Your Anchorage Memories

You'll enjoy this fun look back at some of the comments we receive from our VIP Club. Enjoy.

Watercolor by Alaskan artist Cindy Pendleton

From Our Look Back at Pioneer Oscar Anderson

“I learned about the Oscar Anderson House the year I painted it for my holiday card (seen above). Funds raised were to help keep the doors open for tours of this historical Anchorage gem.”

Cindy

From Our Breakup Edition

“Yes, the promise of summer. My family moved to Anchorage in March, 1954 and I lived there until 1982 (through the Earthquake and Statehood, Iditorods and all the other great memories of living in Anchorage!) My brother and his family still live in the home I grew up in on Garden Street! Thank you for the memories.”

Jody

“I've mentioned to many people around here in NE SD that this year we are having an Alaskan "breakup," rather than spring. In fact, we've gone through two early stages of it already, with snow "re-falling and re-melting." We are in the third one right now...the day after the ground was totally uncovered, while wet, muddy, and dull. The huge, soft, quiet flakes coming down right now would be quite alarming, if I didn't know how this works, from having lived in Alaska for so many years. Thanks for your stories here.”

Linda

BONUS

In case you missed your Spring Breakup Memories edition.

Take a look at Anchorage Spring Breakup Memories and enjoy.

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High School Memories

“Love getting the Anchorage Memories VIP newsletter which brings back so many memories. My parents brought me up to Anchorage in 1952, and it has been home since except for outside professional schools. One thing: Everyone seems to remember the Bun Drive-In and the Coke Show, but during my days around that time, my friends and I spent most of our time at a club for teens only on the east side of Spenard Road just south of Northern Lights (straight west of the old REI). It was called Cinnamon Cinder where we enjoyed rock and roll, dancing and non-alcoholic drinks. No one seems to recall it except a few of my (now aging out) friends I grew up with here in Fairview (Eastchester).”

Wandal

BONUS

Did you miss the Anchorage High School Memories edition?

Take a look at Anchorage High School Memories and enjoy.

From Anchorage Rondy Memories

“I miss that Fur Rondy music theme (the newsletter included the audio recording). Thanks so much for sharing it with us. We used to watch the live coverage on our black and white TV and cheer for our favorite teams as the sled dogs ran by. The parade was always fun to watch and wasn't there a spelling bee in the morning?...seems like there was always someone I knew in either the spelling bee or the parade. Homegrown fun in the old days!”

Helen

BONUS

Do you want to look back at Anchorage Fur Rondy Memories?

Take a look at Anchorage Fur Rondy Memories and enjoy.

From Anchorage Street Memories

“Area around Old Seward and Huffman, including part of Oceanview, was the homestead of Tom Sperstadt. Jack Ass Lane (now called Silver Fox) was named after his donkey. He was one of the original developers of Oceanview. His dad homesteaded out around where AIA is now. State Manor and Hamilton Park were developed by Mr. Stephenson (ph pronounced as f) and Mr. Hamilton. Each have streets in the subdivision named after them.”

David

“According to the WWII draft registration, Harry Lee Lane was born July 1st, 1888 at Prince Edward Island, Canada. We was disabled in WWI. His wife was Eleanore and she is listed as the proprietor of the Cresent hotel in the 1940 census. The hotel was located at 246 Fourth ave. Harry died in 1956 and is buried at Anchorage Memorial cemetery.”

Neil

And this about a business owned by Hoyt Street’s namesake.

“My first real job was at Hoyt Motors.  It was in 1949, and I was 15-16 years old.  I greased cars, fixed tires including large truck tires with split ring rims.   One of my main jobs was washing new Dodge and Plymouth cars.  I actually learned to drive in those new cars, wasn't about to tell the boss that I didn't know how to drive. Will never forget when at a stop, the guy in front stated to back up, and I couldn't get that fluid drive Dodge to go into reverse.  He stopped just in time!” 

Gene  

Cook Avenue – How Cook Avenue Got its Name.

Do you recall North 1st Street on Government Hill in Anchorage? It ran from Harvard Street at Brown’s Point to Bluff Road. It later became Delaney Street and Cook Avenue.

We lived at 212 North 1st Street.

I don’t recall a North 2nd Street or North 3rd Street.

The City of Anchorage planning department was in the process of standardizing street names and addresses in Anchorage. The street name “North 1st Street” was inconsistent with the other street names on Government Hill. All the other street names were names of early railroad employees, and there were no other numbered streets in the area.

An engineer from the city planning department had a question about North 1st Street and called Dad, Irvin “Pat” Cook, Chief Engineer of The Alaska Railroad. Dad was also on the city planning commission at the time.

The question posed to Dad was, “Is there another name for the street that you live on?” Without skipping a beat, on a lark, teasingly, Dad said, “Oh yes, it is Cook Avenue, named after me. All the streets on the West side of Government Hill are named after railroad employees.”

Thinking Dad was teasing, the city engineer thought the Cook Avenue name was after Capt. James Cook, the British sea explorer. The fact is the name Cook Avenue had never been used for North 1st Street. Dad was surprised to see his name posted on the new street signs and our address changed to 255 W. Cook Avenue.”

Pat

“Anne Wilbur is my name. The small street off 5th Avenue and Concrete was named Wilbur Circle after our business at that location on Merrill Field.

A naming ceremony by the airport was in summer of 2009. 
Joe Wilbur and I  conducted a business there for 35 years.   First Wilbur Repair Service, in 1960, then Wilbur's Flight Operations, then Wilbur's Inc, calling ourselves "the Family Airline"  because our seven children helped. It was like the family farm.

We operated a commuter airline with stations at Cordova, Valdez, Aniak, McGrath, Red Devil and St Marys and operated a flying school and Repair station called Flight Safety Alaska. Our Company was sold in 1995.” 

BONUS

In case you missed your Anchorage Street Memories edition.

Take a look at Anchorage Street Memories and enjoy.

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Our members have such wonderful memories of Anchorage to share. And each memory we share reminds us of yet another memory. And occasionally, it’s a memory we haven’t thought of in years.

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Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories.com