A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-19, 20-05...North to Alaska!

Mama_Bear

[LadyX]

Your presentations are always beautiful, Mama_Bear, but this one of Alaska is simply outstanding!
I love the way you have set the drama that is Alaska against a very gentle background, highlighting the contrast of its extremes!

My time in the state was in the 1960's, arriving in Fairbanks exactly 4 years after it achieved statehood in January 1959.
The population of the city in 1963 was just 22,645, before the oil pipeline created the boom. I lived there for 21 months before getting base housing on Eielson AFB (30 miles south), where my husband was stationed - shopped in town at Ft. Wainwright (Army base) for groceries, etc.

Shopping was very limited - Northern Commercial Department Store (small) - Woolworth's Dime Store - and Sears Mail Order, using our Seattle APO address the major choices.

One of the very first things you learned was never ask anyone their name, where they had lived prior to Alaska, or what they had done/did now....the reason for that was when it became a state, blanket amnesty was granted to its citizens for whatever in their past was illegal!
Many had flown prosecution in the Lower 48; and many still carried on illegal activities there. There was a silent mafia element.
Illustration: with few grocery stores, one enterprising fellow opened a large, very nice new one - - 'tragically,' it shortly after (was) burned down to the ground.
[Arson case never solved]
Growth and competition were actively discouraged, lest the undesirable elements should lose control.

The law enforcement and judicial systems were strange indeed.
I cite two real life examples of that:
One was a highly publicized in the newspaper case where in a downtown bar quarrel, one man went out to his car, got his handgun, and coldly (perhaps I should have said heatedly!) shot another in front of several witnesses.

The presiding judge ruled he had to be freed. Why, you ask?
Forgetting their real first names, I will phrase it as' Bob' and 'Charley' were arguing over which was better - the door lock on a Ford vs. a Chevy!! Bob shot Charley.
The judge added as his reason for his verdict,
"Charley knew Bob had a bad temper, and he shouldn't have gotten him riled!!"

Another one:
In the early summer of 1964 a teenage couple went walking in woods outside of town, and came across an isolated cabin. Not getting an answer to a knock, they went in the unlocked door and found a dead man lying on the floor.
Law officers responded, and subsequently ruled "the death was caused by part of the roof caving in under the winter snow load."
Nothing wrong with that except for the fact he had a bullet hole in his head..:)) Nonetheless, Case Closed!!

(Saved the state a heap of money and time investigating!)

There were not many big robberies, since there was only one road out of Fairbanks. Were a robber to try to flee, the law merely contacted troopers farther south to head upward and close off the Richardson Highway, checking out every car in their path.

While you digest that much, I'll gather some more things to relate about Alaska Before The Pipeline - - will scatter them today and tomorrow on the thread.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Good morning, wolfie!

Hi, fuzzy. : )

OUTSTANDING! As usual. : ) Thanks. You are always so complimentary of what I do. :-)

Because I know the time and effort you put into making such a beautiful thread. : )

Hey, would these guys be part of your family? A wild bunch, they are. LOL.

Not family, my neighbors. LOL

Wild Things Photography ~ John Hyde

Exc! Bookmarked.

SMOOOOOOOOOOOCH!!!

Is it just my computer, or is FR slow as molasses in Alaska today? :-(

It's extremely slow. Usually it's slow 'before' a 'thon'.

Oooops! Slap my fuzzy face. : )

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, scubachick's hubby, for your service to America.

[ST.LOUIE1]

A wonderful read, CW. The lady is a special person.

("I've entered the snapdragon part of my life ....Part of me has snapped...the rest is draggin'.")

LOL

[Mama_Bear]

Oh, what a hard thing to read! As a mother of a son, I could feel her anguish down to the very core of me. I think I need to take a break from the thread. That really got to me. Some things you never forget. I think that letter will be one of them.

I think it is important that we all suffer some of the grief of those parents, wives, husbands and children who sacrifice their loved ones to this awful war, so that we never become complacent about the impact that war has on our country and our families, no matter how justified and necessary the war may be. Thank you for posting her letter.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Jet Jaguar was stationed at Eielsen AFB near Fairbanks.

[Darksheare]

Yikes!

[Deetes]

I'm in the middle kinda... Los Anchorage ;) But it doesn't take more than 20 minutes get out of town... To places just like that picture. The Salmon sport fishing season is about done now. I might get out once or twice more. But there might be snow on the ground for the last one. We always have snow on the ground by Oct. 31 That picture has the fireweed in bloom. The height of the fireweed is supposed to tell us how much snow we will get. I don't know if I believe it though ...

Juneau is a beautiful place. The way the ships pull in right on top of the town is a strange sight....

[thackney]

As beautiful as Alaska is, I know I am too soft to live such a rugged life....besides which, I really dislike being cold. LOL

You just have to learn to dress appropriately.

My family and I, last year.

[thackney]

[thackney]

Sometimes we get some pretty visitors up here...

[thackney]

Some people here have found their own way to deal with the "traffic".

[Deetes]

Did you see this ping !!!!

[LadyX]

Background

After living in Fairbanks for 21 months, we finally qualified for base quarters at Eielson AFB,
30 miles south of town.
The housing units were comprised of U-shaped eightplexes, around a central parking area with a double line of posts with electrical outlets for each vehicle.
The purpose of this was to plug into them the circulating heater on your engine, so it would not freeze up in the subzero temperatures, and, hopefully, start.

True Story

One family arrived on our court from the Lower 48, the father of a high enough rank to get quarters immediately, moving in during the winter.

His small son asked him, "Daddy - why are the cars here tied up to hitching posts?"!!

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Fast Forward to November 1965 when both my husband and the one next door were off on a day when our children were in school.
Aware of the ugly "I'm Bored Mode" steadily brewing, not content to watch soap operas or play another game of cards, astute wifey (me) had a flash of brilliance.

"Hey, guys! With that enormous playground in our "back yard" (ringed by other groups of eightplexes), why don't we create our own skating rink by our unit?"

It was staying at least 10 below zero most days, with lots of snow on the ground, and I theorized all we had to do was shovel snow into a perimeter bank about a foot high, wet it down, and we'd have a solid as concrete retaining wall - then spray a few layers of water in the center that would freeze in no time.

"Wow!" they exclaimed. "Great idea, and we can all check out skates from Special Services and teach the kids how to skate!"

Putting on long johns and several layers of clothing, plus parka with hood, mufflers and heavy gloves, they hit Challenge #1.
Other husband: "Uh oh - the outside faucet is frozen solid, and therefore the water will not flow."
My husband: "No problem. I have railroad flares in my car to put out if it breaks down, and lighting one of those suckers should sufficiently thaw it."

It took us a couple of days to get it 'Just Right,' nearly the length of the whole eightplex, and each now dark afternoon, all eight units turned their back porch lights on for illumination, and had at the ready vats of hot chocolate, with marshmallows to top each mug.
The Evening Ritual became children skated until 7 p.m., and then the adults took over!

It soon was the talk of the base. It soon, also, however, sparked the competitive spirit of a unit two groups over, on the side of our playground.

One husband there was a fireman. Yep - he had their fire truck come to fill their rink in no time at all, not having to stand out there, as we did, freezing with a hose in hand..:(
(Down with one-upmanship)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

My Next Bright Idea to Overcome Cabin Fever:

"Let's have everyone on our court round up our families and drive out to the Base Ski Slope and let the children (and us grownups) sled on the Bunny Slope!"

Instant Convoy formed.
Again, took hot dogs, buns and munchies and brownies and vats of hot chocolate and portable grills....gleefully went up and down the gradual slopes.

You thinking ahead of me here?
Boys will be boys?!!

"Why don't we try sledding on the regular ski slope?" said one Macho Man, and up went the fellas.
That sounded like a great idea for them, until I was slathering mustard on my hot dog and looked up to see MY SONS (then 10 and 11) HURTLING DOWN THE SLOPE, gathering speed up to about 70 mph.....

The LadyX turned grey-haired early, but no bones were broken..:)) =============================================================== The winter of '65-'66 was extremely cold. So much so that the base's supply of coal to generate steam heat for all the buildings was dwindling down at an alarming rate.
It was decided at Christmas if it did not 'warm up' some shortly, it would become necessary to fly to bases in the Northwest Lower 48 all the wives and children, grouping the men together on base to have enough coal to last.

Can you imagine how we felt about that? Get outside to CIVILIZATION! after enduring the challenges up there for so long?!!
Be somewhere with CURRENT TELEVISION - not shipped in cans 3 weeks later to Fairbanks (after Juneau and Anchorage had them) - and thus NEVER, NEVER having in depth news programs?!
The local paper had no national news, dwelling on state and local news. The highlight was the Fairbanks Police Blotter that often contained items like "Mrs. McGillicuddy had a moose wander through her front yard on Friday."

[Oh, how I could have used the Internet then!]

It was terribly disappointing when the weather moderated for a few weeks, and a sufficient amount of coal was shipped in and we still were captive.

======================================================

As Spring came and our orders for assignment to the Lower 48 states was imminent, I had a conversation with God.
"Lord, You know I've been patient and cheerful these 3 1/2 years, and I'd surely appreciate it if You would send us to a place with a semi-moderate climate. If You will, I promise to never complain about the weather again!"

HE LISTENS and HEARS and ANSWERS!!
Our orders came for Myrtle Beach AFB in South Carolina, right across the highway from a State Park by the Atlantic Ocean, and base quarters were available at once!

This is why to this day I do not dare complain about the weather....

======================================================

[thackney]

Personally, I didn't Alaska traffic all that heavy.

[thackney]

Ever get behind someone in the Drive-thru that just cannot make up their mind.

[thackney]

Beaches and Mountains, just a little too chilly for swimming.

Seward, Alaska

[DollyCali]

McD's pix a hoot! off to church/support group. Later

[Darksheare]

I have an Evil Overmom with ways of fixing 'boredom'.

[thackney]

It is a pretty place to play.

But it is a bad place to have problems.

More proof that Alaska has Rednecks (okay, more of a frozen blueneck, but the concept is still the same).