Howard Doster was an army photographer stationed at Fort Richardson near Anchorage in 1944 and 1945. He made at least two trips up to the Matanuska Valley where he photographed the natural environment, scenes of Palmer, local farmsteads, the Experiment Farm and Independence Mine buildings. This photo collection of 64 images given to the Museum by his family also documents activities of an army search and rescue group in winter training.
"Eklutna Lake Dam"
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Dam
Image shows the lower side of Eklutna Lake Dam spillway with numerous wooden pilings standing in water in the foreground and mountains beyond. Water flowing through the spillway is evident providing the standing water in foreground. Head gate controls on the spillway are evident and numerous pilings exhibit metal bars protruding from their tops. Early season snow is evident on mountain tops.
Eklutna Lake between Palmer & Anchorage, Alaska
"Eklutna Lake Dam" 2
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Dam
Image shows the lower side of Eklutna Lake Dam with the lake and mountains beyond. The spillway is evident with water flowing into the outlet river. A wooden pole tower is visible at the right extent of the dam near a small shed. A second horizontal structure on pilings is visible in the lake behind the dam.
Eklutna Lake between Palmer & Anchorage, Alaska
Bridge-Miscellaneous 011
Howard Doster
A small steel side girder bridge crosses one of several small streams on the mountain road leading to the gold mines in the Hatcher Pass area of the Talkeetna Mountains.
This summer image is of a gravel road surface in immediate foreground approaching a small single span bridge with steel girder sides. Cottonwood trees form the middle ground on both sides and in front. Three dead trees stand at right middle ground. A bank of white clouds covers the lower sky beyond.
Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska
Colony Farm 13
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Farm
Image shows a Colony log house and typical Colony barn, a cow in foreground behind a barbed wire fence, two cars next to the house, trees and Pioneer Peak in background.
Matanuska Valley South of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 17
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Matanuska Colony Farmstead
Image is of a log house in the middle ground with a typical Colony barn partially visible behind. In foreground is a fence with a log arch and rails adjacent to a gravel road. Bodenburg Butte is visible in the background as is Pioneer Peak with adjacent clouds.
On Springer Road System South of Palmer, Alaska
Experiment Farm 39
Howard Doster
Springtime at the Experiment Farm appears quiet as preparations are made for a busy summer.
This image, taken from the bench northwest of the Matanuska Experiment Farm, looks across open fields in foreground at the farm buildings in middle ground. To the right in far middle ground, two Colony barns and a house are visible on Colony tract #32. Pioneer Peak and Eklutna River Valley are apparent in background. Remnant snow is obvious on the mountain peaks.
Matanuska, Alaska
Farm 3
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Farm
Image shows an early fall scene of a field of several rows of potatoes with grain field beside it. Some of the grain had been cut, bundled and shocked. Buildings are visible at the far end of the field with dense forest surrounding all. High mountains are in background with early snow on top and white clouds above. Doster was apparently traveling in the company of Erv Plitt, another Army photographer, who took a similar photo at the same time from the far side of the grain field at right. That image is in our Plitt Collection and shown on this site as Farm 2.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Glacier 3
Howard Doster
This oblique air view shows the lower portion of the Matanuska Glacier as it appeared about 1945.
This oblique air image shows the Matanuska Glacier from its face in right foreground to the point where it curves right behind a mountain in the upper center. A small portion of the outwash plane is visible at the glacier face in the lower right. Rugged, partly snow-covered mountains rise in background and at right. Lateral moraines are clearly visible in the ice. A large portion at the lower left of the image is dark mud and gravel, some of which covers ice below.
Upper Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Mine 1, Independence
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Mine
Image is a major portion of the large print showing tailing dumps, buildings, covered stairways and corridors, and other structures on the Independence Gold Mine facility as it appeared in 1945.
Talkeetna Mountains north of Palmer, Alaska
Mine 2, Independence
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Mine
Image is a major portion of the larger print showing tailing dumps, buildings, covered stairways and corridors, and other structures of the Independence Gold Mine facility in its rugged mountainous environment as it appeared in 1945.
Talkeetna Mountains north of Palmer, Alaska
Mine, 15
Howard Doster
Buildings of the Gold Cord mine blend into their snow-covered alpine setting.
This image is a winter view of an alpine setting with snow on the ground and much dark rock showing through. Foreground is a rising snow field with numerous angular rocks protruding. The far middle ground mountain ridgeline begins at extreme left in mid frame and rises across the image to a peak at right. Just below the ridge at extreme left is a large silver mine building and a silver fuel tank. At approximately the center of the image is another white multi-story building at the base of the mountain shoulder.
Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska
Palmer View From Bugge's Hill 1
Howard Doster, Army Photographer
Palmer
Image is an easterly view of a gravel road in foreground, identified as the Palmer-Wasilla Road, beside an open field and buildings on the left, identified as John Bugge's homestead. Buildings of the town of Palmer are evident in middle ground with many identifiable, including the water tower. Snow-capped mountains are in background with clouds above.
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer View From Bugge's Hill 10
Howard Doster
This is the right portion of a large print in the Doster Collection of this view from Bugge's Hill. The rest of the view, showing more to the right, is shown in "Palmer View From Bugge's Hill 10".
See description for image "Palmer View From Bugge's Hill 9" for the general description of this image. This view shows the right-hand portion of the larger print not captured in that previous image. The hospital and several other buildings included in the larger print are visible. A second Army photographer is also evident in the lower right corner of this photo.
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer View From Bugge's Hill 9
Howard Doster
This is the left portion of a large print in the Doster Collection of this view from Bugge's Hill. The rest of the view, showing more to the right, is shown in "Palmer View From Bugge's Hill 10".
This view of the town of Palmer, taken from Bugge's hill, looks east across the harvested hay field and the buildings of John Bugge's homestead in foreground. A portion of the field is covered with scattered haystacks. Community buildings are evident in middle ground. A strip of heavy forest lies beyond with the lower slopes of the eastern mountains in background. A featureless cloud bank obscures the upper portion of the mountains. The gravel road to Wasilla is visible at the right margin with young trees growing between the road and the foreground field. The head and shoulders of an Army photographer are visible in the lower right corner of the image as he captures a similar image with his camera.
Palmer, Alaska
Road 2
Howard Doster
The Palmer to Anchorage road is in good shape near the Butte as early fall snow comes to Pioneer Peak.
This view shows a road through mixed forest on both sides, identified as the road between Palmer and Anchorage. The broadleaf trees are in full leaf. The road is oriented directly at a portion of Bodenburg Butte, visible in middle ground, and Pioneer Peak in background. The upper half of that peak is covered in new snow. The road appears newly grades and only slightly rutted.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
