This collection was compiled by J.P. (Pennelope) Goforth, with a grant from the Alaska Historical Commission and subsequent support from the City of Unalaska and several private parties. Ms. Goforth borrowed the photographs from residents of Akutan, Atka, King Cove, Sand Point, St. Paul, and Unalaska. Donor names are given at the end of each photograph’s description. A copy negative and a copy print were produced and then an index of selected images was compiled. The photograph numbering contains gaps since this collection does not contain all images that the compiler originally photographed.

The views taken during World War II were added to the collection in 1985. Captain Jack Johnson provided financial assistance, Aleutian Photography the labor and the City of Unalaska the use of city equipment to reproduce these copies of the negatives that funding from the Historical Commission made possible. (There are 16 duplicates from the initial donation. As a result, some images may appear twice in the collection and are assigned a second number.)

The 331 copyprints portray daily life in the Aleutians from 1886 –1960. The collection is arranged by the location where the images were collected: Akutan, Atka, King Cove, Sand Point, St. Paul, and Unalaska followed by two folders from World War II veterans. The images are not necessarily from just one village; Atka images, for example, include St. George and Attu. Other localities named are Unga Island, Belkofski, False Pass, and Bristol Bay. Subjects include hunting, fishing, basket-making, Russian Orthodox churches, ships, airplanes, whaling, and military visitors. Many villagers are idenfied, but some are not, as in the case of the album copied from Atka which contains 10 portraits of Aleuts as prisoners of war in World War II. There are two folders of 165 images from albums of World War II veterans’ military activities based in Dutch Harbor and Unalaska plus U. S. Navy official photographs of Kiska.