Ninety years ago today, May 10th, 1935 was a banner day for the Matanuska Colony Project. After a journey of nearly five thousand miles from Minnesota, the first colonists arrived in Palmer.
“The morning of May 10, 1935 was bright with sunshine, making the scenery all the more enjoyable. . . Spirits were high as we gathered up our belonging and left the St. Mihiel to board the Alaska Railroad train. It would take us to our final destination, a place where many of us would spend the rest of our lives.”
-Ray Rebarchek, “Memoirs of an Alaskan Farmer”
Detail from inset of 1928 map of the Alaska Railroad kept by the Frederick family, part of the PMHA Frederick Collection
“We were not quite fifty miles on our way before we reached that spectacular stretch of railroad known as ‘The Loop.’ We flatlanders had hearts moving right up into our mouths as the train ground around one sharp turn after another. It was somewhat like a roller coaster, but on a much grander scale.”
. . .
“We might have been on a tourist excursion, marveling at the wonders of this great land, instead of a trainload of uprooted farmers. The ice came right down to the railroad track; the train had stopped, so that we might have the experience of walking on a real glacier.”
-Ray Rebarchek, “Memoirs of an Alaskan Farmer”
Hewitt’s photo from the Frederick family photo album in the PMHA Frederick Collection
“Folks had treated us warmly in Minneapolis, we had been greeted like royalty in San Francisco, but few of us were prepared for the reception that awaited us in Anchorage. . . The whole town was down at the depot, waiting for the train to come in. Though it was an important occasion for all of us, it was obviously a big day for the citizens of Anchorage, too.
The mayor, Oscar Gill, and other dignitaries were there, shaking hands and giving friendly greetings. Colonel Otto F. Ohlson, general manager of the Alaska Railroad, and prime mover of the whole colonization program, moved among the people, exuding friendliness.”
-Ray Rebarchek, “Memoirs of an Alaskan Farmer”
Hewitt’s photo from the Frederick family photo album in the PMHA Frederick Collection
“An all-Alaskan dinner had been painstakingly prepared for our pleasure. . . We saw long, white tables, heaped with food and tastefully decorated with wild flowers. . . It was a meal meant to impress newcomers. . . Generous townspeople had gone all out to supply unusual meat dishes, featuring beaver, porcupine, and even musk ox, as well as the more common moose, caribou, bear, and various kinds of fish. Besides all of the game dishes, Alaskan-grown vegetables, jams and jellies made from wild berries, and other delicacies were consumed. . . I have never eaten such a wonderful meal in my life. After it was all over, Anchorage officials expressed feelings of friendship and wished us well in our endeavors. We got the message; these people wanted us to succeed, and they wanted to be a part of our success.”
-Ray Rebarchek, “Memoirs of an Alaskan Farmer”
This page of Anchorage Times articles is from a scrapbook made by the Frederick family, part of the PMHA Frederick Collection.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus New leaves were opening on the birch trees and the weather was fine for the late afternoon train ride from Anchorage. Reverend Bingle, who had pitched his tent in Palmer four days earlier, observed the arrival of the 67 families and locals’ reactions:
“The Minnesota colonists arrived the evening of May 10th and again the folks of the Valley were down to the Railroad tracks that run to the coal field, this time to welcome and look over the newcomers for their community. Many were eager to see them, they having prayed for that day to arrive for some years back. Others were glad for their coming but were skeptical due to such an extensive program being laid out. Still others just naturally did not like the idea.”
-from booklet “The First Three Years” by B.J. Bingle, Pastor, United Protestant Church, from the Juster Hill Productions collection at the Palmer Historical Society.
Photo by Willis T Geisman for the ARRC album, held by the Alaska State Librarynec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Colonist George Emberg reflected on the journey to Palmer sometime after events of the next winter forced him to leave, so his memory of the optimism of the time is poignant.
“. . . The train stopped opposite our tent city which our transient friends had worked night and day to erect preparatory to our arrival. Cheers were exchanged back and forth and altho tired as we were our morale was high.
. . . The tents measured 16’x20’ and constructed with a framework of rough lumber and a plank floor.
A kitchen range was set up and ready for a fire but outside of that the tents were bare.
The next few hours were spent breaking out a few supplies, cots, bedding and pots and pans and after a hearty supper everything was arranged ship shape . . . “
-From “My Life in the Matanuska Colony” By an Ex Colonist, photocopy of handwritten manuscript in the PMHA Emberg letters collection
Dinner that night was provided aboard train cars and in the transient workers’ camp mess hall.
George Emberg recalled that men and boys worked until the small hours of the morning to unload baggage from the train.
“Picture the confusion that night, everything loaded in a mass jumble and no one knew where his neighbor lived. The women prepared hot coffee whenever we became fatigued. We were a day in unloading our belongings and many were the aching muscle and smashed finger.”
-From “My Life in the Matanuska Colony” By an Ex Colonist, photocopy of handwritten manuscript in the PMHA Emberg letters collection
Palmer’s newest residents finding their temporary homes in the tent city on a sunny May evening.
“Colonists going to their tents”
From the ARRC album