On this day in Alaska history… The Discovery of Gold at Pedro Creek “There’s gold in them there hills!” claimed Felix Pedro on July 22, 1902. He had been searching in the Tanana area near E.T. Barnett’s trading post for a few years and finally found what he was looking for—14 feet under an unnamed […]
Doctor In Peril – Alaska Air Tales
Alaska Air Tales – “Doctor in Peril” A doctor takes an unfortunate step that could have been fatal. Story by Bonnie Hemry – from the book, Alaska Air Tales, written by Jack Gwaltney It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon in July, 1978. Conditions were superb for flying and fishing. My husband, three and one-half children, […]
Killing Mosquitoes By The Thousands
Mosquitoes – A Story from An Alaskan Pioneer by Gerrit “Heinie” Snider The following story is from Heinie Snider’s book, Centennial – 100 Stories of Alaska, published in 1966 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the United State’s purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. Everyone can appreciate a good mosquito killing story, especially in […]
Memories of Camping at Bear Creek near Seward
Seeking Solitude at Bear Creek Remembering good times camping on Bear Creek in Seward as a teenager by Michael Hankins This story isn’t about climbing one of Alaska’s tallest peaks. It’s not about kayaking the state’s wildest rivers or surfing the Gulf of Alaska. The tale is about how easy it was for a group […]
Thick Fog, No Land In Sight And Low On Fuel – Alaska Air Tales
Alaska Air Tales – An Unexpected Emergency by John Graybill as told to Larry Kaniut – from the book Alaska Air Tales As far as I could see in every direction, the entire Matanuska Valley was plugged with fog. Would I have to return to Rainy Pass to land? Approximately 1979 I was involved with […]
One Hundred Years of Wasilla
Mother Gold, Father Railroad – The Birth of Wasilla A history of Wasilla, Alaska by Skip Coghlan Long long ago, the great Copper River Basin ice field covered land where the Copper and Matanuska Rivers now flow, shaping mountains and valleys as its glaciers paused, advanced, and retreated. The Matanuska Glacier reached 4000 feet at […]
First Airplane Flight in Alaska – A Special Fourth of July Celebration
First Airplane Flight in Alaska by The Alaska Life On July 4, 1913, one hundred and four years ago, Alaskans had more than just Independence Day to celebrate. The day before, on July 3rd in Fairbanks, the first airplane flight in Alaska took place. Two Fairbanks businessmen, Arthur Williams and R.S. McDonald, hired aviator and […]
AMHS Legendary Captain Jack V. Johnson
Jack V. Johnson, Alaska Legend and Hero to Israel Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS retired A memorable chief mate, Jack V. “Square-rigger” Johnson (1927 – 2014), is an Alaskan original from Kodiak. As a man who had sailed the world’s oceans at a young age, he signed onboard the S/S Exodus as a crewmember at the […]
The Suspicious Mythical Inhabitants Hiding In Alaska’s Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake Monster – Fact or Fiction? By: Courtney Dowd-Stanley Board a plane and head to the Lake and Peninsula Borough of Alaska near the northern end of the Alaska Peninsula where you’ll find Lake Iliamna (or Iliamna Lake), the largest lake in Alaska. This aquatic destination is located on the western side of Cook […]
Navigating the M/V Tustumena In Deplorable Weather
M/V Tustumena Navigates Through High Seas and Gale Force Winds on a Return from Dutch Harbor “We are proud of our good ship Tustumena” Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS retired Westward, one sees a land largely untouched by people, a wild landscape devoid of timber presenting itself in sharp relief to the exploring eye. There are […]
Flying to Iliamna to Fish for Silvers
Never Let Your Guard Down A group of friends are stranded near Lake Iliamna when the weather makes a turn for the worse. by Kurt Mackenzie If I were allowed to catch only one type of salmon, let it be silvers every day. Of course, that level of infatuation can lead to letting your guard […]
The M/V Matanuska Crew Spots A Vessel In Distress
Precipice of the Deep – The M/V Matanuska – Part 2 Article and Photographs by Captain Bill Hopkins, AMHS Retired The following is a continuation of “Precipice of the Deep – Part 1.” I pulled back the curtains to my stateroom window. Although it was just turning dark, I could see the myriad of stars […]
