On 1 April 1946, six months after the end of the Second World War, the American army officially handed over responsibility for the Alaska Highway to Canada. The Canadian Army was now responsible for highway upkeep and improvements and was based in the area known as Camp Takhini. Whitehorse, YT. Whitehorse was the headquarters of the Northwest Highway System of the Royal Canadian Engineers. In 1949 Harry Young was transferred to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, to become the Maintenance Supervisor of the highway. The NWHS’s responsibility was to bring the highway up to civilian standards and maintain it.
In 1950 a crew noticed an accumulation of water north of the highway near Swift River. Harry came to have a look and advised the crew that it didn’t look too bad. As he stood there, the highway washed out, he almost fell in, and the water flow carried down to the nearby Rancheria River. A large culvert was installed, and the road was rebuilt. The creek was named Young Creek, partially in jest! The creek is still there at Kilometer 1108.2 of the Alaska Highway.
