The Way We Were

Sept. 22, 1921

Forest Examiner Kline has been a recent Wrangell visitor and while here made a trip up the river with Forest Ranger McKechnie to look over the trail that was put in from the garnet ledge several years ago. It has grown over since then and is almost obliterated in place. Frank Spaulding will brush it out so that it can be used by trappers and other travelers this winter. Mr. Spaulding will also build himself a cabin at Four Mile Creek, which is four miles above the garnet ledge, and will occupy it. Travelers over the trail will be welcome to stop there on their way. Four miles farther up is the government cabin, which makes it possible to find shelter again.

Sept. 20, 1946

Last Friday was strictly a snafu day for a party of travelers coming down the river. In the party were Mr. and Mrs. John Cartmel, former Provincial Government Agent at Telegraph Creek, and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kerr, of Downington, Pennsylvania, who had been big game hunting in British Columbia. The two couples started from Telegraph Creek early that morning, intending to catch the Canadian boat southbound. Just above the canyon, a bearing burned out on their engine and for a few moments they were at the mercy of the river currents. They landed on a sand bar but were unable to get to shore because of the depth of the water between the bar and the riverbank. From 9 in the morning until 7 in the evening they were stranded. They had no wood to make a fire but had meals “out of the can.” The boat was small, without many comforts, and big grizzly tracks on the bar added to the thrill of their experience. The Hazel B, owned by Ritchie Transportation, took the party aboard and brought them to Wrangell.

Sept. 24, 1971

Don Schirmer has Wrangell back on the airways as a ham operator after a silence from the island of 11 years. That’s when the last ham left, Schirmer said. Schirmer’s ham handle (name) is KL7-CYB. He has been a ham operator since 1946 but hasn’t been active since he lived in Bethel in 1964. Recently, his wife, Harriet Schirmer, surprised him on their 10th wedding anniversary with radio equipment to set up shop again, and Don got back on the air. He is chatting now with hams all over the world and one of his first contacts was Art Sorenson, at Ketchikan. “Say hello to my father-in-law at City Market,” he told Don. He was talking about Roland Curtis, operator of the market.

Sept. 26, 1996

Visitors to the Wrangell Museum this week will see scenes from Rainbow Falls, Nemo Point, Shakes Island and other local areas painted and sketched, presented as a gift to the Forest Service by interpreter/artist in residence Mary Keefer Bloom. Bloom volunteers her time and talents to the U.S. Forest Service throughout the country. After working in the field, she contributes some of her artwork, primarily paintings, to be used as the Forest Service sees fit. While working in Wrangell this summer, Bloom also offered two free classes in working with pastels, charcoal and watercolors. Throughout her classes she emphasized the importance of gradual light and color movement in the paintings and capturing the feel of day or evening on paper. Her paintings and sketches in the museum represent light at various times of the day and its affect on the landscapes. Bloom’s 18 works are now on display.