Donald Trump's grandfather has B.C. connection say wilderness camp operators
Donald Trump's grandfather built a hotel in northern B.C., serving miners during the gold rush
The people behind a wilderness camp being constructed near the abandoned town of Bennett in the northernmost corner of B.C. thought they might be onto something when they approached Donald Trump about lending his name to their project.
After all, back in 1898 Trump's grandfather, Frederick Trump, built and operated the Arctic Hotel in Bennett, providing food, liquor and women to prospectors hoping to strike it rich in the Klondike gold rush.
"We did develop a little two pager overview of the history and a concept of a hotel, and we sent it to Trump to see if he has any interest in partnering with us," says Carcross Tagish Management CEO Jeff Barrett. "But we never heard back from him."
That was two years ago, before Trump ascended even higher into the stratosphere of fame and infamy thanks to his quest to become president of the United States.
Profiting from the gold rush
Author Gwenda Blair researched and wrote about Frederick Trump's gold rush exploits in her book "The Trumps: Three Generations of Builders and a Presidential Candidate."
Blair says there's no question Frederick's time in Bennett, and his knack for "mining the miners" by providing them what they needed and wanted, was foundational in establishing the Trump family and creating the nest egg that grew into the Trump empire.
"I think we can see a family culture here of being very shrewd about who your market is and what that market wants," said Blair.
"In the Yukon what the market wanted was hot food, something to drink, and someone to spend time with. In New York when Donald Trump began his career in real estate he saw a market of rich people who instead of wanting dignified, patrician restrained places to live, wanted something shiny and glitzy ... that advertised the wealth of its owner."
Blair says Frederick Trump ended up disassembling the Arctic Hotel and floating it up the Yukon River to Whitehorse where it was reassembled and put back into business.
Barrett says the Trump history in Bennett is one of many colourful stories from the past that will undoubtedly add to the profile and allure of the wilderness camp which is set to open in July.
"Obviously we have to be a little cautious that we're not stirring up any controversy, but it's an interesting story," said Barrett.
"The fact that this is the beginning of the Trump family fortune, spawning in the corners of the wilderness of the Yukon and tying all the way to Wall Street and potentially the highest seat in America. It's a fascinating story."