I am a bit familiar with the topic of the development of transportation
networks in Alaska, and would agree with Howard Smith's note that...
"By and large, by the
time airplanes became an important mode of transportation,
communities had already stabilized around missions, trading posts,
and transportation hubs, and the airplane followed this development."
I believe that the first landing strip in Alaska was built in the
mid-1920s, with more and more of them being built each succeeding year by
the Alaska Road Commission (ARC). By the early-mid 1930s air travel was
making obsolete much of the existing overland sled routes that had spread
across much of the territory. As above, simple gravel strips were made
adjacent to existing communities.
That was the case with Euroamerican settlements, and PROBABLY the majority
of Alaska Native villages, as well. I can't imagine a scenario where there
was a need for an airstrip somewhere, where there wasn't already an
existing population base (formed for whatever reason).
Basic information on the timing of the construction of airstrips across the
territory, and their upkeep, is available in annual reports of the ARC,
which was formed in circa 1905 (I believe), and continued until the
territory became a state in 1959. A know a full series of these reports is
available at the Rasmuson Library on campus at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, and were available for checkout as late as the mid-1990s.
However, I think the library began pulling the older copies off of the
shelves, so I do not presently know the availability of these reports for
interlibrary loan. Regardless, you can search for these items online for
the UAF libraries, at....
http://goldmine.uaf.edu/uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/x/0/49/
UAF ILL is available at...
http://uaf.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/logon.html
Best,
Robin
Robin O. Mills
Archaeologist - Eastern Interior Field Office
BLM-Fairbanks District Office
1150 University Ave.
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907-474-2359
907-474-2282 (fax)
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William
McAlexander
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Sent by: cc
HISTORICAL
ARCHAEOLOGY Subject
<[log in to unmask] Alaska
>
02/27/2008 06:29
PM
Please respond to
HISTORICAL
ARCHAEOLOGY
<[log in to unmask]
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Greetings to all,
Back in Albuquerque at the aerospace symposium last month a young lady
asked about Alaskan bush pilot culture. Spacifically, Jennifer is
interested in studying communities that developed around landing spots.
After pestering people I know and asking them to pester people they know,
I've been unable to find out anything.
If anyone hs information on this subject, I'd be happy to relay it to her.
Thanks,
William E. McAlexander Jr.
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