Juneau, Alaska After the California gold rush, miners migrated up the Pacific Coast and explored the West, seeking other gold deposits. In 1880, Sitka mining engineer George Pilz offered a reward to any local chief in Alaska who could lead him to gold-bearing ore. Chief Kowee (Tlingit "Kaawa.ée") arrived with some ore, and several prospectors were sent to investigate. On their first trip to Gold Creek, they found deposits of little interest. However, at Chief Kowee's urging, Pilz sent Joe Juneau and Richard Harris back to the Gastineau Channel, directing them to Snow Slide Gulch (the head of Gold Creek). There they
John Connelly (prospector) him are held in the Field Museum, Chicago, the Bishop Museum in Hawaii and the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. His papers are held in the State Library of New South Wales. John Connelly (prospector) John Francis Connelly (1860–1928) was an Australian prospector and mine owner. Born in Victoria, he prospected and owned mines in New South Wales. He discovered a platinum field at Fifield before joining the gold rush to Cossack, Western Australia in 1889. He discovered the Nannine gold field the following year, and was rewarded by the Government of Western Australia with £500. Later, he prospected