Bygone Barn 1
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a winter view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract#157 near Bodenburg Butte and having originally belonged to Colonists Lawrence and Grace Dreghorn. The barn exhibits evidence of early stages of collapse. A smaller structure, possibly a chicken coop, is apparent at left and a pick-up truck is parked in foreground. Pioneer Peak is the backdrop.
Bodenburg Butte, Matanuska Valley
Bygone Barn 2
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a summer view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract #134 north of Palmer, having originally belonged to Colonists Oscar and Elvi Kerttula. The barn exhibits significance evidence of advanced stages of collapse and came down in 2006. A smaller attached structure, perhaps a milking parlor, is at right and a concrete upright silo is behind at left.
North of Palmer, Alaska
Bygone Barn 3
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a summer view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract #134 north of Palmer, having originally belonged to Colonists Oscar and Elvi Kerttula. The barn exhibits significance evidence of advanced stages of collapse and came down in 2006. A smaller attached structure, perhaps a milking parlor, is at right, Talkeetna Mountains evident in background.
North of Palmer, Alaska
Bygone Barn 4
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a summer view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract #134 north of Palmer, having originally belonged to Colonists Oscar and Elvi Kerttula. The barn exhibits significance evidence of advanced stages of collapse and came down in 2006. A smaller attached structure, perhaps a milking parlor, is at right, part of another smaller log structure, perhaps a chicken coop, is at left, and a concrete upright silo is behind at left.
North of Palmer, Alaska
Bygone Barn 5
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a fall view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract #194 near Bodenburg Butte, having originally belonged to Colonists Lloyd and Dorothy Bell. The barn exhibits significance evidence of advanced stages of collapse. Portions of other buildings are evident adjacent and nearby, Beyers Peak is in background. This farm, located at the corner of Bodenburg Loop Road and Doc. McKinley Ave., was later owned by dentist Lee McKinley prior to the later demise of the barn. This photo is number one of three documenting the collapse of this barn.
Near Bodenburg Butte, Alaska
Bygone Barn 6
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a summer view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract #194 near Bodenburg Butte, having originally belonged to Colonists Lloyd and Dorothy Bell. The barn exhibits significance evidence of advanced stages of collapse. A portion of an attached concrete block building is evident at left. Bodenburg Butte is behind. This farm, located at the corner of Bodenburg Loop Road and Doc. McKinley Ave., was later owned by dentist Lee McKinley prior to the later demise of the barn. This photo is number two in a series of three documenting the collapse of this barn.
Near Bodenburg Butte, Alaska
Bygone Barn 7
Richard Estelle
Colony barn in state of collapse
Image is a summer view of a Colony Barn, identified as located on Tract #194 near Bodenburg Butte, having originally belonged to Colonists Lloyd and Dorothy Bell. The barn is in final stages of collapse. A portion of an attached concrete block building is evident at left and Chugach Mountains are in background. This farm, located at the corner of Bodenburg Loop Road and Doc. McKinley Ave., was later owned by dentist Lee McKinley prior to the later demise of the barn. This photo is number three in a series of three documenting the collapse of this barn.
Near Bodenburg Butte, Alaska
Colony Barn Under Construction 1
Ruth DeArmond
Colony Barn Under Construction
Image is a black & white view of a Matanuska Colony barn under construction. The lower portion, constructed of spruce logs, is essentially complete with two corner air shafts to the upper hay mow in place. Several men are visible preparing to construct the hay mow floor and roof using dimension lumber. The cupola, ready to be installed as ventilation at the peak of the roof, is visible on the ground at left.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Barn Under Construction 2
Neil Miller
Colony barn under construction
Image shows a Colony barn under construction with the bottom portion complete and the roof framed and ready to be covered. The farm's well house and a stack of lumber are in the foreground.
Colony tract #155 north of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Barn Under Construction 3
Hewitts Photo Shop
A typical Matanuska Colony barn is under construction and almost complete. Scaffolding is still in place and roofing paper is yet to be applied.
Image is a front and left side view of a typical Matanuska Colony barn under construction and almost completed. Scaffolding is still in place and roofing paper is yet to be applied.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Barns 1
Unknown press photo
Two Colony barns on a dairy farm.
Press photo image shows several dairy cows gathered in front of a typical Colony chicken house and another building. Two Colony barns are prominent behind the other buildings. Heavy forest and Lazy Mountain are visible beyond under a partly cloudy sky.
Matanuska Valley south of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Barns 2
Unknown
View of the front of the Sjodin Colony barn with the Dutch door open and the lower hay mow door open.
A brown-tinted image of the front of the typical Colony barn on the Sjodin farm.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Barns 3
Unknown
Colonist's Allen & Leonora's barn and two cows
Image is of the barn of Colonists Allen & Leanora Frederick and their two cows.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Barns 4
Richard Estelle
A Colony barn stands on the Estelle family farm with several young cows penned close by and stacks of hay visible.
Image is of the Colony barn on tract #152, original to Ferber Bailey and then Howard Estelle. Shown on its final location after having been moved to allow highway construction through Bailey Hill. Several young cows are evident penned near the barn and hay stacks are seen at left of the barn for winter feed.
Palmer Alaska
Colony Barns 5
Alaska Road Commission
A Colony barn shows loss of roofing paper to strong winter winds.
Image is a winter view across a vacant field at a typical Colony barn in middle ground right. The barn exhibits considerable missing roofing paper resulting from strong winter winds. Thick birch/spruce forest stands beyond the barn at far middle ground and the eastern mountains of the valley are faintly visible in left background. Ground is mostly clear of snow with small, scattered patches apparent. Location of the farm is unidentified.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Buildings 1
Ruth Bailey
Colony Pump House, Garage & Barn of Ferber & Ruth Bailey
Image is a winter, easterly view, of the barn, garage and pump house of Colonists Ferber & Ruth Bailey, located on Tract # 152. A two-story hexagonal tower at the back of the pump house is identified as the water tank enclosure. The barn is at its original location before it was moved to make way for the highway construction cut straitening the Glen Highway up Bailey Hill.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Buildings 2
Ruth Bailey
Colony Pump House & Barn of Ferber & Ruth Bailey
Image is a winter scene of a small white, single story building in foreground, identified as the pump house of Colonists Ferber & Ruth Bailey, located on Tract # 152. A two-story hexagonal tower at the back of the pump house is identified as the water tank enclosure. Part of the barn is visible behind the pump house at its original location before it was moved to make way for the highway construction cut straitening the Glen Highway up Bailey Hill.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 1
Hewitt's
Matanuska Colony Farm
Image shows a Colony farmstead on tract#169 located on the Fishhook Road north of Palmer. In foreground is a potato field with several people harvesting. A Colony barn, house and other outbuildings are evident. A field of haystacks is to the right with heavy woods behind. Snow-clad mountains form the background.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 10
Thomas Kodagraph
Pippel Colony Farm
Image is a late summer view of a colony barn, well house and house with heavy cottonwood and birch forest beyond. A field of vegetables is at right with evidence that some crops have been harvested. The front of a truck is visible next to the barn. A horse is lying on the ground at right foreground. The farmstead is identified as that of Colonists Walt and Melva Pippel on tract #106 near Palmer, Alaska.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 11
Brickley
Colony Farmstead
Image is an easterly winter view of a horse standing in a field in foreground, a colony house, barn and other buildings in middle ground and prominent snow-clad mountains beyond.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 12
Neil Miller
Neil & Margaret's first Colony farmstead
Image is a winter scene of Neil & Margaret Miller's first Colony farm on tract #155 along the Fishhook Road north of Palmer, Alaska. A typical Colony barn is apparent, a very atypical colonist house is visible, and an automobile is evident in the driveway.
Tract #155 north of Palmer, 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 14
Unknown
Matanuska Colony Farms
Image is a low oblique showing a Matanuska Colony farmstead in foreground and another in middle ground, fields of shocked grain, and snow-capped Pioneer Peak in background.
Matanuska Valley Near Bodenburg Butte
Colony Farm 15
Unknown
Matanuska Colony farmstead
Image shows a Colony farmstead of house, barn and outbuildings in middle ground framed by trees and brush in foreground. Talkeetna mountains form the background. Note on the reverse indicates the location is 25 miles west of Palmer. The name "Mrs. Amos Landis" is also written on the back.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 16
Unknown
Colony farm of Joe & Blanche Puhl
Image is a late summer view of a Colony log home, a barn under construction, and harvested hay stacked on stakes to dry in foreground. Scattered birch and cottonwood trees are in foreground and middle ground with heavy forest as the backdrop.
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
Colony Farm 18
Thomas Kodagraph
A Colony farmstead house, barn and outbuildings with haystacks and fence in foreground
Image is of a Colony farmstead showing the house, barn and outbuildings in middle ground with a fence and numerous haystacks in foreground. Birch and spruce forest forms the backdrop.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 2
Brickley
Dairy cows in a field of a Colony farm
Image shows a group of dairy cows in a field in foreground, a Colony barn and other buildings near a group of trees in middle ground with snow-clad mountains in background. This farm is located on Colony tract #169 bordering the Palmer-Fishhook road north of Palmer.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 23
Unknown
View of Sandvik’s Colony farm near Bodenburg Butte with Pioneer Peak beyond
Image is a low oblique summer view of Ingolf and Agnes Sandvik’s Colony farmstead at the base of Bodenburg Butte south of Palmer. People are visible in the yard. Pioneer Peak, with remnant snow at elevation, forms the backdrop.
Matanuska Valley near Bodenburg Butte, Alaska
Colony Farm 24
Mel Anderson
Colony farm along Palmer Fishhook Road north of Palmer
Image is an easterly view of a red barn and other outbuildings of a Matanuska Colony farmstead located on tract #169 along the Palmer Fishhook Road north of Palmer. Snow-clad mountains form the prominent background
Near of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 25
Union Oil Company
View of the Arvid & Edith Johnson Colony farm on Palmer Fishhook Road
Image is a late summer easterly view of a green hay field in foreground with an orange Colony barn and other farm buildings on Colony tract #169 in middle ground. Another Colony barn on tract #112 is visible beyond. Patches of uncut forest are apparent. Lazy Mountain and Beyers Peak, dusted with new snow, are in background with clouds overhead.
Near Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 26
Unknown
Ray & Edna Rebarchek’s Colony Farm on Tract #52
Image is a summer view of the Colony barn and outbuildings of Ray & Edna Rebarchek on Tract #52 south of Palmer. Included are two smaller log structures and two concrete silos are visible. A gas pump is in foreground. A Ford pickup, two tractors and a hay baler are evident.
South of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 27
Unknown
Rebarchek farmstead house, barn and farm equipment.
Image shows the Rebarchek farmstead including the house, barn, outbuildings, two tractors, mower, tedder and hay bailer.
On Rebarchek Road south of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 28
Clarence Sjodin
"Jr." Sjodin and his dog stand in the snow on the Sjodin farmstead with the Colony barn and chicken coop behind.
Image shows "Jr." Sjodin and his dog in a winter scene in the Sjodin farmstead with the barn and chicken coop behind.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 29
Clarence Sjodin
A single-story log house is in foreground with a typical Colony barn beyond. An automobile is partly visible parked behind the house.
Image shows a log Colony house in foreground and typical Colony barn behind. A four-door sedan is partly visible parked behind the house.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 3
Unknown-Possibly Irv Plitt
Two Women & Child and Colony Farmstead
Image shows two women and small child standing in a garden with a Colony farmstead behind them and forest beyond.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 30
Unknown
Winter view of a Colony farmstead
Winter view is of a colony farmstead, identified as that of the Allen Frederick family, including a colony house, barn and several outbuildings, with a backdrop of snow-clad mountains and trees. Snow on the ground.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 31
Unknown
Frederick family house and barn are built and land clearing has begun in earnest
Image shows the Frederick house and barn are built and land clearing has begun in earnest
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 32
Unknown
Some cleared land and buildings developed on his farm before Allen Frederick left the Matanuska Colony
Image shows the barn and some other buildings plus some of the cleared land illustrating some of the work accomplished by Allen Frederick before he left the farm in 1940
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 33
Hewitts Photo Shop
Summer view of the Pippel Colony farmstead including the house, wellhouse and barn
View is of the Colony farmstead of Walt & Melva Pippel showing the house, wellhouse, barn and part of a field.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 38
Hewitts Photo Shop
View of a Colony farmstead with log house and colony barn with distinctive "barrel vault" roof.
Image is a summer view of a log house with white trim in foreground and a colony barn with a "barrel vault" roof beyond.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 4
Associated Press photo, photographer unknown
Colony farmstead
Image is a northeasterly view from Scott Road showing numerous hay stacks in foreground, a colony barn under construction, a tent, and a log house in middle ground. Spruce and cottonwood trees form the forest behind the buildings, part of Lazy Mountain is visible beyond.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 40
Des Moines Sunday Register
Cows and chickens populate the farmyard in front of a Colony barn and house. Snow on the mountain beyond indicates that winter is approaching.
Image is of a barnyard with cows and chickens in foreground, a Colony barn and shed in middle ground, a white frame Colony house beyond, and Pioneer Peak with new snow on top in background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 41
Hewitts Photo Shop
This late summer view shows crops growing on the Pipple farm with root piles as evidence of newly-cleared land preparing additional acreage ready to farm.
Image shows the house, wellhouse and barn of Colonists Walter & Melva Pippel. Planted crops are in middle ground and root piles of newly-cleared ground in front. A field and uncut trees are in near background and mountains are visible in far background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 43
Millers
The image shows the location and condition of the chicken coop and barn on tract #99 when Millers lived there, before the barn was moved closer to the house in 1948.
This photo shows the barn and chicken coop on tract #99 sometime between 1946 and 1958. The chicken coop in foreground, a log structure now cladded in white boards, shows an unpainted addition to the entry at left. The four windows on the south side appear to be covered but with the frames still apparent. In front is a high enclosure of chicken wire framed with poles and containing several brown chickens from the coop by way of the small doorway and ramp visible at ground level. Behind the coop the upper part of the "Barrel Vault" barn is visible above the coop as well as a small portion of the log barn base at left. In front of the chicken enclosure at left is a tall power pole with the top out of the picture but with power lines leading to both the coop and the barn. The ground in near foreground appears to be a harvested potato patch. Far middle ground behind the barn shows the cleared face of the upper bench topped with leafless trees.
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
Colony Farm 5
Tom Day, USDA Soil Conservation Service
Farm
Image shows a wire fence in foreground, numerous high tree stumps with several cows intermingled in the middle ground. Two typical Colony barns and other buildings are beyond with Bodenburg Butte and other mountains and forest in background. Caption: "Cows in stump pasture. One of the steps in land clearing."
Two Miles South of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 6
Neil Miller
Farm
Image is an easterly view across a partially harvested grain field with uncut grain and harvested grain shocks in the foreground, a Colony house and barn in middle ground with heavy forest behind. Mountains form the backdrop.
Tract #99 Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 7
Unknown
Farms
View is of a Colony farmstead, identified as that of Colonists Walter & Melva Pippel on tract #106. Open fields planted with various vegetables are prominent in foreground with the farmstead house and barn in middle ground. A touring car is prominent on the road passing through the property in the middle ground. Rooftops of the adjacent farmstead's barn and house on tract #112 are visible beyond. Trees border fields in middle and background with Talkeetna Mountains in far background.
One mile north of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 8
Thomas Kodagraph
Pippel Colony farm
Image is a summer view of a colony house, barn and well house. The barn roof is under construction. A field of cabbage is in foreground. The farmstead is identified as that of Colonists Walt and Melva Pippel on tract #106 near Palmer, Alaska.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 9
Unknown
Pippel Colony Farm
Image is a summer view of a colony house with a colony barn beyond. A field of cabbage is in foreground. The farmstead is identified as that of Colonists Walt and Melva Pippel on tract #106 near Palmer, Alaska.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farms 2
Unknown
The Sjodin Colony farmstead on Scott Road is shown in foreground at left, the Hesse Colony farmhouse is at right. Buildings of the Puhl and Ekert Colony families are visible in mid-background beyond.
Image is of four Colony farms located along Scott Road on the north side of Palmer. Shown in foreground is the Sjodin farm on tract #98 with the Hesse buildings to the right and the Phuhl and Ekert farm buildings in mid-background.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Home 23
Jackson
Home and barn of Colonists Virgil and Lillian Eckert
Image is a summer view of the Colony home and barn of Virgil and Lillian Eckert on their farm tract #100 on the north edge of Palmer. The house is of the log “cabin” style as were many of the Colony homes. The round-roofed barn was not typical of the Colony barns and was one of only three or four constructed of that style. A smaller log building is visible behind the house. Scattered birch trees are around the farmstead with heavy birch forest beyond.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Kids 6
Unknown
Marian Frederick and pets, Colony barn in backround
Marian Frederick plays with pets, Frederick barn in background
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farm 10
Brickley
M. D. Snodgrass farm on the edge of Palmer
Image is of a field of harvested and shocked grain in foreground with a log house and Colony-style barn and other buildings in middle ground. A fringe of trees frame the farmstead with Lazy Mountain in background. This farm belonged to M. D. Snodgrass who was instrumental in establishing the Matanuska Experiment Farm and in recruiting farmers from the states to come to Alaska to farm. He was also a supporter of the Matanuska Colony project and later made part of his farm land available for growth of the city of Palmer.
Palmer, Alaska
Farm 15
Cliff Marcus
Havemeister Colony farm on tract # 167
Image is of the farmstead of Colonists Arnold and Emmy Havemeister on tract # 167 along East Bogard Road between Palmer and Wasilla. A typical Colony barn and other outbuildings are evident. Dairy cows are visible in the pasture and feed lot. Snow-capped Chugach Mountains are in background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farm 16
Des Moines Sunday Register
The view is of an apparent Colony farmstead at the far end of a field cleared from the surrrounding forest. Mountains at the east end of Matanuska Valley are evident in background under dramatic clouds.
Image is a brown tint news photo of a wide easterly view across a farm field with an apparent Colony farmstead at the far end. A starkly white road leads past the field. Heavy forest surrounds the scene with the mountains at the east end of Matanuska Valley in the background. Dramatic clouds are overhead.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farm 26
Millers
Part of the Colony era farmstead on tract #99 is shown during the time Millers lived there.
This fall view looks northwest past clothesline support poles in foreground to the south end of the wellhouse in near middle ground and to the Colony barn in left center middle ground. At close left of the wellhouse are three oil barrels, one on its side likely supplying fuel to the stove in the wellhouse indicated by the apparent chimney. The barn, painted white above the first story logs, exhibits the unusual "barrel vault" roof structure rather than the usual gambrel roof of the typical Colony barn. Behind the barn in near background is seen the cleared face of the bluff below the upper field. A line of heavy forest is visible in background beyond that field. At far right background, through branches of a sapling in foreground, can be seen the house and barn of Colonists Ferber and Ruth Bailey up atop "Bailey Hill".
Palmer, Alaska
Farm 6
Cliff Marcus, USDA Soil Conservation Service
Farm
Image shows a summer season fenced in foreground with a farmstead in middle ground at the base of Bodenburg Butte. Mountains are in background. Caption: "Leonard William's farm. Brome fields with Bodenburg Butte in background."
Bodenburg Butte, Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farming 13
Unknown
: A tractor pulls a grain drill and cultipacker planting grain on a Colony farm with barn, house and outbuildings in background.
Image is of a Colony farmstead with a steel-wheeled tractor pulling a grain drill and cultipacker in the field in foreground. A Colony house, barn and outbuildings are in the background. One man is driving the tractor with another, identified as Ferber Bailey, riding on the packer behind the drill.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farming 17
Associated Press
A crew of workers operates a potato digger on a Colony farm.
Image shows a crew of farmers, soldiers and women operating a potato digger machine on a Colony farm. Farmstead buildings are in background, including a barn, house and outbuildings. Heavy forest is in background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farming 19
Unknown
Allen Frederick is putting up hay in haystacks with his barn visible behind
Allen Frederick is in foreground between haystacks with the Colony barn in middle ground and mountains faintly visible beyond
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Land Clearing 5
Unknown
Several men, using a team of horses, are clearing a Colony farm of trees and are building a pile of cordwood logs.
Image shows several men and a horse team engaged in building a pile of logs they have cut and skidded into the farmstead as they clear a Colony farm of trees. Part of a Colony barn, two cows and a two-horse team are visible as are uncut forest and mountains in background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Lew Hanks and farmer LaRose
Lew Hanks
Conservationist Lew Hanks consults with farmer LaRose
District Conservationist Lew Hanks reviews a land use map with Matanuska Valley farmer and Colonist Henry LaRose during the winter of 1953. Temperature was noted to be minus 30 degrees.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
