Hegg, Eric A., 1867-1948

Eric A. Hegg was born in Bollnas, Sweden, in 1868 and came to America with his parents when he was three years old, settling in Wisconsin. Hegg studied art and photography (possibly as an apprentice to a local photographer). At fifteen, he opened his own studio in Washburn, Wisconsin. At the age of twenty-one, Hegg moved to the Puget Sound area, and by 1897, he owned two photo studios in Bellingham Bay, Washington. In that year, he left for the gold fields with a group of men from Bellingham Bay on the Skagit Chief sternwheeler. Having arrived too late in the season to get all the way to Dawson, Hegg stayed close to the coast, photographing stampeders, first in Dyea, then with a second studio in Skagway. With his brother Pete and several others he formed a party continuing on to the Klondike, heading over Chilkoot Pass, successfully navigating through White Horse Rapids, on to Lake LaBarge, Thirty Mile River, past Five Finger Rapids, and arriving in Dawson in July, 1898. He later went to Nome and opened a studio there, continuing to photograph the gold rush. Eric Hegg died in San Diego in 1955.

From the guide to the August Hahn Collection of Eric A. Hegg Photographs, ca. 1897-1898, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)

Eric A. Hegg was born in Sweden. In 1897, he joined the gold rush to Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Hegg first settled in the town of Dyea where he set up a small photo studio. In the beginning of 1898, Hegg opened another studio in Skagway. He and his partner, Per Larss, documented the struggles of stampeders attempting to gain access to the Klondike gold fields by crossing the famous Chilkoot Pass. He also traveled the trail to Dawson in June of 1898, capturing images of miners and their claims. In the summer of 1899, Hegg followed the gold rush to Nome, after selling his Dawson studio to Larss and Joseph Duclos. Hegg spent two years in the Nome area, recording images of the mining activities there until he closed his studio in 1902. Hegg moved to Southeast Alaska, where he worked in the Juneau area until 1918. Eric A. Hegg died in San Diego, California, in 1955.

From the description of Photographs and published albums, 1898-1905. (UAA/APU Consortium Library). WorldCat record id: 60145936

Eric A. Hegg was born in Sweden in 1867, and moved to Wisconsin with his family in 1870. He opened his first studio in Washburn, Wisconsin, in 1882 at the age of fifteen. After moving in 1888 to New Whatcom on Bellingham Bay, Washington (present day Bellingham), he established additional studios. During this time, Hegg photographed the Lummi Indians and the local industries of fishing and logging. At news of the Klondike gold strike in 1897, he headed for Alaska. He and a partner photographed the gold stampede on the Chilkoot Pass and ran a studio in Dawson, Alaska. Hegg eventually made his way to Cordova, where he was taken on as company photographer for the Guggenheims' construction of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway. Hegg left Alaska in 1918 and worked in Hawaii, San Francisco, and Bellingham. He died in San Diego in 1948.

From the description of Eric A. Hegg Copper River Railway photographs, 1908-1910 [graphic]. 1908-1910. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 55043589

Eric A. Hegg joined the gold rush to the Klondike in 1897. He made his first trip to Dyea in the river boat, "Skagit Chief" and opened his first photograph studio in Alaska. With the completion of the White Pass & Yukon Railway, Hegg moved to a permanent location in Skagway. He traveled the White Pass Trail by pack train to Lake Bennett, advertising his photography: "E.A. Hegg views of Alaska, sent to all parts of the world." He traveled from Lake Bennett to Dawson on a custom boat that included a built-in darkroom. In 1900, after a brief trip to New York for a showing of his Chilkoot and Gold Rush images, he returned to Dawson and sold the studio to Larss and Duclos. He moved to Nome and later to Juneau and then Cordova where he served as official photographer for the Guggenheim interests, photographing the construction of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway. He died in 1955, in San Diego, CA.

From the description of Eric A. Hegg photograph collection [graphic], ca. 1898-1913. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 54850736

Eric A. Hegg was born in Sweden in 1867 and moved to Wisconsin with his family in 1870. He opened his first studio in Washburn, Wisconsin, in 1882 at the age of fifteen. After moving in 1888 to New Whatcom on Bellingham Bay, Washington (present day Bellingham), he established additional studios. During this time, Hegg photographed the Lummi Indians and the local industries of fishing and logging. At news of the Klondike gold strike in 1897, he headed for Alaska. He and a partner photographed the gold stampede on the Chilkoot Pass and ran a studio in Dawson, Alaska. Hegg eventually made his way to Cordova, where he was taken on as company photographer for the Guggenheims' construction of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway. Hegg left Alaska in 1918 and worked in Hawaii, San Francisco, and Bellingham. He died in San Diego in 1948.

From the guide to the Eric A. Hegg Copper River Railway Photograph Album, 1908-1910, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)