In this 1932 photograph, young John Schnabel and sisters Margaret and Mary stand in front of the shack they grew up in outside of Klamath Falls, Oregon. The 12 by 16 ft building was for the women while John and his brothers stayed in the chicken coop.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John shows off the bike he bought in 1933 with his earnings from delivering newspapers. John also made money selling used bottles to bootleggers. He collected the bottles in the alleys of Klamath Falls (an early recycler!) and sold them for a penny apiece. Sometimes he could make as much as 15 cents a day!
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
In 1935, John bought his first car, this Ford Model T for two dollars. Not long after he started driving the car some drunk boys ran into him. Instead of involving the police, they paid John $30 and he kept the car. For $1.50 he was able to fix it and continue driving it!
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John's 1938 high school graduation photo. After high school, he attended Gonzaga College in Spokane but left after a few semesters in part because of a dispute over what kind of music he was allowed to play.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John in front of his 1934 Willy fixing the engine. By this time, John was a top-notch engine mechanic and all around handyman, skills that would serve him well through the years.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John joined the Navy in 1942 and served as an airplane mechanic through most of the war.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
After World War II, John headed north to Alaska to join his father in starting the Haines Lumber Company.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
The 1950 wedding announcement for John and his sweetheart Erma Cordes. This playful design was the work of Erma's sister.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John, wife Erma, and their children in front of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. They traveled to the Alaskan capital to join in the celebration for statehood in 1959. During this period of his life, John had also served as the mayor of Haines.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
An accomplished musician since his teenage years, John often got out a guitar to entertain at all kinds of gatherings, often performing his own country and bluegrass material.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John shows off his first dig at the Big Nugget Mine in 1984. After his "retirement" a couple of years earlier, John got into gold mining almost full-time. The pit he's standing in is the result of two years of digging to reach bedrock … but there wasn't a flake of gold to be found!
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
John runs Big Nugget pay dirt through his self-built concentrate set-up in 1990. By this time, John had honed his gold-miming skills to turn a profit in most years.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
As part of his continued dedication to the Haines community, John donated money to the Boy Scouts in 2001 to establish a trust to keep local scouting strong into the future.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
Three generations of Schnabels at Big Nugget: Parker, brother Payson, father Roger and Grandpa John in front of a hard-rock tunnel dug by early miners around 1903.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
Grandma Erma looks on as young Parker and family friend Sam McPhetres do some panning at Big Nugget. Some of Parker's earliest memories are the summers he spent at Big Nugget with his Grandpa.
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
PLAY GOLD RUSH SLOTS!
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Schnabel Family
