Anchorage Pioneers

Have you heard of William “Lucky” Baldwin, or Heinrich Berger? Enjoy their story in this edition of Anchorage Pioneers.

In the 1940s photo above, William “Lucky” Baldwin is seen going around Anchorage in his three wheel wheelchair.

Around 1923, William “Lucky” Baldwin arrived in Anchorage. And when he passed away, the Anchorage Daily News stated that everyone in town knew him.

Baldwin was the first in Anchorage to open the first “self-serve” grocery store. Instead of customers having to ask Lucky Baldwin for a can of corn or sack of flour, they were able to pick their own groceries from the store selection.

The store was named, Lucky’s Self-Serve Grocery and was located at 313 4th Avenue.

Lucky was, by all accounts, a real character. His motto, “In God we trust, all others must pay cash”, was painted on his store windows.

His wife, Mame, operated a second store at 644 4th Avenue, called Baldwin’s Grocery.

He Bested the Alaska Railroad

Baldwin had a mission. He was determined to offer his Anchorage customers lower prices on groceries.

To accomplish his mission, he used Heinrich Berger Transportation. Berger used a scow to transport groceries and other merchandise. And he was able to provide his service for less than the Alaska Railroad charged.

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Pictured above is Anchorage pioneer Heinrich Berger.

In 1926, Berger started a transportation company. He served many towns in Alaska, including Anchorage.

But he had other enterprises as well.

In 1937, Berger opened the Ambassador Club at 6th Avenue and C Street. It was the finest club in Anchorage.

Then, in 1938, he brought three Jukeboxes to Anchorage. He put one in Richmond’s Soda Fountain, one in the D and D Café and one in the Anchorage Grill.

Anchorage teens came to listen to music and dance on the dance floor at the Anchorage Grill. They also went to Richmond’s Soda Fountain to enjoy the Jukebox.

A Scow to move Freight by Water

In 1938, Berger purchased a scow and was able to carry goods and groceries by water. His rates were less expensive than what the Alaska Railroad offered.

Berger’s service is what William “Lucky” Baldwin used to keep his grocery prices lower for his customers.

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Our website is jam-packed with Anchorage memories, stories, pictures, videos and more.

Take a look at Anchorage Memories.com and enjoy.

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From our story about Sleeping Lady (Mount Susitna)

“A couple of years ago, my wife and I flew in a helicopter around Mount Susitna. We landed on top, got out, walked around and celebrated our anniversary with a special cake. It was great.”

Larry

“Love this…Thanks for sharing!”

Michael

“I love this version of Sleeping Lady’s story! Thanks for using one of my watercolors to augment the article. I think I will add a collection of my watercolors of the Lady to my gallery page on my website. Thanks, M&M for sharing your gift of storytelling!”

Cindy Pendleton

“What a shock, I always saw Sleeping lady as laying on her back, not her side.”

Rick

Connect with Mike and Mary

In the picture above, we spent some time with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. We had a great visit with the jolly old elf and his lady. They were happy, cheerful and said “Ho, ho, ho” a lot. Fun time for Mary and me.

Do you have a comment about our stories on William “Lucky” Baldwin or Heinrich Berger? Two interesting early Anchorage pioneers. To comment, you can reply to this email, or you can Contact Us to say, “I wish Lucky could lower my grocery bill right now.”

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories.com