The Alaska Railroad 1902-1923
The Construction History: A Book and a Website
The Alaska Railroad 1902-1923, subtitled Blazing an Iron Trail Across The Last Frontier, shares the compelling story of the construction of the Alaska Railroad and its predecessors, from 1902, when John Ballaine built the Alaska Central Railroad; through 1923, when President Warren G. Harding drove the Alaska Railroad’s ceremonial Golden Spike in Nenana. This 400-page book by Alaskan author Helen Hegener is a wide-ranging look at Alaska’s growth and development, and the many ways in which the railroad played a major role. From dynamiting the railbed out of the rocky cliffs along Turnagain Arm, to spanning the deep chasm of Hurricane Gulch, and from crossing the endless miles of muskeg swamp to bridging the mighty waters of the Tanana River, the story is told through scores of historic documents, photographs, and publications.
A companion website to the book shares the content and the research materials and resources used in writing the history. As an example, The Alaska Railroad Record, published from 1916 to 1920, was a detailed weekly record, along with news, progress reports, schedules, personnel notes, and other material relevant to the railroad’s construction. This several-page newsletter was a primary research document for The Alaska Railroad 1902-1923, and the complete collection of issues is available to read online.
The first part of the book, the Preface, Introduction, and the first seven chapters, are online to read free at the website. Part 1 covers the prehistory of the Alaska Railroad, from 1902, when Seward was built on Resurrection Bay, to 1914, when the U. S. Government began the surveys which would determine a final route for the railroad. This section tells the histories of the Alaska Central, Alaska Northern, and Tanana Valley Railroads, which provided a jump-start to the Alaska Railroad. Also included in this section is a chapter on the importance of coal to the railroad and to Alaska's history, and stories of the notorious Morgan--Guggenheim Syndicate and the Ballinger-Pinchot scandal.
Part 2 comprises the bulk of the 400-page book and covers the actual construction of the Alaska Railroad from 1915, when Ship Creek became the staging area for construction of the railroad, through 1923, when President Warren G. Harding drove the Golden Spike in Nenana. Not available online, order the book to read Part 2.
A section of the website features biographies which introduce the people whose vision, ambitions, foresight and hard work built the railroad, such as Frederick Mears, Falcon Joslin, John Ballaine, Martha White, William C. Edes, Phinney S. Hunt, Colin M. Ingersoll, Nellie Neal Lawing, James Wickersham, Thomas Riggs, Jr. and many others. There are two complete bibliographies, one organized by author and the other by title, plus links to all of the libraries, museums, historic sites and other reference materials for the book. Original maps and links to historic documents and publications, and dozens of photographs, with links to hundreds more, provide convenient access for readers to continue their own research. ~•~
