Edited by Ray Bonnell from a collection of letters and writings from his wife’s grandmother Margaret Miller, the book offers insight into a unique chapter in Alaska’s history.
“A Creek, a Hill, & a Forty: The Early Years of Alaska’s Matanuska Colony, seen through a colonist’s letters home–Margaret Miller’s Story”It seems impossible now, but there was a time when the United States government would undertake large-scale public projects to assist ordinary Americans in times of crisis. Particularly during the Great Depression. And one of them had a profound impact on Alaska’s history and led to the creation of the still-existent town of Palmer.
It was never published, until now. Fairbanks artist and author Ray Bonnell, known in the Interior for a long-running column in the Daily News-Miner that featured his intricate sketches and brief histories of historic buildings throughout Alaska, is married to Miller’s granddaughter.
Over the summer of 1935, lots were parceled out, land was cleared, and houses and barns erected. A community center was built, and the rudiments of a town began taking form. The colony was big news in the rest of the country, and a steady stream of reporters and politicians tramped through. After initial glowing reports on the colony, media coverage grew more critical, and once-charitable public and political opinions became decidedly mixed.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were makeshift events. Far from their families back home, the colonists had to find community among themselves in their celebrations, an experience familiar to contemporary Alaskans who moved here from afar. By the new year, 40 families had left. And the exodus continued, with departures averaging two families a week.
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