April 9, 1971 Anchorage Daily Times letter to the editor and one of the best such letters I've ever come across. This poor man never saw his wife--or 600 lb bear (Grezelda RIP)--ever again. There's nothing like breakup season. #alaskahistory #anchoragehistory #alaska
April 8, 1899, Bergman String Band at Bergman, a mining town that was sorta near Allakaket. With the money we could save by making our own entertainment, we could afford to drive wherever we want! #alaskahistory #alaska
C. 1898 team of angora goats pulling a sled for photographer Eric A Hegg on the trail out of Skagway, where James Bernard Moore had imported a team of such goats as pack animals. Most of the goats were shot by someone who thought they were wild. #alaskahistory #alaska
Fellow Alaskans, in these times of high gas prices, I implore you to explore the past for solutions. History will provide! This young lady, with a bear pulling her cart in circa 1950 Alaska, had all the answers. Via Anchorage Museum. #alaskahistory #alaska
April 7, 1991 Anchorage Daily News editorial cartoon by Peter Dunlap-Shohl: "More weaknesses are revealed in Anchorage's emergency response capability when a pothole swallows a firetruck, an ambulance, & several loose dogs. #alaskahistory #anchoragehistory #alaska
1968 voting machines in Alaska. In this election, Alaskans voted for Richard Nixon (R) for President, Mike Gravel (D) for U.S. Senate, and Howard Pollock (R) for U.S. House. #alaskahistory #alaska
Nov 12, 1960 Saturday Evening Post cover, "First Vote in the New States" by Constantin Alajalov, celebrating Hawaii and Alaska residents new ability to vote in a national election thanks to statehood. #alaskahistory #hawaiihistory #alaska #Hawaii
November 8, 1960, Dena'ina residents of Eklutna study practice ballots with election official Olga Johnson (white coat) before voting. This was the first time Alaskans could vote for President. John F. Kennedy won though Alaskans favored Richard Nixon. #alaskahistory #alaska
November 4, 2010 Colbert Report clip about the United States Senate Election in Alaska, Joe Miller, Lisa Murkowski, and Spider-Man. #alaskahistory #alaska
Post 1913 Women's suffrage pin from the Women's Political Union. Earlier versions had fewer stars, which represented states/territories that had legalized women voting. This version has ten because of Alaska in 1913. #alaskahistory #alaska
2020 Anchorage "Rise Up" get out the vote poster by Annie Brace. This poster was part of Project 270, a national initiative to increase voter turnout spearheaded by the Mana Urban Arts Project. This poster was one of 65 created. #alaskahistory #alaska #anchoragehistory
Sep 1965, the Anchorage bookmobile is repurposed as a mobile voter registration booth. What an idea! In the open window directly above, a cat watches approvingly. #alaskahistory #anchoragehistory #alaska
Circa 1911-1920, mushing during breakup near Nome. Article on breakup out later today. #alaskahistory #alaska
1940, the Nenana Ice Classic tripod on the move. That year, it tipped on April 20, after a warm winter and wildly early, especially then. That date has since been tied once (1998) and beaten once (2019). Article on breakup later today. Via Anchorage Museum #alaskahistory #alaska
"Life in Alaska (Spring)" cartoon about the spring melt/pothole road situation in Anchorage by Don Coolidge from his 1949 Cheechako Chuckles book. #alaskahistory #anchoragehistory #alaska
Circa 1975 "Salute to Spring" acrylic on canvas by Saradell Ard. Via Anchorage Museum. #alaskahistory #alaska
1981 "Spring Cleanup 1916" watercolor by Byron Birdsall, depicting breakup season in early Anchorage. Jacob "Russian Jack" Marunenko was the proprietor of the Montana for a while. My next article, going up tomorrow, is about breakup. Via Anchorage Museum. #alaskahistory #alaska
1898, a prospector rests for a moment outside his tent. He was likely bound for the Klondike, head full with dreams of gold. Photo by Asahel Curtis, via Washington State History Museum. #alaskahistory #alaska
The steamer Mariechen wrecked on rocks off Chichagof Island on January 24, 1906. It was a smuggling, blockade runner bound for Russia. The extreme possible profits were why it was attempting a dangerous winter run. Via Washington State History Museum. #alaskahistory #alaska
Frederick Cook (1865-1940) claimed to summit Denali in 1906. A hoax, his supposed photo evidence was an outcropping (Fake Peak) nearly 15k ft below summit. Claimed to reach North Pole in 1908, almost certainly also a lie. Later convicted of stock fraud. #alaskahistory #alaska
The "Cabin fever" idiom traces back to B.M. Bower's novel Cabin Fever, first published in a 1917 issue of Popular Magazine, then as a standalone book in 1918. Bower explains the concept in the first paragraph. Now I'm writing about the origin of "breakup." #alaskahistory #alaska
1899 mule train in Box Canyon on the White Pass Trail. Pack animals were typically over-packed & abused during Klondike Gold Rush. Thousands died on the trails from Dyea and Skagway into Canada. Via Washington State History Museum #alaskahistory #alaska
The Silent City was a 19th century hoax perpetrated by Richard Willoughby, who claimed this image was a reflection of a Russian city captured at Glacier Bay. It's actually Bristol, England. Still, Alaskans claimed phantom city sightings as late as 1928. #alaskahistory #alaska
From an August 1, 1982 Anchorage Times article about New Wave styles reaching Alaska, two particularly fashionable Anchorage residents. #alaskahistory #alaska
Skatefest '84 Alaska satin jacket. Skatefest was a touring figure skating promotion led by 1976 Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill. They performed at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage on June 2 and 3, 1984. Via Etsy. #alaskahistory #alaska #anchoragehistory
Circa 1980s satin jacket for the Lonely Lady strip club of Fairbanks. The building, also home to the Showboat, Show Girls, and the 49er Club over the years, burned down in 2017. #alaskahistory #alaska
Circa 1960 Anchorage car club jackets. The Demons were very into drag racing, with the big races at an abandoned Air Force runway at Tanacross. Drag strips opened at Palmer in 1964 and Anchorage in 1965. Via Gator's Vintage (Los Angeles). #alaskahistory #alaska #anchoragehistory
