Yukon Register of Historic PlacesYRHP

The Administration Building was constructed as the administrative headquarters for the new Yukon Territory. Construction of the Administration Building was authorized in July 1901 and the building was completed and occupied by 60 civil servants on December 1st of the same year. It accommodated the Commissioner and staff, the Yukon Council Chambers and other departments, including the mining recorder.

It was designed by Yukon's most notable architect, Thomas William Fuller, in a style and scale which makes it a monumental landmark. Thomas William Fuller is a well-known Canadian architect. He travelled to Dawson City with the North-West Mounted Police in 1899. Fuller designed and oversaw the construction of Dawson’s Commissioner’s Residence, Courthouse, Public School, Post Office, Territorial Administrative Building and Telegraph Office. Fuller overcame many challenges including permafrost, sub-zero temperatures, and finding and bringing in the right building materials and furnishings. Thomas Fuller was in Dawson for over two years, and became Canada’s chief architect in 1927.

The building's history closely paralleled the territory's economic and political fortunes. This substantial structure reflected Dawson's evolution from an overgrown mining camp to a prosperous capital with a promising future. By 1910, the Yukon was experiencing a critical decline. The Commissioner's position was abolished and the Territorial Council was significantly reduced in size. The territorial capital was moved from Dawson to Whitehorse in 1953. Following the government's departure, the building was used for storage, a school, and since 1962, it has been the home of the Dawson City Museum. The Old Territorial Administration Building stands out as one of the Yukon's most significant buildings because of its architecture and scale, and its close association with the evolution of the Territory over the past 125 years.

Sources: Government of Yukon, Dept. of Tourism and Culture