The Miller collection of 187 images records activities associated with this Colonist family traveling to Alaska, temporarily living in tents, and establishing their new home and farm. It also includes later photos after the family moved to another Colony farm closer to Palmer. Numerous images depict activities and people associated with early Colony life.
Barber Shop at Camp 7
Margaret Miller
People
Image Shows a man, identified as colonist Neil Miller, sitting on a sawbuck in from of a white tent and receiving a haircut from another man, identified as colonist Ferber Bailey. Two children are in the foreground, identified as Mardie Miller holding Nona Faye Bailey. The tent is a typical Colony tent with "A-1" visibly marked on the canvas. The setting is identified as Colony Camp #7 northwest of Palmer.
Camp #7 Northwest of Palmer, Alaska
Cabin 3
Neil Miller
Log cabin and garden
Image shows a sod-roofed log cabin atop a slight hill with garden crops on the hillside in foreground. Heavy forest forms the backdrop behind the cabin.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Camp 7
Unknown
Tents of Temporary Camp 7 & Homestead Barn on Tract #157
Image shows six white Colony tents in a row at Camp #7. Camp 7 was located on Tract #157 drawn by Albert Fredericks along the Fishhook Road north of Palmer, Alaska. This tract was located on what had apparently previously been part of a homestead with buildings and some land already cleared as apparent in this photo.
Tract #157 North of Palmer, Alaska
Camp 7 Kids
Margaret Miller
Children of temporary camp 7
Image shows seven young children and a dog. Children identified as (l to r): Front-McCormick twins, Fitzpatrick girl & boy, Raschke child. Back-Janell Miller, Gene Bailey.
Camp 7 north of Palmer, Alaska
Camp 7 Wash Day
Neil Miller
Clothes washing at tent #1, Camp 7
Image shows a woman, identified as Margret Miller, hand-washing clothes in wash tubs set up in front of their tent at Colonist Camp 7. Two young girls, identified as Mardie and Janell Miller, sit nearby. An outhouse and clothesline are evident at right
Camp 7 north of Palmer, Alaska
Church 13
Mac's Photo Shop
Eklutna Russian Orothodox Church
Image is a three quarter side view of the Eklutna Russian Orthodox Church in the foreground. Identity and instruction signs are in near foreground. People are walking among grave houses in middle ground with trees beyond.
Eklutna, Alaska
Church 8
Jackson
Church, Building
Image shows the north side of a log church, identified as the Protestant Church, also commonly referred to as the Community (Presbyterian) Church or the "Church of a Thousand Trees", in Palmer, Alaska. Trees are evident in front and beyond and power lines overhead.
Palmer, Alaska
Church Construction 1
Unknown
Church, Building
Image shows a man standing on a log wall beside several peeled log rafters with log walls behind and below. Various boards lean against the rafters and a power cord with a light bulb hangs from one rafter. The structure under construction is identified as the Community (Presbyterian) Church of Palmer. There is evidence of light snow cover and the man is warmly dressed. Tress form the backdrop.
Palmer, Alaska
Colony Barn Under Construction 2
Neil Miller
Colony barn under construction
Image shows a Colony barn under construction with the bottom portion complete and the roof framed and ready to be covered. The farm's well house and a stack of lumber are in the foreground.
Colony tract #155 north of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 12
Neil Miller
Neil & Margaret's first Colony farmstead
Image is a winter scene of Neil & Margaret Miller's first Colony farm on tract #155 along the Fishhook Road north of Palmer, Alaska. A typical Colony barn is apparent, a very atypical colonist house is visible, and an automobile is evident in the driveway.
Tract #155 north of Palmer, Alaska
Colony Farm 6
Neil Miller
Farm
Image is an easterly view across a partially harvested grain field with uncut grain and harvested grain shocks in the foreground, a Colony house and barn in middle ground with heavy forest behind. Mountains form the backdrop.
Tract #99 Palmer, Alaska
Colony Home 20
Neil Miller
The unique house built by Colonists Neil and Margaret Miller
Image shows a house of arguably the most unique design build by, or for, any of the Matanuska Colonists. Constructed by Colonists Neil and Margaret Miller on their tract #155 along the Fishhook Road north of Palmer, it varied radically from any of the five house patterns offered by the government from which the Colonists were to choose.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Colony School Bus 1
Neil Miller
Automobiles, School Bus
Image shows a man, identified as Neil Miller, standing in front of a bus, identified as ARRC bus #22 used to transport school children from Colony camp #7 to the Wasilla school. The bus is on a gravel road with trees behind.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Experiment Farm 17
Hewitt's Photo Shop
Experiment Farm
Image is a high oblique west oriented overview of the Matanuska Experiment Farm and surrounding landscape. Land clearing patterns are obvious. Several small independent farmsteads are visible in small forest clearings. Lakes and roads are visible.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Fair 2
Berts
Fair grounds stock barns under construction
Image is an easterly view of four unfinished frame structures identified as stock barns. A car is parked in front of one of the barns. A small group of spruce trees is at left. Mountains are prominent in background under cloudy skies. A note on the reverse indicates that the barns were covered with tarps when used. The notation on the front that the location is at the "fair grounds" may be a bit confusing as another photo in the Museum's possession shows they existed just east of the school building rather than where the "fair grounds" was later established on the south side of town. Clarification comes from understanding that the first "Matanuska Valley Fair" activities centered around the new school and gymnasium in fall of 1936 with some activities and exhibits in the buildings and others, including animal exhibits, held outdoors. The clarifying photo, dated Aug. 1936, shows the subject barns which were, at that date, on the "fair grounds". The fair moved to the official "fair grounds" at the south edge of town in 1937 where it remained until moving further south in 1967 to its present location.
Palmer, Alaska
Farming 1
Margaret Miller
Colonist father and young son sit on a manure spreader drawn by a two-horse team
Colonist Neil Miller and young son Tim are sitting on the manure spreader drawn by a two-horse team. The spreader is loaded and the contents are ready to be spread on a field. Birch and spruce trees form the backdrop.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farming 2
Margaret Miller
Man on a tractor mowing hay
Image shows Colonist Neil Miller mowing hay with a Farmall tractor. A cleared hillside and fringe of trees form the background.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Farming 6
Neil Miller
Colonist Margaret Miller stands atop hay stacked on a truck, leaning on a pitchfork
Image is of Colonist Margaret Miller standing atop hay stacked on the back of a pickup truck to be hauled from the field. She leans on her pitchfork waiting for more hay to be pitched up to her to arrange for a proper load.
Palmer, Alaska
Hatcher Pass Outing
Neil Miller
Margaret Miller & son Tim on Hatcher Pass outing
Image shows Margaret Miller and her five year old son, Tim, perched on the front of a General Motors pickup truck in foreground. Location is on the road over Hatcher Pass. In background buildings of Independence Mine and Gold Chord Mine are visible. Mountains form the far background.
Hatcher Pass in Talkeetna Mountains north of Palmer, Alaska
Haystacks 1
Neil Miller
Farming
Image shows a harvested hay field with two forms of haystack construction. In foreground and middle ground are pole racks with hay on them, the front one partially covered. In back middle ground are smaller stacks on single stakes. The sides of the field are forested with Talkeetna Mountains in background.
Matanuska Valley near Palmer, Alaska
Haystacks 2
Neil Miller
Farming
Image shows a harvested hay field with cut hay on the ground and appears to display two methods of haystack construction. In foreground and middle ground are pole racks ready to have hay placed over their horizontal rails. In the middle ground appears to be completed stack on a single vertical stake. In the background is a house. The sides of the field are forested with mountains in background.
Matanuska Valley near Palmer, Alaska
House 1
Neil Miller
Building
Image shows a white, flat-roofed house on a small hill with exposed excavated gravel in front and trees behind. Designed by Colonists Neil & Margaret Miller to be distinctively different from other Colony houses, to the consternation of ARRC officials. Part of another building is visible behind and to the left of the house with snow-capped Talkeetna Mountains in the background.
Tract #155 north of Palmer, Alaska
Hunters 1
Neil Miller
Three men stand in front of a log cabin
Image shows three men, identified as Neil Miller (left), Ingolf "I.M." Sandvik (center), and Don Irwin (right), standing in front of a small sod-roofed log cabin. Sandvik and Irwin are holding rifles. Large trees and brush form the background. Notes associated with the image indicate the men are on a bear hunt.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Hunters 2
Neil Miller
Three hunters stand in front of a log cabin
Three men, identified as Ingolf "I.M." Sandvik (left), Neil Miller (center), and Bixler (right), stand in front of a small, sod-roofed log cabin. Miller and Bixler are holding rifles. Large trees and brush form the background. Notes associated with the image indicate the men are on a bear hunt.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
Palmer Air View 7
Arville Schaleben
Oblique aerial view of Palmer “Tent City”
Image is of a photo printed in the September 15th, 1935 issue of the Milwaukee Journal showing a northwesterly oblique view over the “Tent City” buildings, railroad and roads of the Matanuska Colony center of operation at Palmer. Heavy forest is prominent around homestead clearings in middle ground and cultivated land in foreground.
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer Tent City 2
Berts
Palmer "Tent City" activity
Image is a northwesterly view taken from atop a railroad car showing considerable "Tent City" activity. A truck is parked alongside the road in foreground with men loading lumber from a large pile. Other men and automobiles are evident as is a horse-drawn wagon with people in the wagon. A tent is in foreground at left and a large frame building is at center in near middle ground. Piles of tarp-draped material are scattered about. Many tents are visible in background with heavy forest and mountains beyond.
Palmer, Alaska
People 2
Margaret Miller
Colonist Ruth Bailey and daughter Nona Faye
Image shows a woman, identified as colonist Ruth Bailey, sitting on a blanket with her daughter, Nona Faye, in front of a colony tent, identified as tent #2 at temporary camp 7.
Camp 7 north of Palmer, Alaska
People 3
Margaret Miller
Colonist "Lida" Green is standing next to a railroad "speeder" car.
Image shows a woman, identified as colonist Allda ("Lida") Green, standing next to a railroad "speeder" car.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
People 4
Neil Miller
Two women stand ready to pick berries
Image shows two women, identified as Margaret Cope (left), Palmer school typing teacher, and Margaret Miller, Palmer 6th grade teacher, ready to begin berry picking with berry buckets at hand. A log chicken coop is behind them in middle ground with forest beyond. A road and power line appear faintly among the trees.
Palmer, Alaska
People 5
Neil Miller
Colonists using a horse to excavate gravel at their new house under construction.
Image shows Colonists Neil and Margaret Miller with a horse excavating gravel within the foundation of their new house under construction. Foundation beams are evident. Heavy birch forest forms the backdrop.
Tract #155 North of Palmer, Alaska
People 6
Neil Miller
Three Colony girls astride a working horse while mother looks on
Image shows the three Miller girls astride a working horse. Their mother watches at right. The horse appears resigned. Birch and spruce trees form the backdrop.
Tract #155 North of Palmer, Alaska
Sawmill 4
Neil Miller
Gathering houselogs to a portable sawmill
Image shows a group of men in a small forest clearing working around a portable sawmill. One man is visible driving a two-horse team dragging logs to the mill. This mill was set up near Camp 5 north of Palmer.
Camp 5 north of Palmer, Alaska
Sawmill 5
Neil Miller
Men working ariund a portable sawmill
Image shows a group of men in a small clearing of a forest setting working around a portable sawmill. A two-horse team is visible used to drag logs to the sawmill.
Colony Camp 5 north of Palmer, Alaska
Skating Rink
Unknown
Palmer community skating rink between the school building and the “Dorm”
Image shows a frozen impoundment as a community skating rink in foreground with two children and a dog on the ice. “The Dorm” building is prominent directly beyond. In the background are buildings of the Palmer.
Palmer, Alaska
Trading Post 3
Hewitt's Photo Shop, Anchorage
Building
Image is of the Colony Community Trading Post building under construction and nearing completion. View is of the north and west side. Two men are visible working on the building. Trees are behind the building.
Palmer, Alaska
Water Wagon
Unknown
A man on a wagon with a two-horse team delivering barrels or boxes
Image is a winter view of a two-horse team hitched to a four-wheel wagon on a graded dirt road. In the wagon stands an unidentified man with wooden barrels or boxes covered by a tarp. A small white crock is also visible at the man’s feet. Scattered forest forms the backdrop in middle ground.
Matanuska Valley, Alaska
