Hello Friends, 

I was surprised and pleased this week to receive notification that an article I was interviewed for a month or so ago is now available to read at the National Geographic website! “The Rugged Past and Fragile Future of Alaska’s Roadhouses,” by Anchorage writer Bailey Berg, is a wide-ranging look at historic roadhouses such as the Black Rapids, Sullivan, Talkeetna, Gakona, Meier’s Lake, and many others. Some good history, great photos, and fun quotes — including a couple from me!

“When Hegener wrote Alaskan Roadhouses in 2015, she estimated that roughly three or four dozen of the original several thousand roadhouses still stood. Most of the ones that are preserved are on major thoroughfares...”

If you like historic roadhouses, check out my book:

Order Alaskan Roadhouses at Shopify

The July-August, 2021 issue update

The July-August issue of Alaskan History Magazine will be mailed June 15 for delivery near July 1st. This issue has a new cover design, a few layout changes inside, and some great articles, including Alaska Nellie, one of the territory’s most colorful and beloved personalities; Jujiro Wada, an enigmatic Japanese explorer and adventurer who helped blaze the Iditarod Trail; USGS Topographer-in-Charge Rufus Harvey Sargent, who led the efforts to map Alaska for 28 years; and the 1926-1929 U.S. Navy Aerial Alaskan Survey, which photographed about 12,000 square miles of difficult country with speed, precision, and high technical competence. Click below to pre-order the July-Aug issue, sent postpaid via first class on June 15. 

Pre-Order July-Aug

From the May-June, 2021 issue

Three articles from the May-June issue have been emailed to the paid subscribers to this newsletter: Historic Alaskan Hot Springs, the history of Knik, and Hotel Holman, later known as the Blix Roadhouse, in Copper Center.

Click here to subscribe to the paid edition for only $5/month or $40/year, and see all of the articles and photographs from the current issue, posted online every week and only available to paid subscribers.

Back Issues

The print magazine is available from Northern Light Media, from Amazon, from our online store at Shopify (above), or from your favorite book source, whether online or on the street! 

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From the Archives

The Jan-Feb issue, 2020 issue of Alaskan History Magazine featured an article about the Bard of the Yukon, Robert Service; you can read the entire article at the Alaskan History Magazine Newsletter’s Archives.

• Social Media: Alaskan History Magazine is active on SubStack, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For information visit the website.

Free Book Excerpts

• Free book excerpts posted to the newsletter site and emailed to all subscribers, both free and paid, almost every week, include A Woman Who Went to Alaska, Long Hard Trails and Sled Dog Tales, The Tanana Valley Railroad, The History of Seward, and The Land of Tomorrow. If you missed one they’re all still free to read at the newsletter site.

• There are two versions of this newsletter: 

~ A free subscription - the version you’re reading now - includes at least one weekly update, news of issue contents, articles and photos from the archives, occasional articles and excerpts from the current issue, almost weekly book excerpts, and access to the first two years of archived back issues (2019-2020).

~ A paid subscription ($5/month or $40/year) brings all of the updates, all of the articles from the print magazine (posted one or two per week), commenting and discussion of posts, book excerpts, and access to the complete archives through the current issue. 

• Digital Editions: The first two years of Alaskan History Magazine, 2019-2020, are available to read free online at issuu.com, the premier digital publication website. Nine issues, over 60 articles to read free in the original full color layouts! 

• Back Issues: Print back issues of Alaskan History Magazine are always available, see the Northern Light Media website for information about ordering back issues. Every issue is 48 pages, full color, and contains no advertising. Independently published in Alaska by Northern Light Media.

• Books from Northern Light Media include The Alaska Railroad 1902-1923, Alaskan Roadhouses, The Matanuska Colony Barns, The First Iditarod, Alaska & The Klondike, Camping and Trailing in Alaska (1909), The 1935 Matanuska Colony Project, and many more! Check them out at this link.

See you next week,

Thanks for reading!

Helen

Helen Hegener, publisher

Northern Light Media