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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
[KTVF news stories, bison hunt, Chena Hot Springs, baseball, snowmachines, Bike-A-Thon]
[KTVF news stories, bison hunt, Chena Hot Springs, baseball, snowmachines, Bike-A-Thon]
Some segments of film contain a soundtrack, and others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on the original film are given here in parentheses. The footage features a basketball game at the Patty Gym on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. The University of Washington Huskies won over the University of Alaska Nanooks (January 16, 1970) (sound). The film also shows snowmobiles racing around a short track (the title of the segment is "North Pole snowmobiles") (February 7, 1970) (silent), men with rifles shooting at targets, bison running through the woods, men shooting and butchering a bison (1970) (silent), Chena Hot Springs Resort, reporter Larry Holmstrom talking about the history of the resort and the affects of the 1967 flood, owner Carl Wilson being interviewed about the new pool house he built (circ. May 1971) (sound), a ceremony at the Goldpanners baseball stadium in Fairbanks, men making announcements, teams running out onto the field (June 22, 1971) (silent), an Alaska Native elder being interviewed on the history of the Eskimo Olympics games, scenes from a ceremony at the Olympics (July 30, 1971) (sound), men in running shorts and t-shirts using axes to mark and clear a trail through the woods (September 15, 1971) (silent), snow machines lining up for a race off of Farmer's Loop Road north of Fairbanks, the winner of the race being interviewed, scenes following a snow machine accident (the segment is titled "North American Snow Machine Race 1972") (silent and sound), a safety awards ceremony at Joy Elementary School, ice cream being served to students (January 28, 1972). (sound), a man talking about budget issues at the 1972 United Good Neighbors Campaign ceremony (January 29, 1972) (sound), people riding in dogsleds, dog sled races, an announcer in a booth, spectators at the races (the segment is titled "old dog racing footage" and "dog sled races March 15, 1972") (silent and sound), people on bikes gathering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and riding to Nenana, bikers resting at the Nenana Civic Center, and bikers boarding a train (segment is titled "Bike-A-Thon") (June 1972) (silent).
[KTVF news stories, Fort Wainwright, hospital dedication, floods]
[KTVF news stories, Fort Wainwright, hospital dedication, floods]
Some segments of film contain audio, and others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on original film are given here in parentheses. Footage includes earth-moving equipment, Fort Wainwright roads and dikes, a story about efforts to protect Ketchum Road and Fort Wainwright runways from flooding (undated, possibly 1970) (sound), a Borough Assembly meeting, people speaking about school budget issues (undated, possibly 1970) (sound), Student Council President Jerry Foster interviewing fellow students at Joy Elementary School (including Martin Thies and others) on the last day of the school year (undated, possibly 1970) (sound), scenes from the Miss Alaska Universe Pageant in 1972 (March 13, 1972) (sound), a structure fire (story titled "Badger Fire") (March 14, 1972) (silent), a man being put into a police car (story titled "Arrest") (March 16, 1972) (silent), women preparing meat and berries for a Fairbanks Native Association Potlatch, scenes at Carole Drake's home (March 17, 1972) (sound), scenes from the Farm Forum at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Wood Center, agricultural topics and the Native Land Claims Settlement Act being discussed (March 17, 1972) (sound), Ted Stevens and other dignitaries at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (March 20, 1972) (sound), Ted Stevens and others at a potlatch, Natives dancing and singing in a gymnasium (March 20, 1972) (sound), people exiting a courtroom, men being interviewed about Borough Assembly voting procedures (story titled "Carp/Jackson/Belahay - Reapportion") (March 22, 1972) (sound), meeting scenes, a man being interviewed about alcohol licensing on the UAF campus (story titled "Carp/Doogan") (March 22, 1972) (sound), Dr. William Wood and others at the Mayor's Ball (1972) (sound), a man being interviewed about a Borough Assembly reapportionment (story titled "Bettesworth - Reapportionment Suit") (May 1, 1972) (sound), a man being interviewed about 40-year-anniversary activities at Alaska Airlines (story titled "Giersdorf - Alaska Airlines") (May 2, 1972) (sound), University Park Elementary School students being given seedling trees to plant (May 2, 1972) (sound), a story about debris-clogged culverts, scenes of flooded streets and homes (segment titled "Martin/Egan - Flood") (May 8, 1972) (sound), scenes of river breakup in spring (story titled "Dave McFarland - River Forecast") (May 9, 1972) (sound), views of new council chambers and other offices in a Fifth Avenue building in Fairbanks (May 9, 1972) (sound), flood water in a neighborhood area, people walking through flood waters, aerial views of ice on a river (story titled "Egan/Carlson - Flood") (May 10, 1972) (sound), men and women being interviewed at a formal ceremony for the Midnight Sun Council of the Boy Scouts at the UAF Wood Center (May 10, 1972) (sound).
[Waymon Vest collection films 3]
[Waymon Vest collection films 3]
AAF-13897 is from a film identified by the filmmaker as: white grizzly bear on North Slope, North Slope scenes, and Kenai Peninsula scenes circa 1970-1972. The full 15-minute reel was made from five smaller reels labeled by the filmmaker as follows: grizzly bear - North Slope 1970, moose sheep - Kenai Peninsula Alaska; cat train Porter; good one Slope; Brooks Range from airplane Alaska; Herc C-130. Scenes on Alaska’s North Slope include a "blonde" or nearly-white-colored grizzly bear and oil exploration activities including a cat train, helicopter, Pilatus Porter airplane, tracked vehicles moving across snowy terrain, C-130 Hercules airplane, and a helicopter. The following information was received from the filmmaker: At about 2 minutes and 40 seconds into the full film reel is a scene of Portage Glacier as seen from the road in 1970; beginning at about 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the reel are barges frozen in the Arctic Ocean; and at about 11 minutes and 40 seconds into the reel, the camera zooms in to a scene of Mt. Susitna, also known as the “Sleeping Lady.”