Alaska Road Commission Photograph Collection, ca. 1909-1959

Collection

Identifier: PCA 61

Staff Only

Alaska's Digital Archives: Alaska Road Commission Photograph Collection, ca. 1909-1959. ASL-PCA-61.

Content Description

The inventory lists locations and general subject areas contained in each volume but individual photographs are only described for Vol. 139. The lantern slides (Vol. 107B) depict the construction of the Alaska Highway. 100, 35mm color slides (Vol. 40) were taken during the opening of Haines Highway and also include miscellaneous highway scenes from Circle to Homer. A list of individual slides is located in the container. A selection of fifteen albums has been placed on microfiche: Albums 1-14 and Album 104. Some photographs were taken by the Lomen Brothers. Information may be found in some negative sleeves and backs of glued photographs which is not in the albums or finding aid.

Dates

ca. 1909-1959

Conditions Governing Access

The photographs may be viewed, however, they may not be photocopied.

Biographical / Historical

The Alaska Road Commission was established in 1905 as a board of the U.S. War Department. Named the Board of Road Commissioners for Alaska it was soon called the Alaska Road Commission. It remained under the War Department until 1932 and many of Alaska's oldest highways are named for officers of the early Road Commission. The Valdez-Chitina-Fairbanks military road was named the Richardson Highway for Brig. Gen. Wilds P. Richardson, the Steese Highway for Col. James G. Steese, the Elliot Highway for Maj. Malcolm Elliott, and the Edgerton Highway for Capt. Glen E. Edgerton. In 1932 the Alaska Road Commission was transferred to the Department of the Interior where it remained until 1956 when it was absorbed by the Bureau of Public Roads, a division of the Commerce Department. (Taken from: Naske, Claus M., "Alaska Road Commission Historical Narrative," June, 1983, and Gibson, Daniel D., "The Alaska Road Commission, " Aug. 1992.)

Extent

15.2 Linear Feet : 17,029 photographs ; 100, 35mm color slides ; 100 glass lantern slides, b/w, color

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Existence and Location of Copies

Photographs digitized & available for viewing via Alaska's Digital Archives: (001-)354-361; (002-)060, 095, 098, 108, 187, 237, 240, 250, 400; (003-)214; (004-)198-201, 333-335, 362, 364-365; (006-)351-352, 353, 409, 412-414, 419; (007-)381-382, 386, 411-412, 414; (008-)040, 089, 105, 183, 185; (009-)052, 373-380; (010-)058, 061, 075, 078, 083, 096, 114, 121, 184, 357, 409; (012-)034, 136; (014-)158, 160, 208, 283, 287, 296-297; (015-)069-072; (018-)078, 087-088; (023-)117; (025-)021; (029-)088, 148, 172; (030-)085; (031-)002; (032-)037, 039, 044, 052; (038-)063, 065, 087; (043-)031-032; (049-)035; (059-)143; (065-)127; (066-)016, 043; (070-)146-147, 158-159; (083-)023-027, 078; (085-)150-151, 153, 155, 159, 162, 164-165; (086-)01-24, 26-39; (089-)010; (095-)083; (102)129; (108-)147-148, 151-152, 353-354, 489-491, 502, 504, 506-510, 513-516, 519, 522-526; (139-)04X; (141-)003, 007, 021

Processing Information

A subject index was prepared by Bill Cameron of the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads. 2 boxes and 1 folder (1 linear ft.), unprocessed.

Digital Material

Alaska's Digital Archives: Alaska Road Commission Photograph Collection, ca. 1909-1959. ASL-PCA-61.

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title: Finding Aid for the Alaska Road Commission Photograph Collection, ca. 1909-1959
Status: In Progress
Author: Processed by: Staff; ArchivesSpace Finding Aid by: Melissa Scriven, April 2019
Date: 2019 April
Description rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description: Undetermined
Script of description: Code for undetermined script
Language of description note: English