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.
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.
The collection is arranged into five series based upon geographic location.
The collection is open to the public.
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the Special Collections division, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Richardson Highway, Alaska, Photograph Collection. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries.
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.
In the vicinity of Valdez, Alaska.
"One days' hunt on the Valdez-Richardson Rd."
Later known as the Richardson Highway.
Arranged in order of mile marker, starting near Valdez.
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."
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.