Alaska Film Archives

[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.
[Lewis Gibson films 3]
[Lewis Gibson films 3]
AAF-13919 was filmed in 1971 and is labeled, “Chena River, Discovery I and II, Speed Boat Race, Chena Hot Springs Pool, Davidson Ditch, Alaskaland, Forty Mile Area, Old Husky on Wheels, Buffalo Crossing Road, 1971.” The film contains scenes of the Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler in Fairbanks, views from along the Chena River, speedboats racing on the river, an indoor pool at Chena Hot Springs, old cabins and abandoned mining equipment, a man near Davidson Ditch, Alaska Railroad Engine 1 at Alaskaland, a sign for Fortymile Resource Management Area, a dredge, men riding small tracked vehicles through tall grass, mountain scenery, and bison near the roadside.
[Lewis Gibson films 5]
[Lewis Gibson films 5]
AAF-13921 was filmed between 1964 and 1967 and is labeled, “6.” Gibson filmed scenes during his time spent training to be a policeman in Alaska, including scenes at the rifle range around 1964. Scenes from the Washington DC area, including national football and baseball games, were filmed when Gibson attended the FBI Academy in 1964. Scenes from the 1967 flood and aftermath in downtown Fairbanks include high water underneath the Cushman Street Bridge, a boat passing flooded cars and the Union 76 Station on Barnette Street (likely viewed from the window of the fire department on Seventh Avenue), flooded neighborhoods, the Texaco Station, damaged railroad tracks, looking southward along a muddy Cushman Street, sandbags in the lawn of the Immaculate Conception Church, the Samson Hardware building, and Safeway. The film also contains scenes of the George Thiele family at Christmas. Some scenes in the film are double-exposed.