Heinz Eckervogt (d. 2006)
Heinz Eckervogt was born in Germany and met his future wife, Kate, in Berge. They left Germany in 1956 and lived for short times in Toronto, Sacramento, and Seattle before settling down at Dezadeash Lodge in 1970. They worked at placer mining, at small construction jobs, and ran a restaurant in Haines Junction after they bought the Blue Mountain Motel in 1983. They rebuilt and added new motel units “by way of” the Haines Junction General Store. They retired from the restaurant business in 1988, but continued mining until 1992.1)
In 1983, Heinz showed John Steeves a big nugget he had found on Squaw Creek and which he kept in his pants pocket.2) Steeve’s uncle had dreamed of finding a nugget like this at his claim on Squaw Creek, but died the year before Heinz found this one.3)