Yukon who is who

Max Fuerstner

Max Fuerstner and partner Sargio Clinaz were building the Alpine Hotel at 204 Rogers Street in Whitehorse in 1956. They started thirteen months before and only worked on it in their spare time. Fuerstner was employed at Taylor and Drury, and Clinaz was at the Post Office. The building was arranged like a hotel, had a community kitchen and laundry facilities, and also boasted an innovative hot water heating system with baseboard radiators.¹⁾

Max Fuerstner started mining on Livingstone Creek in 1974. He was the former owner of the Alpine Motel and Bamboo Terrace, and he took up placer mining for his health. His partners were Bob Miller and Gary McCully. They started sluicing in May and found a 20.5-ounce nugget in July. Louis Engels found a 21-ounce nugget upstream on the same creek in the late 1950s.²⁾ The 20.5-ounce nugget nearly covered the palm of Fuerstner’s hand. The value is estimated at about $3,500 at current prices – about $300 an ounce because it is a nugget. The largest nugget in the Yukon was found by Saples and Small on Cheechako Hill, above Bonanza Creek, in 1898. Fuerstner and his partners have been finding coarse jewellery gold. He had no intention of selling the big nugget.³⁾

Poldi Fuerstner raised a family and supported her husband Max and their Alpine Hotel, Bamboo Lounge and placer mining businesses. She died in 2014 and was survived by son Max (Amanda) and daughter Marlene Dunstan (John).⁴⁾ She was predeceased by husband Max Fuerstner.⁵⁾