In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.
May 12, 1913: Leo. McCormick, president of the Chamber of Commerce, is in receipt of a letter from the Alaska Road Commission advising the Chamber to the effect that the Commission has favorably considered their petition for the construction of a trail from Pt. Rotsoy to the Stikine River, a distance of ten miles. Owing to the scarcity of funds available for this purpose the board states that they will be unable to build this trail this year, but they promise their earnest support. The Stikine trail is much needed and when constructed will eliminate untold hardships heretofore encountered by belated travelers to and from interior points. Each year the Stikine exacts its death toll either through drowning or starvation and if a good trail with a road house at each end will bring comfort to those who are compelled to use the Stikine River in winter months, by all means let us have it.
May 13, 1938: The ice went out in the Tanana River at Nenana, Friday night, May 6 when a chunk of ice came down in one of the two streams running on two sides of the markers, cut the wire and stopped the clock at 8:14. Six tickets in the $100,000 poll marked to the right minute, were held by C. Nerland and company, Helge Johnson, Mrs. C.E. Mattison, John Rokas Company, Clam Digger Company and Willow Creek Company. The administrative costs of the famous ice guessing contest amounted to about $10,000 leaving $90,000 for a six-way split.
May 17, 1963: A local housewife walked off with high honors in last week's Wrangell King Salmon Derby contest. She is Mrs. Marilyn Thrift who caught a 29 pound 10 ounce king out in front of town. She took home the out-door jacket which was for the largest fish caught during the week. The Derby committee said there are no entries so far this week but added that salmon fishing promises to get off to a bang when the Kings hit the Elephant's Nose and other later areas. The committee said that practically all the fish caught so far have come from the Grey's Pass area. It also announced that 61 Derby tickets have been sold so far. It urged entrants to get their tickets early, pointing out that the cost is the same whether bought at the start or end of the Derby.
May 12, 1988: Tourism is good for Wrangell. That's the message as the community gears up to celebrate National Tourism Week May 15-21 with the welcoming of the first cruise ship of the 1988 season. The M/V Pacific Northwest Explorer, scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m. Saturday, also will visit Wrangell for the first time. Wrangellites dressed in costume or just interested in offering their greeting to the visitors are being encouraged to turn out at the dock. “We'd like to see the town turn out for this welcoming on Saturday,” said Pat Ockert, spokeswoman for the Wrangell Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is organizing a celebration for the ship's crew and passengers. The vessel, owned by Exploration Holiday Cruise Line of Seattle, will bring 80 passengers to Wrangell on each of its 20 visits to the community this season. The ship will arrive every other Saturday at 11:30 a.m. beginning May 21 and running through Sept. 24. The vessel will depart at 4 p.m. each day. Mayor Fern Neimeyer will be on hand Saturday along with many Wrangell greeters to say “hello” for the entire community. The visitors bureau is planning to present gifts to the captain and passengers, while Neimeyer also will make presentations for all of Wrangell. Russian tea and cookies will be served at the Wrangell Museum as another part of the celebration. The Pacific Northwest Explorer will call on Wrangell again May 21, while the next cruise ship to arrive will be the Universe on May 24. May 25 will bring both the Daphne and the Great Rivers Explorer as the 1988 season swings into full gear.
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