Elsie Blue (née: Havens) came to Palmer, Alaska in 1937 as a young Operating Room nurse for the Palmer Hospital. In 1938, she married Walter (Walt) Blue, who worked at the Colony Trading Post. The couple lived in Palmer until 1940. The Elsie Blue Collection consists of 446 photos kept in one photo album. Ranging from 1936 to 1940, Elsie’s photos depict her life in Palmer during early days of the Colony project and her travels throughout the territory of Alaska, including Nome, Kodiak, Kanatak, Juneau, and more. Elsie’s nickname, “Babe,” is noted frequently throughout the album.
"Storkmobile"
Elsie Havens Blue
Palmer Hospital Nurse's July 4th parade float
Image shows the Palmer Hospital's "Nurses Car" and community ambulance decorated for the Palmer 1937 4th-of-July parade. On the front is a white stork figure holding a baby basket in its beak. The car's back panel is covered with a white sheet with lettering proclaiming "When Bigger & Better Babies are had, Your Hospital Will Have Them!! See Dr. Albrecht!!!?" The vehicle has ARRC 31 printed in white on the side of the door. The rear of the hospital is behind the vehicle with garbage cans in evidence. A woman (probably a nurse) walks behind the vehicle.
Palmer, Alaska
Butte Community Hall 2
Hewitt's Photo Shop - Anchorage, Alaska
Log Community Hall near Bodenburg Butte
Image shows the front and south side of the log community hall constructed soon after the Matanuska Colonists settled the area around the Bodenburg Butte. Two concrete chimneys are in evidence. A portion of the Butte is visible behind the building. This image is on a commercial post card.
Beside Bodenburg Butte Loop road near Bodenburg Butte in the Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Church 1
Unknown
Protestant Church in Palmer
Image shows the north side of the Palmer Protestant Church in winter with trees in the foreground and background and with snow all over. A power pole and power lines are in the foreground. This photo is printed on a postcard, but has no attribution to a photographer.
Palmer, Alaska
Church 3
Elsie Havens Blue
Log Church Building
Image shows the front of the Lutheran church in Palmer surrounded by trees. Two cars are parked in front of the church.
Palmer, Alaska
Dorm 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Interior view of the lobby and living room of the dormitory constructed in the Community Center for single teachers, nurses, corporation employees and others
Interior view of the lobby and living room of the dormitory constructed in the Community Center for single teachers, nurses, corporation employees and others. Often referred to as the “Teacher’s Dorm”, it furnished modern living accommodations a social gathering place during the early days of the Colony project when such housing was in very short supply. Refurbished and modernized, it continues to offer rooms for rent as the privately operated “Colony Inn”.
Palmer, Alaska
Dorm 2
Elsie Havens Blue
View of Elsie Havens’ wedding shower being held in the lobby and living room of the Community Center dormitory
Image is of the wedding shower for Palmer hospital nurse Elsie Havens as she prepares to marry Walt Blue. The setting is the living room of the singles dormitory in the Community Center and attendees include fellow nurses, teachers, corporation employees and other ladies of the community.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck with his sled dogs displaying his winter's catch of fur
Image depicts Alaska trapper Ed Ueeck kneeling with his two sled dogs below a display of his winter's catch of furs hanging on the gable end of a house. Furs include coyote, wolf, wolverine, lynx, fox and martin. One dog, "Pinkie," identified as a 120 lb Diomede husky, is hitched to an upturned sled. The other dog is not identified.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 2
Elsie Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck in Palmer
Image is a winter scene of trapper Ed Ueeck and his two sled dogs in front of a building with furs hanging on display. Trees are in middle ground and snow-clad mountains in background. Displayed furs represent the trapper’s winter catch, and include wolf, lynx, coyote, wolverine, fox and martin.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 3
Elsie Havens Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck displays wolf pelts
Image is of trapper Ed Ueeck of Palmer, Alaska sitting between two hanging wolf pelts and with a third wolf pelt draped over his shoulder and across his lap. Ueeck is wearing a soft flat cap and high-top laced boots.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 5
Elsie Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck and dog “Pinky” with furs on display
Image shows trapper Ed Ueeck and his dog “Pinky” in front of a log cabin with furs hanging on display on the cabin wall. Snow is on the ground and a pair of snowshoes are visible against the wall. Furs include coyote, lynx, fox, wolverine, and martin.
Palmer, Alaska
Ed Ueeck 6
Elsie Blue
Trapper Ed Ueeck and his dog “Pinky”
Image is of trapper Ed Ueeck and his sled dog “Pinky” in front of a log building with portions of some furs visible hanging on the wall. A pair of snowshoes are visible against the wall.
Palmer, Alaska
Eklutna Vocational School 1
Elsie Havens Blue
Eklutna Vocational School students
Image shows a group of about ten young native women standing next to a large white frame building. Women are wearing long dresses and coats of somewhat formal fashion. Electric lines overhead, power pole and trees in background.
Eklutna, Alaska
Fishhook Inn 2
Elsie Havens Blue
Fishhook Inn building
Image shows a large building identified as the "Fishhook Inn" with a mountain behind it, a dirt road in front with an indistinct car, people, and another building in background.
On Fishhook Rd in the Hatcher Pass area, north of Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 1
Ordway
Palmer hospital, winter 1936
Image is of the west side of Palmer hospital in winter of 1936. Scattered birch trees are in foreground and mountains in background with Byers Peak prominent above a cloud bank.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 2
Ordway
Nurse in the Palmer hospital operating room
Image is of Nurse Katheryn Powers in the operating room of the Palmer hospital.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 3
Ordway
Nurse in the Palmer hospital sterilizing room
Image is of Nurse Kelley in the sterilizing room of the Palmer hospital.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital 4
Ordway
Nurse Katheryn Powers at the nurses station in the new Palmer hospital
Image is of the hallway of the new hospital in Palmer. Nurse Katheryn Powers is visible at the nurses station at the far end of the hall.
Palmer, Alaska
Hospital Staff 1
Elsie Havens (Blue)
Dr. Albrecht and hospital nursing staff in 1937
Image is of the Palmer hospital staff on October 1937, posing on the hospital entry steps. Staff is identified as (l to r): Mabel Rude, anesthetist & lab tech; Dr. C. Earl Albrecht; Marian Batdorf, nursing supervisor; Luella Batdorf, hospital secretary; Elsie Havens, OR nurse & Dr. assistant; Eunice Anderson, public health nurse.
Palmer, Alaska
Jack Allman
Elsie Havens Blue
Jack Allman
Image shows Jack Allman in suit jacket, tie & hat holding a megaphone. A pickup truck and wood wall of a small building are behind him in the foreground with community building beyond. The megaphone indicates he likely had a prominent role in the 4-of-July events of the day.
Palmer, Alaska
Nurse 2
Elsie Havens Blue
Katherine Powers, Palmer Hospital Nurse
Image shows Palmer hospital nurse Katherine Powers standing beside the "Nurses Car" and ambulance parked on the gravel Palmer to Anchorage Road. The location is likely just south of the Knik River Bridge based on other associated photos in the collection. The vehicle is identified as "ARRC 31."
On the Palmer-Anchorage road near Knik River Bridge
Nurse 6
Unknown-probably nurse Powers
Nurse Elsie Havens with the nurse’s car
Image is of registered nurse Elsie Havens standing beside the nurse’s car along the road between Palmer and Anchorage. The car, identified as A.R.R.C. vehicle #31, was available for use by the hospital nurses and was also used as the ambulance as needed.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Telephone Booth
Elsie Havens Blue
Telephone booth
Image shows an open wooden "phone booth" with telephone and papers evident on the back back wall. Located in a rough wooded setting. Location described above is assumed from associated photos in the collection.
Intersection of north end of Bodenburg Lp and the "Anchorage-Matanuska Hwy"
