| Biographical Sketch or Administrative History |
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The Yukon Order of Pioneers (YOOP) is a fraternal organization established in 1894 at Forty Mile, Yukon by George T. Snow, Jack McQuesten, Al Mayo, Tom O'Brien, Jim Bender and others. Its purposes were the "advancement of the great Yukon Valley, the mutual protection and benefit of its members, to unite members by the strong ties of brotherhood and to prove to the outside world that the Yukon Order of Pioneers are men of truth, honour and integrity." Membership was initially confined to men who had been a resident of the Yukon Valley as early as the year 1888, but today applicants must have been "within the valley of the Yukon River" at least 20 years prior to the date of their application for membership. The by-laws provided for a Grand Lodge and subsidiary local lodges. The Grand Lodge was originally located at Forty Mile, and subsequently moved to Circle City and then Dawson City. Subsidiary lodges were also formed in Rampart, Mayo, and Whitehorse. Forty Mile was originally Lodge #1; Circle, Alaska #2, Mayo #3, Whitehorse #4. Whitehorse Lodge #4 closed in 1915 and all records were lost in a fire. Dawson Lodge was originally called Klondike #1 Lodge and re-registered as Dawson Lodge #1 after Forty Mile closed. Many of its records were lost in a 1967 fire. The Seattle Lodge (originally Lodge #2) and Vancouver Lodge were short-lived. Mayo Lodge closed down in 1950. The Whitehorse Lodge was established once again as Lodge #2 in 1966. The Grand Lodge president and vice-president have to be past presidents of the subordinate lodges. The presidency of the Grand Lodge alternates between Dawson City and Whitehorse. A Grand Lodge president from Whitehorse cannot be relieved of his office until the vice-president from Dawson City agrees to assume the presidency.
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