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: Alaska Road Commission Crew Portrait Photograph

COLLECTION NUMBER: B2013.052

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Dates: circa 1940-1949

Extent: 1 item

Language and Scripts: The collection is in English.

Name of creator(s): unknown

Administrative/Biographical History:
The Alaska Road Commission was first established in 1905 as a board of the War Department,
but was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1932. The ARC was responsible for
construction and maintenance of Alaskan highways.

Scope and Content Description:
One black-and-white 5 x 7” photograph showing a group of men, mostly Alaska Natives,
standing in a line in front of a small tent. Two of the men wear aprons, while most of the rest
wear work pants, boots, and caps. The photo is annotated on the verso: “Stuart Nicolai, Faye
Sarren’s dad in the 1940’s, first Road Commission crew in Glennallen.”

At the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in 2013, the group was identified as the
Highway Commission crew on the Nabesna Road to Slana. Names were supplied for several
individuals, including from right to left: Patty King, Chitina; Mentasta Pete, Mentasta; Paul
Snell, Gulkana; Bill Joe, Gakona/Chistochina; [?]; Frank Charley, Chistochina. At AFN 2015, man
⁵th
from left identified as Ralph Sanford, man 4^th
/ from left as Buster Gene.


Arrangement: Not applicable

CONDITIONS GOVERNING ACCESS AND USE

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

Physical Access: Original item 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:
Alaska Road Commission Crew Portrait Photograph, Anchorage Museum, B2013.052

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Acquisition and Appraisal Information
Found in collection in May 2013. In envelope with return address of Mrs. Eben H. Lewis, sent
to Annie Laurie Howard.


SUBJECTS
Nicolai, Stewart, 1916-1986
United States. Alaska Road Commission
Roads—Design and construction—Alaska
Construction workers—Alaska
Athapascan Indians—Alaska—Glennallen
Glennallen (Alaska)

Guide updated: November 2, 2015