Category Archives: Alaska History

Alaskan History Vol. 4, No. 1

The first new issue of the revised Alaskan History Magazine will offer an assortment of articles on the history of the state, from the history of Tanana to The Knik News and pioneer photographer P. S. Hunt, to an article about a woman who came to Alaska seeking information about her great-grandfather and wrote a book about it, some of which is excerpted in Searching for the Ohio Roadhouse. Other articles include an in-depth looks at the final days of Will Rogers and Wiley Post as they left Seattle and toured Alaska, and the history of the 72-mile Alaska Central Railroad, which was a forerunner of the current Alaska Railroad from Seward to Fairbanks. 64 pages, 6” x 9” format, B/W interior, postage paid. Continue reading →

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The Tender Life

In The Tender Life, writer Anne Winters tells stories from her 20 years of working and living aboard two classic wooden boats with her husband Ron as they worked the Alaska fisheries from south of Ketchikan to way north of Nome. Continue reading →

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Sled Dogs in America

The important place of sled dogs in American history as portrayed by the sled dog paintings of Veryl Goodnight is the subject of this new book from Northern Light Media: Sled Dogs in America: The Art of Veryl Goodnight, by Veryl Goodnight and Helen Hegener. The historically accurate paintings by the award-winning Colorado artist have elevated the history of sled dogs to an exhibit at the prestigious Smithsonian-associated Western Spirit Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona. Continue reading →

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Review: History of Sled Dogs

The March, 2024 issue of Alaska magazine includes a very nice review by Alaskan writer and book critic David A. James, who writes about Northern Light Media’s 2023 book, The History of Sled Dogs in North America, by Helen Hegener. From the review: … Continue reading →

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A Site for the Railroad Book

I am pleased to announce a website for my newest book, The Alaska Railroad 1902-1923, which shares the content and the research materials and resources which I used in writing the book. Continue reading →

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Adventures on the Iditarod Trail

Adventures on the Iditarod Trail: Fast Dogs, Freezing Mushers and the Alaska Wild, by Lew Freedman, features engaging interviews with mushers from several decades of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. In his introduction, Lew Freedman writes, “March in Alaska belongs to the Iditarod. The throwback nature of the event in a hurry-up world, the romance of the wilderness, the challenge of conquering the elements, all figure into why the Iditarod is so popular.” Continue reading →

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Ordering Books

Books by Alaskan author Helen Hegener, including The History of Sled Dogs in North America, The Alaska Railroad, Alaskan Roadhouses, The First Iditarod, The Matanuska Colony Project and many more. Continue reading →

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Northern Light Media Sites

Over the past 15 years I have built multiple websites to support the books I have published, utilizing the WordPress platform to share chapters, excerpts, photographs, documents, research notes and more, and the network of sites under the Northern Light … Continue reading →

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Reviewed: Dr. Stein’s Book

I was delighted to see my July/August issue of Alaska Magazine included this splendid review of the book I published in 2021, “I Wish You Could Come Too: The Alaska Diaries of Dr. James Taylor White,” by the late Dr. Gary C. Stein. Continue reading →

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1991 Hope / Надежда Race

Since December my research and writing has been focused on the historic 1991 Hope Race from Nome, Alaska, to Anadyr, Russia. The genesis of this book came about during a visit to the Alaskan artist Jon Van Zyle in December, when I commented on an unusual sled displayed on the ceiling of his studio. That led to stories of the race, which led to pulling out a photo album, which led to an hour or more of poring over the photos, more stories, more artifacts from the adventures, and now, a few weeks later, Jon and I are working together on this book. Continue reading →

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