The Way We Were In the Sentinel 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

October 16, 1919

Almost the entire town turned out Sunday to witness the launching of Walter Waters’ new boat, Princess Pat, which took place from William Fletcher’s boat shop. The boat was shipped knocked down from the De Foe Company of Grand Rapids, Mich. The frame is of oak and the planking of cypress, while the cabins and pilot house are of Alaska cedar. The boat is fitted with the latest Pullman berths. It will probably be a month before the Princess Pat makes her maiden voyage. Mr. Waters will continue to operate the Glenora, and with two boats at his disposal, will be able to give improved service in handling the freight and passenger traffic between Wrangell and the West Coast.

October 13, 1944

With the completion of the installation of its handsome mural last week, Wrangell may now boast of one of the most beautiful post offices in Alaska or anywhere else. The work was done under the direction of Arnold Prusi. The oil painting is fourteen feet by eight feet and completely fills the wall from the wainscoting to the ceiling with a space cut out for the postmaster’s door. The mural, painted by Marianne Appel and Austin Mecklem through the Section of Fine Arts of the Public Building administration, is a composite picture of various towns in Alaska, with traces easily distinguishable of Juneau, Petersburg and Wrangell. Seen in the foreground are totem poles, busy fishermen, evergreen trees, wildlife, and a placid bay stretches into the distance dotted with islands. On the right are the docks, canneries and a busy little town over which tower a typical Alaskan mountain. The mural was painted in Woodstock, New York and arrived here in good order.

October 16, 1969

Doris Barnes has returned from Washington, D.C. from the meeting of the National Federation of Republican Women. While there she was honored as one of the nation’s leading Republican women. Mrs. Barnes was most recently the National Committeewoman for Alaska. She also served two terms in the Territory of Alaska House and two terms in the Territory Senate.

October 20, 1994

Moose season closed on Saturday and Charlie Land, area biologist with Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game said hunter success was generally good although total kill may be down slightly from previous years. Land said hunters general saw moose but many did not see a bull meeting antler requirements.