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, Archivist

TITLE: Eklutna and Anvik Collection

COLLECTION NUMBER: B2019.003

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Dates: circa 1929

Extent: 1 box; 2.2 linear feet

Language and Scripts: The collection is in English.

Name of creator(s): unknown

Administrative/Biographical History:
Excerpted from the seller’s catalog:
“A collection of photographs documenting two Alaska towns: Anvik and Eklutna, possibly compiled by a female
missionary for the Christ Church Mission in Anvik. [Cataloger’s note: the photographer is likely one of the two
women shown in the photos on Sheet 6, “Scenes from Cook’s Inlet”.]

At least 31 photos depict Anvik, a tiny Athabascan village along the Yukon River, with most of those showing the
Christ Church Mission. In 1887, the Reverends John Chapman and Octavius Parker of the American Episcopal
Church started the mission. According to its application for placement in the National Register of Historic Places,
“Christ Church Mission was one of the most significant Native educational, medical and religious centers in all of
Alaska during the long span of years before government began providing the welfare services.” Its most
important function was the education of village children, and over time it grew to accept students from villages
up and down the Yukon River, as well as providing health services.

At least 47 photos show Eklutna. The village grew after the 1923 completion of the Alaska Railroad when the
Bureau of Indian Affairs established an orphanage for Native American children. The orphanage was converted
into a boarding school which became the Eklutna Industrial School. By the time of these photos, the school had
around 110 students who came from all over Alaska. These students made up most of the village's population
which showed 158 residents in the 1930 census (the approximate population today is 70).”


Scope and Content Description:
The collection consists of 147 black and white photographs mounted to 12 leaves of cardboard
or construction paper measuring from 13” x 18½” to 13” x 24½”, possibly for presentation.
Photos measure from 2½” x 3½” to 3½” x 5¾”. Also included are a Christmas card and 3 pieces
of ephemera. For more information, see Detailed Description of Collection.

Arrangement: Not applicable


CONDITIONS GOVERNING ACCESS AND USE

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

Physical Access: Original items in fair 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:
Eklutna and Anvik Collection; Anchorage Museum, B2019.003

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Acquisition and Appraisal Information
Purchased from Langdon Manor Books in January 2019.

Processing Note
Two images received loose, reattached to boards with corresponding captions at time of
processing.
Mount board is acidic. Photographs should be removed by conservator.


SUBJECTS
Eklutna Vocational School
Eklutna Project (U.S.)
Vocational education—Alaska
Boarding schools—Alaska
Alaska Natives—Education—Alaska

Missions—Alaska
Eklutna (Alaska)
Anvik (Alaska)

Detailed Description of the Collection

[Sheet 1]
“Eklutna Industrial School, U.S. Government Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian
Affairs”
1 — Waiting station [two men and woman posed at Alaska Railroad depot at Eklutna]
2 — Cattle barn [man and three young women standing next to barn, scaffolding on sides of barn]
3 — Anchorage Light and Power Plant [Eklutna Power Plant powerhouse]
4 — Wild flowers [young woman standing in field of flowers, possibly cotton grass]
5 — Hospital [young woman sitting on railing on building steps]
6 — New girls dormitory [exterior of building]
7 — Boys dormitory [exterior of building, worker with wheelbarrow in center]
8 — Boys dormitory [exterior of building, boardwalk in foreground]
9 — Sunset on Cooks Inlet at 9:30 PM [scenic, with cache silhouetted in center]
10 — Sunset on Cooks Inlet at 9:30 PM [scenic, with three people on beach silhouetted in foreground]
11 — Main dining room [interior of dining hall, with flowers on table set with napkins and tableware]
12 — Dining room [four young women setting tables] [Sheet 2]
13 — Eklutna River canyon [woman holding walking stick standing with dog in canyon in winter]
14 — Wild mountain sheep [Dall sheep in pen in barn]
15 — Knick River [scenic of Knik River in winter, probably taken from bridge]
16 — Parka and gloves [young woman wearing embroidered mittens and parka with geometric trim and fur ruff crouching in snow next to building]
17 — Native graveyard [spirit houses in cemetery in spring]
18 — Native cache or storehouse [cache on flats in summer]
19 — Woods in winter [snow on trees]
20 — Grandma 101 years old a full blood Indian [possibly Dena’ina woman standing outdoors, safety pin holding coat closed, cache in trees in background. Original image blurry. Cf. .35]
21 — A full blood Indian and a full blood Eskimo [two young girls standing outdoors in winter]
22 — Dog team dogs [dog chained near log kennel in dog yard]
23 — Dog team dogs [two people standing next to chained dog sitting on top of kennel]
24 — Dog team dogs [dog chained next to log kennel] [Sheet 3]
25 — Waiting station in summer [two women posed in front of Eklutna depot]
26 — Eklutna from the river [distant view of buildings in trees in winter, possibly fish trap visible through ice of river in middle ground]
27 — The school in winter [distant view of buildings, people standing on depot platform in middle ground]
28 — Near the school [scenic]
29 — Cook’s Inlet in winter [scenic, pancake ice in water]
30 — Made in manual training class [boys posed outdoors in winter with snowshoes and sled]
31 — Fish camp [three girls at camp, one in center possibly cutting fish on board, large canvas tent at right, rack or lean-to at left]
32 — Boys basketball team [boys wearing uniforms posed in front of Eklutna depot in winter, coach standing in center]
33 — All the boys [students posed next to dormitory building in spring]
34 — Going to fish camp [young woman and two young men in skiff with outboard motor]
35 — Grandma 101 years old [three boys and girl posed with elder sitting on bench in front of small log cabin. Cf. .20]
36 — Pre-school children [children posed in front of Eklutna depot in winter]
37 — [group of young men and women posed outdoors in summer, one student possibly digging in the dirt]
38 — Mrs. Es. [woman wearing dentalium necklace and earring standing next to hide wrapped around tripod, possibly smoking hide, building in background]
39 — Sassa Modook [young girl sitting on boardwalk in front of building]
40 — Woods in winter [scenic view down trail] [Sheet 4]
41 — A trappers cabin [log cabin in winter, snowshoes propped at right next to furs hanging from pole, possibly fox furs]
42 — A big bear [man holding rifle posed with bear carcass in winter]
43 — Cache or storehouse [log cache in winter, cabin at right]
44 — 4 th of July at Eklutna [young girl and boy, both wearing boxing gloves, posed outdoors, large group of students in background]
45 — 4 th of July at Eklutna [two young men wearing boxing gloves standing in makeshift ring outdoors, students looking on, one student wearing umbrella hat]
46 — 4 th of July at Eklutna [two young boys wearing boxing gloves standing in makeshift ring outdoors, students looking on, one student wearing umbrella hat]
47 — Moving day [trapper wearing snowshoes pulling sled through winter woods with three dogs in harness]
48 — Pie eating contest [young girls posed next to picnic table, onlookers in back, pieces of pie on plates on table, Fourth of July at Eklutna]
49 — Pie eating contest [onlookers including teachers watching students eating pie off plates without using hands, Fourth of July at Eklutna]
50 — Pie eating contest [boys with pie on their faces turning around to look at camera, Fourth of July at Eklutna]
51 — [students, mostly girls, in back of pickup truck with star-spangled banner, Fourth of July at Eklutna] [Sheet 5] “Source of supply for the Anchorage Light and Power at Eklutna”
52 — [two men standing next to log building in winter, ladder propped against wall next to fuel wood pile, sawhorse or makeshift table at left, mountains in background]
53 — Upper Lake Camp [three men near log building, large canvas tents in background, man at right possibly stacking small pieces of wood next to large log on rollers]
54 — Dam in winter [close-up of iced-over waterfall]
55 — Eklutna River canyon [scenic in winter]
56 — Dam [view down to dam from top of canyon]
57 — 450 ft. ladder to the dam [view across canyon to stairway]
58 — Below the dam [young man standing next to river]
59 — Below the dam [four young men standing next to river]
60 — Where the river runs into Cook’s Inlet [scenic in summer] [Sheet 6] “Scenes on Cook’s Inlet”
61 — [woman standing in shallow creek]
62 — [barefoot woman posed on rocky shoreline]
63 — [woman posed underneath rock outcropping on shoreline]
64 — [woman posed near rock outcropping on shoreline]
65 — [woman sitting on rock outcropping along shoreline at low tide]
66 — [woman sitting underneath rock outcropping on shoreline]
67 — Mt. McKinley Park [passengers and two men wearing ranger hats on horse-drawn wagon, cabins in background, possibly Camp Eielson]
68 — Fire Lake [scenic in winter]
69 — A bear hunt [two men holding rifles posed with black bear carcass]
70 — Loaded down with frost [scenic of hoarfrost on trees in winter] [Sheet 7] “Anvik, Christ Church Mission’
71 — Mrs. Chapman, Rev. Chapman, Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence, trader [two couples standing in front of church, Mrs. Chapman and Mr. Lawrence holding infants. Cf. .101]
72 — Present Christ Church [exterior of church in summer]
73 — Old girls house, present boys house [exterior of dormitory in winter]
74 — New girls house, snow drift at second story window [distant view of children standing on top of snow piled up against building]
75 — Former boys house, present infirmary [exterior of building in winter, platform in front. Original image blurry]
76 — Snow in April, teachers cabin in background [woman buried chest deep in spring snow, log cabin and other buildings in background]
77 — Rev. Chapman’s house in back, natives watching first aeroplane [people gathered on frozen river, watching for airplane, riverboat Happy Home in snow in middle ground, buildings in background]
78 — Louis, half br. [young boy posed on building steps next to pile of fuel wood]
79 — Typical winter dress [two young children in fur parkas and mukluks sitting on pile of lumber, can of Hormel Ham and other canned goods at left]
80 — Summer play clothes [two young children wearing snowsuits and mittens standing above frozen river, riverboat on beach in background]
81 — Picnic [four children next to camp fire on beach, possibly cooking hot dogs on sticks, riverboat at right]
82 — Sitting on the wood pile [young women and children sitting on top of log pile, church steeple in background] [Sheet 8]
83 — Midnight sun on the Yukon [scenic]
84 — Midnight sun on the Yukon [scenic]
85 — Anvik River in summer [bird’s eye view of river from bluff, one riverboat under way, two boats on shore in foreground]
86 — Bonasila River [scenic]
87 — Going berry picking [three women standing in skiff docked alongside riverboat, two children standing on riverboat]
88 — Government medical boat [U.S. Bureau of Education Medical Service riverboat Martha Angeline at dock, people visible on decks and in pilothouse]
89 — On the Yukon [ten people in skiff along shore, boat name “Pittsburgh” visible at left]
90 — Midnight sun on Cook’s Inlet [scenic]
91 — River steamer at Nenana [view across Alaska Railroad dock to paddle steamer and barge, man sitting on dock in foreground]
92 — River steamer at Anvik [paddle steamer under way]
93 — Native moving day on the Yukon [two riverboats docked alongside barge near beach, dogs next to tent on barge, young girl standing on beach] [Sheet 9]
94 — Cutting fish [several young women, some wearing headscarves and aprons, standing around tables on beach at fish camp, drying rack in background]
95 — Fish camp [several young women wearing headscarves and aprons standing around tables on beach at fish camp, drying rack in background]
96 — All the school children at Anvik [group portraits of students, most wearing uniforms, posed next to May pole in front of school]
97 — Older girls [young women wearing uniforms posed outdoors]
98 — May pole [girls wearing uniforms holding ribbons attached to pole]
99 — Small girls buttercup drill [students wearing uniforms and holding hoops performing dance next to May pole]
100 — Same [students wearing uniforms and holding hoops performing dance next to May pole]
101 — Traders wife and baby [woman and infant on steps outdoors. Cf. .71]
102 — Native boats in winter quarters [four riverboats in slough filled with ice chunks, buildings and lumber pile on bank above]
103 — Anvik River during breakup [scenic of water filled with ice chunks]
104 — Breakup [scenic of water filled with ice chunks]
105 — Breakup [scenic of water filled with ice chunks. Double exposure]
106 — Anvik in winter [bird’s eye view of river from bluff, riverboat and skiff on bank]
107 — [scenic of water filled with ice chunks]
108 — Small iceberg [large chunk of ice afloat in river]
109 — Native women dipnetting for fish [two women standing on beach, one using long pole to dip into water, ice chunks in water] [Sheet 10]
110 — Man on snowshoes [man wearing cold weather gear and carrying backpack stopped on winter trail]
111 — A full blood Indian, interpreter for the school [woman holding snowshoes standing on building porch]
112 — Plenty of snow [woman standing in front of log cabin in winter]
113 — Native woman with dog team on Yukon [musher with dog team and sled on frozen river]
114 — Woods in winter [scenic]
115 — Woods in winter [scenic, dog in center]
116 — Typical winter costume [white woman wearing embroidered mittens and holding snowshoes posed next to log building]
117 — [scenic of woods in winter, dog in center]
118 — School teacher with parka on, ready for a 20 mile trip by dog team [woman wearing fur parka with geometric trim standing with sled and dog team in harness]
119 — Mail carrier with dog team [distant view of musher with ten-dog team stopped on frozen river] [Sheet 11]
120 — Juneau [scenic of Mount Juneau, buildings including Goldstein’s Emporium and Thomas Hardware in foreground]
121 — Alaska-Juneau Gold Mine [A-J Mine as seen from water]
122 — Spencer Glacier near Seward [terminus as seen from Alaska Railroad tracks]
123 — Old Russian church [woman standing next to old St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church at Eklutna, ladder leading up to roof]
124 —125 – Columbia Glacier [panorama consisting of two separate images]
126 — Native method of splitting logs [three men using hand tools to cut timber on rack in wooded area]
127 — Native method of splitting logs [three men using hand tools to cut timber on rack in wooded area]
128 — Cache [log cache in winter]
129 — Seward [waterfront as seen from ship, glacier in background, actually Valdez]
130 —131 – Small icebergs near Columbia Glacier [panorama consisting of two separate images]
132 — Typical fish cannery [view across small inlet to cannery complex, steamship at dock] [Sheet 12] “Scenes along the Alaska coast”
133 — [scenic of water and coastline]
134 — [scenic of water and coastline]
135 — [scenic of water and coastline]
136 — [scenic of water and coastline]
137 — [scenic of water and coastline]
138 — [scenic of water and coastline, steamship in foreground]
139 — [scenic of water and coastline]
140 — [scenic of water and coastline]
141 — [scenic of water and coastline]
142 — [scenic of water and coastline]
143 — [scenic of water and coastline]
144 — [scenic of water and coastline]
145 — Resurrection Bay [scenic of water and coastline]
146 — Resurrection Bay [scenic of water and coastline]
147 — Resurrection Bay entrance to Seward [scenic of water and coastline] Loose items
148 — [Christmas card, signed “Merry Christmas, Christ Church Mission, Anvik, Alaska. Poem and photograph of two young children in fur parkas] - Pamphlet. The Alaska Railroad travelogue: containing worth-while information concerning the Curry Resort, Mount McKinley National Park, and points of interest along the line. Washington: U.S.G.P.O., 1929 - Map. Map of the Inside Passage cruise to Alaska. Seattle: Alaska Steamship Company, no date - Map. Map of the Copper River & Northwestern Ry. and Alaska Railroad showing Copper River region in Alaska, Prince William Sound, the Richardson Automobile Highway, Mt. McKinley National Park, government telegraph line and tributary territory. Seattle: Alaska Steamship Company, 1917 Guide written: April 2, 2019