era, including reflections on the Panic of 1893 and the pivotal role of women during the Klondike Gold Rush. At the heart of this project is Edward Loy, who conducted extensive research through travels to Alaska, the Yukon, and Pasadena, California. Loy's findings form the basis of the upcoming program, which promises to not only illuminate the stories of the Watts family but also inspire connections to the broader narratives of 19th-century America.