Snippets of: Nome, Alaska Part 1

In Sweden, 1857, a little boy was born into poverty. Sweden sounds very far from Nome, Alaska, and a poor boy being born seems to have nothing to do with Nome, however, Eric Lindblom was pivotal in the history both of Nome, and the United States.

I seriously doubt that anyone has ever heard of him before. His mother was a beggar, his father died early in Eric's life. Eric became apprenticed to a tailor in Stockholm, Sweden. A tailor is often recognized as a very poor trade, but in spite of this, Eric was able to lift himself and his mother out of poverty through it. His work carried him to many countries including, but not limited to, France, Russia, Germany, and England. In England, he met and married Miss Mary Ann Smith, herself a daughter of a tailor.

The Lindbloms traveled to the U.S. shortly after their marriage. Incidently, their marriage anniversary is coming up on August 2ND. They traveled west. In Montana, they became American citizens. In Idaho, on an Indian Reservation, their son, Olof, was born. Their daughter, Brita, was born before they reached California.

In California, Eric took courses in mining. It was only a short time later when gold fever struck. Drawn by rumors of riches in Alaska, Eric joined a ship as a sailor and traveled to Kotzebue in 1897. From that time forth, Eric became a legendary figure. While this was the case however, the sources of his adventures are credible.

Eric found the rumors to be false. Naturally he was disappointed. He decided to board another ship and go somewhere else. Near Teller, Alaska, the ship became nearly ice-bound. Lindblom deserted his post on the ship. Technically, Lindblom, with the other people on board the ship, were supposed to be getting freshwater, instead, Lindblom landed and hid in a snow cavern. After three days, he left and began his travels. On the way, he met a prospector. Hiding under the prospector's load of furs, Lindblom went to Golovin, nearly suffocating on the way. There, he traveled to the mouth of the Snake River, or, present-day Nome. With two other men, Jafet Lindeberg, and John Brynteson, they panned the river for gold. The three of them were the founders of Nome, though Lindeberg is usually credited with it.

So much for Eric's pivotal part in the history of Nome. His part in the history of the U.S. has to do with the fact that he struck it rich, very rich. Eric's single gold strike began what we know today as the Klondike Gold Rush. The Gold Rush involved hundreds of thousands of people. It helped Alaska become populated, and it helped America's reputation as a place of opportunity.

(This has been: Snippets of Nome, Alaska, Part 1. Look in next time to read: Stories of my Life:_)