REFERENCE CODE: AkAMH

REPOSITORY NAME:
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
Bob and Evangeline Atwood Alaska Resource Center
625 C Street
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-929-9235
Fax: 907-929-9233
Email: resourcecenter@anchoragemuseum.org

Guide prepared by: Sara Piasecki, Photo Archivist

TITLE: Robert G. Simons Collection

COLLECTION NUMBER: B2015.015

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Dates: circa 1930-1970s

Extent: 1 box; 0.2 linear feet

Language and Scripts: The collection is in English.

Name of creator(s): Robert G. Simons, Glacier Photo Service

Administrative/Biographical History:
Robert G. Simons was born August 25, 1926, in Skagway to Frank A. and Leada Davis Simons.
The family relocated to Wenatchee, Washington, in 1942. Robert joined the U.S. Merchant
Marines in 1944, and served as a radio officer until 1948. He served with the U.S. Air Force
from 1949-1952. After being discharged from the military, he worked as a film editor for
General Dynamics (1960-1962, 1973- ) and Texas Industrial Film Co. (1962-1972). Robert died
in 2007 in Granbury, Texas.

Scope and Content Description:
The collection consists of 49 black-and-white photographs and genealogical research
pertaining to the Simons family. Thirteen of the images are personal photographs including
two of Skagway photographer Bessie Dedman; the remainder (.14-49) documents the sinking
of the S.S. Yukon in the Gulf of Alaska in February 1946.

Arrangement: Arranged by format into two series: 1. Photographs. 2. Genealogical research.



CONDITIONS GOVERNING ACCESS AND USE

Restrictions on Access: The collection is open for research use.

Physical Access: Original items in good condition.

Technical Access: No special equipment is needed to access the materials.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use:
The Anchorage Museum is the owner of the materials and makes available reproductions for
research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the
Anchorage Museum before any reproduction use. The Anchorage Museum does not
necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission
for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation:
Robert G. Simons Collection, Anchorage Museum, B2015.015

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Acquisition and Appraisal Information
Donated by stepdaughter Ann Phillips in April 2015.

Separated Materials
Genealogical materials not pertaining to Alaska were transferred to various repositories.

RELATED MATERIALS
Lane Family Photograph Collection, B2011.014.289-298

SUBJECTS
Simons, Robert G., 1926-2007
Simons family
Dedman, Bessie White, 1892-1979
Yukon (Ship)
Shipwrecks – Alaska
Skagway (Alaska)

Detailed Description of the Collection

Photographs
F1
 1 — [studio portrait of Robert G. Simons, 1970s?]
 2 — Miniature Photographs [by] G.W. Bartholomew, Wallingford, Conn. Grandpa Simons, dad’s dad [studio portrait]
 3 — 1. Donald Tanner, 2. Charlie Rapuzzi, 3. Mark Lee 4. ?, 5. Art Simons [five young men and dog sitting next to building, 1930s? Modern copy print]
 4 — [Simons family posed outdoors next to building, Skagway, 1930s?]
 5 — Alfred A. Witter Finer Kodak Finishing, Seattle [young boy, possibly Robert, wearing sailor hat, posed outdoors with Leada and Frank, not Alaska?]
 6 — This isn’t so good of me, but is of Frank & Robert. A cold wind was blowing & I show it. Just thot you could see how Robert has grown [Frank, Leada, and Robert posed outdoors next to building, early 1940s?]
 7 — This was taken on the upper lake trail near the timber line last summer. This hair looks like yours used to. He is 15 yr. here [Robert posed with unidentified boy outdoors, 1942]
 8 — [Robert sitting outdoors on log, two rifles propped against log, early 1940s?]
 9 — Donald Tanner, Tikken Olson (Hoke’s brother) [two young men posed on boardwalk or pedestrian bridge with bicycle. Modern copy print]
10 — [two young men posed on boardwalk or bridge, railroad tracks at right, one boy wearing eyeglasses and carrying camera case]
11 — Taken on the bridge [Leada and unidentified woman posed on wooden bridge, structures at base of mountain in background, Bess Dedman? Cf. .12]
12 — L to R: Bess Dedman, mom Leada Simons, Barbara Dedman [three women looking out from White Pass & Yukon Route locomotive #62, engineer standing on rear]
13 — [group portrait of men posed outside the Arctic Brotherhood Hall in Skagway] F2
 14 — Glacier Photo Service, #1 [aerial of eight rescue ships, airplane wing strut in foreground]
 15 — Glacier Photo Service, #2 [aerial of Yukon, light snow on decks]
 16 — Glacier Photo Service, #3 [bow of the Yukon, taken on main deck facing forward to rocks]
 17 — Glacier Photo Service, #4 [Yukon, taken on main deck facing stern]
 18 — Glacier Photo Service, #5 [aerial of Yukon, airplane cockpit in foreground]
 19 — Glacier Photo Service, #6 [military personnel descending from ship deck to small boat]
 20 — Glacier Photo Service, #8 [military personnel seated at table in ship mess, bowls, utensils, and Sunshine crackers on table]
 21 — Glacier Photo Service, #9 [passengers being assisted into Navy launch]
 22 — Glacier Photo Service, #10 [view from ship looking toward Yukon in distance at left, military airplane flying low over water, rescue ship at right, small launch headed towards wreck]
 23 — Glacier Photo Service, #11 [aerial of two rescue ships near Yukon]
 24 — Glacier Photo Service, #12 [passengers in launch, possibly first boatload of survivors]
 25 — Glacier Photo Service, #13 [aerial with eight rescue ships in gulf]
 26 — Glacier Photo Service, #14 [close-up of damage taken by survey crew on Yukon, rigging in water]
 27 — Glacier Photo Service, #15 [view from pilothouse of passengers and rescuers on ship deck]
 28 — Glacier Photo Service, #16 [view from rescue ship to wreck of Yukon, passengers on deck]
 29 — Glacier Photo Service, #17 [low aerial of Yukon, light snow on decks]
 30 — Glacier Photo Service, #18 [close-up of damage taken by survey crew on Yukon, ship lying on its side in water]
 31 — Glacier Photo Service, #19 [view from Yukon of debris in water, ship rigging down at right, three rescue ships visible]
 32 — Glacier Photo Service, #20 [Yukon, taken on main deck facing stern]
 33 — Glacier Photo Service, #21 [debris and swamped lifeboats in water]
 34 — Glacier Photo Service, #22 [view from Yukon of debris in water, three rescue boats visible]
 35 — Glacier Photo Service, #23 [close-up of damage on Yukon, funnel in water, swamped lifeboats nearby]
 36 — Glacier Photo Service, #24 [Yukon, taken on main deck facing stern]
 37 — Glacier Photo Service, #25 [military personnel with passengers on bow of Yukon]
 38 — Glacier Photo Service, #26 [military crewman standing on deck of Yukon]
 39 — Glacier Photo Service, #27 [military personnel surveying Yukon, men in area marked “NO Admittance,” several holding cameras]
 40 — Glacier Photo Service, #28 [survey crewmen standing on deck of Yukon]
 41 — Glacier Photo Service, #29 [military personnel on Yukon, taken on deck facing stern]
 42 — Glacier Photo Service, #30 [taken from deck of Yukon, swamped lifeboats at left, ships on horizon]
 43 — Glacier Photo Service, #32 [distant view of surf breaking on wreckage of Yukon]
 44 — Glacier Photo Service, #33 [close-up of damage on Yukon, deck swamped]
 45 — Glacier Photo Service, #34 [military personnel and passengers on deck of Yukon]
 46 — Glacier Photo Service, #35 [military personnel and passengers on deck of Yukon]
 47 — Glacier Photo Service, #36 [rescued passenger and man in military uniform coming through doorway]
 48 — Glacier Photo Service, #40 [view from ship looking toward Yukon in distance, military airplane flying low over water, small launch at right]
 49 — Glacier Photo Service, #41 [two loaded launches approaching ship] - Clipping. “Lifeline from stricken Yukon to shore.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Thursday February 7, 1946 Genealogical records F3 [certificates, family group charts, pedigrees, notes] Guide written: May 21, 2015