In 1895 the Turnagain Mining District, located on the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, had a gold rush. This rush lead to the development of two towns, Hope and, later, Sunrise. Hope was one of Alaska's first gold rush towns, in 1889 gold was discovered in Resurrection Creek, prospectors rushed in and the town was born. Miners discovered gold in nearby Sixmile Creek and the new tent city was named Sunrise.

The present diary relates the adventures of George E. Wiswell, a Maine native, who traveled to the area in 1896 hoping to seek his fortune prospecting for gold. The diary commences on April 4, 1896, when Wiswell notes his departure from Seattle for Cook's Inlet, Alaska. Wiswell reached the Inlet on the 14^th, after a stormy passage. Wiswell immediately sets out to seek claims and to begin prospecting. In the entry dated April 27^th he notes: "A committee from the Lakme crowd came over to confer about a town sight when we get to the mines..." Wiswell and his companions, John Newland and "Frenchy", pitch their tents and set about working and locating claims, Wiswell notes working a "rocker" and taking trips up stream, both on Fox and Resurrection Creeks to look for better locations. (The accompanying documents provide the exact locations of Wiswell's mining claims).

In early June the group decides to travel down the Juno [sic] River to the Kenai and the diary relates the journey over this difficult terrain.

Wiswell's entries in June reveal a growing discouragement with his prospects and conditions, which can be summed up in his June 27^th entry: "worked on ditch prospects not encouraging mosquitos bad" In September he sets sail on his return journey to Seattle where the diary ends.