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May 3rd, 2025

Ninety years ago today, on May 3rd, 1935, the ship North Star was coming up the Inside Passage with workers and building materials bound for Palmer. The ship had spent two days in Ketchikan loading lumber for the Matanuska Colony, then stopped in Juneau for more lumber and stoves.
“CALL FIRST BID ON MATANUSKA PROJECT” was the banner headline of the Juneau Empire on April 13th. The Juneau and Anchorage newspapers eagerly followed the Matanuska project as an opportunity not just for the Midwest farmers, but an economic boost to the territory. Juneau and Ketchikan spruce mills provided the kiln-dried, vertical grain lumber that would become Palmer’s farmhouses, depot, school, trading post, and other buildings.
On May 2nd, the Juneau Empire interviewed director Don Irwin, who said “Everything available will be bought in Alaska… Alaska wholesalers are going to get the business.” N.L. Troast of Juneau, an ARRC official, told the Juneau Chamber of Commerce “Over $1,125,000 will be spent in the Territory by the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation for the Matanuska project.”
Clipping from the Anchorage Times, May 3rd, 1935. The Anchorage Times archives is keyword-searchable and available online via the Atwood Foundation.

“Loading lumber at Ketchikan”
Today’s photos are all from the official Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corp. photo album, by photographer Willis T. Geisman. Several copies exist. The one held by the Alaska State Library in Juneau is accessible via the Alaska Digital Archive at https://vilda.alaska.edu/…/collection/cdmg21/id/3132/rec/3

“Loading the North Star at Ketchikan”
from the ARRC album

“Roll call previously to departure from Ketchikan May 2nd”
from the ARRC album

One of the men aboard the North Star never made it to Palmer. The Anchorage Times reported on May 6th: “One of the party died enroute, while at sea on the North Star. He was August Thompson of New York Mills, Minnesota. He dropped dead of heart failure. The body was buried at Ketchikan.”

“North Star pulling into Juneau 12p.m. May 2nd. Note sea plane over mountain”
from the ARRC album

“Loading stoves and lumber at Juneau.”
from the ARRC album

Clipping from the (Juneau) Daily Alaskan Empire, April 27th 1935

Clipping from the (Juneau) Daily Alaskan Empire, May 2nd, 1935

The Juneau Empire and other historic newspapers are available via the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America archive.

Clipping from the Anchorage Times, May 8th, 1935, after the North Star unloaded in Seward.

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