Back to Anchorage

We are back in Anchorage for a second time and will stay for five days. As we drove from the Kenai Peninsula into the suburbs, we gasped and gaped at the sight of Mt. McKinley in all its glory. We were over a hundred miles away from the The Mountain, but the skies were clear and it was aglow. We had a roomy suite at Fort Richardson Lodging. Our touring included the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, and another trip to the Forest Ranger’s exhibit in the Federal building. Anchorage is also home to the Ulu Knife Factory. The Ulu, the ubiquitous knife found in every store in Alaska is truly practical. It's curved blade is used for everything from lopping off a fish’s head to slicing tomatoes.

The Anchorage Museum houses excellent cultural heritage exhibits and historical artifacts. Our docent gave an excellent tour, which included information on the early settlers, the goldrush, and the building of the pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. There were models of cabins, boats for fishing and/or transportation, and specially made ship and aircraft models. The “pig” used in keeping the pipeline open was the highlight for Gloria. There were graphic pictures of the devastation caused by the 1964 earthquake. The main floor has six connecting galleries of Alaskan art, including Mt. McKinley by Sidney Laurence. Another famous, featured Alaskan artist, Eustace Ziegler, was a prolific painter who survived the Great Depression through his works. He once said that he had painted 100 pictures each year for 65 years. The Children’s Museum was more contemporary and child friendly.

Anchorage is a relatively new city, but it's over 250,000 people make up half of Alaska's poplulation. It is 50-50 male and female. It is a modern city in every respect, and the climate is favorable for year-round living. Anchorage is home to an Air Force base and an Army post. Without them, its economy would probably be in trouble.