Wisconsin Colony Pioneers Reach Alaska Fifty Years On
Fifty years ago this week 69 Wisconsin families joined 202 midwest colonists on a 4000 mile trek to Matanuska Valley Alaska. They sailed from Green Bay to Seward May 1935 and soon drew 40 or 80 acre homesteads near Palmer amid a challenging early settlement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Colony Project
Seward
Alaskan
Anchorage
Palmer
Michigan
Green Bay
Rhinelander
Superior
St. Ignace
Mich
Seattle
North Star
Canada
Alaska
Alaska Railroad
Wisconsin Colonists in Alaska Roster for 1935 Matanuska Project
Official roster lists 69 Wisconsin families chosen to colonize the Matanuska Valley in Alaska. Only seven individuals remain on their original homesteads. many others live in Alaska cities or outside the state. The document counts children per family and notes surviving relatives in 50 years since departure on May 14, 1935. Key names include Campbell Abrams, Lentz Merrill, Nelson Riverview, Puhl Rice Lake, Weiler Medford, and others across Rhinelander, Iron River, Shell Lake, Superior, and more.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wisconsin
Alaska
Louie Odfather
Palmer
Elvn Kertulla
Harry and
Theodora Campbell
Abrams
Leroy
Gretchen Hammond
Iron River
William
Viola Lentz
Merrill
Ella Henry
Viroqua
Paul
Margaret Nelson
Riverview
Alice Smith
Bennett
Matanuska Valley
Nicholas
Elsa Weiler
Medford
Anchorage
Chilren
Joseph
Blanche Puhl
Rice Lake
Also Mentioned on This Page
Matanuska
Palmer, Alaska
Territory
New Deal
Russia
Upper Peninsula
U.S. Navy
Lake States
Sheboygan
Odfather
Arv Schaleben
Milwaukee Journal
Journal
Associated Press
49Th
Milwaukee
Alaska State Senate
Alaska House of Representatives
Jalmer Kertulla
Oscar
A. O. Smith Co
Kertulla
A. O. Smith
Elvi
Senate
Ray Rebarchek
Earl Barry
Oconto County
John E. Church
Nicolet National Forest
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Church
Ferber Bailey
Stiles
Alaska el
Lis
United States OF America
Upper Michigan
Kathy Nelson
Earl and
Louise Barry
William and
Lylabelle Bouwens
Joe
Velma Dragseth
Neil
Margaret Miller
Blair
Henry
Clystina la Rose
Phillips
John
Magdalene Lake
Chris and
Grace Anderson
Shell Lake
Clarence
Clara Anderson
Draper
Lawrence
Etta Arndt
Nelma
Hubert and
Ruth Bailey
Lena
Emil and
Irene Bayland
Robert
Dorothy Biller
Sylvia Bradley
Lake Nebagamon
Otis
Grace Brown
Enterprise
Harry
John and
Julia Church
George and
Edith Connors
South Range
Albert and
Catherine Covert
Cable
Walter and
Rose Clayton
Spooner
Ballard
Marion Dean
Nyle
Helen DeLand
Carl and
Ruth Ellison
Billings Park
Inga
Erickson
Mabel Ferguson
Ray and
Hazel Greise
Starks
Bernard and
Beatrice Gulberg
Leroy and
Francis and
Hilda Hermon
Plymouth
Leonard
Ella Herried
Trempealeau
Frank
Florence Hess
Cavour
Einer
Inez Huseby
Pembine
Viola Jensen
Kipler
Clinton
Doris Johnson
Winter
Victor
Elaria Johnson
Harshaw
James
Lillian Johnston
Eugene
Mary Javette
Bernice Koenen
Cecil
Mary Kurtz
Suring
Clare and
Emma LaFlam
Jalmer
Joseph and
Zuleika Lentz
Lunar
Eleanor Mattson
Ashland
Howard
Edith McKendry
Lester and
Mary Monroe
Hiles
Arthur and
Isabelle Nelson
Paul and
Riverviews
Virgie Nichols
Georgetown
George
Catherine Novak
August
Anna Raschke
Wentworth
Bernard
Alice Reitan
Lucille Ring
Minnie Roughan
Monica
Scottie
Irene Runion
Gustave
Alethea Scheibl
Martha Schultz
Tomahawk
Allan and
Minnie Sexton
Pelican Lake
Clarence and
Vivian Sorenson
Martin and
Jenette Soyk
Minocqua
Neal
Violet Taylor
Florence
Ethel Walport
Stone Lake
Frank and
Margaret Worden
Three Lakes
Manila Bay
Alaska Historical Library
Emil Kirsher