In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.
May 22, 1913: With the increased demand for Alaska marble in the construction of our modern skyscrapers, Alaska is steadily pressing to the front and is now recognized as the nation's great storehouse for that particular mineral. The past few years have seen large marble industries established and Wrangell has benefitted by these developments. The Vermont Marble Company of Procter, Vt., opened their first quarry at Tokeen but a few years ago and since that time has shipped great quantities of marble to their headquarters at Tacoma. This year it is their intention to test Red Boy, Ham Island, and El Capitan and should these properties prove good additional quarries with increased employment will be the result.
May 20, 1938: Wrangell Women's Civic Club celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday Saturday in the music room of the school building. The club is Alaska's oldest women's club, none other in the Territory having a quarter-century record of continuous organization and effort in community betterment. In recognition of the occasion a more elaborate luncheon was served than is usual at the club's regular luncheon meetings. The lace-covered tables were centered with bowls of double white lilacs sent from Seattle by Mrs. H.H. Hungerford whose box also included mint cups and lace cards tied in blue and silver ribbons.
May 17, 1963: Bryant Benjamin, local high school student and member of both the Wrangell High School chorus and band, will leave next week for Hattiesburg, Miss., to participate in a summer musical program. Bryant is the only student from Alaska to join the 124-piece specially selected band. Members of the U.S. high school bands are selected from the entire 50 states and is limited to 124 members. The group will assemble on the University of Mississippi campus for a week of intensive drill and rehearsal, the band will be touring the east coast thence across the southern part of the states to California. The tour will include a concert in Disneyland. The group will return to the Mississippi campus and en route will spend a week in Mexico, including a concert in Mexico City.
May 19, 1988: Twenty-four cyclists ranging in age from 6 through adults pedaled 323 miles May 14 to raise about $2,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Organizer Carrie Wallace said pledges totaled $1,988.15, but the sum raised in the event was expected to rise above $2,000 when all the payments were in. Ian Buness won the grand prize of a bicycle for taking in the highest sum in pledges, Wallace said. He was among four youths who tallied 24 miles apiece as they pedaled from the Presbyterian Church around Airport Road and back again. Also tallying 24 miles were Tony Byford, Tammi Stough and Leah Bower. One child, Belinda Campbell, was injured in the event when her bicycle plunged down a 15-foot embankment near the airport. What initially was believed to be a broken leg ended up being a bruise. Wallace offered her appreciation to local emergency medical volunteers for their quick response to the accident. She also said local police officers Bruce Pratz and Bart Ellerbroeck helped out throughout the day. Local businesses that contributed prizes to the event included Buness Bros, Diamond C Café, North Arm Expediting, Freeman-Bell, Angerman's, Wrangell Auto Parts, Stikine Bar, Wrangell Drug, Maggie's & Son, Nugget Video, City Market and Benjamin's. Many other businesses pledged money to individual cyclists. Volunteers for the event were Sue Vowell, Don and Sheryl Carpenter, Mike and Pam Ford, Glenda Gillen and Sue Flanary. Money raised goes to the research center, which is striving to find a cure for cancer.
Reader Comments(0)