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. But it also disrupted indigenous peoples, wildlife and habitats, and exposed the need for study and consultation. 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. It was decided to develop a land link to our small forces in alaska and. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. 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. The account also highlights in particular experiences of these black soldiers which are described further in their new book on the subject, we. The longest section in the book road is united by the common strand of the building of the alaska highway.
Everything you need to know before attempting the alcan highway. And the farther away from base camp you were, the harder the living conditions. That signing will be followed by a dinner and discussion with the authors. Griggs tells this story in his book the world war ii black regiment that built the alaska military highway. Twichell is a former west point history teacher whose father was an army officer involved with the project. It is an invaluable 768 page book that documents the entire trip including every gas station and motel along the way. About a third of the 10,000 men who built the highway were engineers in segregated allblack. Building the alaska highway by wgbh overdrive rakuten.
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. Studevant, was to build a pioneer road suitable for supply trucks as. 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. 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. Why building of the alaska highway is still an epic feat. Jun 12, 2010 department of defense pin 23086 alaska highway 1944 construction of the 1,500 miles of the alaskan highway. 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. After the japanese attack on pearl harbor in december 1941, the united states government decided that an inland route to alaska was vital. University of alaska fairbanks alaska film archives. The owens work to finish the roof, but multiple falling objects and whiteout conditions make the job perilous. 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 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. Ghost lodges of the alaska highway our home has 6 wheels.
Mary baker i am looking for a book about building the. Military planners realized how vulnerable alaska was to seaborne attack and invasion. 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. 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. Jan 31, 2019 the longest section in the book road is united by the common strand of the building of the alaska highway. The alaska highway an adventure any time of the year. For the soldiers and civilian workers building the alaska highway, it was a hard life. Alaska highway mile 0 is in dawson creek, british colombia and the alcan highway officially ends at delta junction at the historic milepost 1422. The alaska highway, built in fear and haste by the u.
I really like these old photos and the related history of the building of the highway. 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. Alaska highway, guide to driving the alaska highway. Forgotten facts about the black who built the alaska highway. I seem to have misplaced my book and would like to get one for a friend. President franklin roosevelt authorized the construction of the alaskacanada highway alcan in 1942 to connect alaska to the continental united states. 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. Love letters inspire book on building of alaska highway. Senate investigation of the canol project led by harry truman, the junior senator from missouri. Story of alaska highway construction alcan during world war ii. As late as 1947 congressman warren magnuson of washington continued to promote construction of route a, which he called the real alaska highway. American experience building the alaska highway promo. Driven by wartime urgency, the building of the alaska highway remains an epic accomplishment, 75 years later the highway began as a dream. 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.
Questions about the highway s usefulness persisted as well. The alaska highway book the seattle public library. The biggest and hardest job since the panama canal u. Begun immediately after the japanese attack on pearl harbor, the alcan. 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. My mother came to alaska to work with the army corps of engineers on building the alcan highway. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. 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.
Before you start planning your trip down the alaska highway, get the milepost. Why building of the alaska highway is still an epic feat 75. Department of defense pin 23086 alaska highway 1944 construction of the 1,500 miles of the alaskan highway. The acm incorporates the current policies and procedures of the department with the statutory and regulatory requirements of state and federal governments. 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. 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. 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. I am looking for a book about building the alaskacanadian highway. A brief history of the alaska highway lodges during construction and the early days.
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. 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. Sep 25, 20 construction of the alcan highway alcan was the military acronym for the alaska canada highway officially began on march 9, 1942. In canada, no particular road has been officially designated as the panamerican highway. Alaska highway, constructed 194243 from dawson creek, british columbia to fairbanks, alaska.
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 majestic history of the longest and most ambitious road built in american history, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. 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. 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. It begins at the junction with several canadian highways in dawson creek, british columbia, and runs to delta junction, alaska, via whitehorse, yukon. Featured roads range from the southeast panhandle to the nome area, and. Civilian contractors and the army corps of engineers were responsible for building the highway.
In 1953, the british columbia government renumbered a series of highways to highway 97 between the u. 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. Northwest epic is the panoramic story of the courageous u. 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. 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.
Construction of the alaska highway was dependent upon southern priorities, not. A listing of books about the alaska highway, from history to current travel. Alcan is a contraction of alaska and canada, and its. 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.
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. Construction of the alcan highway alcan was the military acronym for the alaskacanada highway officially began on march 9, 1942. Alaska highway driving map and description of alcan highway. The alaska highway crosses into alaska at historical mile 1221. Army engineers march back to camp after a day of work building the alaska highway in 1942. Their mission is to build a 1,500milelong highway through the canadian and alaskan wildernesses to link remote fairbanks, alaska, with the. 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.
The highway is often referred to as the alaskan highway or the alcan highway, which came from shortening alaska and canada highway. I am looking for a book about building the alaska canadian highway. 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 early years of the territory few women came to the klondike. The building of the alaska highway heath twichell on. 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. Some are still operating, but many have been shut down, their doors closed for good. The building of the alaska highway by heath twichell. 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.
Oct 01, 2018 driven by wartime urgency, the building of the alaska highway remains an epic accomplishment, 75 years later. Its not indepth, however, but makes a great picture book to share with my 3year old grandson, whos into trucks, machinery and getting things. 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. The collection includes photographs taken of construction on the alaska highway. In alaska you can find a lot of history right under your tires.
The book is an excellent story that contains a lot more facts than. 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. Army engineers were ordered to construct a road that would. Buy this book in response to the japanese attack on pearl harbor.
Only a very small percentage of these women were black. 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. The building of the alaska highway heath twichell, author st. In the event of a japanese invasion, the alcan highway would be necessary to protect alaska.
I bought this book after watching the history channel documentary on the construction of the alaska highway for about the fourth time. In may of 1942, thousands of american soldiers began the building of the alaska highway. Alaskan archives alaska highway construction primary. Everything you need to know before attempting the alcan. 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.
Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite. Images include caterpillar tractors clearing forests, building roads, pulling trucks and other equipment. 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. 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. The distance is nearly 30,000 continuous miles of roads, although there is a small break in the colombian rainforest. 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. Questions about the highways usefulness persisted as well.
44 154 434 381 1492 287 318 330 1157 850 136 1498 1388 587 1377 1465 374 28 1234 66 1416 24 638 1268 1019 676 588 342 17 467 1313 539 265 211 1197