The idea of sending Depression-struck farmers to Alaska captured the imagination of a public starved for happy, hopeful news. California newspapers, sensing a dramatic story, seemed eager to describe the project through the lens of their own state’s heroic pioneer narratives of a century earlier. Carolyn Anspacher of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote:
“The last of the covered wagons is rushing through the night. . . Sixty-seven drought-stricken families, 285 men, women, and children are jam-packed into 21 coaches – a modern version of yesterday’s ox-drawn wagon. They sit here now, in endless diaper-hung coaches, wearing trappings of a civilization that has swept them to ruin. The same spirit to motivate their fathers and forefathers in seeking out a new land is driving them onward.”
SF Chronicle article quoted in We Shall Be Remembered by Evangeline Atwood. Photo and caption from an album donated by photographer Dorothea Lange to the Library of Congress.
Colonist Lawrence Sulo Vasanoja sent penny postcards to his sister Sigrid describing the train ride.
Postmarked APR 27 1935
Dear Sig,
Omaha 5:40 AM Sat.
Stop’d 1 hour. Rest were asleep.
I took Chummie for a walk. We didn’t leave St Paul until 4:30 P. M. Fri.
… We didn’t see anything of Iowa as it was dark. Nebraska looks O.K. apples in full blossom. Hard to write on train. Slow train yesterday stopped almost at every stop but now no more stops only water. All is O.K. quite exciting, nice bunch from Duluth. Some I know.
… Will arrive Frisco Mon. 2 P.M. Leave 1st.
…Only 67 families going this trip others will follow. All from MN, only 2 other Finns.
Love Sulo
Postmarked OGDEN, UTAH APR 28 1935
Sunday noon
About 5 min more and we’ll be in Ogden U and we’ll stop 2 hrs long enough for a good wash up. They have all provisions made for that. We are sure getting good accomodations – good meals & all we can eat. Can order 3 or 4 meals if we wish. Any ways we are over stuffed with food. Have 21 car train 10 bxcars 1 baggage & 2 [illegible – diners?] 8 day coaches only 8 families in our coach. Between times busy dropping cards at all larger points. Where we stop each morning & nite we take the dogs out for a walk. 6 dogs. goin so darn fast its hard to write & when we stop I have no time to write as I must care for Chum. Seeing snow topped mts today. Love Sulo & Helen