City’s Historic Background Recognized
In Formation of Historical Society
By A. Holmes Johnson
Kodiak and the Aleutian Is
lands to westward have a very old
and exceedingly interesting his
tory. Different interpretations are
being placed on the ancient find
ings and much work needs to be
done before we can become con
versant with the culture and mores
of the antecedents of the inhabi
tants of this district.
Within historical times, too.
Kodiak is found to be one of the
most interesting parts of the
forty-ninth state. It was the first
capitol of Russian-America, with
Baranov’s arrival in 1784. There
are many reminders of this early
Russian occupation, such as the
old sea wall which still holds the
iron rings to which the early Rus
sian ships were moored—the mill
stones used at Mill Bay for the
grinding of grain—Baranov’s head
quarters building, the oldest res
idence on the Pacific Coast, built
in 1799—and many others.
It was to preserve these historic
features as well as to save for
posterity the ancient skills of the
native peoples which had all but
disappeared and the artifacts of an
ancient civilization, that a few
Kodiak citizens, encouraged by
Dr. Theodore P. Banks, II, arche
ologist of the University of Michi
gan, formed the Kodiak and Aleu
tian Islands Historical Society.
There were seventy-four en
thusiastic members on the charter
roll of the organization which held
its first meeting in the fall of 1954.
A constitution and bylaws were
adopted and the society was in
corporated.
Dr. A. Holmes Johnson, long in
terested in restoring the old Bar
anov mansion, was elected presi
dent. Eugene L. Lightfoot, who
had worked personally with Dr.
Banks in the Aleutians, was chosen
for vice president. The first secre
tary was Mrs. Lillian Lamme and
William L. Smith was the first
treasurer. Other members of the
original board of directors were
Robert S. Acheson, George Cor
nelius and Patricia S. Lucas. Lee
Bettinger, Jr., who aided in the
formation of the society, moved
from town before its completion.
Six departments were set up in
the original planning which were,
with their chairman; Archeology,
Eugene L. Lightfoot: Anthropol
ogy and Ethnology, Roy Rickey;
Natural History, Dorothy S. Ander
son; Geology and Mineralogy,
George Cornelius; Historical Sites,
William Lamme, and Museum and
Research Center, Marshal Crutch
er.
Each of these departments had
its own autonomy—each planned
its own program—made up its
budget—wrote its pamphlets and
articles, and reported its progress
to the society as a whole at its
regular monthly meetings. Most
interesting and instructive cul
tural programs were thus present
ed to a large group of members
and their friends.
The aims and functions of the
various departments can be in
ferred from their titles. Those
of the Archeological Group were:
(1) Survey of Sites dnd caves —
exploring, mapping, describing and
photographing: (2) choosing, mark
ing and scientifically excavating
sites—collecting, preserving, mark
ing, storing and displaying speci
mens: (3) Describing and publish
ing finds, and this was done in
cooperation with organizations of
similar aims, especially the Uni
versity of Alaska. The institute
for Regional Exploration and the
Arctic Institute of North America.
The aims of the Natural History
Section were to (1) Develop a com
plete herbarium of the regional
flora, (2) Plan preservation of
natural sites, (30 Collect flower
pictures and slides.
The Museum and Research Cen
ter Group were to (1) Preserve
and display any historical or
archeological artifact or specimen,
(2) Restore the Baranov House,
(3) Acquire a scientific library of
the region, (4) Work with visiting
scientists and organizations toward
establishing a Research Center for
the entire region, with dormitories,
work rooms, dark rooms, and so
forth, in Kodiak, with subsidiary
centers at Dutch Harbor and Hom
er.
A museum was established in
1957, and a considerable library
was collected and given a shelf by
the Kodiak Public Library. Quite
a number of interesting, and some
times rare, artifacts and specimens
are housed in the museum, donat
ed by various philanthropic indi
viduals and groups. There are
stone lamps of various centuries,
slate knives and arrowheads, grass
and whalebone baskets, models of
early boats, bone fishooks, and
various objects of early Russian
culture and of the early Russian
Church.
Chief Diakonoff, of Unalaska,
donated his original skin oomiak,
in which he had taken his bride
from the mainland to her new
home in his youth. Sections of
early log structures are there to
show type of construction. One of
the later donations is the Navy
Placque from Dutch Harbor, com
memorating the gallantry of the
men who lost their lives in the
Japanese Air Raid of June 3-4,
1942.
Although many of the aims of
the Society have been accomplish
ed, even more remain to be done,
and anyone who realizes the im
portance of collecting and preserv
ing the artifacts and skills and
customs of past generations of the
Aleut and Kadiak peoples which,
if not thus conserved, will be lost
forever, is urged to join and help
preserve this very interesting part
of the past.
Miller s Cold at the
High Life B and B
I---—
Above is a recent shot of Jack
McCord, who was interviewed
for this week’s Mirror. Jack Mc
Cord’s name appeared very fre
quently in old copies of the Mir
ror, and he had a share in the
development of Kodiak, as well
as Alaska.
Below is a real old picture of
ar.o her old-timer, Emil Kraft,
in the days when he served be
hind the counter of his father’s
store.
Miller S jce Cold at the
High Life Mecca
— —7
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