 Group of communications workers. June Edwards is on the right in light colored jacket and dark trousers. |
 This photograph shows Edwards looking out of the window of the Pioneer Hotel on First Avenue at her waiting date from nearby Ladd Field. |
Your Fairbanks Historical Society Since 1959
February 1999 Newsletter
Vol. 4, No. 2
Index
There is no February meeting of the TYHS Board. |
Present in the news recently have been issues of concern to local preservationists; from the impact of the military to traffic changes, from a greenbelt along the Chena River to a parking garage in downtown Fairbanks, the creation of national Historic Districts and a local Landmark program. The fight to preserve Fairbanksí cultural, historic and architectural character for the next century is on.
In a front page article, Bob Logan, Professor of Economics and former FNSB assembly member, focused on the economic impact of the military on our community. Logan comfirms that the economic impact of the military on our community is substantial. He notes that 21% of the FNSB population is military and also mentions the ripple effect on our economy from civil service and private employment. He does not mention a chart published in USA Today of November 11, 1998, which identifies Fairbanks, Alaska as the metropolitan area with the largest proportion of households with a veteran. Fairbanks tops the list with a veteran population of 40%, followed by Norfolk/Portsmouth, Va. with 38%.
This makes Fairbanks a town not only deeply imbued with its Gold Rush past but
also characterized by the omnipresence of Veterans. These men and women have found
Fair banks a good place to live and have enriched our community. They are today engaged
in a diverse spectrum of professions, but all shared a common experience: their youth
in military service. It is a powerful experience not unlike that shared by the early
stampeders or more recently, those involved in the building of the Trans-Alaska Oil
Pipeline.
What does all this have to do with preservation? It may explain to some extent the
sometimes transitory thinking of members of the community. Fairbanksí character has
obviously been shaped by the military and Veterans since the early 1940s when expediency
was the order of the day. Perhaps it is time to encourage this local reservoir of
leadership and expertise to support building a quality Fairbanks for the future while
honoring the past.
Two parcels of prime downtown riverfront are up for sale. Under the leadership of Dr. Wood and with the help of Senator Ted Stevens, plans are underway for BLM to purchase the parcels. This would assure a permanent greenbelt along the riverís edge on both the north and south side of the river.
Fairbanks does not have enough green spaces and these two parcels would allow Fairbanksans to enjoy the view of the Chena River to the fullest. If there is a caveat it must be the acquisition of the Gavora property next to the Immaculate Conception Church. The needs of the church for additional space if desired should be calculated into any acquisition formula.. Maintaining an active church in the historic building should be of utmost importance to all Fairbanksans.
As reported in an earlier newsletter, the Society is very interested in seeing the Chena River and its adjacent sloughs restored to optimum health.
We have attended meetings addressing traffic flow around the new courthouse and are becoming more and more convinced that the design of the new downtown courthouse will not reflect the attractive building design that was presented to civic groups in early 1998. However it will adversely effect downtown traffic. We expect that the neighborhood from Wendell Street to 11th Avenue will see increased traffic and loss of fabric; ultimately there will be adverse impact to the historic character of the district.
The Fairbanks Historical Commission has applied for a grant to initiate the creation of a Illinois Street/Garden Island and First Avenue Historic District. We view the creation of historic districts as a win/win situation for local property owners of old buildings.
The TYHS originally supported the building of a downtown parking garage provided
that the garage be architecturally integrated with the downtown streetscape. All
our hopes for such a plan were shattered this past week when latest plans revealed
a 5-story-high open structure. If cost is the issue we would support a more moderate
facility that would fit better into our streetscape. The presence of a 5-story hulk
can only add to the visual denigration of our city center.
We invite you to air your views on the above issues.
Rosemary Kimball of Sterling recently mailed to us photographs collected by June Edwards of Seattle. Edwards came to Fairbanks to work for the Alaska Communication System (ACS). She writes " I had more energy then good sense so also went to work for attorney Maurice Johnson in the AM, the Welfare Department after lunch, and the ACS from 4PM until midnight. Still had time to play on Saturdays and Sundays."
Group of communications workers. June Edwards is on the right in light colored jacket and dark trousers. |
This photograph shows Edwards looking out of the window of the Pioneer Hotel on First Avenue at her waiting date from nearby Ladd Field. |
The impact of WWII on the community was enormous. Almost overnight even long abandoned log cabins and shacks had found grateful tenants. The ACS rented a block of rooms at the Pioneer Hotel on First Avenue for women employees. Edwards found her room to be very pleasant.
 Ladd Field telegraph office and mud everywhere. The license plate on the truck reads "ALCAN Highway 12045." |
 June Edwards and unidentified woman on the front steps of the USO Building on First Avenue. The USO building was torn down some years ago to make way for the Golden Heart Plaza. |
The Society recently completed three public service announcements (PSAís) with the assistance of a small grant from the Alaska Association of Historic Preservation. The PSAís are currently shown on local television stations. If you have seen them we would like to know what you think of them.
The PSAís were produced under the leadership of Roger McPherson who donated his time to the project. The narration was done by well- known Fairbanks collector and preservationist Bruce Haldeman. We are looking for private and commercial sponsorship of the television spots so that we may be able to show them in prime time and for a longer period of time. Your donations may be sent to the TYHS at the listed address. A written acknowledgment of your donation will be mailed to you for your records.
The
Wehner family arrived in Fairbanks with the first wave of stampeders. Of German descent,
they farmed the land. Mrs. Wehnerís garden and hospitality soon became well known
in the community. The coupleís children and childrenís children remained in Alaska
and worked in different trades long after the end of the Gold Rush era. In the 1930s
through the 1950s the Wehners were in the honey bucket business, a necessary sanitation
service for the many Fairbanks addresses that were not served by the citiyís sewer
system at the time. Jack Wehner recalls that stirring the pot (no pun intended) was
work delegated to young members of the family. The contents of the buckets were stirred
until most liquid evaporated.
Today the beautiful barn, site of a valued enterprise, stands empty. It has deteriorated considerably over the last few years and if not rehabilitated for other purposes it will likely be lost to the community. Fairbanks has many places such as the Wehner barn, hidden behind shrubs and trees, or overtaken by modern construction. These bits and pieces of historic Fairbanks are like moldering threads of old fabric of the past that wait to be preserved and interpreted for the generations of the future.
From "sprawl" to "liveable community initiatives", happenings in far away Washington DC tend to have an almost immediate impact on Alaska and more specifically, Fairbanks. It will be interesting to sift through the paper blitz coming our way and see what trends are on the horizon that ultimately will affect the way we live and do business.
National Trust president Richard Moe gave a major address at the National Press Club in Washington, D. C. on January 22nd entitled "The Sprawling of America." Sprawl is a common problem that reaches from the heavily populated eastern states to the relatively small cities of Alaska.
The initiative expands federal protection of critical lands and helps states and communities preserve local green spaces and strengthen protection for oceans and coastal waterways. The initiative proposed a $1 billion program and includes a request of $900 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Lands Legacy proposes $150 million through the LWCF for matching grants to state, local and tribal governments and non-profit land trusts for acquisition of land and easements for urban parks, greenways, outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and coastal wetlands. Under the proposed LWCF budget, DO and USDA would provide grant assistance to states and local communities in managing and developing "Smart Growth plans."
The purpose of this government intitiative is to help communities grow by providing communities with new tools and resources to preserve green spaces, ease traffic congestion and pursue regional "smart growth" stategies.
The Tanana-Yukon Historical Society would like to invite our local media to carefully explore all the issues involved in sprawl and the effect of sprawl on our local economy.
Ketchikan recently introduced an ordinance that would require large chain retailers wishing to build in the community to pay for an economic impact study. Such an ordinance, if enacted, would provide for controlled growth and minimize the impact of construction on the natural landscape. Ketchikan is to be commended for taking such a progressive stand.
(Continued from the January 1999 issue)
There are a number of proven ways that a city can pursue in encouraging the revitalization
of older and historic neighborhoods. In general the different types of historic preservation
incentives used by progressive cities and towns around the country are:
Currently, owners rehabilitating historic buildings are subject to increased property taxes once the improvements are made. "Special valuation" is the revision of the assessed value of the historic property which subtracts, for up to ten years, such rehabilitation costs as are approved by the local review board (Historical Commission). The primary benefit of the law is that during the ten yearís special valuation period, property taxes will not reflect substantial improvements made to the historic property. Both rental housing and owner-occupied residences may qualify for this benefit. Rehabilitated commercial structures may be exempted completely from property taxes for five years. During the following five years, taxes are assessed on only half of the renovated buildingís value. Tax assessments based on actual use of historic buildings rather then their "highest and best" use. (An ordinance such as this or a variation thereof is vital to any successful revitalization program.)
All demolition permits of properties listed on the local history building survey
will be reviewed by the Historical Commission. Certain restrictions apply.
(To be continued.)
Tanana-Yukon Historical Society
P.O. Box 71336
Fairbanks, AK 99701-1336
tyhs@polarnet.com