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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 2 of 2 Objects
[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 4]
[Lewis Gibson films 4]
AAF-13920 was filmed in 1971 and is labeled, “Wildlife, Chena River, Riverboat Discovery Tour, Alaskaland, Downtown Fairbanks, 1971.” The film contains scenes of tourists and sites during a Riverboat Discovery tour near Fairbanks, flowers on the University of Alaska campus, bird skin and gut parkas at the university museum, animal mounts at the museum, more scenes from Riverboat Discovery tours, Alaskaland scenes including gold panning and cabins, a fanboat on the river, fishwheels on the river, looking north on Cushman Street in downtown Fairbanks, the Penneys building and parking lot, traffic on Second Avenue in Fairbanks, the Chena River, the Chamber of Commerce building and other buildings along the Chena River, and bars and cafes along First Avenue in downtown Fairbanks.