In the next issue of Alaskan History Magazine, Volume 5, Number 3:
Missionaries • The Espicopal Church in Iditarod • The Alaska Railroad Record • Skagway • Anchorage’s Federal Building • Belmore Browne on The Dogs of the North
The cover of Volume 5, Number 3 features a stylized icon of the First Alaskan Mission (1794), depicting Sts. Herman, Juvenaly and Ioasaph coming ashore, bringing the Orthodox Faith to the New World, after leaving their ship.
In keeping with their primary winter means of transportation, Rev. Samuel Hall Young and Rev. Peter Trimble Rowe became known as “The Mushing Parson” and “The Mushing Bishop,” respectively.
This issue begins with a broad overview of many of the first missionaries to Alaska, who set in place parameters which still affect all Alaskans.
Russian church in Sleetmute
Missionaries in Russian America placed value on the local cultures and encouraged indigenous leadership to gain the loyalty of the indigenous populations, establishing the authority of Church and State..
Hudson Stuck, born in England in 1863, came to the United States at the age of 22. In 1889 he began formal theological studies in Texas and was ordained deacon on Aug. 7, 1892, and an Espicopal priest on Nov. 30, 1892. He served the church in Texas until 1904, when he moved to Alaska to become Archdeacon of the Yukon in the Missionary District of Alaska. He explored the territory extensively and published many articles and several books describing his journeys, including The Alaskan Missions of the Episcopal Church in 1920. This issue includes an excerpt from Chapter IV: By Dog Sled or Launch.
The Alaska Railroad Record was the official publication of the Alaskan Engineering Commission (AEC), providing a detailed weekly record of the construction of the Alaska Railroad, along with news, progress reports, schedules, personnel notes, and other material relevant to the federal railroad construction project between Seward and Fairbanks. It was published from November 14, 1916 to June 29, 1920. The eight-page first issue is reprinted in this issue.
On June 28, 1900, Skagway became the first incorporated first-class city in Alaska. Included in this issue are excerpts from a tourist guidebook titled Skagway, Alaska, designed to promote the city, assembled by The Skagway Commercial Club in 1910, and published by the local newspaper, The Daily Alaskan.
The Federal Building in Anchorage symbolized the U.S. government’s commitment to the economic growth and development of the territory. Providing residents with a post office, courthouse, and other federal services, it was the first large federal building constructed in Anchorage, and in 1978 the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
When the Winter Mail Goes Over Crow Creek Pass, a painting by Belmore Browne
An article by Belmore Browne on the Dogs of the North appeared in Outing magazine in 1914, depicting the differing breeds and their care, feeding, training, and importance to travel in Alaska and the North. The pages are reprinted in this issue, with all of the photographs, paintings, and captions which appeared in the original article.
“With her publishing company, Helen Hegener brings Alaska history (and more) to readers.” —David A. James, Anchorage Daily News, January 5, 2024
Volume 5, Number 3 will be mailed upon purchase, Be sure to check out the Alaskan History Magazine website for back issues and anthologies which collect all of the articles from past issues into convenient book format!
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