What the heck is Liarsville?

Was this guy a hard-working stampeder or a filthy liar. Maybe both!

When you come to Skagway, you will likely hear about a place called Liarsville. You may think this is where all of the politicians live, but that is not the case. In today’s blog, we are going to learn all about the history of Liarsville. Can trust that an article about “Liarsville” will actually be truthful? Probably not, but just like the mighty Arctic penguin, I am going to boldly give it a shot.

If you ever travel to a place called Liarsville, don’t eat the special

Liars are dumb. They say things that aren’t true but they usually get busted. Why not just tell the truth? If a place has so many liars in it that it’s named Liarsville, you should probably be on your guard. This is also true if that place is named “Fibberstown” or “Perjury Place.” If you go to a restaurant in one of these towns and the waiter says, “Try the special. It’s fresh and delicious!” consider that a warning. I have no patience for liars because they suck. Okay, let’s get on with it.

Liarsville was a place during the Klondike Gold Rush

Like so many other things in Skagway, Liarsville is associated with the Klondike Gold Rush. It is located about two miles north of Skagway, alongside the Skagway River. North of this point, the valley narrows into little more than a riverbed. During the Gold Rush, it was a staging area for people leaving to and arriving from, the Klondike, which is 500 miles away.

Stampeders returning from the Klondike were near the end of a grand adventure. In search of their fortune, they braved unknown mountains, wild animals, the elements, and half-crazed miners deranged with greed. When they arrived back in Skagway, many had a story to tell that was full of peril and adventure.

People read books back then because there was no television

In 1898, there was no TV. Instead of watching reruns of Friends, most people read books and periodicals. These journals were filled with stories of love and adventure. The Klondike Gold Rush was the perfect romantic setting for these stories, so many writers and journalists came to Skagway to hear miners tell these grand tales. Robert Service and Jack London are two famous writers who became well known because of the Klondike Gold Rush.

The best place to hear stories from weary miners was in the aforementioned staging area. Miners would tell their tales to the writers who would then weave the story into a cohesive whole. Both miner or writer may be prone to embellishment, as is usually the case with stories based in the wilderness. We call these “Tall Tales.” The best example of a Tall Tale based in the American frontier, and quite possibly the first ever written down, is the tale of Paul Bunyan.

I see where you’re going with this

Indeed. As more tall tales were born from this staging area, it began to earn a reputation among the locals. Eventually, people started to call it Liarsville.

I’ve heard locals say that it earned the name because reporters embellished the miner’s tales. I’ve also heard that it was named Liarsville because the miners were the ones who exaggerated their experiences. I tend to think it’s a little of both.

Either way, the name Liarsville stuck and the area is still referred to by that name today.

Now you have to ask yourself, is this story true or is it a lie? See if you can find one authentic photo of Liarsville from the Gold Rush and then let me know your answer.