photo above courtesy Patricia Brown. 1940s temporary housing in Mountain View.

In the 1940s, Anchorage, Alaska, was growing, and some homesteaders headed out of town to stake their claim to some land.

Norman Lange was just such a homesteader. Lange headed about 3 miles northeast from Anchorage to a spot that had a perfect view of the Chugach Mountains. Lange ended up subdividing his land and naming it, appropriately, “Mountain View.”

Other early homesteaders in Mountain View now have a neighborhood street named after them. Those include a Norwegian immigrant named Nels Kleven. For some reason, his street name was misspelled “Klevin.”

Robert Bragaw was a territorial legislator and photographer, and Harry Bliss was a contractor. Both have Mountain View streets named after them. But more about Bragaw Street shortly.

In the 1940s, construction workers and others were coming to Anchorage to build Elmendorf Air Force Base. But there was a big problem. Anchorage didn’t have enough housing to accommodate them.

As a partial solution, small temporary housing structures were put up in Mountain View (pictured above).

And speaking of Bragaw Street, you probably didn’t know that from 1942 until 1951, a man named John Vanover ran a 20-acre pig farm in the area.

Pictured above is Brewster’s on Mountain View Drive.

In 1949, Charles H. Brewster and his wife, Betty, opened the Mountain View Washaroo Laundry. But the Brewsters were ready for more, so they started selling clothing in their spare time from their log cabin home located in the Muldoon area of Anchorage.

Then in 1959, the two opened the first Brewster’s Clothing Store in a small log cabin at North Bragaw and Mountain View Drive. They later expanded and became an Anchorage fixture.

Yes, You Can Share this edition

And when you do, your friends and family will send you a year’s supply of your favorite bakery item. Yummy… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

In the picture above is Mountain View Elementary, first opened in 1956.

Mike of the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club attended Mountain View Elementary School, and one summer, he was a pitcher for the Indians Little League team that practiced on the Mountain View Elementary School baseball field.

A&W Root Beer

In 1957, the first drive-in, A&W Root Beer, opened in Anchorage. It was located in Mountain View.

The location was also home to Timbo and Princess, the A&W lions.

BONUS

Take a look at A&W Drive-In Memories and enjoy.

In the photo above, taken by Ward Wells, is Mountain View Drive on July 2, 1958.

Notice the large building in the background? That’s Caribou’s Department Store.

The picture above is the original Clark Junior High School.

First opened in 1959, Clark Junior High School was the first junior high in Anchorage. Located on Bragaw Street, the school was named after Orah Dee Clark.

Clark was the very first schoolteacher and principal hired in 1915 in the new town of Anchorage, Alaska.

After Clark Junior High opened, Clark herself often visited the school, and students were able to speak with her between classes and after school.

Mountain View Community Center

In the 1960s, Mike of the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club attended weekly square dancing get-togethers in the Mountain View Community Center. Mr. and Mrs. Topolski ran the dances.

During each weekly dance, they took a short break from square dancing and played some rock and roll for the kids to dance to. Mike of the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club even got his first announcing gig one week when he was asked to play the rock and roll records and introduce each song.

“I remember playing “Harbor Lights” by the Platters. After I introduced the song and started the record, I looked down from the stage, and there were 3 or 4 girls looking up at me, all wide-eyed and smiling. Wow, my first fan club.”

Then one week, a well-known KENI radio DJ named Bob Fleming was the special guest at the dance. We had a great time at that community center.

In the photo above is the Anchorage teen band, the Heartbeats.

All but one of the Heartbeats band members were the Apostol brothers, and their family lived in Mountain View. Both Mary and Mike of the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club were friends of the Heartbeats.

In 1966, the “Pulsating Heartbeats” released the hit record “Anne.” On the flip side of the record was “Talkin’ Bout You.”

BONUS

Get the story behind the Heartbeats band and hear their song, “Anne.”

Take a look at In John’s Own Words and enjoy.

Remember Park Lanes Bowling?

Beginning in 1976, Mountain View enjoyed bowling at this Anchorage favorite.

And for a short while, KTVA channel 11 broadcast the weekly TV show, “Bowling for Dollars,” hosted by Chuck Talsky and shot on location at Park Lanes. As a side note, Mike of the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club was one of the camera operators on the show and also edited the program for broadcast.

Mountain View

We have 1940s homesteader Norman Lange to thank for our Mountain View memories.

Do you have a comment?

Connect with Mike and Mary

Yes, we have plenty of great memories of a place called Mountain View in Anchorage, Alaska.

What are your memories?

You can also reply to this email.

Or, you can Contact Us right here.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club

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Anchorage Visitor’s log cabin, year unknown.

When you had out-of-town visitors, where did you take them? It’s likely that you took Uncle Bob and Aunt Darlene to 546 West 4th. Avenue in downtown Anchorage so they could see the visitor’s log cabin.

There it was (and still is), an old, sod-covered Alaska cabin, right smack dab in the middle of our city. How Alaskan.

And displayed there on the ground, right beside the front door, your guests spotted that very impressive 5,445-pound Alaska copper nugget.

Did You Know?

The Visitor’s Log Cabin was built in Homer, Alaska, in 1954.

If you’re into log cabins, you’ll be delighted to learn that this one is made of round logs with saddle-notched corners. It also features a gable roof covered with sod.

Photo by Jet Lowe. Notice the downtown Woolworth’s store just across the street.

The cabin was designed by an architect named Edwin B. Crittenden.

Building took place in Homer at a sawmill owned by “Cap” King.

Others who created the cabin include a logger from Washington state, Otis R. Russell, who had become a homesteader in Alaska’s Kachemak Bay, and Bob Cole. Both were the craftsmen who cut the logs and assembled them.

After the two put the cabin together and checked everything, the cabin was then taken apart, loaded on a truck, and sent to Anchorage.

Meanwhile, back in Anchorage

A foundation had been laid in Anchorage, next to city hall at 4th. and F Streets.

When the truck hauling the cabin arrived from Homer, the cabin was assembled on top of its new foundation, and presto, an instant visitor’s center… Alaska style.

Watercolor by Alaskan Artist Cindy Pendleton

The Anchorage Visitor’s Log Cabin is a part of Anchorage that many of us remember from our childhood. Others may recall the first time they saw this little gem as a grown-up coming to live in this special place called Anchorage, Alaska.

Yes, You Can Share This Edition

And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will have a parade in your name, featuring you as grand marshal… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

BONUS

The original Anchorage City Hall was built in 1936.

Now, since the Visitor’s Log Cabin sits on the lawn right next to Anchorage’s original City Hall building, we thought it would be fun to include these facts.

Located at 524 West 4th. Avenue, the original City Hall was designed by Ellsworth Sedille and constructed in 1936.

Did You Know it even housed a Jail?

When it first opened, the building was home to the city mayor’s office, a telephone switchboard, city council chambers, the chief of police, the city engineer, the public utilities superintendent, and the city library.

The building’s basement also housed three jail cells and a “tank room” for drunks, a caretaker’s apartment, as well as quarters for on-duty firefighters.

Visit Anchorage Memories

A treasure chest of great memories. Take a look at AnchorageMemories.com.

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From our Anchorage Denali Elementary School Memories.

Joe remembers:

“I went to Denali for first grade in 1955. My teacher was Miss Rook in Room 47. Yup, I remember Dick, Jane, Sally, Spot, and Puff: “Run, Spot, run! Run, run, run!” Reading opened a whole world for me.”

Claudia recalls:

“I attended North Star until 3rd grade, then we moved and I attended Inlet View before going to Central Jr. High.”

John tells us:

“I attended kindergarten at Government Hill Elementary in 1960. For the 1st grade through the 3rd grade, I was at Elmendorf attending Aurora Elementary School.”

Gary says, “She became a star”:

“I went to Denali for first and second grade. In my first grade class (Mrs. Johnson was the teacher) was Rosie Hamlin.

She became best known for “Rosie and the Originals - and the song Angel Baby.”

Jerry and his family went there:

“Tom, Jim, Jerry, Patsy, Joe & Jack Ward all went to Denali. Great memories.”

Allen informs us:

“I went to Willowcrest and, in 5th grade, to Northwood Elementary.”

Joe attended these:

“Primarily Nunaka Valley and then Chester Valley. Then, on to Clark in 1973.”

Paula remembers:

“Nunaka - K through 6th grade.”

Melinda recalls:

“From 1959 to 1963, I attended Government Hill Elementary School as we lived in Panoramic View apartments. And we all walked to school. My parents bought a new house on Abbott Loop Road, and we rode a school bus to Abbott Loop Elementary School from 1963 to 1964.”

Patricia informs us:

“Regarding Mt. View Elementary. I attended grade school in that same building, but it was then called Talkeetna Elementary. My second grade teacher was Mrs. Gilman of Gilman’s Bakery fame. In 4th grade, we had 44 kids with only one teacher who was with us the entire day. If my memory is correct, there was a fire in the school during the 54/55 year, and we double-shifted at Airport Heights Elementary. When our school reopened, it was renamed Mt. View Elementary.”

Ronnie recalls:

“My family lived in Anchorage from 1957 to 1960. I think my brother and I went to Airport Heights. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades.”

Eric remembers:

“I attended Mountain View for first grade. Airport Heights, second through 4th. While Nunaka Valley was finished being constructed, I attended Denali for a month and then the old high school downtown until November. Then finished fifth and sixth grade at Nunaka Valley.”

Connect with Mike and Mary

What a great stroll down memory lane.

What are your memories? Do you have a comment?

You can also reply to this email.

Or, you can Contact Us right here.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

Why should you join the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club?

Here are just four good reasons:

Reason #1:

Mary and I are both Alaskans who grew up in Anchorage, Alaska.

Reason #2:

Every edition of our publication and podcast is filled with memories of the Anchorage, Alaska, you love.

Reason #3:

Every edition is special.

Join Us

So here’s your invitation to join the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club.

Yes, You Can Share This with friends and Family

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

In the photo above, Mike and Mary of the Anchorage Memories Club are standing in front of the old Denali Elementary School circa 1990s.

You, and well, most all of us, remember where we attended the first grade.

Mike and Mary, pictured above, have a unique memory. Both began their education as first graders in Anchorage’s Denali Elementary School.

“We didn’t attend at the same time. I began some years ahead of Mary, and after the first grade, our family moved to the Mountain View area of Anchorage, where I attended Mountain View Elementary,” says Mike.

In the photo above is Mary of Anchorage Memories. She is posing with her third-grade class at Denali Elementary. Her teacher (left side) is Mrs. McGraw.

Fire Trucks and Ice Skates at Denali Elementary?

by Mary of the Anchorage Memories Club

I was in the third grade in 1960. I was so excited on that dark, cold, crisp morning as my classmates and I stood in the playground watching the firemen. They were filling the previously prepared ice skating rink with water from the fire trucks hoses.

Finally, the day came when we could ice skate. It was very cold; however, I was wearing my mittens and scarf. And after skating several times around the rink, I warmed up.

I started ice skating at the age of four. I was the youngest of eight, and ice skating was a sport my mother wanted her children to do. So, I was an experienced skater and helped my classmates who had never skated before. I felt a deep sense of pride helping them.

As spring came, the ice skating rink melted, and we hung up our skates. At recess time, my friends and I grabbed jump ropes and ran around in our sneakers, having loads of fun.

I went to Denali Elementary School from first grade through the sixth. Walking from 2nd Ave to 9th Ave with my family and friends.

Denali Elementary School was damaged in the 1964 Alaska earthquake, and all the students had to finish out the school year at Mountain View Elementary. That was the first time I rode in a school bus. We were the second shift that started around noon.

I was truly thankful for the firemen and their bright red fire trucks for coming back year after year to make us a really “cool” ice skating rink.

BONUS

Take a look at My Green Double-Bladed Ice Skates by Mary Jane Dougherty

Yes, You Can Share This Edition

And when you do share this, your friends and family will be so happy that they will gift you with the largest flat-screen TV (292 inches) for your home theatre. Wow.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Mike Recalls His First Days at Denali in the 1950s.

We lived on Fairbanks Street, just a couple of blocks from Denali. On my first day, Mom walked with me to school.

My teacher’s name was Mrs. Rauch. She was a very nice lady.

While at school, I discovered that those leather-looking airplane pilot caps were the cool thing for boys to wear to school. A little too cool in Alaska’s colder months.

In the photo above is first-grade Mike, wearing his pilot hat with borrowed goggles. In the background, Mike’s dad and friends work on their race car.

The hat was actually a dumb-looking skullcap with snaps to hold your goggles in place, should the wearer happen to run into bug-infested skies on his way to school.

Mom and Dad bought me the hat but declined the goggles. I proudly wore my hat to Denali. My taste in hats aside, I was off on a great adventure. The first grade in Anchorage, Alaska, is where I was introduced to Fun with Dick and Jane, Sally, Puff, and Spot. Those five characters would, along with Mrs. Rausch, teach me how to read and write… So I guess I have them to thank for the Anchorage Memories Club.

Fun Lunch Boxes

Back then, Denali didn’t have a lunchroom, so we brought our lunches from home in brown paper bags or lunch boxes.

Girls often had Dale Evans, Tinker Bell, or Alice in Wonderland lunch boxes. The boys favored Roy Rogers, Peter Pan, or Superman. For the record, I was a Superman lunch box guy.

Recess

After lunch and a last gulp of hot chocolate, we headed for the playground.

Of course we had oodles of fun on the swings, slide, and merry-go-round. Plus, we met kids from the other classrooms.

One of the other kids, Bobby Kallander, would become my brother-in-law around 15 years later.

Mike's mom just happened to take the photo above. About 14 years later, Mary was looking at the picture and said, “Hey, Mike is standing right behind my brother Bobby.”

In the red circle, Mike is on the left and Bobby is on the right.

Anchorage Elementary Schools

What elementary school did you attend?

If you lived in Anchorage, you might have attended one of the following:

Mountain View Elementary first opened in 1956

Northern Lights Elementary first opened in 1959

Ptarmigan Elementary first opened in 1967

If you don’t know, a ptarmigan is an Alaskan bird, pronounced “tar-mi-gan.”

And, if your parent was in the Air Force or Army in Anchorage and serving at Elmendorf Air Force Base or Fort Richardson, you may have attended elementary school on one of those military bases. We thank your parent(s) for their service.

Memories

What elementary school did you attend in Anchorage? What are your memories?

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From our Star the Reindeer memories.

Gary has this memory:

“The reindeer was always in their yard on 10th and D. We could go by and pet him when we were out that way.”

Jackie remembers:

“My husband, Bob, rented a basement apartment from the Stewarts in the mid-60s, and several times was allowed to take Star for a walk. Great memories of both Star and the Stewarts!”

Claudia’s memory:

“I remember walking by Star's home and sticking my little fingers through the chain-link fence for her to lick them. It was such a magical experience for a little girl. Each time I visited Anchorage, I would go and see Star.”

Cindy had this comment:

“My late husband, Bob Pendleton, came to Alaska in 1962 and went to work for the Stewarts, who often took young aspiring photographers under their wing, giving them a job plus a great start in learning how to be an Alaskan. Star was an integral part of it all. What a delight she was for the children of Anchorage, as well as all the big kids (like me)!”

In the photo above is Bob Pendleton with Star the Reindeer.

The above is a watercolor of Star the Reindeer by Alaskan artist, Cindy Pendleton.

Connect with Mike and Mary

It’s been a “few” years now since we were all in elementary school. But it’s fun to remember those times we shared as we began our academic careers.

And as Sherlock Holmes says, “Elementary, Watson.”

Do you have a comment?

You can also reply to this email.

Or, you can Contact Us right here.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

The Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

In the picture above is Star the Reindeer with Oro Stewart.

Photo above by Albert Whitehead

Do you know the story of Star the Reindeer?

To know Star, you first need to meet Ivan and Oro Stewart.

The Stewarts first came to Anchorage from Kodiak in 1944 and opened Stewart’s Photo Shop.

Now anyone who has ever lived in or visited Anchorage has probably at least seen Stewart’s Photo Shop at 531 W. 4th Avenue in downtown Anchorage, just across the street from the Visitor’s Log Cabin.

She wanted an Alaskan Pet

In 1960, Oro announced to Ivan that she wanted an Alaskan pet. At first, Ivan thought that his wife, Oro, wanted an Alaskan Husky. But what she had in mind was a reindeer.

So Ivan contacted Larry Davis, a Native herder outside of Nome.

Wait Just a Minute

It was and still is illegal to own an Alaska reindeer unless you are an Alaska Native. However, there was a way around that law. A reindeer could be leased to someone.

Now, before you head out to lease your very own reindeer pet, the law has been amended, and leasing a reindeer to non-Alaskan Natives is no longer allowed.

Enter Star the Reindeer

Larry Davis came through, and Oro happily received her leased pet reindeer.

In reindeer land, most tend to be either brown or grey in color. But Oro’s reindeer looked a bit different. This reindeer had a white breast and white trim. But her most distinguishing feature was a splash of white, star-shaped fur on her face.

So Oro named her reindeer “Star.” And a star she was.

In the photo above is Star the Reindeer, delighting crowds in the Fur Rendezvous Parade in Anchorage, Alaska.

What a Ham

Star the Reindeer quickly became a local celebrity, and in no time, Star’s fame had spread worldwide.

In Anchorage, Star could be spotted in front of Stewart’s Photo Shop in downtown Anchorage, where Star was happy to pose for local paparazzi (news cameras). But Star wasn’t a diva. No, not Star. This celebrity reindeer was happy to pose for pictures with locals and visitors alike.

Yes, You Can Share This Edition

And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will get you and a guest a ride on Santa’s sleigh, plus a photo op with Rudolph… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Enter Albert Whitehead

Albert worked for Ivan and Oro and his responsibilities evolved into becoming the reindeer caregiver. A position he happily continued for many years.

Star Got Evicted

No, Star wasn’t playing her music too loud, and she wasn’t behind on her rent.

Ivan and Oro kept Star at their home at 10th Avenue and I Street near downtown Anchorage.

Then, in 1973, a change in zoning laws ordered that Star could no longer stay in her home. But Ivan and Oro appealed that Grinchy law, and Star was able to stay.

Years Later

Star lived to be 23 years old. The average life span of a reindeer in the wild is 15 to 18 years.

Since Star’s passing, there were six more who continued the Star the Reindeer phenomenon in Anchorage.

Larry Davis, the Herder, selected every Star, except the last one, Star number seven.

The End of the Star the Reindeer Line

Star number seven left us in 2025. And with that, so ended the long Anchorage tradition of Star the Reindeer.

Our thanks to Ivan and Oro Stewart, Larry Davis, and Albert Whitehead for bringing such joy to so many people in Alaska and all over the world.

And our thanks to Star.

A great Anchorage memory.

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From our Anchorage Bootlegger Cove Memories

Jackie had this comment:

“Very much enjoyed this edition and Maggie Wilkinson's memories. I also attended the Quonset hut school, earlier than Maggie (1953-54) and with a real teacher (Mrs. Gordon), and went on to junior high downtown where she did. Things were so different back then - and in my mind, better!”

Did You Know?

Mike and Mary also publish Alaska Stories twice each month.

Take a look at Anchorage Stories and enjoy.

Connect with Mike and Mary

Star was a wonderful, unofficial mascot for Anchorage. We wonder if Star ever met Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Hummm?

Do you have a comment?

You can also reply to this email.

And you can Contact Us right here.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

The Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

1968 Bootlegger Cove photo by Cindy Pendleton

Anchorage, Alaska, was a brand-new town in 1915.

And it was a company town, run by the Alaska Engineering Commission as they built the Alaska Railroad.

In those days, entertainment was scarce. Two movie houses, the Empress and the Harmony theatre showed their films to packed houses.

But many railroad workers, business people, and others wanted something they couldn’t have. They wanted liquor. The problem was, Anchorage was bone dry.

Moonshiners Under the Northern Lights

Enter shadowy figures like the Phantom Swede, Russian Jack, and others.

They were known as moonshiners, and they distilled their squirrel juice, as it was called, or white mule in places hidden from authorities.

Russian Jack had a homestead of sorts, located about three miles east of town, next to a spring. That area was later named Russian Jack Springs.

Oh no You Don’t

To combat the manufacturing and sale of alcohol, the Alaska Engineering Commission put together strict rules about intoxicating liquors, gambling, and other vices.

When land was auctioned off to begin building the new town of Anchorage, buyers had to agree that if the property was used for any of the above, the penalty was forfeiture of the lot.

Even so, there was a demand for the whiskey produced by the hidden stills around Anchorage.

Hey, Here’s an Idea

In no time, local moonshiners came up with a new delivery method.

Just to the south and around the bend from the mouth of Ship Creek was the mouth of Chester Creek.

Because Chester Creek was relatively hidden from the prying eyes of authorities in the new townsite, moonshiners like the Phantom Swede and Russian Jack began using the area to deliver their goods.

Yes, You Can Share This Edition

And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will send you to Girdwood, Alaska, for a steak dinner at the Double Musky Inn… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Anchorage’s Early Days

Can you imagine Anchorage in those early days?

A mass of people drawn to the frontier of Alaska. A tent city on the banks of Ship Creek, and a new town coming to life.

Today, the names of people and places, like Russian Jack and Bootlegger Cove, are all that remain. A gentle reminder of how a town called Anchorage, Alaska, came to be.

BONUS

Memories of Bootlegger Cove

Photo courtesy of Maggie Wilkinson

by Maggie Wilkinson

From 1956 to 1959 I lived in this little log cabin in Bootlegger Cove, Anchorage, Alaska.It was a momentous time in my life, a time of transition. I was 10 when we moved into the garage apartment in the alley and 13 when we moved to a bigger home because our family was growing.I went to fifth grade in 1956 in a Quonset hut on the Park Strip, where my teacher was a butcher from the neighborhood grocery store. There were many more students in Anchorage than there were teachers, so the Anchorage School District hired anyone who applied. It was a very difficult year for me.But things turned around because in 1957, in the sixth grade, I went to the brand-new Inlet View School, and my teacher was a man who made an extra effort to learn about each of his students. He gave me my nickname of “Maggie,” and that made a very positive difference in my life. I felt seen, recognized, and understood.In 1958, I was in the 7th grade at what is now the location of the Performing Arts Center.My mother fell in love with and married my stepfather. He was a pilot for Reeve Aleutian Airways, and we were all very proud of him. Life was good. I had a new bike, and I made a little extra money from mowing lawns for $1.00/hr (I later learned to charge by the lawn instead of by the hour!) My best friend lived a block away, and she had a TV that we watched every day after school.In 1959, when I was in 8th grade, my little sister Betsy was born, and I didn’t know how my life could get any better. The summers lasted forever, and joy filled every day of my life. All of this and more happened in that little log cabin more than 65 years ago.Recently, my dogs and I walked at ”Betsy’s Park” (Elderberry Park), and then we walked to the log cabin, which is very close by.I spent a little time there, remembering how I played marbles and jumped rope in the alley, picked pussy willows in the spring, and I got a Chesapeake puppy (named Cinnabar). Many days were spent climbing high up in the cottonwood trees, chasing the train, and getting the engineer to blow the train whistle.I climbed on icebergs on the mudflats in the winter, played kickball at the park in the summer, and had to be home when the sun touched Susitna’s tummy. I remember riding my bike so fast down the 5th Avenue hill and then pedaling hard back up to do it all again. In the winter, we rode our sleds down the hill and swept the sand off it after the sanding truck went by. In the summer, we jumped over the water spraying from the water truck that came by to keep the dust down on the dirt roads.

It was a good childhood.I remember a lot of it, and I am truly thankful.It’s such a cute little log cabin, and it’s packed full of childhood memories.

BONUS

What was that name?

Most folks that live in, or have ever lived in Anchorage, know the name Russian Jack. He was one of those early pioneers who went by a nickname.

But have you ever heard of The Pale-Faced Kid, Dago Jim or Cream Puff Bill?

What about Happy Jack Smith, Big Red or Walking Swayze?

***As for Cream Puff Bill, he was a baker for the railroad and word was that the pastry he baked, especially his cream puffs, were legendary.

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From Alaska Stories and our An Alaska Commercial Fishing Adventure edition:

Aletha had this comment:

“I would have left that boat, skipper, and his attitude the minute I learned about the hip waders, I would have jumped (ship) and walked away...”

BONUS

Take a look at An Alaska Commercial Fishing Adventure and enjoy.

Connect with Mike and Mary

The Bootlegger Cove area of Anchorage includes Westchester Lagoon, a man-made recreational lake, and several very nice neighborhoods. It’s funny to think that many people who go there now have no idea that many years ago, the activity of moonshiners gave it the name Bootlegger Cove.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

The photo above is Ship Creek.

Summer in Anchorage means fishing along the banks of Ship Creek, Campbell Creek, and many of the lakes in town.

Dolly Varden and rainbow trout are plentiful in the waters around Anchorage.

With visions of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, it was fun to pack a snack, grab your fishing gear, and head out to spend some time at your favorite fishing hole.

She Caught Her First Fish

Mike of the Anchorage Memories Club has this fishing memory he will never forget.

“There I was, fishing from the banks of Campbell Creek. I was suddenly aware of a lady and her young daughter. It was the girl’s birthday, and her mom had given her one of those little ice-fishing poles as a gift.

I watched as the happy young girl put her line in the water. It was obvious that she didn’t know how to fish. So, I offered her some help.

There were some trout in a likely spot in the creek, so I told her to cast her line in that direction. Then I showed her how to hold her line and wait for a nibble.

Within moments, a nice-sized fish was on her line. I then coached her by telling her how to land her fish.

The girl was delighted and had a huge smile on her face as she stood there, holding her fish. Then she looked up at me with big eyes and a smile to match and said, “This is my first fish. Thank you, I’ll never forget you.”

Over the years, I’ve remembered that precious moment on the banks of Campbell Creek. I never knew her name, but I’ll never forget her.”

Old proverb:

"Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime."

Did You Know?

Ship Creek is considered the only urban king salmon fishery in the world.

Ship Creek is so named for the safe anchorage provided for ships near the mouth of the creek.

The Dena’ina called Ship Creek “Crying Ridge Creek.”

Yes, You Can Share This Edition

It's easy.

And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will give you a life-time pass to fish every day of the week if it pleases you… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

In the picture above is Campbell Creek

This Anchorage creek is named after Sir Joseph Campbell, who explored the area between 1785 and 1792.

While Ship Creek, mentioned earlier, is the largest waterway in Anchorage, Campbell Creek is the second-largest.

The One That Got Away

Mike of the Anchorage Memories Club was fishing in Campbell Creek one afternoon near a beaver dam and has this memory:

“I had my line in the water in a likely spot near a beaver dam. But not having any nibbles or strikes for a while, I started to pull my line out of the water.

Suddenly, I had a huge, strong strike.

For a moment, I panicked because I thought I had accidentally hooked a beaver. But seconds later, a rather large rainbow trout took off from where my line had been and shot across the stream like it was jet propelled. The rainbow darted and dashed about in the water, obviously upset at the surprise of my hook.

I quickly got a bigger hook and put my line back in the water.

But the large rainbow trout would have none of it.

Talk about the fish that got away.”

Sport Fishing Changed in the 1950s

Did you know that sport fishing technology made some significant changes in the 1950s?

Fiberglass rods and synthetic line were made available. Before those changes, if you fished, you were using a cane pole (a large stalk of bamboo) with a string line.

The Territorial Department of Fisheries was created in Alaska in 1949. In 1951, the Department of Fish and Game was created.

Fish Were Jumping Over the Nets

Mary of the Anchorage Memories Club has this special fishing memory.

“My summers were spent at our families commercial fishing village at Point Possession, just across Cook Inlet from Anchorage.

One of the great things about summer in Alaska is all the daylight. That was very helpful when the fish run was on. I remember watching in awe as fish jumped over our net.

My mother Feodoria, two uncles; five brothers; and two sisters all had jobs to do when the fish were running and our nets were full.

When the tide went back out, and the run was over, we had to pick the fish out of our nets. And you had to be careful not to mangle the fish, because each one was worth money. It was a lot of responsibility for us as youngsters.

The sharp teeth of the dog fish would get wrapped around the net. It was also challenging to get the humpies through the small holes of the net. And I remember the silver salmon were so shiny, and wow, the kings were so long.

It wasn’t all work at our commercial fishing site. Summers included taking a break by roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the beach campfire and listening to Anchorage radio.”

Oh the Memories

As you fished along the banks of your favorite stream or lake in and around Anchorage, it was quiet, relaxing, and fun.

There you were, surrounded by Alaska’s glorious nature in full summer bloom. At times, there was only the sound of the stream as it gently flowed to its destination.

And while catching a fish was the main goal, it didn’t always matter.

Fishing in and around Anchorage is a special experience. There you are, one with nature. But, strangely, still in town.

Your Anchorage fishing memories are precious indeed.

Mike and Mary also publish Alaska Stories twice each month. It’s FREE.

Take a look at Alaska Stories and discover Alaska.

Connect with Mike and Mary

Ok, time to reel in and pull your fishing line out of the water. But let’s keep the soft glow of those watercolor Anchorage fishing memories near to our hearts.

Do you have a comment? Or a memory to share?

You can also reply to this email, or Contact Us right here.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

The photo above is how Delaney Park looked when it was an airfield.

The oldest park in the city of Anchorage

wasn’t always a park

In around 1917, the citizens of Anchorage worked for free to clear the land for a firebreak to protect the mostly wooden buildings in the new city of Anchorage.

in the 1923 photo above, the firebreak became the first golf course in Anchorage.

A year later, the citizens of Anchorage cleared the land even more, and it became a 300-foot by 2000-foot landing field for aviation pioneer, Noel Wien.

Note:

The golf course was still in use when planes began landing and taking off from the new airstrip. But golfers were cautioned to “give the right of way, to aircraft.”

Wien’s first flight took place on June 4, 1924. And by the end of that month he had flown 170 passengers from the airstrip.

Wien also started the first Anchorage to Fairbanks flights from that airstrip.

By the way, the airstrip would become Delaney Park, the largest park in Anchorage. It was officially named on September 14 , 1971, after James Delaney, one of the first mayors in Anchorage.

BONUS

Want to know more?

Take a look at Anchorage Delaney Park as an Airstrip and discover.

Yes, You Can Share this Edition

You can share this edition of the Anchorage Memories Club with friends and family.

And when you do, they will be so happy that they will send you on a first-class flight around the world… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Merrill Field, opened in 1932

Once Merrill Field opened, the Delaney Park Airstrip was no longer needed.

Merrill Field was the first official airport in Anchorage. And, until 1951, it was the only airport in Anchorage.

Construction of Merrill Field began in 1929 and was originally called Anchorage Aviation Field, then the Anchorage Municipal Airport. It was later named after Alaska aviation pioneer Russel Merrill.

During the 1930s, Merrill Field had so much air traffic that it became the most active civilian airport in the entire U.S.

NOTE:

The very first aviation beacon in what was, then, the Territory of Alaska, was located at Merrill Field.

BONUS

Click on the following link:

Take a look at the History of Merrill Field and enjoy.

DOUBLE BONUS

Click on the following link:

Read about Alaska pioneer aviator Russel Merrill and discover.

Anchorage Airport 1950s

Anchorage International Airport, now called Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, was first opened in 1953 when commercial aircraft were getting too big to land at Merrill Field.

Because of its location in the world, Anchorage International Airport became known as the “Air Crossroads of the World”.

It is now the 3rd busiest cargo airport in the world.

BONUS

Click on the following link:

Read more about The History of Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and enjoy.

Lake Hood Seaplane Base

Back in 1938, a channel was built between Lake Spenard and Lake Hood, and a gravel airstrip was built on the South side of lake Hood.

In the 1950s, the combined lakes were developed and enlarged into the Lake Hood Sea Plane Base.

A traffic control tower was added in 1954. Then, in the 1970s, the tower at Anchorage International Airport took over for Lake Hood air traffic.

Lake Hood has an average of 190 flights each day.

In the summer, planes take off and land on the lake using “pontoons.” In the winter, they use snow skis.

BONUS

Want to know more?

Take a look at the Lake Hood Seaplane Base and discover.

Did you fly out of land at any of the above airfields in Anchorage?

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From The Matanuska Coal Fields Story (our Alaska Stories publication)

George commented:

“Very interesting article about the coal fields.

The Mention of Cap Lathrop as one of the original investors reminded me that the 4th Avenue Theater was heated with a coal fired furnace.

The maintenance man for the Hill Bldg. where I worked, also maintained the theater and would have to fire it up early enough to get the temperature up before the evening shows. This was in the 60s and 70s. I don't know if and when it might have been converted.”

Randall remembers:

“Many an evening in the 1970s (during the housing crunch) I sat with friends around their heavy metal stoves heated by the coal they collected along the tracks which ran from the mines north of Palmer.

My friends shared living spaces (in quonset huts), serving, as best could, as their homes, work spaces, etc.

Everyone scrambling to find a place to live and a place to keep warm.

To enjoy Alaska Stories (it’s free)

Take a look at Alaska Stories and get ready for Alaska history, adventure, and pioneers.

Connect with Mike and Mary

The smiling couple above are Mike and Mary of Anchorage Memories.

This picture was taken at Anchorage International Airport in 1970, as we were getting ready to board our Western Airlines flight at the beginning of our honeymoon. We had been married the day before… Boy, were we ever that young?

OK, please take your seat and buckle up as we prepare for landing.

Did you enjoy this look at Anchorage Airport Memories?

Did you arrive in Anchorage at Merrill Field? Have you ever flown out of Lake Hood?

We love hearing from our North Stars (that’s you).

You can also reply to this email, or you can Contact Us right here.

Until next time

Mike and Mary

The Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

In the inset above is Austin Eugene “Cap” Lathrop

You may have heard his name before, and you may even remember that for years, all the movie theaters in Anchorage were built and operated by the Lathrop Corporation. And the most well-remembered of those was the 4th Avenue theatre (pictured above).

But as a pioneer, Cap Lathrop was involved in many successful businesses.

Lathrop’s Alaskan Adventures Began in 1895

Those included a shipping and freighting company that would later serve the Klondike gold strike.

In 1897, Lathrop obtained his master mariner’s license. He then became the captain of a steam schooner he already owned called the L.J. Perry. And with that, he earned the nickname, Captain, or “Cap” Lathrop.

The First Wedding in Valdez

On February 18, 1901, when he was in Valdez, Alaska, Cap Lathrop and Lillian McDowell were married at the residence of Reverend D.W. Crane. That wedding was the first ever in Valdez.

Lathrop Movie Theaters

The picture above is on 4th Avenue in Anchorage

Cap Lathrop started his chain of movie theatres in the early 1910s. And by the way, he always used the British spelling, “theatre,” for his movie houses.

It all started with the Empress in Cordova, Alaska, which was first opened in 1911. Then he built Anchorage’s first movie theater, The Empress, in 1916.

At that time, the early settlers and railroad workers living in the tent city that would become Anchorage, Alaska, were starved for entertainment. So there was always a full house at every movie shown at the Empress.

The silent movie “Peggy,” starring Billie Burke, was the very first movie shown to the tent city population at the Empress.

And while the movie house opened without one, a theatre organ was later added, so local audiences enjoyed music while they watched movies.

The Empress showed movies well into the 1950s.

Did You Know?

Parts of the Empress theatre organ were later used in the Uncle's Pizza organ in Anchorage.

The 4th Avenue Theatre

From 1941 to 1947 Cap Lathrop built Anchorage’s 4th Avenue Theatre. It took that long because of World War Two. In 1927, he built the Empress and the Lacy Street theatres in Fairbanks.

BONUS

You’ll love this free e-book and instant download of 4th Avenue theatre memories.

Take a look at 4th Avenue Theatre Memories and enjoy.

Yes, You can Share This Edition

Your friends and family will think you are totally cool when you share this edition of the Anchorage Memories Club with them.

And when you do, they will send you an entire years worth of your favorite Alaska salmon or crab… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

KENI Radio

While the first radio station in all of Alaska and Anchorage was KFQD, Lathrop started the second radio station in Anchorage, KENI.

May 2, 1948, marked the very first broadcast by KENI radio. Both KENI and KFAR radio in Fairbanks were operated under the banner Midnight Sun Broadcasting, with Cap Lathrop as the company president.

A Movie Studio in Downtown Anchorage?

In the summer of 1922, Lathrop started the Alaska Motion Picture Corporation.

The first (and only) movie they produced was a 1923 silent movie production titled “The Chechahcos.”

In November of that year, a 7,000 square foot movie studio was constructed at the end of Third Avenue in Anchorage.

On March 8, 1923, the actors who were starring in the movie, Eva Gordon, William Dills and Albert Van Antwep, (as well as others) arrived in Anchorage from Oregon, New York, and Hollywood.

A “townwide” party was held in their honor. It was billed as a “free dance and jollification at the moviedome.”

Scenes for The Cheechahcos were filmed in Anchorage, Denali, and Girdwood where they recreated the famous Chilkoot Pass.

When the movie was completed, it played to packed houses and happy audiences all around the Territory of Alaska.

But in its stateside showings, it was not a commercial success.

Critics called the plot “hokey” and the title “unpronounceable.” Stateside audiences agreed.

The Chechahcos was the first feature-length movie ever made entirely in Alaska. And the first and only movie Cap Lathrop ever produced.

The moviedome studio on 3rd Avenue was converted into an exhibition center for the Western Alaska Fair in 1924. It later served as the Anchorage Community Center.

Austin Eugene “Cap” Lathrop

His Anchorage, and indeed Alaska legacy was vast. And, like many others who traveled to Anchorage in the days when Anchorage was nothing more than a raggedy tent city on the muddy banks of Ship Creek, Cap Lathrop will long be remembered.

BONUS

There is a lot more to the Cap Lathrop story.

Take a look at the “Cap” Lathrop Story and discover.

From Our North Stars (thats you)

From our look at the Lucky Wishbone

Linda has this memory:

“My dad, Neil Sagerser, was the 3rd airport policeman ever hired in Anchorage, Alaska. One day in the mid-50s, my dad was moose hunting near the Anchorage Airport (which was legal then) and shot a moose. He was so excited!

He hiked back to the moose, and just as he arrived, another gentleman came from another direction. My dad said “I just shot this moose,” and the other gentleman (who was Mr. George Brown) said, “I just shot this moose.” They both laughed and decided, as true Alaskan gentlemen, that they would just share the moose so they could feed their families.

My father and Mr. Brown were friends for many years. Even after being gone from Alaska for 40 years, I ( Neil’s daughter) walked into the Lucky Wishbone, and Mr. Brown recognized me! He said, “With those blue eyes, you know it is a Sagerser!”

A true Alaskan dearly missed!”

Robert remembers:

“I grew up treasuring a cheeseburger from Lucky Wishbone as a break from moose! Our family business, Reynolds Equipment, was just across the empty field next to Peggy’s Airport Cafe. For about thirteen years I ordered my lunch, a cheeseburger and fries, from Lucky Wishbone. I live in Portland now, but my first two restaurant stops on my last visit were for a Wishbone burger and shrimp at Mam O’s.”

Connect with Mike and Mary

Well, its time to put down your popcorn, Milk Duds, and soda.

Did you enjoy this edition of the Anchorage Memories Club?

You can also reply to this email or Contact Us right here.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe

“A great, true Alaska story” Roger

It all began far from Anchorage, in Denver, Colorado, when George Brown met Peggy Krause.

George was so taken by Peggy that he asked her to marry him on their first date.

Hey, Let’s Start A Restaurant

In 1946, George and Peggy opened a restaurant in Wisconsin, called “Brownies”. By the way, while George had no restaurant experience, Peggy had at least worked in one before.

Alaska, Here we Come

In 1951, George and Peggy must have been feeling adventurous because they packed up and drove the ALCAN (Alaska Canadian highway), and headed for Anchorage, Alaska and the Last Frontier.

The First Lucky Wishbone

Fast-forward to November 30, 1955, when the Lucky Wishbone first opened in Anchorage.

On the first day, the restaurant made a whopping $80 dollars.

Should we or Shouldn’t we?

In 1990, George’s mother passed away from cancer.

Wanting to honor his mother, George wanted to make the Lucky Wishbone, Alaska’s first smoke-free restaurant. Peggy thought that if they went smoke-free, the restaurant would end up going out of business. The two had a strong disagreement.

But after all was said and done, the Lucky Wishbone became smoke-free. And Anchorage loved it.

“This Lady”

In 2002, the Lucky Wishbone was named, Alaska’s Small Business of the year.

Peggy Brown flew to Washington, DC to receive the award.

Senator Ted Stevens introduced Peggy to President Bush by saying, “this lady makes some of the best fried chicken in the country.”

Yes, You can Share This Edition

Imagine how happy your friends and family will be when you share this edition with them.

They will be so happy, they will give you a free, one year supply of fried chicken, from the Lucky Wishbone… well, it could happen.

Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

That’s a Lot of Spuds

Patricia Brown - Heller was in the 8th grade when her parents George and Peggy gave her the job of peeling potatoes every morning before school.

Patricia remembers peeling 150 to 200 pounds of spuds a day to be cut into french fries.

It’s Not Just a Restaurant

Over the years, the Lucky Wishbone became dear to the hearts of not only the people of Anchorage, but people all over Alaska.

George and Peggy cared about their customers, and it showed.

We’re Headed for the Lucky Wishbone

Mary of the Anchorage Memories Club has this memory:

“When I was a sophomore at East High School, and my brother Norman was a Senior, we would drive our 1968 Camero to the Lucky Wishbone for an after school snack.”

BONUS

You’ll enjoy Mary’s whole story.

Take a look at Wishing for a Lucky Wishbone Lunch and remember when.

And you’ll love our interview with Patricia Brown - Heller, where you’ll learn the entire Lucky Wishbone story.

Take a look at The Lucky Wishbone Story and remember when.

From our North Stars (that’s you)

From our Anchorage Kid’s TV Shows edition.

Johnny has this memory:

“I played my accordion on the Buckaroo Show.”

Karen shared this:

“My father, Ralph Walker, was an engineer who helped to build and run many of the radio stations in Alaska. We lived at KENI and were often available as audience members for KoKo the KENI Klown show.”

Lynn had this comment:

“I really enjoyed the Anchorage Kid’s TV Shows edition. It brought back fond memories.”

Connect with Mike and Mary

Are you hungry for some Lucky Wishbone Chicken?

We sure are.

Our thanks to Patricia Brown - Heller for letting us interview her about her father, and mother, George and Peggy Brown and the Lucky Wishbone in Anchorage, Alaska.

Do you have a comment?

You can also reply to this email.

Or you can Contact Us to say, “I love the Lucky Wishbone.”

Until next time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories Club

Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe