The Culp collection consists of 161 black & white paper prints assembled by Mr. Culp while he was in the Palmer area in 1936. He apparently purchased many of the images in his collection from commercial vendors and are duplicates of ones already entered on the web site from other sources. However, his additional unique images are significant additions to our collection. Mr. Culp was the Great Uncle of Patricia McDonald who gave the photos to the Museum.
ARRC House 1
Hewitts Photo Shop
The photo shows part of the bedroom arrangement and modern furnishings.
Image is an interior view of an ARRC Staff house bedroom showing a dressing table with nine drawers and a stool. A large mirror is on the table. A corner of the bedstead is visible, a metal folding chair is partially visible. A closet door and room entry door occupy the wall on either side of the table. A portion of the floor is visible at lower right showing bare wood boards.
Palmer, Alaska
Calvin Culp 1
Unknown
Calvin Culp, dressed in his work coveralls, stands behind the Co-op blacksmith shop where farm machinery is stored.
A man, identified as Calvin Culp, dressed in work coveralls, stands in front of a buck rake with a portion of a building and smokestack behind.
Palmer, Alaska
Celebration 26
Hewitts Photo Shop
The American flag is being raised on the community flagpole in Palmer on the 4th-of-July, 1936.
A Navy and Army color guard stand by as two other men begin to raise the American flag on the community flagpole as part of the fourth-of-July celebration in 1936. Two mounted riders, a small boy with a decorated bicycle and other spectators watch from beyond. A parade float vehicle and the Community Gym form the backdrop.
Palmer, Alaska
Celebration 27
Hewitts Photo Shop
Mounted riders and their decorated horses join a crown of pedestrians as they make their way across the Community Center Quad in preparation for the 4th-of-July flag raising and parade.
Four decorated horses and their riders walk across the Quad in foreground with a crowd of pedestrians beyond. Birch trees and roof tops are visible in background.
Palmer, Alaska
Celebration 28
Hewitts Photo Shop
Koslosky's store float participates in the Palmer 4th-of-July parade.
This image is of a 4th-of-July parade float consisting of a small flat-bed truck decked out with bunting and with five children visible on the back bed, two of whom are young maidens in bathing suits holding American flags. A banner arching overhead says "KOSLOSKY'S". Two unidentified people are in the truck cab.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 41
Hewitts Photo Shop
This late summer view shows crops growing on the Pipple farm with root piles as evidence of newly-cleared land preparing additional acreage ready to farm.
Image shows the house, wellhouse and barn of Colonists Walter & Melva Pippel. Planted crops are in middle ground and root piles of newly-cleared ground in front. A field and uncut trees are in near background and mountains are visible in far background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Farm 42
Hewitts Photo Shop
Grass has recently been cut and place in haystacks to dry at an established Matanuska Colony farmstead.
The central feature of the image is a white Colony "Cottage" with outbuildings behind at left. Haystacks of recently cut hay are in foreground. Trees are visible at right behind the house and heavy forest is apparent in middle background. Snowless mountains rise steeply in background. Byers Peak (Matanuska Peak) is prominent.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony Kids 20
Hewitts Photo Shop
A group of young children are gathered together in a grassy field to have their picture taken.
Children who had lived temporarily in tent camp #3 at Palmer are gathered later to have their picture taken. Visible behind them are a stand of trees, the Palmer water tower and mountains east of town.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Warehouse Fire 3
Unknown
The Matanuska Colony warehouse is completely destroyed by fire, April 25, 1935.
Several men are standing helplessly around while a large cloud of white smoke escapes the dark warehouse behind as the building is consumed.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Warehouse Fire 4
Unknown
The Matanuska Colony warehouse is being completely destroyed by an early morning fire.
Several men stand helplessly by and watch the dense smoke cloud rise from the dark warehouse building as it burns uncontrolled. Two grindstones are visible through the smoke in front of the building.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Warehouse Fire 5
Unknown
The Matanuska Colony warehouse is being destroyed by early morning fire as two men watch.
Two men stand with their backs to the camera and watch the dark smoke cloud rise from the burning warehouse as the early morning sun breaks through.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Warehouse Fire 6
Unknown
The Matanuska Colony warehouse is being completely consumed by an early morning fire.
This is a westerly view of the early morning warehouse fire across the railroad tracks apparent in foreground. Men can be seen hurrying from left toward the fire. A tent is apparent at left. The fire has progressed to where most of the smoke is no longer dark and the structure is reduced to a skeleton of its timbers viewed against the light of the fire. Utility poles are apparent in middle ground.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Warehouse Fire 7
Unknown
The ARRC warehouse is being consumed by an early morning fire.
An end view of the warehouse shows a large volume of very dark and light-colored smoke rising to the right from the building that is reduced to a skeleton of its timbers visible against the light of the fire inside. At right, tents are vaguely visible in middle ground, and it appears like the tarp covering some material at right may be catching fire.
Palmer, Alaska
Community Center 41
Hewitts Photo Shop
The gym is empty of people, the piano is covered with a drape, and the signs on the back indicate there might have recently been a function associated with the Colony Volunteer Fire Department.
Image is of the interior of the Community Gymnasium showing a portion of the floor, the stage and portions of the balconies on each side. A podium and a piano are on stage with two signs on the back wall featuring the letters CVFD.
Palmer, Alaska
Community Center 44
Ordway
Mechanics are working on automobile engines and parts in the east bay of the Co-op Garage.
Inside the Co-op Garage in Palmer's Community Center, mechanics overhaul and maintain the ARRC's fleet of automobiles and equipment as well as machines of the Colony members and others. This view shows mechanics attending to auto engines and parts on the work bench in the east bay of the garage.
Palmer, Alaska
Community Center 45
Ordway
Mechanics are working on one of the ARRC pickup trucks in the Co-op Garage in the Palmer Community Center.
One of the ARRC pickup trucks is jacked up in the Co-op Garage east bay to be worked on by mechanics, two of whom are visible near the work bench at left. The large open space in foreground, where several vehicles or large machines are worked on, is vacant in this photo. A large heater is apparent hanging over this space. Identified as the shop where Calvin Culp, collector of these photos, worked when he was in the Palmer area in 1936.
Palmer, Alaska
Community Center 46
Ordway
Mechanics are working on "Cat" tractors in the Co-op Garage.
This image, taken from an elevated vantage point, shows the inside of the north bay of the Co-op Garage where work was primarily done on the ARRC "cat" tractors. Four tractors, the front of one car and the chassis of a truck are visible. Six men are gathered at one of the cats and two more stand at the work bench.
Palmer, Alaska
Experiment Farm 36
Cann
Winter is approaching as snow appears on Pioneer Peak and fall harvest is complete in the fields of the Matanuska Experiment Farm and broadleaf trees of the forest begin to turn color.
The view is southeasterly across a fallow field in foreground at a barn and two houses comprising the Matanuska Experiment Farm complex. Heavy forest covers the land beyond to a large snow-capped mountain, identified as Pioneer Peak, in background.
Matanuska, Alaska
Experiment Farm 37
Hewitts Photo Shop
The bench below the main complex of the Experiment Farm exhibit a partially harvested grain field, a small staff house and greenhouse with snowless mountains in background.
View is southeasterly across a grain field with the near portion harvested and formed into shocks. A small white house and adjacent greenhouse are at left in the harvested field. A large portion of the grain field beyond is not yet cut. Another house is partially visible in the far middle ground at the edge of heavy forest that covers the land beyond the field. Pioneer Peak and adjacent mountains form the background with no visible snow.
Matanuska, Alaska
Fair 19
Hewitts Photo Shop
Exhibits of vegetables and hand crafts are displayed for view in the school as part of the fair.
The image shows vegetable and hand craft exhibits displayed on benches and desks in one of the basement classrooms in the new Palmer school as part of the first Valley Agriculture Fair in 1936.
Palmer, Alaska
Fair 20
Hewitts Photo Shop
Two women stand at a 1936 fair booth promoting Alaska canned salmon.
Two women stand at a 1936 fair booth promoting Alaska salmon with cans of salmon on a table behind them and signs proclaiming the celebration of the 58th new salmon pack festival. A picture of a leaping salmon is on the wall behind, hanging between decorative curtains.
Palmer, Alaska
Farm 18
Hewitts Photo Shop
Grain harvest has begun on fields south of Palmer in this August view.
This landscape view looks northeasterly across grain fields, some of which have been harvested and the shocks are visible. An east-west lane is at the right leading to the Matanuska Road that runs horizontally across the image and parallel to the railroad track which is not visible. The east-west road continues on past the railroad tracks into heavy forest in the distance. The eastern mountains of the valley rise abruptly to form the backdrop of the image. Byers Peak (Matanuska Peak) is prominent.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farm 19
Hewitts Photo Shop
A grain field has been harvested and the crop formed into shocks while additional fields beyond are yet to be cut.
A scene of grain fields and mountains in the Matanuska Valley. A large foreground field has been harvested and the grain bundles have been gathered into shocks to dry. Irregular fields beyond are yet to be cut. Heavy tree cover form the irregular edges of the fields. Pioneer Peak is prominent at right in near background with Chugach Mountains at the east end of the valley visible in far background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Fred Hill 1
Unknown
Fred Hill is taking a break from his blacksmith duties.
Blacksmith Fred Hill takes a break from his duties at the Co-op Garage in Palmer.
Palmer, Alaska
House 18
Hewitts Photo Shop
A man, who appears almost as tall as his little shack, leans against the door frame along with a rifle.
A man stands in front of his small temporary shack in the Palmer area during a time of limited housing availability soon after the Matanuska Colony project was begun.
Palmer, Alaska
Livestock Goats 1
Unknown
The image is of a three-horned goat entered in the 1936 Matanuska Valley Fair.
This image shows a billy goat with three horns facing the camera,
Palmer, Alaska
Livestock Horses 2
Hewitts Photo Shop
One of the finer horses brought to the Valley for the Colonists poses for a photo.
Image is of a dark brown horse striking a show pose in front of a white wooden building with three windows.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Livestock Horses 3
Hewitts Photo Shop
A man appears to be working with a large dark brown horse, directing it to rear up on its hind legs.
This image is of a man with arms raised and holding a rope to a dark brown horse which is rearing up on its hind legs. A white wooden building with a window is partially visible behind the man at right. The foreground and middle ground appear to be a tilled field with thick forest in the background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Men 13
Unknown
Two mechanics working at the Co-op garage are taking a break at the back doorway of the building.
Two men, identified as J.C. Wycoff at left and C.H. Culp at right, stand in their work coveralls at the back doorway of the Community Center Garage building. A portion of the building wall with two windows is visible behind.
Palmer, Alaska
Men 14
Hewitts Photo Shop
Men gather to draw lots for the work horses they will receive from the stock brought to the Valley for the Matanuska Colonists.
A group of men gather around two men at photo center. Ross Sheely, with one foot up on a wheel borrow, is writing on paper supported on his knee. Another man, facing Sheely, holds an upturned hat in one hand and apparently a number he has just drawn from the hat in his other hand. The other men on both sides and behind, look on and await their turns to draw lots for work horses that will be theirs from the animals brought to the Valley by the ARRC.
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer Air View 21
Hewitts Photo Shop
This vertical areal view of the commercial district of Palmer shows conditions as they appeared at a point about 1936.
This is a vertical aerial view of the commercial district of Palmer on the west side of the railroad tracks as it appeared about 1936. The street running from left to right near the bottom is currently named Colony Way and it intersects with Evergreen Ave. and the Palmer-Wasilla Highway running to the top of the picture. The photographer notated the photo upside down.
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer Buildings 2
Hewitts Photo Shop
This is the view of Palmer one would have in early summer of 1936 coming from the west on the "Wasilla road".
This image was taken on the "Wasilla road" looking east to the new school building nearing completion and the mountains beyond which still exhibit snow in sheltered areas. Buildings are apparent on both sides of the gravel road, Structures on the left were constructed in support of the early Matanuska Colony needs while buildings and water tower on the right are part of Palmer's growing private commercial district.
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer Business Section 3
Hewitts Photo Shop
The new community is developing rapidly on both sides of the tracks.
View from the water tower looking southwest with the Co-op warehouse in foreground, the railroad depot in middle ground, the commercial business district and various cabins and tents across the tracks with forested hills beyond. Numerous cars and trucks are visible. Ties are laid for a rail extension at the right of the depot.
Palmer, Alaska
People 41
Hewitts Photo Shop
Alaska Governor Troy arrives in Palmer by train, July 4, 1936.
Alaska Territorial Governor Troy and a group of men stand on the train depot platform in Palmer with a train car behind.
Palmer, Alaska
Road-35D-003
Alaska Road Commission
Men are clearing snow from the buried roadway using hand tools.
Image shows a group of men clearing snow from the roadway through a snowfield covering the foreground and near middle ground. Approximately eight men are working with hand shovels in the center middle ground with two other men observing in foreground at left. A portion of a dark mountain slope occupies the background. Location appears to be in the vicinity of Hatcher Pass.
Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska
Road-35D-008
Alaska Road Commission
A pickup truck is traveling on a mountain road newly-plowed through deep snow.
This view shows a pickup truck facing away on a single lane mountain road recently cleared through deep snow. Undisturbed snow level beside the truck looks to be about five feet deep. A thin layer of snow on the road appears to be ground into the gravel below by chain-covered tires of the truck as it struggled ahead. The truck appears to have a canvas-covered cab and a spare tire mounted on the left side.
Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska
Sawmill 12
Hewitts Photo Shop
Men are sawing lumber from spruce logs for use in construction of buildings associated with the Matanuska Colony Project.
Two men are sawing a spruce log on a portable sawmill powered by a belt turned by a vehicle out of site to the left. The man in foreground is operating the mill running the log through the saw while the other man removes the boards as they are cut. Much sawdust is on the ground. Three other men and a truck are visible in background near a stand of fuel barrels.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Sawmill 13
Hewitts Photo Shop
Men pause in their work sawing house logs on a portable sawmill for use in constructing houses for Matanuska Colonists.
Four men pause in their operation of a portable sawmill while one man cleans sawdust from the pit under the saw blade. Considerable sawdust is apparent on the ground. Logs to be sawed into house logs and lumber are visible at left while three-sided sawed logs are visible at right. Heavy forest is in background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Store 3
Hewitts Photo Shop
The well stocked interior of Koslosky's first store in Palmer stands ready to do business.
Image is of the interior of Koslosky's first store in Palmer showing boxes displaying various goods in foreground, a counter with additional small items and a large weight scale in middle ground, and racks of shelves displaying bottles, cans and boxes of items against the far wall. Boxes of fruit and signs advertising oranges and lemons for 50 cents a dozen are in front of the counter.
Palmer, Alaska
Tent City 4
Hewitts Photo Shop
Laborers are erecting tents for temporary occupancy by Matanuska Colonists while they await construction of their homes.
A long line of tents awaiting the arrival of Matanuska Colonists stretches from right to left with lumber and bedding stacked at left indicating they are not quite ready for occupancy. One tent frame is not yet covered. Two workers are visible in middle ground and several more at the far end of the line of tents. A mountain is visible in background.
Palmer, Alaska
Tractors 4
Ordway
Nine ARRC "cat" tractors, their operators and mechanics, pose in a line in front of the Palmer Community Center garage in March 1936.
This image shows nine "Cat" tractors lined up in front of the Co-op garage with the tractor operators seated aboard and mechanics and others standing in front or aside. One door of the garage stands open. Snow is on the ground. Apparently undisturbed forest forms the background to the left beyond the garage. A penned note at the bottom states "Mar 23rd 36 garage at Palmer, Alaska"
Palmer, Alaska
Vehicles 3
Hewitts Photo Shop
Chickens await in their crates on the back of an old automobile parked in Palmer while their driver attends to other business.
In foreground stands an old open-cab automobile with a cargo bed behind the cab, exposed engine and spoked wheels. Two crates of live white chickens are stacked in the cargo bed. A tarp partially covers a suitcase behind the chickens. A license plate, showing the numbers 372, is visible attached to the back board of the cargo bed. Another, more modern sedan, is parked adjacent and beyond the one in foreground. Parts of a rail car and community center buildings are visible in background, indicating that the cars are likely parked in front of Palmer businesses on the west side of the tracks.
Palmer, Alaska
