“An Alaskan Moment” for November 16th, 2020
Download or Stream “An Alaskan Moment” for the week of November 16th, 2020.
https://apradio.org/mp3/2020-11-16-analaskanmoment.mp3
Today is Monday, November 16th, 2020
Welcome to
“An Alaskan Moment”
from Aleutian Peninsula Broadcasting in Sand Point
This week in Alaska History:
November 16, 1973 – Congress passed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act, which cleared the way for construction of an oil pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez.
November 17, 1916 – A 40-man detachment from the U.S. Infantry arrived to take station at Anchorage.
November 18, 1959 – The first pulp was produced by the Alaska Lumber & Pulp Company at Sitka.
November 19, 1942 – Driving of the Portage-Whittier tunnel was started. It was holed through a year later.
November 20, 1909 – Igloo No. 4, Pioneers of Alaska, held its organizational meeting at Fairbanks.
November 21, 1900 – The Uyak post office was established.
November 22, 1942 – The Alcan Highway, as it was first named, was dedicated near Lake Kluane.
This week in Alaska History compiled by Robert N. DeArmond of Sitka
Courtesy of the Alaska Historical Society
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Now for your poem.
Joanne Townsend was Alaska’s seventh Poet Laurate, serving officially from 1988-1992 and unofficially at the request of the Alaska State Council for two more years until the appointment of Tom Sexton.
“Looking Back I Remember”
By Joanne Townsend
How afraid I was, our first year here,
to walk on the frozen lake. I watched
the fishholes being cut, the snowmachines
whiz across, but couldn’t trust.
“It’s solid lady, down to ten, twelve feet,”
the oldtimer said. Easter Sunday we
drove to Portage. Families hiked
along the ice to the glacier, pilgrims,
blue sparks against that cold sun. I dreamed
forsythia, places where daffodils pushed
through warm loam. The pussy willows
brought false hope. It snowed in May.
Before the mirror | examined white
sprouts in my hair and pulled them,
root by stubborn root.