The Way We Were

January 16, 1913: Currents is the fruit that grows on electric plants. Where were you when the lights went out? A broken tube in the coil of the superheater caused considerable trouble at the power house Tuesday evening necessitated closing down for repairs and with the excepting of the early part of the evening, Wrangell had no electric lights. The broken pipe was repaired next day and the juice was circulating again regularly last night.

January 21, 1938: A special meeting of the city council held Friday night was called by Mayor F.G. Hanford to consider and act upon rebuilding a section of north Stikine Avenue and to hear the complaint of the Alaska Native Brotherhood with reference to the condition existing at the Native burial grounds outside the Redmen's lodge cemetery. Don C. Miller and Louis Paul were present, representing the Alaska Native Brotherhood and stated their grievance substantially as follows: That by reason of the taking of gravel for street purposes by Custard, Meadows & Oja on the street contract project 4455, that the bank has gradually receded and has undermined and exposed to the elements several Indian graves and presenting a most deplorable condition. Mr. Paul stated that some of the caskets so exposed were those of his own immediate relatives. The committee stated that they had previously registered their complaint at the time the gravel was being taken from the area and that the government engineers in charge of the project had assured them that a bulkhead would be built to protect the graves.

January 25, 1963: Jim Charlton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Charlton, became the first Scout in Wrangell to achieve the Eagle Scout Badge - the highest award in Scouting. The honor was bestowed on youth Charlton at the court of Honor Boy Scout Troop 66 held last Monday night. Eleven other Scouts received badges that ranged from Tenderfoot to Life Scout. Scouts receiving badges were: Paul Fisher and Herbert Bradley; Tenderfoot; Darrell Powers and Ole Martin; Second Class badge; Tim Guggenbickler and Arlen Neyman; First Class Badge; Laurie Broad, John Martin, Star Badge and Steve Nore, Life badge.

January 21, 1988: Member of Wrangell's Island of Faith Lutheran church welcomed a new pastor last week as the bishop for the Synod of Alaska traveled to install the Rev. Ken Olson at his new religious assignment. Bishop Don Parsons of Anchorage, recently named Bishop of the newly created Alaska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church of America, performed installation Jan. 13 before the Wrangell congregation. Wrangell's is one of the 28 Lutheran congregations in Alaska that Parsons is visiting on a tour of the state, he said. Olson, pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Burien, Wash., for the past 13 years, came to Wrangell recently to take over the helm of the Wrangell church. He came to Alaska in his 37-foot ketch along with a friend, George Sather, 76. But Olson said his trip to Wrangell was delayed 3 1/2 months when he had to wait in Sitka for engine parts to arrive for his vessel. Olson will live aboard his boat at the Shoemaker Bay harbor - and he says he's eager to enjoy Wrangell's recreation opportunities. “I hope to serve my congregation as best I can as a Lutheran pastor and live here and enjoy life here with the people,” he said.