What happened on Vanderbilt Reef in October 1918? And why was the sinking of the S.S. Princess Sophia quickly forgotten in Alaska and Canada?
History
Opera based on century-old Princess Sophia disaster premieres in Juneau
Alaskan artists come together to write, compose, and conduct an original opera based on the deadliest maritime disaster in Alaska history: the October 1918 shipwreck and sinking of the Princess Sophia that killed over 340 people near Juneau.
Through digital storytelling, Bristol Bay students uncover the NN Cannery’s history
The NN Cannery in Naknek was in operation almost continuously from 1895 until 2015. In early October, 19 students at Bristol Bay High School took part in a digital workshop to document stories of the people who worked there.
Native Americans Propose Change To Yellowstone Landmark Names
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names is considering renaming a mountain and a valley in Yellowstone. The park features are named for men whose work was tied to mass killings of Native people.
Did Wyatt Earp really leave his gun in Juneau?
How did the Red Dog Saloon come to have an antique Smith & Wesson No. 3 mounted behind the bar — and did it really belong to Wyatt Earp? Curious Juneau tries to find out.
Quinhagak’s Nunalleq dig site starts a new chapter in community-based archaeology
Quinhagak took a big step to redraft its cultural narrative this month with the opening of the largest museum collection of Yup’ik artifacts in the world, located off the of the Bering Sea coast. The village has been regaining pre-contact cultural knowledge, leading to a deeper understanding of its Yup’ik heritage.
Sealaska Heritage reveals hidden details on century-old Tlingit box drum with infrared scans
A Southeast Alaska cultural center will study a Tlingit bentwood drum that’s more than a hundred years old. By scanning the box drum in infrared, century-old details are returning to the surface.
Nunalleq Culture And Archaeology Center opens in Quinhagak
Quinhagak’s new museum is home to 60,000 artifacts, the largest collection of pre-contact Yup’ik artifacts in the world. The opening was the culmination of nine years of back-breaking work, and the result of a unique partnership between Quinhagak’s village corporation and archaeologists.
Largest shipment of Yup’ik artifacts in the world arrives in Quinhagak
The world’s largest collection of Yup’ik artifacts finally has arrived home in Quinhagak on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta coast. After shipping delays in Europe, the Nunalleq artifacts have returned in time for the community’s museum opening.
Y-K Delta communities mull options for National Guard armories
With the Cold War long over, and Alaska Army National Guard recruitment plummeting, the old armories aren’t needed to conduct surveillance as they did in the past.