Elsie Blue (née: Havens) came to Palmer, Alaska in 1937 as a young Operating Room nurse for the Palmer Hospital. In 1938, she married Walter (Walt) Blue, who worked at the Colony Trading Post. The couple lived in Palmer until 1940. The Elsie Blue Collection consists of 446 photos kept in one photo album. Ranging from 1936 to 1940, Elsie’s photos depict her life in Palmer during early days of the Colony project and her travels throughout the territory of Alaska, including Nome, Kodiak, Kanatak, Juneau, and more. Elsie’s nickname, “Babe,” is noted frequently throughout the album.
"Storkmobile" 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Palmer Hospital Nurse's July 4th parade float
Image shows the Palmer Hospital's "Nurses Car" and community ambulance decorated for the Palmer 1937 4th-of-July parade. On the front is a white stork figure holding a baby basket in its beak. The car's back panel is covered with a white sheet with lettering proclaiming "When Bigger & Better Babies are had, Your Hospital Will Have Them!! See Dr. Albrecht!!!?" The vehicle has ARRC 31 printed in white on the side of the door. The rear of the hospital is behind the vehicle with garbage cans in evidence. A woman (probably a nurse) walks behind the vehicle.
Palmer, Alaska
Butte Community Hall 2
Hewitt's Photo Shop - Anchorage, Alaska
Log Community Hall near Bodenburg Butte
Image shows the front and south side of the log community hall constructed soon after the Matanuska Colonists settled the area around the Bodenburg Butte. Two concrete chimneys are in evidence. A portion of the Butte is visible behind the building. This image is on a commercial post card.
Beside Bodenburg Butte Loop road near Bodenburg Butte in the Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Cache 2
Unknown
A large, elevated cache serving to hold food and equipment is seen as part of the village of Eklutna.
This image shows a portion of Eklutna Village, featuring a rather large cache at center of a cleared field in foreground. The cache is built of wooden planks and slabs and set on four vertical posts rising about seven feet above the ground. A four-rung ladder leans against the end wall below the door. A small log cabin and outbuilding are visible in middle ground at extreme left. Another log building is partially visible directly behind the cache and a small log structure is apparent next to the middle ground tree line to the right of the cache. The roof peak of another house is visible back in the trees at right and a rather unique structure is partially visible at extreme right in middle ground. Its walls appear to be constructed of wide heavy planks with notched joints at the corners. Lying on the roof are several sets of what appear to be long bones of some unknown critter. A line of leafless cottonwood trees crosses the image from left to right in middle ground. Nearby mountains are visible beyond through the trees.
Eklutna, Alaska
Church 1
Unknown
Protestant Church in Palmer
Image shows the north side of the Palmer Protestant Church in winter with trees in the foreground and background and with snow all over. A power pole and power lines are in the foreground. This photo is printed on a postcard, but has no attribution to a photographer.
Palmer, Alaska
Church 20
Elsie Havens
This old log St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox church, reputed to have been erected here in 1897, stands ready in this photo to continue accommodating services until the new church would be constructed nearby in 1962. The old church continues to be maintained as historically important.
This spring image features a foreground view of the west (front entrance) and south sides of the old St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church at Eklutna Native village. The building sits in a cleared area with heavy leafless birch and cottonwood forest in middle ground behind. A dark rounded mountain forms the near background beyond the trees with a snow-clad peak above in far background.
Eklutna, Alaska
Church 3
Elsie Havens Blue
Log Church Building
Image shows the front of the Lutheran church in Palmer surrounded by trees. Two cars are parked in front of the church.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 44
Unknown
Development of the Puhl family farmstead shows considerable progress with acreage cleared of trees, the house constructed, barn construction almost complete and a hay crop harvested and put up in stacks to cure.
This tinted photo shows a view of the Puhl Colony farmstead on tract #99 in the fall of 1936. The view, looking toward the northwest, shows the south side and east end of the log home in middle ground and the white "Barrel Vault"-roofed barn under construction behind it to the left. The original Colony tent is partially visible behind the house at right. In foreground and middle ground at left are numerous field haystacks from the recent harvest. The right side of the image shows heavy birch forest in middle ground. At left, the bench behind the barn shows recent clearing with brush piles ready to burn. Heavy forest forms the backdrop beyond the upper bench. A few scattered birch trees remain at left foreground and in the yard by the house.
Palmer, Alaska
Community Center 48
Ordway
A two-horse team gives winter sleigh rides to people in Palmer's Community Center quad
This winter image looks east across the Palmer Community Center quad with a two-horse team pulling a sleigh with people aboard toward the camera in foreground. Two dogs and a boy are apparent near the sleigh. The new school building is visible in middle ground appearing to have the exterior construction largely complete but with scaffolding still in place. A man is visible standing at the peak of the school roof. At extreme left the gymnasium is partially visible through a cluster of trees. A small shed stands next to the trees. Two spruce trees and a lone birch tree stand isolated near the center of the quad with heavy forest in background beyond. The "Teacher's Dorm" building is partially visible at extreme right with heavy forest behind in middle ground. Snow-covered mountains dominate the background, looming over the view.
Palmer, Alaska
Dorm 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Interior view of the lobby and living room of the dormitory constructed in the Community Center for single teachers, nurses, corporation employees and others
Interior view of the lobby and living room of the dormitory constructed in the Community Center for single teachers, nurses, corporation employees and others. Often referred to as the “Teacher’s Dorm”, it furnished modern living accommodations a social gathering place during the early days of the Colony project when such housing was in very short supply. Refurbished and modernized, it continues to offer rooms for rent as the privately operated “Colony Inn”.
Palmer, Alaska
Dorm 2
Elsie Havens Blue
View of Elsie Havens’ wedding shower being held in the lobby and living room of the Community Center dormitory
Image is of the wedding shower for Palmer hospital nurse Elsie Havens as she prepares to marry Walt Blue. The setting is the living room of the singles dormitory in the Community Center and attendees include fellow nurses, teachers, corporation employees and other ladies of the community.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck with his sled dogs displaying his winter's catch of fur
Image depicts Alaska trapper Ed Ueeck kneeling with his two sled dogs below a display of his winter's catch of furs hanging on the gable end of a house. Furs include coyote, wolf, wolverine, lynx, fox and martin. One dog, "Pinkie," identified as a 120 lb Diomede husky, is hitched to an upturned sled. The other dog is not identified.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 2
Elsie Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck in Palmer
Image is a winter scene of trapper Ed Ueeck and his two sled dogs in front of a building with furs hanging on display. Trees are in middle ground and snow-clad mountains in background. Displayed furs represent the trapper’s winter catch, and include wolf, lynx, coyote, wolverine, fox and martin.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 3
Elsie Havens Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck displays wolf pelts
Image is of trapper Ed Ueeck of Palmer, Alaska sitting between two hanging wolf pelts and with a third wolf pelt draped over his shoulder and across his lap. Ueeck is wearing a soft flat cap and high-top laced boots.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 5
Elsie Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck and dog “Pinky” with furs on display
Image shows trapper Ed Ueeck and his dog “Pinky” in front of a log cabin with furs hanging on display on the cabin wall. Snow is on the ground and a pair of snowshoes are visible against the wall. Furs include coyote, lynx, fox, wolverine, and martin.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 6
Elsie Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck and his dog “Pinky”
Image is of trapper Ed Ueeck and his sled dog “Pinky” in front of a log building with portions of some furs visible hanging on the wall. A pair of snowshoes are visible against the wall.
Palmer, Alaska
Eklutna Vocational School 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Eklutna Vocational School students
Image shows a group of about ten young native women standing next to a large white frame building. Women are wearing long dresses and coats of somewhat formal fashion. Electric lines overhead, power pole and trees in background.
Eklutna, Alaska
Fishhook Inn 2
Elsie Havens Blue
Fishhook Inn building
Image shows a large building identified as the "Fishhook Inn" with a mountain behind it, a dirt road in front with an indistinct car, people, and another building in background.
On Fishhook Rd in the Hatcher Pass area, north of Palmer, Alaska
Glacier 6
Hewitt's Photo Shop
This air view documents the state of the lower portion of the Knik Glacier in 1937
This aerial oblique view shows the lower portion of the Knik Glacier in foreground and middle ground and most of the calving face of the glacier in foreground. Dark mountains rise on both sides of the ice and a well-defined medial moraine is evident near the center of the glacier along its length. In background mountain peaks form the skyline with glacier ice flowing down from them to join the main glacier below. Immediate foreground exhibits a lake at the glacier face with several icebergs apparently floating in it.
Knik River Valley, Alaska
Hospital 1
Ordway
Palmer hospital, winter 1936
Image is of the west side of Palmer hospital in winter of 1936. Scattered birch trees are in foreground and mountains in background with Byers Peak prominent above a cloud bank.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 2
Ordway
Nurse in the Palmer hospital operating room
Image is of Nurse Katheryn Powers in the operating room of the Palmer hospital.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 3
Ordway
Nurse in the Palmer hospital sterilizing room
Image is of Nurse Kelley in the sterilizing room of the Palmer hospital.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 4
Ordway
Nurse Katheryn Powers at the nurses station in the new Palmer hospital
Image is of the hallway of the new hospital in Palmer. Nurse Katheryn Powers is visible at the nurses station at the far end of the hall.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital Staff 1
Elsie Havens (Blue)
Dr. Albrecht and hospital nursing staff in 1937
Image is of the Palmer hospital staff on October 1937, posing on the hospital entry steps. Staff is identified as (l to r): Mabel Rude, anesthetist & lab tech; Dr. C. Earl Albrecht; Marian Batdorf, nursing supervisor; Luella Batdorf, hospital secretary; Elsie Havens, OR nurse & Dr. assistant; Eunice Anderson, public health nurse.
Palmer, Alaska
Jack Allman
Elsie Havens Blue
Jack Allman
Image shows Jack Allman in suit jacket, tie & hat holding a megaphone. A pickup truck and wood wall of a small building are behind him in the foreground with community building beyond. The megaphone indicates he likely had a prominent role in the 4-of-July events of the day.
Palmer, Alaska
Knik 1
Unknown
A family appears to be having an outing among the interesting old buildings of Knik.
This photo shows some buildings of the old, mostly abandoned community of Knik. The immediate foreground is covered with short grass and the main feature is a house of sorts at right foreground composed of an array of building materials and styles. Combining horizontal logs, wide vertical and horizontal planks, vertical boards of varying width, roof shakes and support posts, a two-roomed structure with a front porch stands on the bluff above the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet. Another more conventional wooden house is partially visible at right and behind the foreground structure. The roof of another house is partially visible over the bluff at extreme left and another dilapidated building is visible over the bluff at center left. Close inspection reveals a couple of adults and several children apparently having a picnic next to this structure. The mud flats and water of Knik Arm are indistinctly visible in middle ground and background with the south shore of the inlet visible in far background.
Knik, Alaska
Nurse 2
Elsie Havens Blue
Katherine Powers, Palmer Hospital Nurse
Image shows Palmer hospital nurse Katherine Powers standing beside the "Nurses Car" and ambulance parked on the gravel Palmer to Anchorage Road. The location is likely just south of the Knik River Bridge based on other associated photos in the collection. The vehicle is identified as "ARRC 31."
On the Palmer-Anchorage road near Knik River Bridge
Nurse 6
Unknown-probably nurse Powers
Nurse Elsie Havens with the nurse’s car
Image is of registered nurse Elsie Havens standing beside the nurse’s car along the road between Palmer and Anchorage. The car, identified as A.R.R.C. vehicle #31, was available for use by the hospital nurses and was also used as the ambulance as needed.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
People 69
Elsie Havens
Mrs. Gill is feeding a couple of the local cats.
"Mrs. Gill" was the House Mother of the Teacher's Dorm during its earliest days. This image shows her outside the dorm's back door, dressed in a long dark, short-sleeve dress, feeding two cats. Three concrete steps lead up to the door with a metal garbage can on each side. A window is visible in the door and on each side of the door in the white horizontal siding of the wall.
Palmer, Alaska
People 70
Unknown
A student from Eklutna Vocational School demonstrates his ivory carving skills at the Matanuska Valley Fair.
This image is of a young Native boy, identified as Arthur Abkinga from Diomede Island and attending Eklutna Vocational School, using a bow drill as he demonstrates ivory carving skills and displays carved items at his exhibit table at the Matanuska Valley Fair. The boy stands in foreground at left center dressed in a traditional fancy skin parka. On the table directly in front of him sit his vise, hacksaw, eggbeater drill, files and other carving tools. At right foreground is another table laden with finished carved ivory items. Partly visible directly behind the boy are blankets and decorative fabric items created by other Eklutna school students.
Palmer, Alaska
People 71
Unknown
A student from Eklutna Vocational School demonstrates her "mukluk"-making skills at the Matanuska Valley Fair.
This photo shows a young Native girl from the Eklutna Industrial School sitting in foreground wearing a traditional "Kuspuk" with a double ruff hood. The girl, identified as "Bertha", smiling shyly while holding a piece of leather up to her face, is said to be demonstrating how traditional "mukluks" are made by chewing the sole leather to form the rounded toe and soften it for sewing to the upper portion. A pair of finished fancy mukluks sits in foreground with an unfinished sole piece partially visible behind. The girl is wearing mukluks of a simpler design. Hanging directly behind the girl is a large decorative Afghan with a small sign indicating it was made by the "Flying Needles Club" of the Industrial School and that it was to be raffled off. Close inspection of the girl's Kuspuk shows the cuff of her right wrist is made of short-haired fur while her left one is of cloth, raising the question of significance.
Palmer, Alaska
People 72
Hewitts Photo Shop
A student from Eklutna Vocational School stands with many items made by her classmates on exhibit at the Matanuska Valley Fair.
A young Native girl in a traditional dress parka of dark fur with white ruff stands at left foreground beside a table with two very different fabric tablecloths or blankets. Sitting on top of the table coverings are six fur-clad Native dolls about twelve inches tall. Several other small items lie on the table, including several metal (likely copper) plates or shallow dishes. Hanging behind the girl and near foreground table is a wide variety of knitted, crocheted and sewn items of clothing. A large decorative Afghan hangs behind the girl with a sign showing that it is intended to be raffled off.
Palmer, Alaska
People 73
Unidentified, probably Hewitts Photo Shop
A student from Eklutna Vocational School stands to show off a fancy parka and mukluks.
This photo features a young Native girl student at the Eklutna Industrial School standing in foreground facing the camera dressed in a highly decorated "fancy" full-length parka and mukluks. She stands on a gravel area edged with horizontal logs on the ground directly behind her. A willow shrub forms the somewhat uniform backdrop immediately behind. The parka features a large head ruff, numerous decorative fur tassels and trim pieces, and elaborate geometric decorative trim.
Eklutna, Alaska
People 74
Unidentified, probably Hewitts Photo Shop
Student from Eklutna Vocational School stands to show off traditional clothing likely made at the school..
This photo features two young Native girls, students at the Eklutna Industrial School, standing in near foreground facing the camera. They are wearing traditional clothes assumed to have been made by them at the school. The girl at left wears a full-length fabric "Kuspuk" over another fabric dress slightly evident at the bottom. The outer garment has a full head ruff. The girl at right appears to have on two fabric "Kuspuks" or dresses and a fringed fur over-shirt with a large ruff. Both girls wear decorated mukluks. The girl at right holds a traditional "Eskemo Drum" while the other girl holds the traditional drumstick striking the drum from below. Thick tree leaves form the immediate backdrop.
Eklutna, Alaska
People 75
Unidentified, probably Hewitts Photo Shop
Students from Eklutna Vocational School, dressed in traditional clothing, perform a traditional dance .
This photo features nine Native students from the Eklutna Industrial School, dressed in traditional clothing and seated on a large gravel area, watching two other students at left performing what is identified as the "Whale Hunt" dance. Two of the seated students hold traditional drums. Dark heavy forest forms the backdrop in middle ground.
Eklutna, Alaska
Railroad Gas Car 2
Unknown
A section gang's "speeder" car has been man-handled onto its siding to clear the main line for the train passage.
This image is a side view of a railroad section crew's "speeder" car sitting idle on its short siding beside the main track seen at left. The car, used to transport maintenance crews along the section of track they were responsible for, is seen facing right with a silver headlight in front and fuel tank and auxiliary gas cans on the back. Another light is visible above the roof facing to the rear. A door with a window is centered on the side of the fully enclosed cab. Another window in the wall behind the door appears to show the same arrangement on the far side with another window in the back wall. The front window is not visible. It appears to have rubber tires, but wheels adapted to the rails are not apparent. In front of the near front tire there appears to be a fender or broom that would sweep the track clear of debris ahead of the wheel. "Tunnel" referred to in the caption, was a rail section about 51 miles north of Seward at the time.
Near "Tunnel" section on Alaska Railroad
Storkmobile 2
Unknown
Hospital nurses hold babies for inspection by the doctor next to the "Storkmobile" float entered in Palmer's 1937 4th of July parade.
This photo features the "Storkmobile", the "Nurses Car"/Ambulance dressed up with a "stork" on the hood and banner on the panel sides for the Palmer July 4th parade with the theme that the Palmer hospital delivers "better babies". Standing in foreground before the decorated vehicle are uniformed nurses holding bundled babies (l to r) Mabel Rude, Marian Batdorf and Elsie Havens. Dr. Albrecht inspects the baby at right. The "Teacher's Dorm" is partially visible behind the car at right and staff housing is partially visible at left in front of the car.
Palmer, Alaska
Telephone Booth
Elsie Havens Blue
Telephone booth
Image shows an open wooden "phone booth" with telephone and papers evident on the back back wall. Located in a rough wooded setting. Location described above is assumed from associated photos in the collection.
Intersection of north end of Bodenburg Lp and the "Anchorage-Matanuska Hwy"
