Libraries, Archives, Museums: Alaskan road and highway construction primary sources: Alaska State Library Historical Collections

Alaska State Library Historical Collections

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Alaska Department of Highway Photograph Collection: Walter Hickel (“Haul Road”) Construction, 1968-1969
PCA 82. Images include equipment, construction, mobile camps, aerial views, Dept. of Highway employees and construction workers. The collection also includes a typescript "The History of the Haul Road."
Alaska Road Commission Photograph Collection, circa 1909-1959
PCA 61. Photographs, photograph albums, color slides and lantern slides related to road projects and highways in Alaska, including the Haines Highway and highways between Circle and Homer.
Alaska Records Describing the Work of the U.S. Alaska Road Commission, 1915-1957, and the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, 1963-1974
MS 83-3. These records primarily include scrapbooks of newspaper clippings describing the work of the U.S. Alaska Road Commission, 1915-1921 and U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, 1963-1974. Includes miscellaneous records concerning the Savage Bridge Project in Mt.McKinley National Park (1950's-1960's); earthquake damage to the highway system in 1964; several project engineer field diaries for the Starrigavan Bay Crossing, Sitka Highway.
Bruce A. Campbell Alaska Road Commission Collection, 1952-1970s
PCA 547. History of the Alaska Road Commission and related organizations: Alaska Railroad Commission, Bureau of Public Roads, and Department of Transportation, as well as documentation of selected road building projects in Alaska, circa 1952-1970s.
Winfield Scott Tilton Photograph Collection, 1951-1960
PCA 542. Photographs taken in Alaska by Winfield Scott Tilton, between 1951 and 1960, while he was employed by the Alaska Road Commission and later the Bureau of Public Roads.
U.S. Bureau of Public Roads Photograph Collection, 1967
PCA 229. This collection of photographs records the damage done to Fairbanks and surrounding areas at the time of the Chena River flood in August of 1967. The river, which runs through the city of Fairbanks, flooded buildings, covered streets and damaged bridges. The Elliot and Steese Highways and the Chena Hot Springs Road sustained roadbed and bridge damage due to the flooding. A preliminary report, written by Gene O. Hanna is included with the photographs.
U.S. Federal Highway Administration Photograph Collection, ca. 1950-1980
PCA 244. This collection contains views relating to the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges in Alaska supervised by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, Alaska Road Commission, U.S. Federal Highway Administration and the Alaska State Department of Highways. Volumes 2, 4, 6 and 7 were compiled by personnel of the 2nd Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army, following a 1957 road inspection trip.

Credits

This guide is supported in whole or in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Alaska State Library.