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Alaska Film Archives

About the Collection

Over the past half century, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has built the largest collection of archival films in and about Alaska. The collection combines hundreds of donations of film and videos to UAF by individuals, organizations and institutions. Materials range from professional productions to amateur home-movies, made in and about Alaska from the earliest days of filmmaking through today. Since 1993 these materials have been held by the Alaska Film Archives, a unit of Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives in the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library. Films and videos selected for this portal project are a sampling of the thousands available for checkout on DVD through the Rasmuson Library. Unless otherwise noted, items are presented here in their entirety, unedited and uncut. Short, popular clips from the collection can be viewed on our YouTube channel. Read more about the Alaska Film Archives.

1 to 3 of 3 Objects
[Aftermath of 1964 earthquake in Anchorage]
[Aftermath of 1964 earthquake in Anchorage]
This footage shows the aftermath of the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Scenes include the severely damaged Government Hill Elementary School, businesses and homes, a yellow house sitting at an angle after the ground had fallen away, damage at the Alaska Sales and Service car dealership, and crushed cars.
Alaska, The Great Land
Alaska, The Great Land
Footage includes historic photos, a gold dredge, an oil drill rig, a coal mine, a gravel conveyor, Matanuska Valley farms, salmon king crab and halibut fisheries, a pulp mill, Wien aircraft, Native dancers, and scenery. Footage of towns and cities include Wrangell, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Fairbanks, University of Alaska campus, Point Barrow, Kotzebue, Nome, Prince William Sound, Valdez, Seward, Kenai, and Anchorage. Earthquake footage includes scenes from Anchorage and Seward. Towns shown following the earthquake include Anchorage, Whittier, Valdez, Seward, and Kodiak. During the program, Governor Egan speaks and accounts of the earthquake are told by survivors.
[Lewis Gibson films 2]
[Lewis Gibson films 2]
AAF-13918 was filmed in 1964 and is labeled, “Earthquake Anchorage, Santa Claus House, and Liberty Campground.” The film contains scenes of the Matanuska Glacier, aftermath of the 1964 Alaska Earthquake in Anchorage, a damaged Mt. McKinley building, damaged homes and a damaged school, cracks in the ground, Alaska scenery and moose, a family camping and fishing, and the Santa Claus House in North Pole.