Oct 01, 2018 driven by wartime urgency, the building of the alaska highway remains an epic accomplishment, 75 years later. And the farther away from base camp you were, the harder the living conditions. Civilian contractors and the army corps of engineers were responsible for building the highway. Aug 04, 2016 at historic milepost 710 is rancheria lodge, which was one of the first lodges to open on the alaska highway and one of the few original lodges still operating today. Jun 06, 2016 president franklin roosevelt authorized the construction of the alaska canada highway alcan in 1942 to connect alaska to the continental united states. American experience building the alaska highway promo. Jackie and her team struggle lifting the 250pound stove from the bay up to the cabin, and the hills arrive at their build site to find their materials buried under the snow. As late as 1947 congressman warren magnuson of washington continued to promote construction of route a, which he called the real alaska highway. That signing will be followed by a dinner and discussion with the authors. Sep 25, 20 construction of the alcan highway alcan was the military acronym for the alaska canada highway officially began on march 9, 1942. It was decided to develop a land link to our small forces in alaska and. Featured roads range from the southeast panhandle to the nome area, and. I bought this book after watching the history channel documentary on the construction of the alaska highway for about the fourth time. Yukon campgrounds rv parks is your guide to driving the alaska highway from mile 0 in dawson creek to the alaska border at beaver creek.
After the japanese attack on pearl harbor in december 1941, the united states government decided that an inland route to alaska was vital. But it also disrupted indigenous peoples, wildlife and habitats, and exposed the need for study and consultation. And now a book produced by the department of transportation and public facilities, historic roads of alaska, provides a highly visual account of some of this states most storied roads. It is an invaluable 768 page book that documents the entire trip including every gas station and motel along the way. Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. In the 1920s, the united states wanted a route through canada to connect alaska its largest and most sparsely populated territory with the 48 states south of the. In canada, no particular road has been officially designated as the panamerican highway. In the face of a serious threat of a japanese invasion, a preliminary road was rammed through forest wilderness and 5 mountain ranges in only 8 months. In the event of a japanese invasion, the alcan highway would be necessary to protect alaska. The biggest and hardest job since the panama canal u.
The alaska highway was the engineering marvel of world war ii and was once described as the largest and most difficult construction project since the panama canal. Military planners realized how vulnerable alaska was to seaborne attack and invasion. I am looking for a book about building the alaskacanadian highway. In may of 1942, across the rugged subarctic wilderness of alaska and canada, thousands of american soldiers began one of the biggest and most difficult construction projects ever undertakenbuilding the alaska highway. Route 97 location alaska route 2 history proposed, but never designated the portion of the alaska highway in alaska was planned to become part of the united states numbered highway system, and to be signed as part of u. Everything you need to know before attempting the alcan highway. In the early years of the territory few women came to the klondike. In the diy network series building alaska, viewers follow a cast of characters who set out to construct incredible cabins in rugged and remote areas in the alaskan wilderness. The collection includes photographs taken of construction on the alaska highway. Africanamerican soldiers who helped build alaska highway. In alaska you can find a lot of history right under your tires.
For the soldiers and civilian workers building the alaska highway, it was a hard life. Army corps of engineers a bulldozer of the 340th engineers, northern sector, meets the lead clearing dozer of the 35th engineers, southern sector, near watson lake, yukon territory to complete the linking of the sectors and provide a road from fort st john to whitehorse. Only a very small percentage of these women were black. Jun 12, 2010 department of defense pin 23086 alaska highway 1944 construction of the 1,500 miles of the alaskan highway. Army engineers were ordered to construct a road that would. From this international border, it is 200 miles322 km to delta junction, ak historical mile 1422, the official end of the alaska highway, and 298 miles to fairbanks, the unofficial end of the highway, at historical mile 1520. Forgotten facts about the black who built the alaska highway. Its not indepth, however, but makes a great picture book to share with my 3year old grandson, whos into trucks, machinery and getting things.
Alaska highway mile 0 is in dawson creek, british colombia and the alcan highway officially ends at delta junction at the historic milepost 1422. Studevant, was to build a pioneer road suitable for supply trucks as. Jul 01, 2017 dennis and christine mcclure, authors of we fought the road, a book about the building of the alaska canada highway, will hold a book signing at the university of alaska anchorage book store on july 10, from 4 to 6 p. Northwest epic is the panoramic story of the courageous u. My mother came to alaska to work with the army corps of engineers on building the alcan highway. Mary baker i am looking for a book about building the.
Love letters inspire book on building of alaska highway. The alaska highway book the seattle public library. Twichell is a former west point history teacher whose father was an army officer involved with the project. Department of defense pin 23086 alaska highway 1944 construction of the 1,500 miles of the alaskan highway.
Phyllis lee brebner personal account by one of the many women joining the armed forces to work where needed and who was sent north to a camp during construction of the alaska highway. Plodding, statisticsclogged account of the construction of the alcan highway, hacked out of the canadianalaskan wilderness by the us military and private contractors during the early, anxietyfilled days of ww ii. Why building of the alaska highway is still an epic feat. Alaska highway, guide to driving the alaska highway. Their mission is to build a 1,500milelong highway through the canadian and alaskan wildernesses to link remote fairbanks, alaska, with the. Questions about the highway s usefulness persisted as well.
The book is an excellent story that contains a lot more facts than. The majestic history of the longest and most ambitious road built in american history, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The building of the alaska highway by heath twichell. The alaska building, which now houses the courtyard by marriott seattle downtownpioneer square is a 15floor building in seattle, washington completed in 1904 to designs by st. The original lodge was constructed of logs, but as the business grew the building was enlarged using materials scavenged from a nearby abandoned construction camp.
Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. The lodges of the alaska hwy whitehorse to the cassiar highway junction on our way south from whitehorse we decided it would be interesting to stop and have a look at some of the historic highway lodges along the way. University of alaska fairbanks alaska film archives. Dennis and christine mcclure, authors of we fought the road, a book about the building of the alaskacanada highway, will hold a book signing at the university of alaska anchorage book store on july 10, from 4 to 6 p. Alaska highway driving map and description of alcan highway. Construction of the alcan highway alcan was the military acronym for the alaskacanada highway officially began on march 9, 1942. With dan sheedy, steve box, adam tschappat, mike williams. One of the excellent displays in alaska highway house shows a member of the 97th army corps engineers, an africanamerican unit, in his muddy jeep on a section of corduroy road. Begun immediately after the japanese attack on pearl harbor, the alcan. Buy this book in response to the japanese attack on pearl harbor. Questions about the highways usefulness persisted as well. Alaskan archives alaska highway construction primary.
Building the alaska highway by wgbh overdrive rakuten. Why building of the alaska highway is still an epic feat 75. Jan 31, 2019 the longest section in the book road is united by the common strand of the building of the alaska highway. The account also highlights in particular experiences of these black soldiers which are described further in their new book on the subject, we fought the road. President franklin roosevelt authorized the construction of the alaskacanada highway alcan in 1942 to connect alaska to the continental united states. Before you start planning your trip down the alaska highway, get the milepost. Griggs tells this story in his book the world war ii black regiment that built the alaska military highway. Ghost lodges of the alaska highway our home has 6 wheels. Its not indepth, however, but makes a great picture book to share with my 3year old grandson, whos into trucks, machinery and getting things unstuck from mud. Starting with the negotiations between two nations over its construction, it describes the string of airports spread across the british columbia, the yukon and alaska, known as the north west staging route, and the black soldiers who helped build the pioneer road.
In may of 1942, thousands of american soldiers began the building of the alaska highway. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest building in the state of washingtonand remained so until the 1910 completion of spokanes old national bank building. Images include caterpillar tractors clearing forests, building roads, pulling trucks and other equipment. Although initially there was little work for women aside from the dance halls, black women earned a living by baking or sewing, working as domestic servants, mining and even running their own businesses. The building of the alaska highway heath twichell, author st. In 1953, the british columbia government renumbered a series of highways to highway 97 between the u. Kashevaroff apk building 395 whittier street juneau ak 99801. The highway is often referred to as the alaskan highway or the alcan highway, which came from shortening alaska and canada highway. We develop, publish, and manage standard construction contract specifications, standard modifications for highways and statewide special provisions for highways and airports, as well as coordinate with and advise others in development and use of specifications for buildings, marine highways, and harbors. The acm incorporates the current policies and procedures of the department with the statutory and regulatory requirements of state and federal governments. It begins at the junction with several canadian highways in dawson creek, british columbia, and runs to delta junction, alaska, via whitehorse, yukon. The alaska highway is the northern part of the unofficial panamerican highway, a drivable series of roads that begin at the top of alaska and end at the southern tip of south america. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite. Army engineers march back to camp after a day of work building the alaska highway in 1942.
The longest section in the book road is united by the common strand of the building of the alaska highway. A listing of books about the alaska highway, from history to current travel. I seem to have misplaced my book and would like to get one for a friend. The alaska highway crosses into alaska at historical mile 1221. The alaska highway an adventure any time of the year. In this section on the alaska highway we will look at the campgrounds along the alcan highway and many of the most interesting destinations that ought to be enjoyed on a trip over the highway to the last frontier. The building of the alaska highway heath twichell on. The account also highlights in particular experiences of these black soldiers which are described further in their new book on the subject, we. Northwest epic is the story of the explorers, aviators, soldiers, and courageous laborers who toiled throught the early 1940s, racing against time to finish the 1,500mile road so that the japanese couldnt invade alaska after pearl harbor. The distance is nearly 30,000 continuous miles of roads, although there is a small break in the colombian rainforest. Alaska highway, constructed 194243 from dawson creek, british columbia to fairbanks, alaska. Oct 23, 2017 the account also highlights in particular experiences of these black soldiers which are described further in their new book on the subject, we fought the road.
Army engineers and civilian contractors who toiled in the tense months after pearl harbor to build a 1,500mile emergency supply line through the canadian rockies to isolated. I am looking for a book about building the alaska canadian highway. Some are still operating, but many have been shut down, their doors closed for good. Everything you need to know before attempting the alcan. Alcan is a contraction of alaska and canada, and its. Construction of the alaska highway was dependent upon southern priorities, not. A brief history of the alaska highway lodges during construction and the early days. About a third of the 10,000 men who built the highway were engineers in segregated allblack. The epic project that built the alaska highway and the highways role in the defense of america during world war ii is relatively well known. There was not a strong push for the development of the highway until the japanese defeat of the american pacific fleet at pearl harbor on december 7, 1941.
Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. I really like these old photos and the related history of the building of the highway. The owens work to finish the roof, but multiple falling objects and whiteout conditions make the job perilous. In the 1920s, the united states wanted a route through canada to connect alaska its largest and most sparsely populated territory with the 48 states south of the 49th parallel. Working 7 days a week, they endured mosquitoes and black flies in summer and below zero temperatures in winter. Army engineers and civilian contractors who toiled in the tense months after pearl harbor to build a 1,500mile emergency supply line through the rugged canadian rockies to isolated military bases in alaska. The majestic history of the longest and most ambitious road built in. Driven by wartime urgency, the building of the alaska highway remains an epic accomplishment, 75 years later the highway began as a dream. However, the unofficial end of the highway is mile 1520 in fairbanks alaska, but the last 96 miles are on the richardson highway, not technically the alcan highway. Story of alaska highway construction alcan during world war ii. Senate investigation of the canol project led by harry truman, the junior senator from missouri. Best books on alaska score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.