WAUAlaskaHighwayConstructionPHColl651.xml Guide to the Alaska Highway Construction Photograph Collection 1942-1943 Alaska Highway Construction Photograph Collection Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2005 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH0651 Alaska Highway construction photograph collection 1942-1943 1 album with 183 black and white photographic prints (1 box) Collection materials are in English. Photograph album documenting the construction of the Alaska Highway from 1942 to 1943

On February 11, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized construction of the Alaska Highway as a land transport route in the event that the Japanese seized shipping lines in the Pacific. On March 8, 1942, construction of the Alaska Highway officially began. Trailblazing was primarily completed by the U.S. Army, while civilian contractors (via the Public Roads Administration or PRA) followed them to widen and straighten the road.

On September 24, 1942, highway crews from the north and south met at Contact Creek, and the highway was officially dedicated in November 1942. Through most of 1943, the PRA developed the pioneer road into a standard highway; workers rebuilt bridges, shored up roads, and cut 200 miles from the highway's total length in the process. In October 1943, the PRA released the final contractors and sent workers home.

Still traveled today, the Alaska Highway measures 1,520 miles in length; 298 of its miles are in the United States, and 1,190 are in Canada.

The collection consists of an album containing images of workers (civilian contractors), roads, bridges, camps, and wildlife made during the construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942-1943. All photographs are assumed to depict sites in British Columbia, Canada. The worker identified as "Harold" in various images appears to be the person who wrote captions on the reverse of the photographs.

View selections from the collection in digital format

Selected images can be viewed on the Libraries' Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.

Source: Fairlook Antiques, 2003.

Processed by Noella Natalino and John Larson, 2004.

 Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) United States. Public Roads Administration Alaska Highway--Photographs British Columbia--Photographs Road construction workers--British Columbia--Photographs Roads--British Columbia--Design and construction--Photographs Road machinery--British Columbia--Photographs Trucks--British Columbia--Photographs Labor camps--British Columbia--Photographs Animals--British Columbia--Photographs Photographs Transportation Public Works British Columbia Photograph albums Photographic prints

 

1 1a Camp 5, 160 miles north of Dawson Creek, home of the Voick Construction Company men between 1942 and 1943 1 1b Lower Post from center of frozen Liard River between 1942 and 1943 1 1c Two young natives of the Yukon Territory near Watson Lake between 1942 and 1943 2 2a Man standing next to four-way signpost, 352 miles west of Fort Nelson, near Watson Lake between 1942 and 1943

Sign reads: "New York 3600 mi / Chicago 2700 miles / Edmonton 1215 miles / Lower post 15 1/2 miles / Watson lake / Liard River 8 miles / Whitehorse 322 / Teslin 172 miles / Tokyo 4000."

 2 2b Snow-covered Army road alongside Toad River, 142.5 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 2 2c Army road 147 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 3 3a Army bridge on Toad River, 154.7 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 3-4 3b-4a Army road and new crossing being built across the Sikanni Chief River with view of Camp 6 between 1942 and 1943 4 4b Army bridge across frozen Muskwa River, 253 miles north of Fort St. John between 1942 and 1943 5 5a Junction of the Tetsa and Muskwa Rivers, 53 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 5 5b Steamboat Mountain, 55.2 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 6 6a Truck on Army road through Mill Creek Valley approaching Canadian Rockies, 66 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 6 6b Army bridge near Tetsa River Valley between 1942 and 1943 7 7a Army road entering the Tetsa River Valley, 97 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 7 7b Army road with icy spring, 100 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 8 8a "Looking west at Summit Lake," view of mountains with trucks on roads, 102 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 8 8b Road through McDonald Creek Valley, 106 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 9 9a Ice on McDonald Creek, 119 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 9 9b Toad River Valley, 156 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 10 10a Muncho Lake, 172 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 10 10b Army road and mountain, 172 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 11 11a Muncho Lake and Army road, 173 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 11 11b Muncho Lake and Army road, 176.5 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 12 12a Trout River Valley and Army road, 163 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 12 12b Trout River Valley and Army road, 191 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 13 13a Army bridge across Liard River, 209.5 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 13 13b Man standing by sign, "the point where the northern and southern crews come together," 305 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943

Sign reads: "Golden Spike Bridge, Contact Creek, and Speed Limit 25."

 14 14a Army bridge across Hyland River, 322.5 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 14 14b Man entering Hudson's Bay Company building at Lower Post, 336 miles west of Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 15 15a Dawson Creek street with trucks and buildings between 1942 and 1943

Signs on buildings: "Dawson Hotel, Royal First, the Imperial."

 15 15b Dawson Creek between 1942 and 1943 16 16a Men viewing smoking ruins after a fire, Dawson Creek between 1942 and 1943 16 16b Men viewing smoking ruins after a fire, Dawson Creek between 1942 and 1943

Sign on building reads: "Carlsons."

 17 17a-f Mountains and snow-covered road between 1942 and 1943 18 18a Road winding through mountains between 1942 and 1943 18 18b-d Road scenes between 1942 and 1943 19 19a-b Camp 6 at Sikanni Chief River bridge between 1942 and 1943 19 19c-d Buildings, truck, and workers at camp at Sikanni Chief River bridge between 1942 and 1943 20 20a Camp 6 at Sikanni Chief River bridge between 1942 and 1943 20 20b Camp with workers and trucks between 1942 and 1943 20 20c Camp 3 between 1942 and 1943 20 20d Workers and trucks in Camp 3 21 21a Trucks and men in Fort St. John between 1942 and 1943 21 21b-c Trucks on road between 1942 and 1943 21 21d Photographer and camera on tripod between 1942 and 1943 21 21e-f Truck and men on road between 1942 and 1943 22 22a-f Workers, trucks, and construction machinery between 1942 and 1943 23 23a Workers, trucks, and crane between 1942 and 1943 23 23b Camp buildings with smoking chimneys between 1942 and 1943 23 23c Construction vehicle between 1942 and 1943 23 23d-e Chartered bus, trucks, and equipment between 1942 and 1943 24 24a Trucks at Camp 3 between 1942 and 1943 24 24b-c Trucks on ferry at Peace River between 1942 and 1943 24 24d Trucks at Camp 3 between 1942 and 1943 24 24e Trucks and equipment on dirt road between 1942 and 1943 25 25a Crane pulling truck out of snowy ditch between 1942 and 1943 25 25b Workers around overturned truck in road between 1942 and 1943 25 25c Large cylinders [possibly gasoline tanks] between 1942 and 1943 25 25d Overturned truck in snow between 1942 and 1943 25 25e-f Workers and truck piled with bedding between 1942 and 1943 26 26a Clotheslines with laundry strung between trees at Camp 3 between 1942 and 1943 26 26b Workers on road between 1942 and 1943 26 26c Workers near forest between 1942 and 1943 27 27a Painted advertisement between 1942 and 1943

Text of advertisement reads: "Central Livery Barn, Rickety Rigs Runaway horses Reckless drivers, and T. Krysko."

 27 27b Workers resting on road between 1942 and 1943 27 27c Workers standing amid felled lumber between 1942 and 1943 27 27d Workers watching cloud of smoke/dust [dynamite blast?] between 1942 and 1943 28 28a Icy river between 1942 and 1943 28 28b Snowy drift between trees, workers, and tractor between 1942 and 1943 28 28c-d Boats on an icy river between 1942 and 1943 29 29a Men looking at harnessed sled dogs between 1942 and 1943 29 29b Sleds with harnessed dogs between 1942 and 1943 29 29c Highway and landscape between 1942 and 1943 29 29d Men entering boat on ice-covered river between 1942 and 1943 30 30a Trailer-truck carrying bulldozer between 1942 and 1943 30 30b Tractor and trucks working on rocky shoulder between 1942 and 1943 30 30c Snow-covered camp with trucks and buildings between 1942 and 1943 31 31a Truck on dusty road between 1942 and 1943 31 31b Worker in tractor between 1942 and 1943 31 31c-d Crane working on bridge between 1942 and 1943 32 32a-c Workers by trucks between 1942 and 1943 33 33a Curving roadway with parked trucks between 1942 and 1943 33 33b Worker on tractor between 1942 and 1943 33 33c-d Harold leaning against tractor between 1942 and 1943 34 34a Tractor and trucks by roadway with felled trees between 1942 and 1943 34 34b Worker on tractor between 1942 and 1943 34 34c Workers between 1942 and 1943 35 35a-b Workers entertaining themselves at camp between 1942 and 1943 35 35c Workers reclined and kneeling between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "Paul Hudick."

 36 36a Larry Rhoda reclining between 1942 and 1943 36 36b Paul Hudick, Earl Scott between 1942 and 1943 36 36c Earl Scott, [Larry Rhoda?], Paul Hudick between 1942 and 1943 36 36d Worker between 1942 and 1943 37 37a Leonard and Harold between 1942 and 1943 37 37b Leonard and Ted Thorson between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "Leonard, the machiner. Ted Thorson, bulldozer operator."

 37 37c Harold and Ted Thorson between 1942 and 1943 37 37d Harold and Leonard between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "My mechanic partner Leonard and I in front of our bunk house."

 38 38a Workers on road beside checkpoint between 1942 and 1943

Stop sign on checkpoint reads: "Alcan Highway Control Station."

 38 38a Workers on road beside sign between 1942 and 1943

Stop sign reads: "Alcan Highway Control Station, mile 53."

 38 38c Worker in snowy forest between 1942 and 1943 38 38d Workers in front of building under construction between 1942 and 1943

Street signs read: "Alaska Blvd., Arctic Ave."

 39 39a Worker in camp between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "Kentucky the 'grease monkey.'"

 39 39b Workers in front of van between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "Harold / Paul / Red / John / Scotty."

 39 39c Workers in front of tractor holding toilet paper between 1942 and 1943 39 39d Workers in camp between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "'Kentucky' the grease monkey."

 39 39e Workers in front of van between 1942 and 1943 39 39f Workers in front of truck between 1942 and 1943 40 40a-c Men and bears between 1942 and 1943 41 41a-e Men, bears, and wolves between 1942 and 1943 42 42a-b Bear in front of lumber between 1942 and 1943 43 43a Horses drinking from a puddle by the road between 1942 and 1943 43 43b-h Men and horses in pack train between 1942 and 1943 44 44a Street in Fort Nelson between 1942 and 1943 44 44b Moose on road between 1942 and 1943 45 45a Tractor among rocks between 1942 and 1943 45 45b-c Truck on road between 1942 and 1943 45 45d Worker in front of truck between 1942 and 1943 45 45e Workers gassing up tractor between 1942 and 1943 45 45f Workers walking between 1942 and 1943 46 46a-e Workers between 1942 and 1943 47 47a Mel Anderson between 1942 and 1943 47 47b Harold in front of trees between 1942 and 1943 47 47c Harold among gas heaters between 1942 and 1943

Handwritten on verso: "Me at the Pit."

 48 48a-b Man posing with dead wolf between 1942 and 1943 49 49a-b Man posing with dead wolf between 1942 and 1943 50 50a-b Men posing with dead wolf between 1942 and 1943 51 51a-b Men posing with dead wolf between 1942 and 1943 52 52a-b Man posing with dead wolf between 1942 and 1943 53 53a-b Cook and bears in camp between 1942 and 1943 54 54a-b Cook, bear, and cubs between 1942 and 1943 55 55a-b Bears between 1942 and 1943 56 56 Card with political map of Alaska Highway between 1942 and 1943