Index
The President's Corner
I don't know when it started. One day Fairbanks was a neighborly
community, the metropolis of Alaska's interior, and the very next moment
there was urban decay and sprawl. How did it happen, and when did it
start? In the late 1950's when urban renewal leveled
many neighborhoods: in the 1960's when the devastating flood of
1967 drove people to the hills: during the pipeline years when "new"
often albeit incorrectly, meant better? I don't know--it just happened,
seemingly overnight. I do know that our city center is in danger of
losing its identity, it's uniqueness as a gold rush town. Too many of
its historic buildings have been lost over the last few years. Many
structures gave way to parking lots, controlled burns and weeds,
while others were replaced by inappropriate and at times downright
ugly structures. With so much historic fabric lost, Fairbanks needs
to guard against further losses. Fairbanksans have a strong sense
of history and a cold spell such as we experienced recently usually
makes us remember and appreciate the many hardships the
pioneers of yesteryear had to endure to pave the road for us. We
celebrate Golden Days, collect oral history, get sentimental over
photographs of bygone days and treasure the recollections of our
elders. Yet we often are insensitive to our built environment.
Blindly we walk the sidewalks, drive along historic routes, and if
one day there happens to be another gap in our cityscape, we tell
ourselves, "well, it is too bad, but after all the building was old
and still had sawdust insulation". What a waste, what a waste of
historic resources. Our generation is concerned about quality of
life, the preservation of our cultural heritage, protection of habitat
for wildlife, and the preservation of wide open spaces. As we look
toward recycling to conserve our resources, incredibly, we often
forget to value, to rehabilitate our built environment. And it is the
livability of our built environment that should concern us most.
The health of our neighborhoods and our community depends on it.
It is because of concern for our vanishing historic fabric that the Tanana Yukon Historical Society will publish its first list of "Most Endangered Historic Places" later this year. The Association of Historic Preservation, a statewide historic preservation organization out of Anchorage, publishes a statewide list of 10 Most Endangered Sites. Fairbanks buildings listed as endangered in the past have included Main School, the Lacey Street Theater, and Creamer's Dairy. Main School is now City Hall and will serve Fairbanks for many years to come. The Lacey Street Theater sees new life as an ice museum, and the fate of Creamer's Dairy is still in doubt. The National Trust of Historic Preservation is issuing a list of 11 Most Endangered Places in the United States. Alaska's Kennicott Mine has made this exclusive list, and is still on the Trust's watch list.
A site may be endangered through neglect, development pressure, economic environment, or any number of reasons. We will forward the list compiled by us to the statewide organization. However, by preparing our own list, we will be better able to focus on our own community of neighborhoods deeply rooted in the Gold Rush years.
Information Highway
For our Internet Surfers, here is a sampling of some great Web
Sites to check out.
Philanthropy Links
(http://www.acpub.duke.edu)
provides the "metaindex of non-profit organizations on the web" and
allows nonprofit organizations to add nonprofit organizations to the
index while online. This Web site also lists foundations,
publications such as the Philanthropy journal (excerpts of past
editions are accessible at
http://www.nando.net/philant.html),
corporate and business contacts, research resources, and educational programs.
One of the newest preservation information sources to hit the Net is the web site for CUBE, the Center for Understanding the Built Environment (http://www.webcom/~pcj/cube.html). The organization's purpose is to educate kids to take responsible action in their communities. Visitors to the site can learn about Cube's publications, such as archiNews, a newsletter which connects design and planning professionals, educators, and citizen activists in the classroom and products such as Box City, a program that provides children with hands-on introduction to basic community design and planning.
Wanted
The Tanana Yukon Historical Society is planning for its most
ambitious year ever. To make it all work we will need help.
You do not have to be a dedicated Society member (although
we hope you are) to find a project of interest to you.
Fun and accomplishment--not an impossible goal when working
on several programs in the making for 1996. Committees can
be as small as a committee of one, or as large as seven.
Committee members can select their own time/place for meetings.
Renee Blahuta will meet with committee members and provide
necessary support and coordination.
If you are interested in any of these committees or know of someone who might be, please call or fax Renee Blahuta at 457-6165.
Mark Your Calendar
Blahuta suggested the formation of an ad-hoc committee of interested
groups to pursue the restoration of ISTEA funds so badly needed in
the stabilization and rehabilitation of one of the Interior's most
prestigious historic sites. The facility needs to be made safe so
that it can be opened for public use. A public meeting was held
February 8, 1996 at the Noel Wien Library auditorium.
Blahuta is working with Ft. Wainwright Public Affairs and Festival Fairbanks and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to arrange a "free" tour of Ladd Field Historic Landmark (Ft. Wainwright) to be held during National Historic Preservation Week May 12-17, 1996.
KUDOS
Fairbanks Rotarians have approved funds for historic kiosks to
be placed in appropriate locations around Fairbanks. It is a most
thoughtful and generous contribution to the
community and is sure to kick off our Gold Rush celebration.
DUES
Please check the address lable on your newsletter. If your
name is preceded by a "life" or by a "96", our records indicate
your dues are paid up. If anything else (or nothing) precedes
your name, your dues are due. Enclosed with this newsletter
is a membership application. If you don't need it, please pass it on.