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Alaska Highway Construction Photograph Collection, circa 1942-1943

 Collection
Identifier: PCA 193

Scope and Contents

The collection includes 4 x 5 photos of the construction of the Alaska Highway (the ALCAN), the opening of the highway and dedication. Includes images of riverboats, rafts, railroads, military truck convoys, bridges, equipment, camp life, military personnel, businesses and views of Fairbanks, Dawson Creek, B.C., and Yukon Territory. The photographs are arranged in series: A: Road Construction, B: Opening and dedication, and C: Miscellaneous views. Photographs are individually numbered.

Dates

  • circa 1942-1943

EAD

PCA0193

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is available for viewing, however, the photographs may not be photocopied.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the collection must be discussed with the Librarian. Photocopying does not constitute permission to publish.

Historical Note

The Alaska Highway was built during World War II for military transportation to Interior Alaska. It traverses over 1400 miles through Canada and Alaska, from Dawson Creek, Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska.

Workers from seven Army regiments, contractors (employing over 15,000 men) and the Public Roads Administration began construction March of 1942. Crews worked south from Delta Junction and north from Dawson Creek. It was completed in November, in eight months, when they met at Kluane Lake.

According to reports, the Alaska Highway was intentionally built with many crooks and turns so that convoys of supply trucks and equipment could not be entirely wiped out by enemy bombers attacking in a straight line.

Total construction cost for the 1422 miles was $115 million. After WWII, the project was turned over to civilian contractors for graveling the rough-cut road, widening, replacing log bridges with steel and rerouting, which continues today. [From: Alaska Almanac, c. 2003, p. 13,14 and www.themilepost.com]

Extent

3 folders : 198 black and white photographs

Language of Materials

English

Acquisition

These photographs were donated in December 1981 by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth, Texas (Richard Norris, Curator of Collections.) The Museum was unable to supply additional information from the original donor, whose late husband worked on the highway during WWII. Acc. No. 1981-020.

Existence and Location of Copies

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

Related Materials

Other collections depicting Alaska Highway construction include PCA 372 (Maurice J. Chalbot, photographer), PCA 388 (McKay/Luhman, collectors), PCA 400 (Hiram B. Kirkeby, 1900-1991).

Processing Information

Photographs are organized in series: Construction, Dedication, and Miscellaneous Views. They are individually numbered and sleeved in Mylar.

Title
Finding Aid for the Alaska Highway Construction Photograph Collection, circa 1942-1943
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by: Staff ; Revised by: Staff, May 2005 ; ArchivesSpace Finding Aid by: Ginny Jacobs, May 2019 ; Revised by: Jacki Swearingen, May 2020 ; Inventory Added by: Connie Hamann
Date
2021 March
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

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)