July 7, 1921
In spite of threatening rain clouds and a chill in the air that felt like early spring instead of mid-summer, the Fourth of July celebration was a big success. The street sports took place following at the noon hour and went off without a hitch. The pole vaulting, high jumps and the slim horse contest were of special interest, although the crowd filled each number of the sport program with the closest attention. The rain began a while before the baseball game was called at the ball grounds and interfered somewhat with the attendance, but even a downpour could not dampen the ardor of most of the baseball fans and a good sized crowd witnessed the game which the Wrangell team won. In the tug-of-war, Wrangell defeated the American Legion team.
July 5, 1946
Southeastern Alaska harbors have been so taxed through the increase in fishing, lumbering and development of processing industries that more small boat facilities are needed, Col. Conrad P. Hardy, District Engineer, said this week. “During the war, river and harbor improvements in Alaska were kept to a minimum, except where direct war operations necessitated docks and similar improvements,” he said. Returning from a series of eight public river and harbor hearings, Col. Hardy praised the community interest shown in the development of trade facilities. The hearings opened 10 days ago at Ketchikan and extended to Douglas, Juneau, Kake, Haines and Skagway. The engineer said a second series of hearings is planned to obtain local views toward river and harbor improvements at other Alaska locations.
July 9, 1971
More than 200 persons turned out Monday to watch a Fourth of July spot-landing contest staged by local pilots at Wrangell airport. Brentwood Wiest, a flight instructor, chalked up the best score by logging an average of 49.5 feet in distance from a chalked mark on the runway. Each pilot had three chances to hit the mark, according to Bruce Walker, organizer of the event. Winners in the three divisions include: Student pilots: the Rev. Glenn Woodard, with an average of 85 feet, first; the Rev. Peter Gorges, 355 feet, second; and Dale Maenhout, 500 feet, third. Private Pilots: P.C. Mccormick III, 255 feet, first; and John Wellons, 435 feet, second. Commercial pilots: Brentwood Wiest, 49.5 feet, first: Jamie Bryson, 70 feet, second; and Dave Werner, 147.5 feet, third. A total of 10 pilots competed in the event, which Walker said is planned annually as part of the Fourth of July celebration. Don Schirmer served as official judge for the contest.
July 11, 1996
On the Fourth of July, the small band of players from the All-Star Little League Baseball Team of 1996 jumped on the truck ready to carry them around for all of Wrangell to see and cheer. The All-Stars will represent Wrangell in the Little League Tournament starting July 19 at the new field behind Evergreen Elementary. These activities will be the first to be held at the new facility. “The new field is really a fast field,” Fred Angeman said. “When the ball is hit or grounded, it really rolls around to the fence quickly. The city has done a really good job. The field is level, smooth, and has no big rocks. This is different considerably from the old field and the players are learning to adjust to it quickly.”
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