Anchorage Area 000

Anchorage Area 001-Aviation Field

Alaska Road Commission

A cat tractor and scraper level the ground of Anchorage's first real airport.

This image shows a cat tractor in foreground pulling a low grader machine over flat ground to level the surface of the new "Aviation Field" near Anchorage. One man sits on the cat and another stands behind the machinery. A low line of trees and brush stands on the far side of the field in background and a water tower is visible in far background over the standing man's shoulder. This area, identified as Anchorage's "first true airport", was later named "Merrill Field".

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Area 002-Aviation Field

Alaska Road Commission

A cat tractor and scraper level the ground of Anchorage's first real airport.

Image shows a cat tractor pulling a low grader machine across a flat field in foreground. One man is driving the cat and a second man stands on the grader. The field, identified as Anchorage's "Aviation Field", extends beyond the machinery to a low line of trees and brush in background. A water tower is visible in far background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Area 003-Aviation Field

Alaska Road Commission

A large, cleared area of level ground forms Anchorage's first real airport.

The image shows a large flat open field, identified as Anchorage's "Aviation Field". The field stretches unobstructed into the background where it is edged by a low line of trees and brush. Low hills are faintly visible in center background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Area 004-Depot

Alaska Road Commission

Anchorage residents welcome arriving Matanuska Colonists to the area.

This image shows a large collection of automobiles parked in foreground at the Anchorage train depot, several rail cars in middle ground beyond them, and a large group of people in between. Several people are evident near the depot building at far left with one man on the roof. Several men are standing on the roof of a bus parked among the cars. A dilapidated boardwalk is obvious at the near left and a single auto is parked facing the viewer in near foreground. The occasion is identified as residents of Anchorage welcoming newly arriving Matanuska Colonists on their way to Palmer.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Area 005-Office

Alaska Road Commission

Men work at their desks in the Anchorage office of the Alaska Road Commission in 1938.

This image shows the Anchorage office of the Alaska Road Commission in 1938. An unidentified man sits in immediate foreground at left, looking at the camera. A second man sits reading at a desk on the left close beyond. Two other men are visible in background at the end of the room. The room is typical working office space of the day with high ceiling, individual lights hanging from the center line of the ceiling, and the exterior left wall mostly composed of windows. Foreground desks exhibit paperwork.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 001

Alaska Road Commission

A good example of road construction that could be accomplished during the 1930's when conditions were good.

This image shows a straight section of a smooth, finished gravel road built through heavy spruce forest on both sides. It is an example of road construction that could be accomplished over good ground in the area during the early 1930's.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 002

Alaska Road Commission

The image shows Spenard Road surface being subject to spring break-up as ruts develop with traffic over its wet surface.

Image shows a strait section of Spenard Road during spring break-up with many deep ruts in the surface. Snow still covers land on both sides of the road. A thin stand of young cottonwood trees lines both sides of the near road, becoming heavy forest in background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 003

Alaska Road Commission

The image shows Spenard Road surface being subject to spring break-up as ruts develop with traffic over its wet surface.

Image shows deep ruts in the soft surface of Spenard Road as it curves out of sight in middle ground. Snow covers the ground on both sides of the road. At right a wood post-fence supports woven wire with a top rail the road and a field beyond. Scattered spruce trees form the near background where a house is barely visible among them.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 004

Alaska Road Commission

The image shows Spenard Road surface being subject to spring break-up as ruts develop with traffic over its wet surface.

Mile three of Spenard Road exhibits significant ruts in its soft surface as break-up begins despite remaining deep snow covering the ground on each shoulder. Mixed spruce, birch and cottonwood trees form the far middle ground with Chugach Mountains faintly visible in background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 005

Alaska Road Commission

The image shows Spenard Road accumulation of snow melt in a low spot of its rutted surface with a lone house visible in the newly accessible area.

This early spring image of Spenard Road features a low spot in the rutted surface that has accumulates melt water in foreground from the significant snow cover on both sides of the road. A small white house, with outhouse behind, is visible in middle ground at the point where the road curves out of sight. A fringe of brush and deciduous trees forms the backdrop of this flat landscape.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 006

Alaska Road Commission

It appears that soil is being excavated from the hill and used to fill the swamp below.

This view looking down Spenard Road shows a deeply rutted surface in foreground crossing a muskeg swamp, rising up a low hill where it cuts through a dense mixed forest. At the foot of the hill a small truck is visible and other vehicles are visible at the top of the hill.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 007

Alaska Road Commission

This appears to be the excavation activity on the hill providing material used to fill the swamp below shown in photo "Anchorage Road 006"

This image shows an excavator shovel, at right foreground, dumping a load of fine textured gravel and soil into the bed of a dump truck at left. The pit appears to be a through cut with banks developing on both sides. Heavy mixed timber is on both sides of the pit. Two men are visible, one standing next to the shovel and the other next to the truck.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 008

Alaska Road Commission

A cat tractor is spreading fill material on the new Spenard Road under construction.

Image shows a cat tractor, facing the camera in foreground, spreading fill material on a new roadway under construction. A man stands watching at left. Sparce trees are on both sides of the cleared right of way.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 009

Alaska Road Commission

A cat tractor spreads fill to even the road grade.

A young man operates a small cat tractor in foreground pulling a rotary scraper to fill low spots on the road grade. Root wads and slash are evident on the far edge of the wide cleared roadway. Thin spruce forest forms the backdrop in middle ground.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Road 010

Alaska Road Commission

A man is loading his dump truck with gravel from the gravel trap.

Image shows a man loading his dump truck in foreground with fine-grained fill material from a "gravel trap". The trap allows stockpiling gravel at an elevation that provides it to be gravity-fed down a chute to a truck as needed.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 000

Excavating the floatplane landing and taxiway canal between Lake Spenard and Lake Hood.

Subject Introduction

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 001

Alaska Road Commission

A canal is being excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

Image shows a large pond of muddy water in immediate foreground with a dragline excavator machine on the pond's high bank above at right. The excavator's large bucket is suspended from its long boom as it is being dumped on shore to empty soil scooped from the pond. A small cat tractor sits beside the excavator. At far left middle ground another cat is visible, apparently dragging away the excavated soil with a scraper machine as indicated by the photo caption. Snow-covered flat ground is visible in middle ground beyond the excavation and a brush-covered bluff is faintly visible in background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 002

Alaska Road Commission

A canal is being excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

This image shows a large pond of very muddy water in immediate foreground with a dragline excavator siting on the high bank above. A small cat tractor sits next to the excavator at far right. The excavator's boom is swung to the left of the image and the large bucket hangs suspended as it dumps a load of muskeg soil dredged from the pond onto the shore. A mix of disturbed ground and snow cover is visible in middle ground with vegetated bench ground indistinct in background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 003

Alaska Road Commission

A canal is being excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

The partially enclosed cab of a shovel excavator occupies the immediate foreground of this image with its bucket arm swung to the right. The operator is apparent as he sits at the control levers in the cab. At left middle ground is a large muddy pond. Excavated soil is piled in a high berm sloping away from the pond across the image in middle ground with a thin line of forest visible in background. Thin snow covers undisturbed soil.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 004

Alaska Road Commission

A canal is being excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

This wide view shows a man standing at left foreground looking toward two small cat tractors parked in center, near middle ground, and a shovel excavator partially visible at right. The large, excavated pond is partially visible in middle ground, its edge marked on the photo with an ink line, and the excavated soil piled beyond. The caption identifies this as the completed south side of the canal. A thin layer of snow covers the foreground and middle ground. A thin line of background forest is apparent and far background mountains are faintly visible.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 005

Alaska Road Commission

A canal is being excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

This wide view shows a portion of the completed excavation of the canal, the edge outlined on the photo with an ink line. Snow covers the ground. Background shows low hills and scattered trees with a dark ridge in far background..

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 006

Alaska Road Commission

A canal is being excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

This image shows two cat tractors in foreground and middle ground pushing soil away from the area being excavated for the canal. Scattered trees and snow-covered flat ground are visible in background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage-Spenard Canal 007

Alaska Road Commission

A completed canal excavated between Spenard Lake and Lake Hood to provide a takeoff lane and taxiway for floatplanes.

This low oblique air view shows the canal excavated between Lake Hood and Spenard Lake, seen looking east with Chugach Mountains faintly visible in background.

Anchorage, Alaska

Erosion Control 000

Intro card

The following photos, depicting efforts to control bank erosion on the Matanuska River likely to endanger the Palmer to Anchorage road, do not identify a specific location, but were likely along the east side of the river between the bridge near Palmer and Bodenburg Butte.

Erosion Control 001

Alaska Road Commission

The "Shear Dam" construction crew pose for a picture.

This winter scene shows six men, assumed to be the pile-driving crew, standing at one of the erosion control "Shear Dams". One man stands on a log in foreground, the rest stand on the pile driving frame behind him. Several pilings are visible driven in place in foreground. Snow covers the ground.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 002

Alaska Road Commission

A completed "shear dam" armors a section of the river bank.

This image is a foreground view down the length of two forms of "shear dam" structures. The far structure is composed of two rows of driven wooden piles with logs laid between them. The piles are tied together with cables. In immediate foreground is a partial view of a different structure composed of vertical logs assembled side by side slanted away from the water and partially covered with moderate sized rocks. A man stands at left looking away toward the river in middle ground and the forested far shore in background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 003

Alaska Road Commission

A man stands atop a completed "sheer dam" armoring a section of the riverbank.

This image shows a man in foreground and facing the camera while standing atop one of the pilings incorporated into "shear dam number 3". The upper portions of other pilings of the structure are apparent. The river is visible beyond in middle ground and the forested far riverbank is in background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 004

Alaska Road Commission

A "Rip-Rap" structure of logs and rocks is armoring a section of the riverbank.

This image is a view down the length of a "Rip-Rap" structure on the riverbank composed of many logs lying side by side, slanting toward the water and partially covered with medium-sized rocks perched on horizontal logs anchored midway on the slanted structure. The far portion of the structure is also anchored with rocks at the bottom on the edge of the water visible in half the photo at left.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 005

Alaska Road Commission

This appears to be Shear Dam #1 and appears to be essentially complete.

A pond of muddy river water with a couple of logs in it crosses this photo in foreground bounded by a low ridge of mud in immediate foreground and another across the middle of the image. A cat tractor with a man standing atop is at extreme right parked on the mud. In middle ground stands a shear dam structure extending across the image, composed of log pilings spaced about eight feet apart with horizontal logs and brush piled behind. Two men stand atop the dam. River water is visible between the dam and the central ridge of mud. Two additional men stand at the near edge of the water.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 006

Alaska Road Commission

This appears to be Shear Dam #1 and appears to be essentially complete.

This is an oblique view from the land out along what appears to be the north side of Shear Dam #1. A short log and a stack of heavy planks lie in immediate foreground. Three men stand atop the dam in middle ground. At left, near middle ground, the top of the cat tractor is partially visible on the far side of the dam with a man standing on it. River water is obvious in foreground and beyond to the background. Forested land is visible on the far side of the river in background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 007

Alaska Road Commission

This appears to be Shear Dam #1 and appears to be essentially complete.

This is an oblique view from the land in foreground along what appears to be the south side of Shear Dam #1in middle ground. Two men stand atop the mostly complete structure. At left foreground several wheelbarrows are stacked against a large, dark root wad. River water is obvious across the view in middle ground with forested land visible on the far shore background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 008

Alaska Road Commission

This appears to be Shear Dam #1 and appears to be essentially complete.

This view is from atop the Shear Dam looking from the landward portion toward the terminal end. In foreground, tops of two rows of pilings are visible with large cottonwood logs lying between. Beyond these logs the structure appears to be filled or covered with brush. Three men are visible atop the structure and two more stand on the ground at left. The near man wears a mosquito net over his head. On top of the foreground logs are two of the hand tools used in constructing the structure. A two-man crosscut saw lies across the logs in foreground and a peavey tool is stuck vertically into a log beyond. River water containing many logs and root wads cover the middle ground beyond the structure and forested land on the far shore is visible in background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 009

Alaska Road Commission

Viewed from down river Shear Dam #1 appears to be essentially complete.

River water occupies most of the foreground and middle ground with shoreside trees covering the far right side. Some trees have been cut and are fallen into the water in near foreground. The completed Shear Dam #1 is apparent in middle ground in this view from down river extending from the shore at right out into the river. A thin strip of forested land is visible on the far shore in background. A man faintly appears to be standing on the structure.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 010

Alaska Road Commission

A shear dam is partially destroyed by the river water.

This image looks upriver showing water over most of the foreground, heavy forest on the right riverbank, and a partially destroyed shear dam crossing the image in near middle ground. Most of the pilings appear to remain but much of the logs and brush contained between then appear to have been washed away, especially near shore at right. Shear Dam #1 is visible protruding from the right bank in far middle ground.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 011

Alaska Road Commission

A Shear Dam has been washed out.

A muddy riverbank occupies the foreground of this scene. Pilings of a Shear Dam begin in near middle ground at left and proceed into the river water in a line across the image to the right. The far section of the structure still contains brush but the near section has been washed clear and some of the pilings appear to be missing. The far forested riverbank appears to parallel the dam in middle ground.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 012

Alaska Road Commission

Portions of the riverbank are armored with logs placed vertically on a slant to form a wall to repell the force of the river water.

A row of logs lies slanted against the riverbank in foreground with two large logs placed crosswise on them at the waterline at right. A large row of medium sized rocks, apparently bound together with wire mesh, lie on top of the horizontal logs. Two workmen are walking toward the camera on the land behind this structure. River water occupies a narrow portion of the right side of the image, leading to a similar bank-armoring structure and pilings of Shear Dam #3 in middle ground. Thin forest of cottonwood trees is at left exhibiting stumps of trees used in the armoring structures. Partial views of the river and the far bank are visible in background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Erosion Control 013

Alaska Road Commission

Portions of the riverbank are armored with logs placed vertically on a slant to form a wall to repell the force of the river water.

Most of this image at foreground is looking along the face of a log armoring structure on the riverbank at left and center. River water is visible at right middle ground with pilings of a washed-out Shear Dam apparent at the end of the log armor. The main river and far shore are visible in background.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska