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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 13 of 13 Objects
[Annabeth Hanlon collection 2]
[Annabeth Hanlon collection 2]
Footage includes people panning for gold, a B-17 flying overhead, men cutting firewood with a truck-mounted saw in downtown Fairbanks, downtown buildings, Wien Alaska Airlines operations at Weeks Field, an airplane taking off, Jim Dodson's airplane, hangars on the field, fire, children ice skating, dog sled races on the Chena Rive, men launching a small barge, travel in an outboard motor-powered riverboat, the tug M.S. Otter of Fairbanks pushing a barge, a grouse on the road, men working on a cabin, a small boat being launched in a lake, men cutting ice for drinking water with a hand saw, a car pulling a sled with blocks of ice, a fire in a Fairbanks Laundry building, and a formation of military airplanes. Notes accompanying the film say: view of McKinley, Deadwood and Dr. Schiable, around Fairbanks, sawing wood, around 2nd Ave., Wien Airways & Jim in planes, old Pan Am, Dorothy's house, skating in Main School yard, my 8th, dog team races at end of 2nd, K9 team won, youngster falling down, Albas trip, grouse, McKinley, ducks, Hanlon, building at lake, kids, lake boat, Albert Martin, Bob Harwood, geese, cutting ice, Bud Shaw, (?), fire at laundry, Russian DC-3, P-63 to Russia led by B-25.
[Arnie M. Lee and Family collection - 8]
[Arnie M. Lee and Family collection - 8]
Notes with this film say “1949 Charlotte Ames and Bob, Don, Mrs. Wiener, and Lee Family at Airport, Pan Am DC4; 1949 Norman and Ingrid at Badger Road cabin, 1962 Boat Races, Chena River in Fairbanks, Christmas 1961 Arne Jergen; 1962 Boat Races in Chena Rover; 1962 Norman’s second car 1956 Pontiac; 1962 Hydraulic mining Ester Alaska; 1962 Cleanup at Hassel’s Mine; 1962 Golden Days Fairbanks and Ingrid home in 1972; 1962 Arne and Arnold Nordale, Ferry at Nenana.” The film contains footage of a Pan American World Airways airplane, children playing, children hoisting one another with a rope and pulley system, children skiing, a Christmas tree in a home, a family meal in a home, the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks, power boats on the river, crowds gathered along the riverbank to watch boats, a Fairbanks home, hydraulic giants and a mining operation, men cleaning up a sluice box, dancing in downtown Fairbanks, Monty’s Department Store and Lacey Street Theater signs, views from aboard the Sternwheeler Yutana, the Nenana bridge, a fishwheel, highway travel, and Fielding Lake.
[Fairbanks International Airport construction]
[Fairbanks International Airport construction]
This film contains scenes of the construction of the Fairbanks International Airport runway and paved surfaces, starting after the trees have been cleared and ending with the first airplane landing. Footage includes construction crews with Caterpillar tractors, scrapers, dump-trucks and draglines moving earth and leveling ground, construction buildings and housing, a man demonstrating an unstable patch of ground which turns to jelly as he jumps on it, a drainage system and lighting system being installed, an asphalt plant in operation and paving crews finishing construction. The film ends with a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator owned by Morrison-Knudsen Construction Company making a landing on the completed runway.
[KTVF news stories, Cordova, 1977 mushers]
[KTVF news stories, Cordova, 1977 mushers]
Some segments of film contain a soundtrack, others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on original film are given here in parentheses. Footage features views of a nighttime rocket launch (no date or description) (silent). Aerial views of Fort Wainwright (no date or description) (silent). A commercial for Nerland's Warehouse Store on Illinois Street with views of the furniture store and the downtown Fairbanks area (no date) (sound). An Alaska Railroad engine painted in a red, white and blue color scheme (no date or description) (silent). A woman interviews Moe Samuelson about his race boat (no date) (sound). Men and women at a pancake feed in Fairbanks (no date) (sound). A man demonstrates goldpanning to a crowd in a J.C. Penney's parking lot in Fairbanks (no date) (sound). Women try on Golden Days-style hats (no date) (sound). Ralph Migliaccio speaks about his candidacy for city council and about a failed Fairbanks water project and traffic problems (no date) (sound). Views of men and women at an airport baggage claim, trucker Sam Little among crowd of people, people waiting in line and holding Teamsters paperwork, airport scenes (segment is titled "Union Call and Airport") (no date) (silent). People go through a banquet line at potlatch, Native Dancing at Lathrop High School Gym (no date or description) (sound). Men and women speak at meeting about the borough assembly's cutting of the school budget (no date) (sound). Two girls congratulated by adults (segment is titled "Spelling Bee") (no date) (silent). Views of Cordova harbor and town streets, story about town's history and economic struggles (no date) (sound). Two KTVF promos (no date ) (sound). Aerial view of a road, sign at the road link-up site at the South Fork Koyukuk River Valley, pipeline workers celebrate (no date or description) (sound). Spectators watch as dog mushers start and end a race in Fairbanks (notes accompanying film identify Marvin Kockrine, Roxi Brooks Wood, and George Attla), mushers Carl Huntington and George Attla are interviewed (segment is titled "1977 Mushers") (sound). Woman is interviewed (segment is titled "Marge Pentland") (no date) (silent). Views of children and the elderly (segment is titled "Pioneer Home") (no date) (silent). A woman talks to a girl (segment is titled "SS - Mae and Kid") (no date) (silent). A woman talks on phone and performs office tasks (segment is titled SS - Receipt") (no date) (silent).
[KTVF news stories, downtown Fairbanks, North Star Terminal development plans]
[KTVF news stories, downtown Fairbanks, North Star Terminal development plans]
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 film features a biologist tracking moose with a radio transmitter in a light airplane (December 11, 1973) (silent), interior views of the Chena Five power plant (December 12, 1973) (silent), a land auction in the Fairbanks North Star Borough being reported by Pat McGuire (no date) (sound), a commercial for Tommy's Elbow Room and the Firelite Room restaurant in Fairbanks (December 8, 1973) (silent), Phil Deicer interviewing developer Chuck Reese as he displays a model of the proposed North Star Terminal development (December 13, 1973) (sound), U.S. Army soldiers picketing in protest of the military making the Flame Lounge and French Quarter off limits to soldiers (December 15, 1973) (sound), Ernest Gruening signing his book "Many Battles" (December 18, 1973) (sound), a hamburger eating contest at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (December 19, 1973) (sound), reporter Larry Holmstrom interviewing Pat Patterson, Darwin Bruce, Roland Bonneville, Steve Berman, Russell Shinn, and Dick Randolph about their predictions for Fairbanks in 1974 (December 31, 1973) (sound), buildings at the University of Alaska Fairbanks including the University Museum, the University Commons, and the Wood Center (December 30, 1973) (silent), a group of people at a dinner party (January 8, 1974) (silent), teamsters picketing Independent Lumber (January 8, 1974) (silent), U.S. Senate candidate C.R. Lewis explaining his views (January 9, 1974) (sound), Cub Scouts picking up trash along the roadside (May 13, 1974) (silent), Burl Ives and Walter Hickel at Fairbanks International Airport (May 17, 1974) (silent), rescue workers in a riverboat using a crane to pull a car from the Chena River (May 21, 1974) (silent). Mr. Sarnoff speaking at the 1974 University of Alaska commencement in Fairbanks (May 20, 1974) (sound), animals at the Alaskaland zoo (May 22, 1974) (silent), firefighters fighting a fire in a small Fairbanks pawn shop (May 27, 1974) (silent), golfers at Arctic Acres Golf Course on Ft. Wainwright (July 12, 1974) (silent), a Golden Days fashion show (July 16, 1974) (silent), a Felix Pedro look-alike weighing a poke of gold during Golden Days festivities (July 16, 1974) (silent), Glenn Hackney in the Golden Days jail (July 16, 1974), Native Alaskan dancers at Alaskaland (no date) (silent), rubber boat races on the Chena River (no date) (silent), a Golden Days Parade (no date) (silent), an Airstream trailer caravan (no date) (silent), and nurses picketing the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (July 18, 1974) (silent).
[KTVF news stories, fires, proposed gas pipeline, Fairbanks growth]
[KTVF news stories, fires, proposed gas pipeline, Fairbanks growth]
Some segments contain a soundtrack, and others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on the original film are given here in parentheses. The film includes construction workers tearing apart the old St. Joseph's Hospital, interior and exterior views of the hospital (April 1975) (silent), poll workers, voters, voting booths (April 1975) (silent), roadside litter in Fairbanks (May 13, 1975) (silent), views of the Chena River from downtown Fairbanks as the river nears floodstage (May 13, 1975) (silent), a fire destroying Chatanika Lodge (May 15, 1975) (silent), crews putting out fires on an electric line (May 12, 1975) (silent), the tripod on the Tanana River in Nenana, water flowing, an "Ice Pool" hut (May 10, 1975) (silent), firefighters battling a blaze on top of the Northward Building in Fairbanks (May 31, 1975) (silent), U.S. Senator Mike Gravel being interviewed about the proposed Alaska natural gas pipeline, D2 land withdrawals, Alaska's growing population (May 29, 1975) (sound), kids registering bicycles, the bikes being inspected, kids participating in a bike safety course (May 30, 1975) (silent), a group of men listening to people speak (May 27, 1975) (silent), crowded campground scenes, men being interviewed, a discussion about pipeline workers who live in campgrounds (May 24, 1975) (sound), airport scenes, a man being greeted (May 1975) (silent), a nighttime fire at Van Horn Lodge, firefighters battling a large blaze (May 1975) (silent), the teamsters building, traffic on a street (May 1975) (silent), aerial views of the Chena River (and overflow near Moss Creek Dam), water pouring over a road (silent), people standing in a line being interviewed (sound), Prudhoe Bay area scenes, caribou, waterfowl, research area signs, aerial views of mountains, arctic gas pipeline maps (May 8, 1975) (silent), borough landfill scenes, a man being interviewed about the future of the landfill (June 9, 1975) (sound), a building fire at Miller Machinery, people carrying out belongings, firefighters and a bulldozer (June 6, 1975) (sound), post office scenes, a story about a shortage of post office boxes and postal workers (June 6, 1975) (sound), and construction projects in the Fairbanks area (June 3, 1975) (sound).
[KTVF news stories from Fairbanks between 1972 and 1975]
[KTVF news stories from Fairbanks between 1972 and 1975]
Footage includes an interview with Mac Fenton about school board issues concerning smoking in schools, Mayor Julian Rice and Wally Droz being interviewed about the relationship between the mayor and the city clerk, an unidentified man being interviewed by reporter Sunny Carpenter about a satellite telemetry project at the University of Alaska, and a Capital International Airways DC-8 crash story from Anchorage International Airport.
[KTVF news stories from Fairbanks during 1972]
[KTVF news stories from Fairbanks during 1972]
This film contains news stories recorded in 1972 at the KTVF television station in Fairbanks. Reporters include Ted Lehne, Larry Carpenter, Larry Holmstrom, Tom Jensen, and Phil Deisher. Footage and stories include a NHK Japanese film crew in Fairbanks on 7/6/72, Glen Stanley from the University of Alaska talking about an ionosphere study on 7/8/72, Chuck Reese and unidentified speakers talking about school board issues on 7/11/72, unidentified children at a lemonade stand on 7/11/72, the retirement of U.S. Air Force General Robert Ruig at Eielson Air Force Base on 7/12/72, an unidentified speaker talking about budget cuts at the University of Alaska on 7/14/72, Al Haines and Paul Walker talking about drag racing on 7/15/72, runners on the Steese Highway on 7/25/72, drag racing on Ft. Wainwright on 7/17/72, baseball at Ft. Wainwright, Spiro Agnew being presented a puppy on 7/14/72, commemorative stamps issued in Fairbanks on 7/27/72, Denali Park superintendant Vernon Resh talking about buses in the park on 7/29/72, Tennessee Ernie Ford arriving in Fairbanks on 7/29/72, Mr. Flaherty talking about tourism in Denali National Park on 7/21/72, an unidentified structure on fire on 7/31/72, a McDonald's restaurant grand opening on Airport Road on 7/31/72, and fire fighters at a simulated disaster at the Fairbanks International Airport on 7/31/72.
[KTVF news stories, GOP convention, Alyeska report]
[KTVF news stories, GOP convention, Alyeska report]
Footage includes the Jim Thompson Ford dealership in Fairbanks (silent) (9/17/73), men speaking at a United Way meeting (silent) (9/25/73), the dedication of the Hutchison Center with aircraft mechanic Jim Hutchison and other dignitaries in attendance (sound) (9/29/73), a bomber aircraft sitting on a ramp at an airport (silent) (9/22/73), Fairbanks Police Department investigating a S&W Insulation truck explosion (sound) (10/5/73), singer Anne Murray being greeted by bagpipers at the Fairbanks airport (sound) (10/6/73), a semi-truck load of pumpkins arriving in Fairbanks (sound) (10/11/73), the swearing in of assembly and school board members (silent) (10/12/73), a woman being interviewed about nutrition and the cost of school lunches (sound) (10/13/73), rooms and beds in the Fairbanks Native Association Sleep-Off Center (sound) (11/20/73), Rickshaw Chinese - American Restaurant (silent) (11/21/73), a story about emmissions from the Fort Wainwright power plant (sound) (11/21/73), airport scenes (silent) (11/22/73), a Thanksgiving meal being served to a large group (silent), Alaska State Senator Keith Miller speaking out against incumbant U.S. Senator Mike Gravel at a local GOP convention (sound) (11/23/73), men working on street lights near Penneys building in Fairbanks (silent), Art Linkletter speaking in support of President Nixon at a local GOP meeting (sound) (11/26/73), Ted Stevens at a meeting (silent) (11/24/73), a story about the communication links between Anchorage and Fairbanks that will provide Fairbanks with live TV (sound) (11/27/73), Nerland Hall and lower campus dorms at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (silent) (12/3/73), the Fairbanks Datsun dealership and cars (silent), a bank's exterior and interior (silent) (12/4/73), the Chena View Hotel construction site (silent) (12/5/73), and Alyeska officials in Anchorage reporting on projected numbers of workers needed to build the Trans-Alaska Pipeline so that Alaska communities could plan for the impacts caused by the coming influx of workers and their familes (sound) (12/5/73).
[KTVF news stories, interviews, dog mushing, softball, forest fires]
[KTVF news stories, interviews, dog mushing, softball, forest fires]
Some segments of film contain audio, and others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on the original film are given here in parentheses. The footage includes a man speaking at a banquet about the need for action (title of segment is "University of Alaska President Hiatt") (undated) (sound), Pan Am officials being interviewed at an airport about a New York to Tokyo flight stopping at Fairbanks and tracing the route pioneered by Charles and Anne Lindbergh (title of segment is "Ted Lehme") (undated) (sound), men and women at dinner and at a painting class (titles of segment is "People: North Star Council on Aging") (undated) (silent), a dog musher being interviewed about travel by dogsled along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline route (title of segment is "People: Red Ohlsen") (undated) (sound), a man being interviewed about borough and city government structure (title of segment is "People: Wally Droz") (undated) (sound), boat views and a woman being interviewed aboard a boat (segment is titled "Smith") (undated) (silent), men playing pool (segment is titled "Gov. Hammond") (undated) (sound), views of people in downtown Fairbanks, men in scuba gear running through the street and into the Pantry Market, men swimming in the Chena River (segment is titled "Pantry Outs") (undated) (silent), children exploring a library (undated) (silent), views of DJs at work in the booth at the KFRB radio station in Fairbanks (segment is titled "Highways") (1971) (sound and silent), members of the Fairbanks Softball Association presenting a jacket to borough representative J. Carlson who then hits and throws a softball (undated) (sound), and aerial views of a wildfire and smoke (undated) (silent).
[KTVF news stories, Pioneers Home, social services, military exercises]
[KTVF news stories, Pioneers Home, social services, military exercises]
Some segments of film contain audio, and others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on the original film are given here in parentheses. Footage includes views of Fairbanks Pioneers Home, men and women playing pool and reading and doing craft projects, children meeting with residents, women talking about the facility and residents (undated) (sound), views of the Tundra Copter helicopter taking off as well as flying and landing (undated) (silent), views of the Island Counseling and Resource Exchange Building, men and women being interviewed about the counseling process (undated) (sound), a couple being interviewed (segment titled "Social Services Marriage Counseling") (undated) (silent), a woman (segment titled "Social Worker") (undated) (silent), a woman filling out paperwork (segment titled "Adoption Jane") (undated) (silent), an interview (segment titled "Assistant Attorney General") (undated) (silent), elderly men and women in a painting class, eating a meal, and bowling (segment titled "North Star Council on Aging") (undated) (silent), a boy leaving a house, crossing a street, and returning home (segment titled "Mt. McKinley Bank spot") (undated) (silent), views of Fairbanks Security dispatch, cars responding to an alarm (undated) (silent), views of water damage in a building (undated) (silent), an airplane at an airport, men and women at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, people touring Alaska communities (undated) (silent), men being interviewed about a possible move of Alaska's capital from Juneau (undated) (sound), military exercises, a parachute drop, and helicopters (undated) (silent).
[KTVF news stories, pipeline, hospital, Valdez]
[KTVF news stories, pipeline, hospital, Valdez]
Some segments of film contain audio, and others are silent. Specific dates and other information noted on the original film are given here in parentheses. Footage includes semi-trucks loaded with pipeline sections and construction equipment at nighttime (sound) (undated), airport and university firemen being interviewed about a hangar fire at the Fairbanks International Airport (sound) (undated), a man being interviewed about emergency surgery rooms, labs, and other facilities at the new Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (sound) (titled "Hospital Tour") (January 30, 1972), views of the Worthington Glacier, Thompson Pass, waterfalls, a boat and crab pots, a KTVF van, the Valdez harbor, charter boats and people fishing, a Valdez pipe storage yard, the site of the future pipeline terminus and tank farm, Harry Henderson's grave, and people talking about pipeline activity in Valdez and the 1964 earthquake (sound) (undated), the University of Alaska Fairbanks physical plant, a reporter talking about the installation of a new water tank and the overhaul of the university water system (sound) (titled "Tank") (1972), people touring an empty building (silent) (titled "Hospital") (September 6, 1972), views of students and the campus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (silent) (titled "U of A Open") (September 6, 1972), a man being interviewed about TVCC classes, a man playing a drum, a man playing guitar, and women being interviewed about Middle Eastern dancing or a belly-dancing class (sound) (undated).
[KTVF television news stories and footage from Fairbanks during 1976]
[KTVF television news stories and footage from Fairbanks during 1976]
Footage and stories include U.S. Army helicopters and U.S. Air Force jets on display, a mechanic inside a jet engine (5/6/76), a fireman practicing with ladder truck (5/6/76), the interior of the M.U.S. powerplant on First Avenue (5/76), smokejumpers practicing jumping from a tower and parachuting from an airplane, people standing in line in at the DMV (?) (5/76), U.S. Army activities including a camp, soldiers, and helicopters (winter 1976), children and adults looking at a military aircraft and hardware on display at Ft. Wainwright (5/76), views of Culinary, Laborers, and Teamsters Union Halls (5/76), runners at a race that begins on Ft. Wainwright (6/76), the wood foundation of a house under construction (6/17/76), the interior of apartments in poor condition (6/76), modular apartment building construction (6/76), Steese Expressway construction (6/76), a military ceremony on Ft. Wainwright (6/76), a ground-breaking ceremony behind Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (6/76), firemen inspecting a hole in the roof of a welding shop following an explosion (6/29/76), a ground breaking ceremony for the Noel Wien Library (6/76), taxi cabs in Fairbanks and at the airport (6/76), license plates on cars (6/76), police responding to a traffic accident (6/10/76), dead spruce trees along Miller Hill Road (6/10/76), and modular apartment construction scenes (6/10/76).