Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Richardson Highway, Alaska, photograph collection, 1907-1940
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Richardson Highway, Alaska, photograph collection
- Dates
- 1907-1940 (inclusive)19071940
1920-1940 (bulk)19201940 - Quantity
- 84 photographic prints (1 box)
- Collection Number
- PH0693
- Summary
- Images of the Richardson Highway, which runs from Valdez to Fairbanks, and surrounding areas.
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
The Richardson Highway measures 368 miles and connects Valdez and Fairbanks, Alaska. Valdez is Mile 0 and Fairbanks is Mile 368. Alaska's first road, the Richardson Highway started out as a five-foot-wide pack trail known as the Valdez-Fairbanks Trail, which was built by the army in the spring of 1899. Starting around 1902, the highway was the primary access route for gold miners of the Klondike gold fields to the interiors of Alaska. In order to get desired construction work and improvements completed, destitute prospectors were hired alongside regular construction workers. Working on the Richardson Highway allowed many unsuccessful prospectors to save enough money to leave Alaska.
The original pack trail was upgraded to a sled and wagon road by 1910. General Wilds P. Richardson and the Alaska Road Commission began to develop what became known as the Richardson Highway into a road suitable for use by automobiles in the 1920s. Between 1910 and 1920 the highway traffic shifted from pedestrian and animal traffic to wagons and motor vehicles. To finance road maintenance, the government charged a toll for commercial or large passenger vehicles starting in 1933.
During World War II the Richardson Highway was connected to the Canadian highway system at Dawson Creek by the Alaska Highway. The last bridge on the Richardson Highway was completed as part of the Alaska Highway project, making it possible to drive directly from the continental United States to Fairbanks, Alaska, without taking a ferry. During this time the Richardson Highway was also connected to Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, by the construction of the Glenn Highway.
Originally the Richardson Highway was only open to through traffic in the summer, as it was thought impossible to keep the section of road at Thompson Pass clear of snow in the winter. John Clarke, a Thompson Pass resident who was chief foreman of a freight company, cleared snow off the Richardson Highway road during the winter of 1949-1950, proving to the government that it was possible to drive from Valdez to Fairbanks even in the winter. After that winter, the government took over the task of clearing snow from the Richardson Highway throughout the winter.
The Richardson Highway was paved in 1957 and is one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. The highway is considered today to be part of the Alaska Highway and provides the primary access to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the world's largest park system.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains 84 black-and-white photographic prints of the Richardson Highway, Valdez, Alaska, and the surrounding area. Included are scenic views from the roadway and images of the highway in various seasons.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the Special Collections division, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Preferred Citation
Richardson Highway, Alaska, Photograph Collection. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into five series based upon geographic location.
Processing Note
Processed by Megan Peacock, 2005.
Many photographs in the collection include anecdotal information on their reverse sides, most of which has not been transcribed in the finding aid.
The photographs were relocated from the Alaska File in the Special Collections division, University of Washington Libraries, in 2005.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Valdez-Mineral Creek Road, 1934-1936Return to Top
In the vicinity of Valdez, Alaska.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | item | ||
1 | 1 | Mineral Creek Valley |
October 11, 1934 |
1 | 2 | Mineral Creek proposed bridge site at
west side of glacier stream |
September 19, 1935 |
1 | 3 | Mineral Creek: No. 1 Bridge |
December 20, 1935 |
1 | 4 | December 30, 1935 | |
1 | 5 | June 12, 1935 | |
1 | 6 | Mineral Creek: No. 2 Bridge right of
way |
January 1936 |
1 | 7 | Mineral Creek: No. 2 Bridge |
February 19, 1936 |
Valdez, Alaska, circa 1920-1935Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | item | ||
1 | 8 | 1935 | |
1 | 9 | circa 1925 or 1926 | |
1 | 10 |
Interior of city market
"One days' hunt on the Valdez-Richardson Rd."
|
undated |
1 | 11 | October 11, 1934 | |
1 | 12 | undated | |
1 | 13 | November 27, 192? |
Construction of Richardson Highway, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | item | ||
1 | 14 |
Valdez-Fairbanks Trail
Later known as the Richardson Highway.
|
undated |
1 | 15 | undated |
Richardson Highway, 1907-1940Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | item | ||
1 | 16 | Valdez Dike |
undated |
1 | 17 | June 26, 1929 | |
1 | 18 | Valdez Dike, Route 4BA, east
side |
1930 |
1 | 19-21 | June 10, 1931 | |
1 | 22 | September 1931 | |
1 | 23 | Mile 3: Robe Lake from air over Lowe
River |
undated |
1 | 24 | Mile 4-4.5: view of highway |
June 6, 1929 |
1 | 25 | Mile 11: view of highway |
undated |
1 | 26 | Keystone Canyon |
September 1907 |
1 | 27 | undated | |
1 | 28 | Mile 13.3: pile and brush bank
protection |
June 1934 |
1 | 29 | Mile 16-16.5: view from highway of
Keystone Canyon and Meteor Mountain in distance |
June 16, 1929 |
1 | 30 | May 30, 1935 | |
1 | 31 | Mile 16.25: Lowe River below Snowslide
Gulch |
undated |
1 | 32 | June 16, 1929 | |
1 | 33 | Mile 16.25: snow slide |
May 30, 1930 |
1 | 34 | Mile 16.25: passageway cut into snow on
bridge at Snowslide Gulch |
undated |
1 | 35 | 1929 | |
1 | 36 | 1930 | |
1 | 37 | Mile 16.5: bridge destroyed by slide at
Snowslide Gulch |
May 9, 1933 |
1 | 38 | May 30, 1935 | |
1 | 39 | May 30, 1935 | |
1 | 40 | Men on bridge at Snowslide Gulch
|
June 8, 1929 |
1 | 41 | June 9, 1929 | |
1 | 42 | Men standing on center line of road at
Snowslide Gulch |
May 11, 1935 |
1 | 43 | North side of Snowslide
Gulch |
May 30, 1935 |
1 | 44 | Men and machine clearing snow at
Snowslide Gulch |
circa 1927-1938 |
1 | 45 | Mile 17.5: Bear Creek after Glacier
Stream flood |
1925 |
1 | 46 | 1931 | |
1 | 47 | Mile 17.5: Bear Creek Glacier from
bridge site |
before 1937 |
1 | 48 | October 1937 | |
1 | 49 | undated | |
1 | 50-51 | May 11, 1938 | |
1 | 52 | Mile 19: black bear cub |
circa 1920-1930 |
1 | 53 | Mile 19: black bear cub at Whorthman
Camp |
circa 1920-1930 |
1 | 54 | South side of new road at Thompson
Pass |
July 1930 |
1 | 55 |
Mile 25.2: Thompson Pass
Summit
Maas, Pete
(photographer)
Note on verso: "This area now in 1975 has been lowered (from
1974 road height) to 50 feet lower to accomodate the Alyeska Pipeline coming
right alongside the road."
|
1933 |
1 | 56 | Mile 26: tractor and bulldozer removing
snow |
June 5, 1934 |
1 | 57 | Mile 26.5: snow plowing |
undated |
1 | 58 | Mile 26.5: snowdrift and overflow
channel |
June 4, 1934 |
1 | 59 | Mile Mile 26.5-27: road from head of
gulch to shelter cabin |
June 6, 1934 |
1 | 60 | June 1, 1936 | |
1 | 61 | September 12, 1934 | |
1 | 62 | Mile 26.5-28: Crater Lake (also called
Summit Lake) |
June 1934 |
1 | 63 | July 6, 1929 | |
1 | 64 | Mile 28.75: metal pipe thrown 900 feet
by snow slide |
undated |
1 | 65 | Mile 29: Worthington Glacier
area |
September 1937 |
1 | 66 | July 6, 1929 | |
1 | 67 | Mile 29.5: bridge on road from Big
Flats |
September 1937 |
1 | 68 | September 20, 1934 | |
1 | 69 | July 10, 1934 | |
1 | 70 | Mile 45.5: highway |
August 1, 1940 |
1 | 71 | Mile 47: Stewart Creek pony truss
bridge |
undated |
1 | 72 |
Mile 47.5: crossing at Tsaina River
Note on verso of photograph explains that original crossing
built in 1924 is being dismantled and moved 900 feet upstream due to discovery
of oil.
|
September 19, 1930 |
1 | 73 | Mile 50.625: snow slides along
river |
May 23, 1929 |
1 | 74 | Mile 51: highway with snow |
undated |
1 | 75 | Mile 51.5: land elevations along bank
of Tukheil River |
May 23, 1929 |
1 | 76 | Mile 51.5: deep section of snow
slide |
May 23, 1929 |
1 | 77 | Mile 51.5: Tukheil River at Tukheil
road house |
May 23, 1929 |
1 | 78 | June 4, 1938 | |
1 | 79 | circa 1937 | |
1 | 80 | undated |
Valdez, Alaska, area , circa 1930-1940, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | item | ||
1 | 81 | January 1935 | |
1 | 82 | Valdez area |
undated |
1 | 83 | Area north of Valdez |
circa 1930-1940 |
1 | 84 | undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Roads--Alaska--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Alaska Highway--Photographs
- Alaska--Description and travel--Photographs
- Richardson Highway (Alaska)--Photographs
- Valdez (Alaska)--Description and travel--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographic prints
- Photographs
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)