On May 22nd, 1935, the St Mihiel arrived in Seward at 8 AM. All the Michigan and Wisconsin farm families were only too happy to get off the ship and onto a train bound for Palmer – but, only the men would be leaving Seward on the 22nd. Tents were still in short supply in Palmer. The compromise was to send the men on ahead so the drawing for land could happen as soon as possible, while the women and children spent another two nights in Seward aboard ship.
Photo: ARRC St Mihiel arriving
Evelyn Stebbins wrote home:
“Wednesday morning we got up early to see everything — & could see land from a long way off – all mountains against the horizon – they were simply beautiful when the sun shone on them – snow-capped & glistening white. . . As we came closer we could see trees on the lower part of the mts & a glacier a long way off. Some of the passengers saw a whale, but I didn’t, darnit!! But there were some big codfish – 5 ft. anyway – right by the ship – was it ever fun watching them! The passage to Seward winds thru mountains – it’s a land-locked harbor – y’go like this to get in [elaborate squiggle] – all mixed up – but a beautiful passage – high mts on both sides – we could see mountain streams tumbling down the sides – some mtns were snow-covered & others were covered with trees.”
Margaret Miller recalled:
“After four miserable days, the St. Mihiel finally sailed into Resurrection Bay and docked at Seward, the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad. Although we still had about 125 miles to travel, we were in Alaska!
All of us certainly were glad to get off the ship the morning of May 22 after the sickening trip across the Gulf. We arrived at Seward at about eight o’clock in the morning and disembarked as quickly as possible.”
Excerpt from “A Creek, a Hill, and a Forty – Margaret Miller’s Story,” by Ray Bonnell.
Photo from the official ARRC album, Mary Nan Gamble Collection, Alaska State Library.
“THE ARRIVAL OF THE SECOND CONTINGENT OF COLONISTS / ST. MIHIEL DROPS ANCHOR AT SEWARD 8 A.M. MAY 22nd 1935”
Anchorage Times headlines
Arville Schaleben reported:
“All the colonists were at the rail Wednesday when the St. Mihiel steamed up to Seward’s timbered dock. As the boat nosed in the 12-piece band on the pier blared forth martial music and 200 or so smiling Alaskans were on hand to welcome their new compatriots.”
From “Pioneers in Alaska; Off for New Homes,” Milwaukee Journal, May 23rd 1935
Photo from the ARRC album
“American Legion Community Band at Seward give the colonists a brass band reception.”
Evelyn Stebbins wrote home:
“People were standing on the dock waiting – this is just a one-horse place – but has a lot of modern facilities – a power plant, bank, hotels, dry-cleaning places, theatre, church & school-house.”
Photo from the ARRC album
“An Alaskan husky greets the newcomers at Seward.”
Photo unloading ship
Margaret Miller recalled:
“Anxious to get to our new homes in the Matanuska Valley, we eagerly crowded onto the train. We sat there until noon waiting for freight to be loaded. The process took so long that we were sent to the town theater until the train was ready to go.
When we got back to the train after lunch we were informed that not enough tents were erected yet in Palmer to hold us. While the men had to take the train that day so they could be in Palmer the 23rd for the drawing of farm tracts, we women and children would have to wait until the 24th to go to Palmer.
Boy! Was there ever a protest! But we had no choice.”
Excerpt from “A Creek, a Hill, and a Forty – Margaret Miller’s Story,” by Ray Bonnell.
Photo from the ARRC album, “Unloading the St. Mihiel.”