1935 COLONY DAY 19415
The Matar.uska ^o-lony celebrates its tenth anniversary May 30th. Ten
years..of* ubsh and dawns, far • some of the colonists, but ton years of ups
for most of these wh regain*. According to the latest report of Don L,
Irwin, general manager o$. the nRRC,.. fifty-nine of the original 208
families remain. Replacements have comc and gene, but each year finds
a gain 'in permanently settled families. Eight now,,families have secured
tracts this spring, filing all vacant places. Most of the tracts have
increased in size to 80 acres and a few to 120 acres, by censolid:ting
vacated tracts and a few cnlnrgmcnts from purchase of public lands.
Old Settlers’ Day of the -vintage of 1912-16 when some 400 locations
were made, of which 172 remained until they received patents,and the
New Settlers’ Day of 1930-33 who come to the Valley as a result :f the
Alaska Railroad settlement drive marked the first attempts to develop
the valley agriculturally. Of the last group of 55 families who came
40 now remain, and are among the progressive farmers of this regi n.
he coming of the 208 families in May 1935 overshadowed all former -
fforts to settle and develop this Valley. They came by special trains
from their homes in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin to the Xst Coast.
From there they were transported by chartered Government transp rt to
Seward, i.laska and then by special train to Palmer.
Many novel experiences both now and startling wore theirs. Awaiting
their arrival at Palmer, a small group of old settlors greeted them; .3
also, their now teat town, of which only abut half were complete.Upon
the arrival ef the sec nd group snail families wore obliged to d .ublo
up and occupy the sane tint. Others remained in railroad coaches for the
first night. The camp v/r.s sv;:.ming with the men from the transient
camp and the 'officers in charge from their comp two nilcs down the track.
Side tracks were filled with loaded freight cars of building materials;
cement,lumber’, equipment,household effects, farm machinery, bulldozers,
tractors ~nd supplies. Unloading crews were busy everywhere throughout
the days ^nd nights. Equipment was put to use as it was unloaded.Head
quarters tents, officers quarters, cook tents and eating tents, living
quarters for the local transient laborers, the commissary were set up
in largo tents and frame shack additions grew daily. A community was
coning to life in the Far North,
The drawing by 'lottery of farm tracts was an exciting moment.Several
new camps were established near the tracts drawn and the families moved
t\ their summer homes. The evening scenes around the camps were unlike
anything people of this generation had ever seen. Camp fires were show
ing every night. Childrens *v.'. ices mingled v/ith camp sound far into the
night. The hammer end saw c uld be heard above the din of noises along
with the purr.ef the big cats busy getting the stumps and trees out of
the way for new structures. The birds seen to sing all night and the
now experience of almost continuous daylight was something never to be
“forgotten.
ijerore ±0113 aissoni n arose m the greup. it was ir.tc m tno summer
before the actual building of the new hou.es get under way, but by
Thanksgiving the last of the families was under the reef of their new
hone. They were not finished :n the interior, but this part of the work
went'on steadily all winter. Fortunately the winter was mild and the
summer that followed was warm and added much to the encouragement of the
nev/ settlers. Many had loft the group and returned to the States or had
turned to other work. Most of those who were left busied themselves-with
making a home out 4>f the ferouso which had been built and in clearing more
land for cultivation, A*few were able to do a little farming that first
year, but in many eases there wns not an acre fit for cultivation until
the second year. Since work was'not plentiful at that time, it was'
necessary‘that government aid"be’supplied. Cent, on pp. 11