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Robert Girardot Photograph Collection, 1964

 Collection
Identifier: PCA 572

Scope and Contents

Photos of 1964 earthquake in Anchorage taken by Robert Girardot, Air Force photographer stationed on Elmendorf AFB.

Dates

  • 1964

EAD

PCA0572

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is unrestricted.

Conditions Governing Use

Request for permission to publish or reproduce material from the collection should be discussed with the Librarian.

Biographical

“My father, Robert W. Girardot was a base photographer on Elmendorf AFB at the time of the 64 earthquake. We were stationed at Elmendorf from 1959 to late 1964. My family was living in a second floor apartment on Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage. It was Good Friday so my brother, 13 at the time, was out of school. I was five years old. My father had brought us up the Alcan Highway four years earlier. My father was the Elmendorf Base photographer. This earthquake is the first memory I have in life. I remember it being day time, not sure what hour. Our apartment building began to shake and roll violently. I have vague memories of my father grabbing us and putting us in the door frame that went between the apartment hallway and the living room. It was a very small apartment. As I sat there looking out of the living room picture window I recall the apartment rolling like a boat. It would roll towards the ground and that was what we would see, then it would roll back and we would only see sky. I don't really recall being frightened, but rather just amazed by the spectacle. Furniture in the living room was moving about. A bird cage with our pet parakeet crashed to the floor and killed our pet. The closet door fell open and gifts for my brother’s upcoming birthday party flew out. My mother was in the kitchen and was tending to two things; a large pot of my father’s precious chili, and she was icing a birthday cake that was configured in the shape of a guitar since my brother was a Beatle wannabe and eventually became a professional musician. Somehow the physics of the shake and roll lifted that pot of chili and spread it across the kitchen, including the cake. My mother made an attempt to flee the kitchen but was pummeled by flying dishes, pots and pans. She did make it into the apartment stairwell and suffered a few bruises and cuts. Afterwards there was shock, and an eery quiet. Power was off of course. We could see smoke coming from several areas on the horizon. My parents sent us outside where we witnessed huge cracks in the ground, and in the buildings. That night we slept in the apartment using candles. There was no heat. The aftershocks were constant and some quite violent. The next day my father was ordered to tour the base and community of Anchorage and take photos of the damage. We have a trunk full of earthquake photos and have donated a few to the State Museum. The next two nights we slept in our 64 two door Chevy, with only blankets and flash lights. Our neighbors did the same. The aftershocks were so violent that the authorities thought the buildings might collapse. It was quite fortuitous that school was out for Good Friday because my brother’s school was destroyed. If class had been in session there may have been many injured children.” Dennis Girardot

Extent

22 Photographic Prints : black and white photographs

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated by Dennis Girardot, Robert Girardot’s son. Acc.#2014-015

Existence and Location of Copies

The photographs in this collection have been digitized and are available to view via Alaska's Digital Archives.

Processing Information

This collection has been described at the item level. The original order was maintained. The photographs were placed in Mylar, and all items placed into a pH-neutral folder.

Title
Finding aid for the Robert Girardot Photograph Collection, 1964
Status
In Progress
Author
Processed by: Sara Bornstein, March 2014 ; ArchivesSpace finding aid by: Sandy Johnston 2019 July ; Inventory added by: Sandy Johnston
Date
2020 April
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Alaska State Library - Historical Collections Finding Aids Repository

Contact:
PO Box 110571
Juneau AK 99811-0571 US
907-465-2920
907-465-2925
907-465-2151 (Fax)