Wrangell History
By Pat Roppel and the friends of the library
Prohibition Recipe
Prohibition- when it was illegal to sell, make, smuggle or drink alcoholic beverages- came to Alaska in January 1, 1918. Before the British Colombia went dry in July 1917. In May 1917, it became illegal in the United States to serve liquor to a serviceman. Alaska had its own Bone Dry Law in addition to the federal amendment law.
Ingenious Alaskans found ways to make “bathtub gin”, “home brew”, and “White lightening”, as well as other fermented products. The strangest one I have heard of is this account in 1922:
“Eat a piece of raisin pie and a cake of yeast, drink a pint of water, and then pull your chair up to a hot stove. In ten minutes, to test the kick, get up and try to walk around the chair. Waitresses in cafes say numerous patrons have standard order for raisin pie and a cake of yeast. None have been arrested for having liquor on the hip and none of the restaurants have been locked up as bootleggers.
Wrangell Island Non-Indigenous species
Most of us know elk were transplanted to Etolin Island in the 1980’s and they have migrated onto Wrangell Island. Elk were not our first non-indigenous species. Pheasants and rabbits were brought to the island. Mongolian pheasants were planted in 1941 by the Alaska Game Commission. A year later the birds were reported to be doing well, so a plan was made to plant Kaleege pheasants, native to the Himalayas of Asia. I haven’t found if the latter were imported and released. Eventually the original transplanted birds vanished, undoubtedly with the help of local dogs and hunters.
Wrangell Fire Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stocked rabbits from Whidbey Island and Washington in the summer of 1951. People were asked not to hunt the animals until they multiplied and moved around the island. Apparently the transplant was not successful.
Wrangell's Chamber of Commerce Building History
DIEHL/NEYMAN
NEYMAN SUPPLY
224 FRONT STREET
THE DIEHL/NEYMAN BUILDING IS ONE OF THE FEW FALSE FRONTED BUILDINGS
ON FRONT STREET IN ALMOST IN ALMOST UNALTERED CONDITIONS.
THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED BY R.C. DIEHL IN 1898.
LITTLE IS KNOWN OF THE USE OF THE BUILDING, ALTHOUGH A MENTION
ON THE STICKEEN RIVER JOURNAL NEWSPAPER FOR 1989 NOTED THAT DIEHLWAS OPENING A GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE.
HOWEVER, NO ADVERTISMENTS CAN BE FOUND IN LATER EDITIONS
OF THE NEWSPAPERS SUPPORTING THIS VENTURE.
DIEHL WAS FROM MONTROSE, COLORADO AND MOED TO
WRANGELL IN 1898.HE HAD BEEN ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF MONTROSE, AND HAD BEEN A BUSINESSMAN AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY. THE LURE OF GOLD BROUGHT DIEHL,HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER, AS WELL AS A BROTHER TO ALASKA.
HE LEFT FORT WRNAGELL FOR THE GOLD FIELDS OF THE NORTH.
HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER RETURNED TO MONTROSE WHILE DIEHL FOLLOWED THE QUEST FOR GOLD.HE IS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN A PARTNER IN A MERCHANDISE STORE IN DAWSON CITY. HE IS ALSO A REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN A PARTNER IN A MERCHANDISE STORE IN DAWSON CITY. HE RETURNED TO COLORADO DURING THE EARLY 1900’S. NO FURTHER DOCUMENTATION OF THE BUILDING IS AVAILABLE.
THE BUILDING WAS MOVED BACK FROM THE STREET IN 1928. GEORGE HATTON, NES LEMIEUX AND GEORGE CASE MOVED THE BUILDING NORTHEAST ELEVEN FEET ON THE LOT TO LINE UP WITH OTHER BUILDINGS AND STRAIGHTEN FRONT STREET.
THE PATENAUDE FAMILY OWNED THE BUILDING UNTIL 1947 WHEN IT WAS SOLD TO WILLIAM GUNN, KNOWN LOCALLY AS BROTHER GUNN.
GUNN, AN EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY, TOOK OVER THE SHOE REPAIR SHOP
AND OVER SAW THE MISSIONARY LOCATED DOWN THE STREET.
THE BUILDING HAS HOUSED VARIUOSE RETIAL STORES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,WITH THE OWNERS OFTEN LIVING UPSTAIRS.
IT WAS USED AS A RESIDENCE AND BUSINESS IN 1914. A SMALL GROCERY STORE OWNED BYGEORGE COWAN OPERATED HERE IN 1927.
THE BUILDING HOUSED A SHOE REPAIR SHOP AND RAILWAY EXPRESS
OFFICE OPERATED BY THE NEYMAN FAMILY IN 1947.
THE BUILDING BECAME NEYMAN SUPPLY AFTER THE FIRE OF 1952.
THE FIRE BURNED MOST OF THE WEST SIDE OF FRONT STREET, INCLUDING NEYMAN’S GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE.
AFTER THE FIRE, GUNN ASSISTED THE NEYMANS WHO SUFFERED SEVERAL LOSSES. HE ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE WHAT WAS LEFT OF THEIR STOCK INTO HALF OF THE BUILDING. THE NEYMAN FAMILY PURCHASED THE BUILDING IN 1954 AND OPENED AN AUTO PARTS STORE. AFTTER MR. NEYMAN’S DEATH IN 1959, DOROTHY NEYMAN CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE STORE KNOWN AS NEYMAN SUPPLY. SHE CLOSED THE SHOP IN MARCH 1983.
Wrangell's History in Photos
Photos taken by Tony Nazar
you can view more photos on Tony Nazars website
click here
japanes lumber ships at Wrangell circa 1970
Wrangell, Alaska
Wrangell, Alaska circa 1969
Wrangell, Alaska circa 1969
Alaska Airlines Twin Otter at Wrangell
Alaska Airlines Grumman Goose at Wrangell
Alaska Airlines Grumman Goose at Wrangell
Alaska Airlines Grumman Goose at Wrangell
Ferry Terminal
M/V Malaspina- an Alaskan Marine Highway Ferry.
These vessels provide transportation between the island towns and
cities in Southeast Alaska. Alaskans refer to these vessels as blue canoes.
M/V Malaspina
She was not US built, but received a special exemption from
the Jones Act to ply the inside passage while a new ferry was being built.
Campbell towboats Rambler and Gwylan
at the company flaots in Wrangell Harbor
Front Street from vicinity of City Building Supply, note the ANB Hall next door
From Totem Bar & Stella's Bakery looking south
New (c.1970) construction on Front St. Thebuilding had retail and office space.
Hospital Under Construction
Primary school building under construction
The Angerman brothers Totem Bar and Lee Stella's bakery.
Star Cab was owned by Bob Burrill
Fred & Leonard Angerman's Totem Bar
Front Street
Two Kadashan totems, Crane on the left and Red Snapper on the right.
These are located on Shakes Island in Wrangell's inner harbor.
Kicksetti Totem in Wrangell
Sea Serpent and Bear Up Mountain on Shakes Island, Wrangell
Shakes House on Shakes Island
Ed Callbreath's Margaret Rose
Margaret Rose headed toward (?) Telegraph Creek.
He may have been arriving, not departing.
Foreground: Stikine River boat Margaret Rose.
Background: CP cruise ship Princess Patricia
CP tour boat Princess Patricia at Wrangell
Princess Pat
Campbell Towing tug Rambler working the log pond at Wrangell Lumber Co
Wrangell Lumber Rambler
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