Pioneers of Alaska

1915 - William McPhee

William H. “Grizzly Bill” McPhee was one of three financiers of the Llyod’s party successful march to the top of Mt. McKinley in April 1910. McPhee was a gold miner and owned Fairbanks’s Hotel Washington.

“I am a pioneer, and I want you to say so,” McPhee was quoted as saying in the New York Times on October 5, 1911. The NYT suggested ‘When Mr. McPhee talks it is with the weight of his 230 or more pounds behind each word. Although only a little past middle age, his hair is almost white.’

Speaking of the McKinley summit, McPhee was quoted as saying, “Why, do you now, I don’t believe more than a few men outside of Lloyd’s party in the whole world could do the trick. It simply takes pioneers, men who were born on the top of a high mountain.”

McPhee was famous in what was called the polar controversy, debunking Dr. Cook’s claim to be the first to reach the top of McKinley. Later investigations have agreed that McPhee’s party were indeed the first, and that Cook scandalously made a false claim.

“I want to tell you one thing,” said McPhee after his arrival in New York, “and it’s about some people not believing that the Lloyd party reached the top of Mount McKinley. Anyone who want to tell me to my face that the expedition, which I helped to finance, did not get to the peak and plant the United States flag there will have to go back with me to Alaska and I’ll fix it so that he can see the flag for himself.”

McPhee was elected to the Nome City Council in 1901, and was a member of the Yukon Order of Pioneers at 40 Mile in 1895.