Story last updated at 7/13/2011 - 2:38 pm
Stampeders were quick to discover that rhubarb literally grows like a weed in Skagway. Apples failed, for some reason, maybe because of the poor topsoil or constant wind. Rhubarb, however, flourishes.
Henry Clark, who owned Alaska's first crop farm, became known as the Rhubarb King. He boasted that his rhubarb was as tall as a man, and it was much sought after for baked rhubarb pies, helping Skagway to become known as the Garden City of Alaska. This is a reputation that is proudly promoted today by Charlotte Jewell, whose show garden is on the site of Henry Clark's crop farm.
On Saturday, July 2, Jewell Gardens held the Third Annual Rhubarb Festival. Among the many rhubarb activities was the contest to elect this year's Rhubarb King. The winner was Tina Cyr, daughter of a Klondike Stampeder, who was born in Skagway. She is part owner of Skagway Artworks, located on Broadway, which features her own and other regional artists' work.
"Her rhubarb won the prize because its leaf size and stem combined outclassed all others," Charlotte Jewell said. "The stem was as thick as a my forearm and the size of a baseball bat."
