Alaska Stories

By: Michael R Dougherty
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  • Summary

  • Alaska History, Facts, and Pioneers

    www.alaska-stories.com
    Michael R Dougherty
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Social Sciences World
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Episodes
  • See the Beautiful Site Summit Star, a Surprise Gift to Anchorage, Alaska

    See the Beautiful Site Summit Star, a Surprise Gift to Anchorage, Alaska
    Dec 15 2024

    Alaska’s mountains are tall, commanding, and majestic.

    But mount Gordon Lyon in the Chugach mountains, overlooking Alaska’s largest city, has become special to the citizens of Anchorage.

    Illuminated during those long winter nights, the “Site Summit Star” was a gift to Anchorage from the soldiers at Site Summit.

    Nike Site Summit

    The U.S. Army established a Nike Hercules missile installation on Mount Gordon Lyon in 1958 to help protect the U.S. during the Cold War.

    Site Summit in Action

    In the photo above, the Site Summit Army post, tests a Nike-Hercules missile

    Mike of Alaska Stories was a student at Clark Junior High in Anchorage. One day, the students were escorted to the front of the school to watch the first test launch of a Nike-Hercules missile from Site Summit. Like the picture above, it was an impressive site.

    How the Gift of the Star came About

    In 1958, Battery Commander, Captain Douglas Evert, had an idea.

    At nearly 4,000 feet up the mountain, Evert wanted to set up a 15 foot illuminated star on the Site Summit gate house as a holiday symbol that would be seen and enjoyed by all of Anchorage.

    But the first star was too small.

    So, a 117-foot star replaced the original in 1960.

    Oops!

    An avalanche destroyed the star in 1989.

    Later, the damaged star was replaced by a 300-foot wide star.

    Yes, You Can Share This Edition

    Your friends and family will be so happy when you share this edition of Alaska Stories with them. You might even get a special Christmas gift… well, it could happen.

    Just click on the following link:

    Thanks for reading Alaska Stories. This post is public, so feel free to share it.

    Now That’s a Lot of Bulbs

    Photo by Crystal A. Jenkins, US Air Force

    Can you guess?

    How many bulbs do you think it used to take to light up a 300-foot star?

    The Answer is:

    There were around 350 bulbs that require year round maintenance. Yes, those light sockets froze and the movement of snow caused damage as well.

    The Site Summit Star Today

    Modern technology has caught up with the star.

    Light bulbs have been replaced with LED lights.

    The star is 300 feet wide. Compare that to the length of a football field, which is 360 feet.

    When Can You See the Star?

    According to a Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson publication, the star is lit every year on Thanksgiving and remains on until the last Iditarod dog sled musher crosses the finish line in Nome – sometime in March.

    The Beauty of the Star

    Water color courtesy of Alaskan artist Cindy Pendleton

    Sit back and enjoy the beautiful vision of the Site Summit Star that is captured so well by Alaskan artist, Cindy Pendleton in the water color image above. Our thanks to Cindy for sharing her art with Alaska Stories.

    BONUS

    To learn more, visit Friends of Site Summit and discover.

    Visit Anchorage Memories.com

    You’ll discover a treasure chest of memories, including stories, pictures, and videos.

    Take a look at Anchorage Memories and enjoy.

    Connect with Mike and Mary

    This is one of those great Alaska Stories that warm your heart.

    If you live in Anchorage, or visited during the holidays, what was your reaction, the first time you saw the Site Summit Star?

    Send us your comment by replying to this email, or you can Contact Us right now to say, “I love the Site Summit Star”.

    Until Next Time

    Mike and Mary

    Alaska Stories



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    3 mins
  • Meet the Shrewd, Ruthless Man who Founded Fairbanks, Alaska

    Meet the Shrewd, Ruthless Man who Founded Fairbanks, Alaska
    Dec 8 2024
    Meet Elbridge Truman “E.T.” Barnette, (1863–1933)The man who founded Fairbanks.He was a riverboat captain, a banker, and a swindler.Gold FeverWhen the steamship Portland arrived at the West Coast with its one ton of gold from the Alaska gold strike, like many others, E.T. Barnett came down with a bad case of gold fever.He decided to take the “Rich Man’s Route” to avoid Skagway and the passes. He boarded the ocean steamer, Cleveland in Seattle to travel to St. Michael, where he had booked a river steamer to Dawson City.But the Cleveland ran into fog, bad weather, and had a fire in the hold compartment. A disease also broke out among the passengers. Eventually, the steamer made it to St. Michael, where Barnette discovered that his river steamer to Dawson had already left.So Barnette and 60 other passengers from the Cleveland purchased their own river steamer, the St. Michael, to take them to Dawson.More TroubleOn their way to Dawson, the St. Michael became frozen in the river at Circle City.But Barnette was determined to get to the Klondike. So, he bought a fast dog team to take him to Dawson.Once he was there, Barnette discovered that every creek on the Klondike river had already been claimed.E.T. Barnette was forced to take a job to earn enough money to go back home.Yes, You Can Share ThisDid you know that you can easily share this edition of the Alaska Stories podcast with your friends and family?And when you do, they will be so happy that they will send you on an all-expense trip to Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands, rated #1 in 2022 according to TripAdvisor users… well, it could happen.To share this, click on the following link.Thanks for reading Alaska Stories. This post is public, so feel free to share it.Try, Try AgainBy the early 1900s, Barnette had enough money and decided to go back to Alaska, where this time he would set up a Trading Post along a new Railroad Route at Tannana Crossing.In St. Michael once again, along with 130 tons of freight to start his Trading Post, he bought the river steamer, Arctic Boy.Unfortunately, the Arctic Boy struck a rock and sank in St. Michael harbor.So Barnette convinced Captain Charles Adams of the steamer Lavelle Young, to take him, his wife Isabelle, his employees and freight to Tannana Crossing.The Captain agreed, with one important contractual agreement.Barnette, his wife, employees, and freight would be put ashore at the “farthest point” the boat was able to reach… regardless of where that was.Low WaterEventually, as they headed up the Tannana River, they ran into low water. But Barnett convinced Adams to head for the Chena River.But, as they headed up the Chena, they ran into low water once again.This time, Barnette and Captain Adams had an argument that ended with Barnette, his wife, several employees and 130 tons of freight being put off the steamer and on to the banks of the Chena River.As Captain Adams and his steam boat headed back down the Chena, Isabelle Barnette stood on the riverbank and cried.Photo above is the first Trading Post camp on the Chena River in 1903E.T. Barnette established his trading post.Some time later, in a conversation with Judge James Wickersham, the Judge convinced Barnette to name his trading post after U.S. Senator Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana.Yes, Fairbanks was founded because of a series of mishaps and was named following a conversation with a Judge.BONUSTo learn more, and how a swindle nearly caused a hanging, take a look at:Fairbanks, Alaska and discover.From our North Stars (that’s you)From “This is the Remarkable Z.J. Loussac” editionBearpawz made this observation:“Sounds like ZJ Loissac was a really good guy.. I do like the design of the midtown library. The old city hall building downtown is supposed to turn into a new branch eventually, but I'm not sure what the timeline on that is.”Wandal remembers:“This “Loussac Edition” brought back many fond memories. My parents arrived in Anchorage with me and my sister in 1952 when I was 6 years old and not much of a reader. Then I discovered the Loussac Library and read Andre Norton’s “Starman’s Son”. From then on, there was no looking back and the library became my favorite hangout. By late grade school I was checking out 12 books per week (the limit) and in Jr High (O D Clark) made a book report on The World Book Encyclopedia. Must be inheritable as my kids are now ‘addicted to books’. Thanks you ZJ”And Irene said this:“I loved that library. In 1955 I was 11 years old and that library was fascinating. Thanks for the wonderful memories.”Larry added this:“I remember going downstairs to the Assembly meetings with Mayor George Sullivan around 1971-1972.”Contact Mike and MaryDid you enjoy learning about E.T. Barnette and the founding of Fairbanks?You can easily send us a comment by replying to this email. And you can even Contact Us us to say, “hey, I love the Alaska Stories podcast.”Until Next ...
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    4 mins
  • The Fascinating Story of the Matanuska Coal Fields

    The Fascinating Story of the Matanuska Coal Fields
    Dec 1 2024
    In the photo above is the Evan Jones Coal Mine at the top of a 6 percent grade up from Sutton on the Matanuska River.But the story of coal in Alaska doesn’t start with the Evan Jones mine.The subject of the oil painting above is Captain Nathaniel Portlock.In 1786, British trader, Nathaniel Portlock first discovered coal in Alaska at a location named Coal Cove. That area is now Port Graham on the Kenai Peninsula.In 1855, the first commercial coal mine in Alaska was opened by the Russian - American Company near Port Graham.Around the 1900sThe U.S. Government, and as a result, some financiers, became interested in the Matanuska coal fields.High-Quality Coal to Fuel U.S. BattleshipsBecause of the rich, high-quality coal deposits in the Matanuska fields, the Alaska Rail system was developed.In 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and the U.S. Congress passed the Alaska Railroad Act, authorizing construction of the Alaska Railroad to pass through the Matanuska, Little Susitna, Broad Pass and Nenana coal fields.Coal was also needed by the Alaska Railroad.In 1916, the first load of coal arrived in Anchorage.From its tent city days and up through the early days of Anchorage, coal was a major source for heating.Yes, You Can Share this EditionYour friends and family will love this history-packed edition of Alaska Stories.To share, click on the following link. And you’ll be a hero.Thanks for reading Alaska Stories. This post is public, so feel free to share it.Enter Evan JonesPictured above are Bronwen and Evan Jones at their 1932 Anchorage home.In 1917, Evan Jones arrived in Anchorage. He then became the Superintendent of the Doherty coal mine on Moose Creek. Later, Jones was superintendent of the Eska and Chickaloon coal mines, owned by the Alaska Railroad.In 1920, Jones teamed up with Anchorage pioneers Z.J. Loussac, Oscar Anderson, a hotel operator named Mr. Collins, a dentist named Mr. Blyth and Dr. Boyle.The group leased 2,240 acres on the slope of Wishbone Hill off the banks of the Matanuska River, just north of Palmer, Alaska.Jonesville, AlaskaTo accommodate the workers and their families, the tiny community of Jonesville was established. The town included houses, a school, and a hospital.At one time, the Evan Jones mine was the largest coal mine in Alaska. It was also a major supplier of coal for Anchorage and the Alaska Railroad.The Evan Jones Coal Mine FireBut in November 1922, then Fire chief J.W. Greene and Thomas Bevers were sent to fight a fire that had broken out in the Evan Jones Coal Mine.Greene and Bevers took Anchorage’s brand new La France pumping truck to the fire.On site, they began pumping water from a nearby lake. They sprayed as much as 1,200 gallons of water per minute into the coal mine.The two ran the pumper for three hundred hours with only one break for maintenance. When it was over, Greene and Bevers had a world record for continuous pumping. The fire was extinguished, and the mine was reopened.5.5 Million Metric TonsThe Evan Jones Coal Mine produced around 5.5 million metric tons of high-quality coal from 1920 into the 1960s.The mine supplied coal to Anchorage, neighboring Fort Richardson Army base and Elmendorf Air Force Base.BONUSWould you like to know more about Evan Jones and the Alaska Coal Mines?Take a look at the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame and discover.DOUBLE BONUSDo you remember the 1966 musical hit by Lee Dorsey, “Workin in a Coal Mine”?Click on the following link and enjoy the memory.Alaska FactPalmer was just 40 miles south of the Evan Jones coal mine.But did you know that on July 6, 1917, when the Palmer Post Office was first opened, it wasn’t called Palmer, Alaska?At that time, the small community was called “Warten”, Alaska.Anchorage Memories.comYou’ll quickly discover a treasure chest filled with pictures, stories and wonderful memories.Take a look at Anchorage Memories.com and enjoy.Connect with Mike and MaryHave you ever filled up a bucket from a coal bin? Mike’s family spent time on a farm near Wasilla, Alaska, and it was young Mike’s job to fetch coal for the stove.Did you enjoy this edition of Alaska Stories?We’d love to read your comments. To connect with us, just reply to this email. Or you can reach us right here to say, “I’ve been workin in a coal mine, goin on down down”. Remember that song?Until Next TimeMike and MaryAlaska Stories Get full access to Alaska Stories at www.alaska-stories.com/subscribe
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    5 mins

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