Yukon Register of Historic PlacesYRHP

From 1896, early church services had been held in Dawson City. In 1896, Rev. Flewelling built a 16' X 20' log cabin at the mouth of the Klondike where he held services and taught school. In 1897, Rev. RJ. Bowen moved to Dawson and built a log church for 250 dollars. The first service in the log church was Oct. 24, 1897.

Rev. HA Naylor succeeded Rev. Bowen in June 1899. Rev. Naylor tramped the creeks in the summer of 1899 collecting money for the erection of the first Anglican Church in Dawson. First service recorded in the parish register was a burial conducted by Rev. Bowen on June 16, 1897. The first baptism was June 17, 1897, and the first marriage was Aug. 16, 1897.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church, erected in 1902 and built in the Gothic Revival style on the corner of Front and Church streets, replaced the earlier log structure. In March 1902, parishioners undertook to put up a new building. A committee was appointed and by June 1, the ground was broken. The contractor was AJ Prudhomme. The cost of construction was $9,000.00, and the church had seating capacity of 250. The first service was Aug. 9th, the coronation day of King Edward VII.

From 1905, Dawson City was the headquarters of the Yukon’s Anglican Bishop, Isaac Stringer, and the church became the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Yukon.