Alaska Film Archives

[1939 New York World's Fair, travel]
[1939 New York World's Fair, travel]
This film reel is made up of 6 smaller reels. Reel 1 is labeled "West Point, World's Fair New York 1939," and it contains scenes of men doing calisthenics, men boxing, men fencing and wrestling, men in uniform and marching, and scenes from the world's fair. Reel 2 is labeled "New York to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, June and July 1939," and it contains footage of New York City streets, a West Point gathering, and Puerto Rico. Reel 3 is labeled "July 1939, Trip to Clearwater with Jim Ryan and Ray Henderson 193[?]," and it contains views of children playing, a pilot climbing into a biplane, people with a captive bear cub, Hap Arnold's B-10 Bomber flight from Washington D.C. landing at Weeks Field and pilots in Fairbanks in August 1934, a military aircraft at Weeks Field, a boy's birthday cake, children playing in a garden, and a boat on the Tanana River traveling to the Delta Clearwater River. Reel 4 is labeled "July and August 1939, Plymouth, Washington D.C., Marengo, Black Hills, Seattle, Juneau, Fairbanks," and it contains footage of Washington D.C., people at home, people swimming, farm scenes, a man in a boat, a family gathering, Mt. Rushmore, Elkhorn Mountain, camping, a family eating watermelon along the roadside, Columbia River, boats and fishing, Juneau, and trucks on the Richardson Highway. Reel 5 is labeled "Fort Riley - Marengo," and it contains scenes of men in uniform, children playing, a family gathering, farm scenes, a waterfront and ships, totem poles, glaciers and icebergs, a car towing a trailer, travel along the Richardson Highway, a glacier, "Devil's Elbow," a family at Christmas, hay being loaded, and women getting into a car. Reel 6 is labeled "Bear, Sunset, Village of Ruby, Caribou, Mendenhall Glacier," and it contains footage of the Ruby waterfront, wildlife, the Black Rapids Glacier near Richardson Highway during its advance in the 1930s, and scenery.
[1967 Fairbanks flood]
[1967 Fairbanks flood]
This film features what are likely relief efforts during the 1967 Fairbanks flood. A handwritten label on the film box says "Dan[?] airport, Kul[?], Church of God, Westgate, A67, Mom[?], Henry and High school, [?] Day, [?], Flood."
[1971 Midnight Sun 600]
[1971 Midnight Sun 600]
Footage includes mechanics (likely in Fairbanks) preparing snowmachines for Midnight Sun 600 racing, Brian Willner cleaning a snowmachine, motorhomes and support vehicles with snowmachine trailers (likely leaving Fairbanks for Anchorage), the distribution of race bibs in an auditorium in Anchorage, racers at the start line in Anchorage, Bob Hamme in a red helmet, crews picking up broken-down machines along the highway, a wrecked truck in a ditch, mechanics welding skis and rebuilding snowmachines in a shop (and possibly doing overnight repairs in Glennallen or Tok), snowmachines and racers at the start line for second-day start (possibly in Glennallen or Tok), individual racers heading out, racers on the highway, and racers returning to the finish area.
[1974 Chena flood dam construction]
[1974 Chena flood dam construction]
This film features earth-moving equipment at work on dam construction as well as culverts filling with water.
[1974 North American Sled Dog Championships]
[1974 North American Sled Dog Championships]
The film can is labeled “29th Annual North American 1974,” and the film contains footage of sled dog racing.
[1975 Fairbanks winter scenes]
[1975 Fairbanks winter scenes]
Footage features small houses in Fairbanks during winter, cars idling along streets in ice fog, a man pointing out exhaust system modifications designed to decrease emissions, downtown Fairbanks with ice fog during a dark afternoon, and a model and artist's concept of the Noel Wien library.
[1982 Valdez Winter Carnival and winter activities]
[1982 Valdez Winter Carnival and winter activities]
Footage includes 1982 Valdez Winter Carnival scenes including families on a sled hill, snowmachines, Valdez scenes, a man and woman being interviewed (silent), church, and more snowmachines. Valdez winter activities include scenes of people playing baseball on snowshoes, totem pole sculptures, the Valdez harbor, and people in costumes jumping off a boat and swimming.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 1]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 1]
This film features Joanie Adler’s birthday with eight candles on the cake, Joe Crosson Jr. or Don Crosson at the party, Joanie Adler playing croquet with parents, Joanie Adler skiing with her parents and other children, Chena River break-up near the Cushman Street Bridge in Fairbanks, Chena River break-up with cars and trucks on streets (including Illinois Street), an overview of flooding as seen from a rooftop, coal bunkers in the background, Fairbanks Winter Carnival queen contestants, and an ice throne. Notes on the original film say “Terry Gordon, Baby ‘36, Xmas, Snow, Cabin, Flood, Carnival, Break-up ‘36, and Carnival ‘36.”
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 2]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 2]
This is the 1936 Winter Carnival in Fairbanks.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 3]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 3]
This film contains footage of Joanie Adler with adults, Joanie riding a pony, Joanie at the zoo, Joanie riding a bike, an unidentified couple at a mining operation, Joanie Adler swimming, Joanie with her parents at a cabin, Joanie playing with Christmas toys, children in a parade in Fairbanks near the Cushman Street Bridge, aerial shots of mountains, break-up, a family camping and sawing wood, and more aerial shots of mountains.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 4]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 4]
This film shows people skiing behind a truck as seen from the truck.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 5]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 5]
This film includes scenes of the Dave and Mary Adler wedding party, Joanie Adler holding flowers and playing in a sprinkler, Joanie Adler's birthday party with seven or eight candles, Joanie Adler cooking in a kitchen with Joe Crosson, Jr., glacier and river scenery, Mrs. Adler carrying Joanie and Mr. Adler across a creek, Joanie Adler driving a small car built by Joe Crosson, Sr., Joe helping Don Crosson drive a car, Joanie Adler with puppies, Don Adler in uniform, people at an airport, Joanie and possibly Joe Crosson, Jr. gardening, dignitaries with Governor Ernest Gruening, a Grumman Goose airplane, Joanie Adler playing with dogs, and the Adler family canoeing. This film was labeled as follows: “Mary and Dave just got married; Little Joe and Joan cooking; Joan in car summer 1939..."
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 6]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 6]
This film contains scenes of men preparing gold for smelting into an ingot, caribou, and Joanie with Mrs. Adler.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 7]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 7]
This film contains scenes of family activities that appear to be mostly outside the state of Alaska.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 8]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 8]
This film contains scenes of family activities that appear to be mostly outside the state of Alaska.
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 9]
[Adler-Tollefson Family films - 9]
This film contains scenes of family activities that appear to be mostly outside the state of Alaska.
[Aerial view of pipeline construction]
[Aerial view of pipeline construction]
Footage includes aerial views of Fairbanks, the pipeyard, pipeline construction, sections of pipeline arranged along the roadside, trucking on the Haul Road, and North Star terminals.
[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.
[Air shots of Kotzebue 1981]
[Air shots of Kotzebue 1981]
The filmmaker's original labeling scheme has AAF-20047 numbered as Bacon 11-01 and titled “Air Shots of Kotzebue 1981.” Reed Bovee interviewed filmmaker Bill Bacon in 2010, and the following information about the group of films that includes this film is based on Bovee's notes from that interview: “Chilkat dancers, carving on the largest totem pole - The Japanese were having a World’s Fair and they wanted to have the largest totem pole so they went to Haines to have it carved; it was huge - Inuit Circumpolar Conference meeting in Nuke, Greenland in 1980, beluga hunting in Kotzebue - In the evening when the hunters bring in the whales they cut them up and hang them to dry - Nome inside shots of Omiak - When he went to Egg Island, big Omiak Eskimos climbed up the cliffs and got the bird eggs, puffin and seagull eggs - They get up there and drop the eggs down to a guy that catches them, and then he gives them to a guy in a boat where he has a basket with grass in it and they fill up the baskets - Bill got up the hill and it was so slippery from bird droppings that he kept slipping so he could not get down - They had to go around and climb up to the top and drop a rope down to him and pull him up - Says it was really embarrassing.” Notes on the film box are as follows: “Barrow Nulakatuk, ICC Meeting Inuvik NWT Canada 1960, ICC meeting Nuuk Greenland July 1, 1980, Eskimos going to ECC Island out from Nome 1950, Kotzebue beluga hunters return at night 1950” and “Reel 1: Original, Air shots of Kotzebue Oct. 31 1981.”
[Alaska 1925, Kenai River, Skilak Lake, bear hunt]
[Alaska 1925, Kenai River, Skilak Lake, bear hunt]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1925,” “Alaska 25 - Kenai R. - Skilak Lake – Hunt,” and “Alaska Hunting II.” The film contains scenes of three men in a motor boat towing another boat, men rowing an open boat down a swift river, scenes from within the open boat as a man rows, faces of men in a boat, scenery along the shoreline, men standing by a log cabin, men hiking with packs, a porcupine running into the bushes, men setting up a canvas tent, men joking around in camp, men crossing a small stream, a man playing a flute, a hillside and inlet, and a man skinning a dead bear.
[Alaska 1926 odds and ends, glaciers and boats]
[Alaska 1926 odds and ends, glaciers and boats]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1926” and “Alaska 26 Odds and Ends #4.” The film contains miscellaneous scenes of glaciers, a man with a rifle aboard a boat, a coastal community waterfront, activities aboard a ship, men climbing a snowy mountain, icy waters and glaciers, and various boats.
[Alaska 1931]
[Alaska 1931]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1931” and “Scenes taken for footage for Milford - Alaska 1931.” The footage contains scenic shots of various snowy mountains, glaciers, a small boat in icy waters, a man aboard a boat cranking a film camera, icy waters, a man with a camera, and more glaciers and snowy mountains.
[Alaska 1931 or 1935, Copper River Railroad, Harriman Fiord, Inside Passage, Juneau]
[Alaska 1931 or 1935, Copper River Railroad, Harriman Fiord, Inside Passage, Juneau]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1931 or 1935” and “Copper River RR, Harriman Fiord, Inside Passage.” The film contains scenes of a boat moving through icy waters, an airplane on floats in water, a train crossing a bridge over Copper River and moving alongside the river, four men maneuvering an automobile outfitted for travel on railroad tracks, a car running along train tracks, a man walking on a rocky hillside and chopping at earth to make steps, glacier scenes, snowy mountains, men in a rowboat, men examining ice, a man operating a film camera, icy waters, travel alongside steep mountains rising out of an inlet, men in a boat, the Juneau waterfront, A.J. Mine, and downtown Juneau.
[Alaska 1931 reel 4, glaciers and ships]
[Alaska 1931 reel 4, glaciers and ships]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1931 Reel 4.” The film contains scenic shots of glaciers and mountains, a small boat moving in front of a glacier face, a calving glacier, icebergs, a small boat moving through icy waters, ice near a shoreline, a larger steamship moving through icy waters near a glacier face, and seals resting on icebergs in the distance.
[Alaska 1935, Blackstone Bay, College Fiord, odds and ends]
[Alaska 1935, Blackstone Bay, College Fiord, odds and ends]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1935” and “Blackstone Bay, College Fiord, Odds and Ends, Goats etc., Fish.” The film contains scenes of two men rowing a boat and anchoring it near a waterfall, a man holding a film camera, a man watching salmon swim upstream, numerous salmon in a shallow stream, two men paddling a boat in the distance as seen from a rock opening, a herd of mountain goats on a hillside near a shoreline, a calving glacier and icy waters, and birds flying near a waterfall.
[Alaska and travel]
[Alaska and travel]
This film reel is made up of 11 smaller reels. Reel 1 is labeled "1947 West Point and Kay, Bobbie and Ethel, Alcan Highway in mud and snow, Donn skiing and carnival, Mary, more skiing spring 1948," and it contains footage as described plus scenes of travel, a Whitehorse sign, kids playing football in the snow, hockey, skiing, a ski jump, dog mushing, the Fairbanks Winter Carnival, cars racing around a snowy track, and more skiing. Reel 2 is labeled "Trip To Alaska August 1947, Peekskill, Forest Glen, Jackson Lake, Xmas 1947 in Iowa, University of Iowa campus, Washington D.C., N.Y., Oregon," and it contains footage of road travel, scenery, small towns and cities, aerial views from an airplane, a dredge and mining views, a military formation, a football game, ice skating, and a city. A note inside the film can says "Washington D.C., New York, Hartsdale, Washington D.C., to California and Oregon, [?] and myself, February 1948, Alaska back to Peekskill, cadets and football, Forest Glen, Lilly, Jackson Lake Iowa, [?] and trip to Iowa for Xmas, farm, [?], University of Iowa campus." Reel 3 is labeled "Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier, start of plane trip to Alaska August 1947, Alaska map and California to Seattle," and it contains footage of a map of Alaska and aerial views. Reel 4 is labeled "Lilly and Keith, 1947, [?], Virginia, Lilly and I, Lilly at Skyline Drive, Keith's lacross games, [?] Island ferry and Lilly," and it contains views of people, a game, and New York. Reel 5 is labeled "Football May 8th UA at FHS, Whitehorse, Boats on Yukon, Spring 1949," and it contains scenes of a football game and sternwheelers in Whitehorse. Reel 6 is labeled "June 1949 Peekskill Graduation and West Point Parade," and it contains scenes of cadets. Reel 7 is labeled "Peekskill MA, waterskiing, Badlands, June to August 1949," and it contains scenes of cadets and waterskiing. Reel 8 is labeled "Cleary Hill Ski Meet March 1950, Keith's graduation Peekskill June 1950," and it contains footage of skiing and cadets. Reel 9 is labeled "Alcan, ferry, Yellowstone, east bear, elk, antelope, May 1949," and it contains footage of travel, the Alcan, a ferry, Yellowstone National Park, and a bear. Reel 10 is labeled "Peekskill and Keith June 1950, Garden of the Gods, Keith and I, bear and grouse, football, Huber's Ranch, June to August 1950, Peekskill to Alaska," and it contains views of cadets, travel, a bear, football, a Huber sign, and a house. Reel 11 is labeled "Rocky Mountain Sheep, Boulder Rodeo, Esther Braddock, July to October 1951," and it contains scenes of a rodeo.
The Alaska Coast, Seattle to Columbia Glacier
The Alaska Coast, Seattle to Columbia Glacier
Footage features Alaska Steamship Lines ship "Yukon" cruising from Seattle to Columbia Glacier through the Inside Passage. It stops at Ketchikan, Juneau, and an unidentified town.
[Alaska Environmental Center collection films and videos 1]
[Alaska Environmental Center collection films and videos 1]
The original Betamax videotape is labeled, “Larry Sutton, Northern Alaska Environmental Center; Alpha Video Betacam 3-26-87; Ulrich Ganz, Wilbur Mills.” The video contains silent footage of mountains and rivers in Alaska, kayakers in a variety of settings, people hiking, birds and nests, Dall sheep, bears, caribou, and tundra flowers.
[Alaska flying in winter and summer]
[Alaska flying in winter and summer]
The original film is labeled “Winter storm, wind storm with Champion, have on video.” The film contains scenes of driving along a snowy road in winter, caribou along the roadside, John Baker gassing up an Aeronca Champion airplane on skis, an airplane taking off, an airplane at a remote location, a man removing wing covers and hand propping the airplane, Queenie the dog going into the airplane, an airplane on skis taking off from a remote strip, a truck crossing a narrow bridge across a river, caribou, aerial views of the landscape, Queenie with a pack, John Baker brushing away a horde of mosquitoes, a bulldozer digging a trench, many airplanes around a lake, construction crews, aerial views of Anchorage, men hunting, and a small tracked vehicle.
[Alaska glaciers 1931 reel 3]
[Alaska glaciers 1931 reel 3]
This film is labeled “Alaska 1931 Reel 3.” The footage contains scenes of glaciers calving into water, scenic shots of glaciers, a panoramic shot across the face of a glacier, snowy mountains, and ice fields.