About the

SCS (Soil Conservation Service) Collection

This collection of photos from the USDA Soil Conservation Service includes 1,151 images made by local conservation agents covering activities from the late 1940's through early 1970's. Most are high quality 4" x 5" prints, often with negatives and mostly with documentation of location, date and other information. Content includes a wide range of farming-related activities, soil erosion and land uses in the Matanuska Valley. Also included are photos of a number of soils and snow surveys conducted in other parts of Alaska.

Image shows an oblique view of Anchorage looking west from above the Pine Street intersection with the Glenn Highway.

Image shows an oblique view of Anchorage looking west from above 3rd Avenue at about the intersection with Reeve Boulevard.

This summer photo shows a colony barn on a slight rise in near middle ground, with the oblique view exhibiting the front west-facing end and north wall. The small hay mow door stands open and several of the vertical boards of the upper mid-section are missing, presenting a somewhat "missing tooth" image. Otherwise, the structure appears to be in good condition. Several black and white cows are eating hay on the ground in front of the barn. A typical colony log chicken house stands next to the right side of the barn. A small log house-shaped structure with a peaked roof stands to the left behind the larger barn presenting a west-facing wall with two windows and a wide doorway with open door. The gable end faces to the left. The west side of Bodenburg Butte stands in near background at left. A flat gravel surface covers the immediate foreground quarter of the image with several wooden posts of a wire fence just beyond. A power pole stands at the far right of the image holding power lines crossing both ways across the upper image and also down to the barn as well as a yard light fixture.

This summer image shows the upper portion of a Colony barn with the lower log portion removed, sitting on a slight rise in a grass field in middle ground, presenting the front end to the right and north side to the left. It exhibits some atypical cross bracing boards on the front not seen on other barns, giving it a somewhat "cat-face" appearance. It also exhibits a larger and more ornate cupola on the roof than seen on other local barns. A group of broadleaf trees define the edge of the field at right and left behind the barn. Rounded form mountains are partially visible in background. A variety of white cloud forms dominate the bright sky overhead.

This fall photo shows a recently harvested grain field on the Matanuska Colony farm of Joe and Velma Dragseth on tract 84 southeast of Palmer. Several shocks of harvested grain are seen in immediate foreground. Bundles of grain lie in rows over the whole field which takes up the major portion of the view in foreground and middle ground. Bundles have begun to be formed into shocks in a line through the center of the field from front to back. In far middle ground a narrow line of dark spruce forest extends across the image. At far right of this band of trees a typical Colony barn is apparent, and a couple of smaller structures are visible. Snow-covered Chugach Mountains are obvious in background.

Image shows a wire fence in foreground, numerous high tree stumps with several cows intermingled in the middle ground. Two typical Colony barns and other buildings are beyond with Bodenburg Butte and other mountains and forest in background. Caption: "Cows in stump pasture. One of the steps in land clearing."

Image is a low oblique view of several junk cars laid out in a curved line on a river gravel bar with logs between them. Extensive gravel expanse and the river channel are evident with mountains in background. Caption: "Butte area, shows cars as laid out for streambank control."

Image is of the farmstead of Colonists Arnold and Emmy Havemeister on tract # 167 along East Bogard Road between Palmer and Wasilla. A typical Colony barn and other outbuildings are evident. Dairy cows are visible in the pasture and feed lot. Snow-capped Chugach Mountains are in background.

This photo shows the Hamilton dairy farm south of Palmer. The lower part of the photo shows a hay field across the image. The height of the grass, compared with a small patch of taller grass at left, appears to be in production of the second cutting to be harvested in the fall. In middle ground, at the far end of the field, are the farmstead buildings including the farmhouse at left and various barns, sheds, a silo and equipment in a line across the image to the right. Numerous black & white cows are standing in a feed lot in front of the barns. Directly behind the buildings a row of dark, thick forest crosses the image. A small background view of a portion of Talkeetna Mountains is seen at extreme left. A band of low white clouds lies across the image in background.

Image shows a tractor pulling a grain binder in a grain field, cutting and bundling the grain, identified as barley. The foreground exhibits stubble where the grain had been cut, with numerous harvested bundles on the ground. One man is on the tractor, another on the binder at the edge of the uncut grain beyond. Roof tops of several buildings are visible beyond the grain field. Heavy forest is in background with clouds above. Location is identified as Art Thompson's farm on Scott Road just north of Palmer.

Image shows a summer season fenced in foreground with a farmstead in middle ground at the base of Bodenburg Butte. Mountains are in background. Caption: "Leonard William's farm. Brome fields with Bodenburg Butte in background."

Image shows a man, identified as Max Sharrod, digging potatoes with his Ford tractor pulling a potato digger on his farm in north Palmer. Sharrod's house is visible behind two large cottonwood trees and a grain field is visible in middle ground. Trees, Talkeetna mountains and clouds are in the background.

Image shows a collection of structures including a large metal container with an exhaust tube and fan. A high-sided truck is backed up to the structures. A fuel barrel on a stand is evident, as is a power pole and power lines near a wooden shed. Location is identified as the Barney Hollembaek farm south of Palmer. Mountains are in background.

Image is an oblique aerial view looking northwest across the Matanuska Valley with the braided channel of Matanuska River in foreground. The City of Palmer, Palmer Airport, and surrounding farms are evident beyond the river. Land clearing patterns are apparent. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Image shows Palmer farmer Max Sherrod in his packing shed preparing and crating vegetables for shipment to market. Vegetables shown include carrots, cauliflower, and lettuce. This produce was grown with the aid of irrigation.

Image is a southerly view of a mountain valley containing numerous buildings associated with the Independence Gold Mine. Several vehicles are visible. A small stream is evident as are roads leading up to the mine and to Hatcher Pass on the right. The photo was taken from the area developed for skiing at the time.

Image is an oblique aerial view looking northwest across the Matanuska Valley with the City of Palmer in foreground. The fairgrounds and surrounding farms are evident. The Glenn Highway passing through Palmer, and the Palmer-Wasilla Road are evident. Land clearing patterns are apparent. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Image shows a winter scene looking north along Alaska Street from the sidewalk in front of the 49 Club Bar. The bar sign is prominent as is a sign for Charlie's Bar B-Q. Blowing snow is evident. Plowed snow berm at the sidewalk is prominent. Three people are visible and several automobiles. The railroad depot is in middle ground as is the co-op garage, water tower, powerhouse, and a flatcar on the tracks. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Image is of the Soil Conservation Service staff at the Palmer office posing in front of a car.

This image shows SCS soil scientist Dale B. Schoephorster in center foreground, seated facing to the right on his typical government issue wooden desk chair, at his typical government issue metal desk in the Palmer office. On the desktop is a typical government issue articulated-arm desk lamp and typical government issue two-tier metal desk in basket. A typical government issue trash can is apparent next to the desk in immediate foreground. Wood grain wainscoting covers the lower wall at Dale's immediate left with large maps covering the wall above.

This photo shows soil scientists Bobby Hinton, at left, and Dale Schoephorster, at right, seated at their desks in foreground facing toward the wall with their backs to the camera in their office in the Severns Building in Palmer. They sit on different style wooden desk chairs, Hinten at a wooden desk, Schoephorster at his metal desk. A four-tier metal filing cabinet separates the desks, and a metal trash can sits on the floor between them. Wainscoting covers the lower wall directly in front of them and two large Alaska maps are on the wall above.

This image shows District Conservationist Cliff Marcus taking a core sample of a birch tree to determine the age of the trees growing in the area. The cross-section sample extracted from the tree with the coring tool exposes the annual growth rings which are counted to determine the age of the tree. The stand of trees in view appears to be a mixture of birch and spruce with most of the birch trees being younger than the one Cliff is aging.

Image shows the Soil Conservation staff at Palmer during the summer of 1958 posing in front of the Palmer office at S. Alaska Street & W. Dogwood Ave. Identified as (l to r): Flavia Marcus, Wanda Somerville, Dupree Sanders (detailed from Texas), James DeMent (detailed from Louisiana), Allan Linn, Edna Wehking, Sam Rieger, Cliff Marcus. Not shown is Charles Willson who took the picture. The two detailers were here for the season to conduct soil surveys.

Image shows Conservation Surveyor Cliff Marcus, evaluating a soil sample he has extracted with his auger as he maps soil types on the Kenai Peninsula. Cliff worked out of the State Soil Conservation Service office in Palmer for many years, traveling to various areas of the state to identify and map the soils for their agricultural potential.

Image shows three men, identified as soil scientists (l to r) Bobby Hinton, Dr. Sam Rieger, and Frank Carlisle, inspecting a soil sample drawn from the ground by a soils probe tool. Headquartered in Palmer, they were reviewing soils surveyed and mapped on the Kenai Peninsula. The soil survey is the basic tool of land-use planning in Alaska. SCS technicians use the survey to advise homesteaders on which land is most suitable to clear and the best use for each soil type on the homestead.

District Conservationist Lew Hanks reviews a land use map with Matanuska Valley farmer and Colonist Henry LaRose during the winter of 1953. Temperature was noted to be minus 30 degrees.

USDA Soil Conservation Service employee Pat Scheibl smiles from her desk in the agency's State headquarters office in Palmer where she was employed as a clerk-typist. Office furniture in her corner workspace includes a typical government wooden desk with desktop florescent articulated lamp, a modern electric typewriter (barely visible behind her), a tabletop office machine (printer?) under an opaque plastic cover atop a small dark table at the photo's left, and a modern style padded guest chair partially visible at extreme left. On the wall above her desk at right is a large poster illustrating "How Grass Makes Food For Growth" and a large map of Alaska is partially visible high on the wall at left. Pat is a longtime resident of Palmer, having arrived in 1935 from Wisconsin with her Colonist family participating in the government's Matanuska Colony Relocation Project.

Clerk-Typest Pat Scheibl works facing the camera at her desk in the State Soil Conservation Service Office in Palmer. Her typewriter and various desk-top material are before her in foreground. A rack of various publications is on the wall behind her. The views through two windows behind her show the sign on the Frontier Cafe at left and the back of the Wright Building across the street out the right window, confirming that the office in which she is working is in the Severns Building at the corner of W. Evergreen Ave. and S. Bailey Street.

This photo shows most of the staff of the USDA Soil Conservation Service in their office at S. Alaska Street and W. Dogwood Ave. in Palmer. Names of all but one man are identified on the photo caption. Lew Hanks, District Conservationist, took the picture and is not shown. The people are standing behind a standard government office desk and chair with Alaska maps and a large twelve-month calendar dated 1956 behind them on the walls.

This photo shows most of the USDA Soil Conservation Service personnel who worked in the Palmer office at S. Alaska Street & W. Dogwood Ave. in 1959. Lew Hanks, District Conservationist took the photo and is not shown. The group is gathered in the corner of an office behind a standard government wooden desk and chair for a presentation of a 10-year service award to Cliff Marcus. Large Alaska maps and a large 12-month calendar are posted on the walls behind them.

Image shows a man, identified as Bob Welch, standing next to a portable sawmill in a birch forest setting. The mill carriage and circular saw blade are obvious. A stack of lumber is evident in foreground and logs to be sawn are visible. Two fuel barrels are evident, one with a pump attached. Background is composed of a forest stand. largely composed of slender birch trees. Information associated with the photo indicates this was the only operation in Alaska specializing in producing birch lumber at the time.

Image is of the Wasilla sawmill established in the 1950’s to mill cottonwood logs for export. It was located in East Wasilla, below the hill later occupied by the Home Depot store, next to the railroad tracks visible in foreground.

This winter photo shows a man in foreground, identified as Andrew Linn, standing in a large snowy expanse on snowshoes weighing a sampling tube which has previously been driven vertically into the snow and now contains the snow core which filled it. The extracted tube hangs horizontally on scales attached to a small scrubby spruce tree extending a few feet above the snow. Mr. Linn, dressed in an insulated hooded coat, is bent over looking at the reading on the scale and is holding a notebook in his hand. Scattered spruce forest appears out of focus at the base of a barely visible mountain in background.

Technician Andrew Linn, at left foreground in this winter photo, is crouched down to read the weight of a long, empty snow sampling tube hanging horizontally on scales attached to a scrubby spruce tree extending several feet above the snow. Knowing the weights of the tube when empty and when filled with a snow core sample was critical in calculating the moister content of the snow. A group of spruce trees exhibiting a wind-blown or alpine influenced character are obvious in middle ground with a diamond-shaped snow course sign attached high up on one. The sign acknowledges the Federal-State cooperative nature of the snow surveys. A partly tree-covered hill and faintly visible mountain are seen in background.

This image shows a man, identified as USGS scientist W.W. Barnwell, crouched on his snowshoes in immediate foreground in a large snow-covered expanse covering the rest of the foreground of the image. Wearing a quilted coat and dark winter hat with a camera hanging from his neck, his attention is focused on a small metal box balanced on his knees with its top cover open exposing a surface with a meter and several dials. Wires lead to an exposed pipe protruding about 20 inches above the snow surface close in front of him. A shorter exposed section of pipe is visible at left. The caption identifies that he is recording conditions of soil moisture below the snow cover. Scattered trees are apparent in middle ground with a helicopter parked in an opening beyond. Scattered trees cover the base of a mountain beyond in near background.

Part of the mission of the Soil Conservation Service in Alaska is to gather data related to winter snow accumulation and condition in various locations as a historical record and for use in understanding potential water runoff when the snowpack melts in the coming summer. This summer photo shows one of the permanent sites chosen where winter visits by SCS scientists and others will collect data about the snowpack conditions. Set amongst brush in foreground is a ladder-like structure with five small boards attached at about three-foot intervals to a pole approximately 15 feet tall. This structure is assumed to aid in determining snow depth at the time of later winter visits. Scattered spruce trees are apparent throughout the middle ground with rounded hills and low mountains in background.

Establishing permanent sites for gathering data on snow depth and condition throughout Alaska usually involved summer installation and maintenance of some material or structures that would be needed in place when data was later to be collected when the site was covered in deep snow. This photo shows a large white amphibious "Widgeon" airplane resting on a gravel bar in foreground next to the Black River seen in front of the plane in near middle ground. A heavy spruce forest covers the middle ground from the far riverbank blocking all behind it but a small view of a low hill in background at left. Standing atop the plane is pilot Buddy "Bud" Woods of Woods Flying Service in Palmer, inspecting and maintaining his aircraft as he awaits return of the scientists he has flown to this location of a snow course site.

This summer photo shows Buddy "Bud" Woods, of Woods Flying Service of Palmer, in foreground standing in Deadman Lake, fishing, with his "Widgeon" amphibious airplane floating in the water behind him. On the shoreline across the lake to the left middle ground a small cabin is visible. A low rounded, treeless mountain stands at left and center in near background.

This photo, taken at the heavily forested Black River snow course site, shows snow survey assistant Buddy "Bud" Woods standing below a large cottonwood tree with brush on the ground and heavy cottonwood forest taking up the rest of the image. He's holding up a machete in his outstretched hand pointing it up at a high mark on the tree at which a bear has scratched the bark. Somewhat above the scratch marks is an official "Snow Course Marker" sign proclaiming this as a special government use spot. Apparently, the resident grizzly bear took exception to this claim as indicated by the official note associated with the photo: "Woods pointing to the high claw mark made by a big bear. Each year the bear destroys the snow course marking sign and puts claw marks higher to show how big he is. This time the sign was placed as high as we could reach by one man standing on the shoulders of the other. If the bear makes marks above this one he can have the territory."

Image shows wind erosion of frozen roadside soil exposing stumps of trees previously buried by air-born soil deposited by winds off of the Matanuska River out of view to the left.

This mid-winter view of an unharvested onion field shows mature onions lying on top of the ground in foreground and several rows of exposed onions running diagonally from left to right into the middle ground. A low broadleaf tree-covered hill is visible out of focus in middle ground at upper left. The onions becoming exposed results from the top layer of bare soil being blown away by local Matanuska Valley winds.

This winter view shows a field of exposed soil in foreground and near middle ground with a low ridge of soil running across the frame in middle ground with a leafless tree and minor brush on top. The field exhibits scattered dead potato roots and numerous unharvested potatoes lying on the surface, exposed by local winds having blown away the soil which once covered them as they grew.

This winter image shows a field of bare soil with numerous rows of what are identified as lettuce roots standing up to four inches above the soil surface. The rows run from lower right foreground to upper left middle ground. A low brush-covered ridge holding small patches of snow crosses the image in far middle ground. When lettuce is harvested it is normally cut at ground level below the head or leaves. The roots are thus left in the ground. The exposed roots in this photo illustrate the depth of soil that has been blown away since the fall lettuce harvest.

Image shows a winter scene of several carrots in foreground sticking up from the soil indicating wind eroded the soil from around them. A black hat is nest to the carrots for scale. A typical Colony barn is in background across a barren field. Patches of snow are evident in the background.Farm identified as that of Al Saxton.

Image shows a grass field with a pond in foreground. A farm tractor, pump and pipes are at the edge of the pond. A man attends the tractor with a pickup truck behind. A collection of barns, houses, silos, and Quonset huts are in background at the edge of the forest. Caption: "Pumping equipment and sprinkler system from pothole. Leonard Moffitt farm."

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Image shows an oblique view of Anchorage looking west from above the Pine Street intersection with the Glenn Highway.

Title

Anchorage Air View 1

Creator

USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Anchorage, Alaska

Description

Image shows an oblique view of Anchorage looking west from above the Pine Street intersection with the Glenn Highway.

Location

Anchorage, Alaska

Image shows an oblique view of Anchorage looking west from above 3rd Avenue at about the intersection with Reeve Boulevard.

Title

Anchorage Air View 2

Creator

USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Anchorage, Alaska

Description

Image shows an oblique view of Anchorage looking west from above 3rd Avenue at about the intersection with Reeve Boulevard.

Location

Anchorage, Alaska

This summer photo shows a colony barn on a slight rise in near middle ground, with the oblique view exhibiting the front west-facing end and north wall. The small hay mow door stands open and several of the vertical boards of the upper mid-section are missing, presenting a somewhat "missing tooth" image. Otherwise, the structure appears to be in good condition. Several black and white cows are eating hay on the ground in front of the barn. A typical colony log chicken house stands next to the right side of the barn. A small log house-shaped structure with a peaked roof stands to the left behind the larger barn presenting a west-facing wall with two windows and a wide doorway with open door. The gable end faces to the left. The west side of Bodenburg Butte stands in near background at left. A flat gravel surface covers the immediate foreground quarter of the image with several wooden posts of a wire fence just beyond. A power pole stands at the far right of the image holding power lines crossing both ways across the upper image and also down to the barn as well as a yard light fixture.

Title

Colony Barns 6

Creator

Cliff Marcus

Subject

A typical Colony barn, chicken house and additional log structure make up part of a Matanuska Colony farmstead near Bodenburg Butte.

Description

This summer photo shows a colony barn on a slight rise in near middle ground, with the oblique view exhibiting the front west-facing end and north wall. The small hay mow door stands open and several of the vertical boards of the upper mid-section are missing, presenting a somewhat "missing tooth" image. Otherwise, the structure appears to be in good condition. Several black and white cows are eating hay on the ground in front of the barn. A typical colony log chicken house stands next to the right side of the barn. A small log house-shaped structure with a peaked roof stands to the left behind the larger barn presenting a west-facing wall with two windows and a wide doorway with open door. The gable end faces to the left. The west side of Bodenburg Butte stands in near background at left. A flat gravel surface covers the immediate foreground quarter of the image with several wooden posts of a wire fence just beyond. A power pole stands at the far right of the image holding power lines crossing both ways across the upper image and also down to the barn as well as a yard light fixture.

Location

Bodenburg Butte, Alaska

This summer image shows the upper portion of a Colony barn with the lower log portion removed, sitting on a slight rise in a grass field in middle ground, presenting the front end to the right and north side to the left. It exhibits some atypical cross bracing boards on the front not seen on other barns, giving it a somewhat "cat-face" appearance. It also exhibits a larger and more ornate cupola on the roof than seen on other local barns. A group of broadleaf trees define the edge of the field at right and left behind the barn. Rounded form mountains are partially visible in background. A variety of white cloud forms dominate the bright sky overhead.

Title

Colony Barns 7

Creator

Ted Freeman

Subject

The top portion of a Colony style barn exhibits some unique features as it presumably waits to be moved to another location and restored or repurposed.

Description

This summer image shows the upper portion of a Colony barn with the lower log portion removed, sitting on a slight rise in a grass field in middle ground, presenting the front end to the right and north side to the left. It exhibits some atypical cross bracing boards on the front not seen on other barns, giving it a somewhat "cat-face" appearance. It also exhibits a larger and more ornate cupola on the roof than seen on other local barns. A group of broadleaf trees define the edge of the field at right and left behind the barn. Rounded form mountains are partially visible in background. A variety of white cloud forms dominate the bright sky overhead.

Location

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

This fall photo shows a recently harvested grain field on the Matanuska Colony farm of Joe and Velma Dragseth on tract 84 southeast of Palmer. Several shocks of harvested grain are seen in immediate foreground. Bundles of grain lie in rows over the whole field which takes up the major portion of the view in foreground and middle ground. Bundles have begun to be formed into shocks in a line through the center of the field from front to back. In far middle ground a narrow line of dark spruce forest extends across the image. At far right of this band of trees a typical Colony barn is apparent, and a couple of smaller structures are visible. Snow-covered Chugach Mountains are obvious in background.

Title

Colony Farm 47

Creator

T.H.Day

Subject

Grain harvest is well under way in 1949 on the Dragseth Colony farm near Palmer, Alaska.

Description

This fall photo shows a recently harvested grain field on the Matanuska Colony farm of Joe and Velma Dragseth on tract 84 southeast of Palmer. Several shocks of harvested grain are seen in immediate foreground. Bundles of grain lie in rows over the whole field which takes up the major portion of the view in foreground and middle ground. Bundles have begun to be formed into shocks in a line through the center of the field from front to back. In far middle ground a narrow line of dark spruce forest extends across the image. At far right of this band of trees a typical Colony barn is apparent, and a couple of smaller structures are visible. Snow-covered Chugach Mountains are obvious in background.

Location

Near Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a wire fence in foreground, numerous high tree stumps with several cows intermingled in the middle ground. Two typical Colony barns and other buildings are beyond with Bodenburg Butte and other mountains and forest in background. Caption: "Cows in stump pasture. One of the steps in land clearing."

Title

Colony Farm 5

Creator

Tom Day, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farm

Description

Image shows a wire fence in foreground, numerous high tree stumps with several cows intermingled in the middle ground. Two typical Colony barns and other buildings are beyond with Bodenburg Butte and other mountains and forest in background. Caption: "Cows in stump pasture. One of the steps in land clearing."

Location

Two Miles South of Palmer, Alaska

Image is a low oblique view of several junk cars laid out in a curved line on a river gravel bar with logs between them. Extensive gravel expanse and the river channel are evident with mountains in background. Caption: "Butte area, shows cars as laid out for streambank control."

Title

Erosion Control 1

Creator

Cliff Marcus, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Erosion Control Measures

Description

Image is a low oblique view of several junk cars laid out in a curved line on a river gravel bar with logs between them. Extensive gravel expanse and the river channel are evident with mountains in background. Caption: "Butte area, shows cars as laid out for streambank control."

Location

Near Bodenburg Butte, Alaska

Image is of the farmstead of Colonists Arnold and Emmy Havemeister on tract # 167 along East Bogard Road between Palmer and Wasilla. A typical Colony barn and other outbuildings are evident. Dairy cows are visible in the pasture and feed lot. Snow-capped Chugach Mountains are in background.

Title

Farm 15

Creator

Cliff Marcus

Subject

Havemeister Colony farm on tract # 167

Description

Image is of the farmstead of Colonists Arnold and Emmy Havemeister on tract # 167 along East Bogard Road between Palmer and Wasilla. A typical Colony barn and other outbuildings are evident. Dairy cows are visible in the pasture and feed lot. Snow-capped Chugach Mountains are in background.

Location

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

This photo shows the Hamilton dairy farm south of Palmer. The lower part of the photo shows a hay field across the image. The height of the grass, compared with a small patch of taller grass at left, appears to be in production of the second cutting to be harvested in the fall. In middle ground, at the far end of the field, are the farmstead buildings including the farmhouse at left and various barns, sheds, a silo and equipment in a line across the image to the right. Numerous black & white cows are standing in a feed lot in front of the barns. Directly behind the buildings a row of dark, thick forest crosses the image. A small background view of a portion of Talkeetna Mountains is seen at extreme left. A band of low white clouds lies across the image in background.

Title

Farm 28

Creator

Cliff Marcus

Subject

The Hamilton dairy farm south of Palmer is viewed on a pleasent summer day.

Description

This photo shows the Hamilton dairy farm south of Palmer. The lower part of the photo shows a hay field across the image. The height of the grass, compared with a small patch of taller grass at left, appears to be in production of the second cutting to be harvested in the fall. In middle ground, at the far end of the field, are the farmstead buildings including the farmhouse at left and various barns, sheds, a silo and equipment in a line across the image to the right. Numerous black & white cows are standing in a feed lot in front of the barns. Directly behind the buildings a row of dark, thick forest crosses the image. A small background view of a portion of Talkeetna Mountains is seen at extreme left. A band of low white clouds lies across the image in background.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a tractor pulling a grain binder in a grain field, cutting and bundling the grain, identified as barley. The foreground exhibits stubble where the grain had been cut, with numerous harvested bundles on the ground. One man is on the tractor, another on the binder at the edge of the uncut grain beyond. Roof tops of several buildings are visible beyond the grain field. Heavy forest is in background with clouds above. Location is identified as Art Thompson's farm on Scott Road just north of Palmer.

Title

Farm 5

Creator

Cliff Marcus USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farming

Description

Image shows a tractor pulling a grain binder in a grain field, cutting and bundling the grain, identified as barley. The foreground exhibits stubble where the grain had been cut, with numerous harvested bundles on the ground. One man is on the tractor, another on the binder at the edge of the uncut grain beyond. Roof tops of several buildings are visible beyond the grain field. Heavy forest is in background with clouds above. Location is identified as Art Thompson's farm on Scott Road just north of Palmer.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a summer season fenced in foreground with a farmstead in middle ground at the base of Bodenburg Butte. Mountains are in background. Caption: "Leonard William's farm. Brome fields with Bodenburg Butte in background."

Title

Farm 6

Creator

Cliff Marcus, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farm

Description

Image shows a summer season fenced in foreground with a farmstead in middle ground at the base of Bodenburg Butte. Mountains are in background. Caption: "Leonard William's farm. Brome fields with Bodenburg Butte in background."

Location

Bodenburg Butte, Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Image shows a man, identified as Max Sharrod, digging potatoes with his Ford tractor pulling a potato digger on his farm in north Palmer. Sharrod's house is visible behind two large cottonwood trees and a grain field is visible in middle ground. Trees, Talkeetna mountains and clouds are in the background.

Title

Farming 14

Creator

T.H. Day USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farming

Description

Image shows a man, identified as Max Sharrod, digging potatoes with his Ford tractor pulling a potato digger on his farm in north Palmer. Sharrod's house is visible behind two large cottonwood trees and a grain field is visible in middle ground. Trees, Talkeetna mountains and clouds are in the background.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a collection of structures including a large metal container with an exhaust tube and fan. A high-sided truck is backed up to the structures. A fuel barrel on a stand is evident, as is a power pole and power lines near a wooden shed. Location is identified as the Barney Hollembaek farm south of Palmer. Mountains are in background.

Title

Grain Dryer

Creator

Cliff Marcus, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farm

Description

Image shows a collection of structures including a large metal container with an exhaust tube and fan. A high-sided truck is backed up to the structures. A fuel barrel on a stand is evident, as is a power pole and power lines near a wooden shed. Location is identified as the Barney Hollembaek farm south of Palmer. Mountains are in background.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image is an oblique aerial view looking northwest across the Matanuska Valley with the braided channel of Matanuska River in foreground. The City of Palmer, Palmer Airport, and surrounding farms are evident beyond the river. Land clearing patterns are apparent. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Title

Matanuska Valley Air View 5

Creator

T.H. Day, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Matanuska Valley

Description

Image is an oblique aerial view looking northwest across the Matanuska Valley with the braided channel of Matanuska River in foreground. The City of Palmer, Palmer Airport, and surrounding farms are evident beyond the river. Land clearing patterns are apparent. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows Palmer farmer Max Sherrod in his packing shed preparing and crating vegetables for shipment to market. Vegetables shown include carrots, cauliflower, and lettuce. This produce was grown with the aid of irrigation.

Title

Max Sherrod and vegetables

Creator

Lew Hanks, Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Max Sherrod packing vegetables for shipment to market

Description

Image shows Palmer farmer Max Sherrod in his packing shed preparing and crating vegetables for shipment to market. Vegetables shown include carrots, cauliflower, and lettuce. This produce was grown with the aid of irrigation.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image is a southerly view of a mountain valley containing numerous buildings associated with the Independence Gold Mine. Several vehicles are visible. A small stream is evident as are roads leading up to the mine and to Hatcher Pass on the right. The photo was taken from the area developed for skiing at the time.

Title

Mine 3, Independence

Creator

Cliff Marcus, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Mine

Description

Image is a southerly view of a mountain valley containing numerous buildings associated with the Independence Gold Mine. Several vehicles are visible. A small stream is evident as are roads leading up to the mine and to Hatcher Pass on the right. The photo was taken from the area developed for skiing at the time.

Location

North of Palmer, Alaska

Image is an oblique aerial view looking northwest across the Matanuska Valley with the City of Palmer in foreground. The fairgrounds and surrounding farms are evident. The Glenn Highway passing through Palmer, and the Palmer-Wasilla Road are evident. Land clearing patterns are apparent. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Title

Palmer Air View 8

Creator

T.H. Day, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Matanuska Valley

Description

Image is an oblique aerial view looking northwest across the Matanuska Valley with the City of Palmer in foreground. The fairgrounds and surrounding farms are evident. The Glenn Highway passing through Palmer, and the Palmer-Wasilla Road are evident. Land clearing patterns are apparent. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a winter scene looking north along Alaska Street from the sidewalk in front of the 49 Club Bar. The bar sign is prominent as is a sign for Charlie's Bar B-Q. Blowing snow is evident. Plowed snow berm at the sidewalk is prominent. Three people are visible and several automobiles. The railroad depot is in middle ground as is the co-op garage, water tower, powerhouse, and a flatcar on the tracks. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Title

Palmer Street 14

Creator

USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Palmer

Description

Image shows a winter scene looking north along Alaska Street from the sidewalk in front of the 49 Club Bar. The bar sign is prominent as is a sign for Charlie's Bar B-Q. Blowing snow is evident. Plowed snow berm at the sidewalk is prominent. Three people are visible and several automobiles. The railroad depot is in middle ground as is the co-op garage, water tower, powerhouse, and a flatcar on the tracks. Talkeetna Mountains are in background.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image is of the Soil Conservation Service staff at the Palmer office posing in front of a car.

Title

SCS Personnel 1

Creator

Ray Kent

Subject

Palmer SCS staff in 1953

Description

Image is of the Soil Conservation Service staff at the Palmer office posing in front of a car.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

This image shows SCS soil scientist Dale B. Schoephorster in center foreground, seated facing to the right on his typical government issue wooden desk chair, at his typical government issue metal desk in the Palmer office. On the desktop is a typical government issue articulated-arm desk lamp and typical government issue two-tier metal desk in basket. A typical government issue trash can is apparent next to the desk in immediate foreground. Wood grain wainscoting covers the lower wall at Dale's immediate left with large maps covering the wall above.

Title

SCS Personnel 10

Creator

Cliff Marcus

Subject

SCS soil scientist Dale Schoephorster ("Shep") works at his desk in the Palmer office.

Description

This image shows SCS soil scientist Dale B. Schoephorster in center foreground, seated facing to the right on his typical government issue wooden desk chair, at his typical government issue metal desk in the Palmer office. On the desktop is a typical government issue articulated-arm desk lamp and typical government issue two-tier metal desk in basket. A typical government issue trash can is apparent next to the desk in immediate foreground. Wood grain wainscoting covers the lower wall at Dale's immediate left with large maps covering the wall above.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

This photo shows soil scientists Bobby Hinton, at left, and Dale Schoephorster, at right, seated at their desks in foreground facing toward the wall with their backs to the camera in their office in the Severns Building in Palmer. They sit on different style wooden desk chairs, Hinten at a wooden desk, Schoephorster at his metal desk. A four-tier metal filing cabinet separates the desks, and a metal trash can sits on the floor between them. Wainscoting covers the lower wall directly in front of them and two large Alaska maps are on the wall above.

Title

SCS Personnel 11

Creator

Cliff Marcus

Subject

Soil scientists Bobby Hinton and Dale Schoephorster finalize their inventory maps and write reports at the end of a summer's soil inventory work in the field.

Description

This photo shows soil scientists Bobby Hinton, at left, and Dale Schoephorster, at right, seated at their desks in foreground facing toward the wall with their backs to the camera in their office in the Severns Building in Palmer. They sit on different style wooden desk chairs, Hinten at a wooden desk, Schoephorster at his metal desk. A four-tier metal filing cabinet separates the desks, and a metal trash can sits on the floor between them. Wainscoting covers the lower wall directly in front of them and two large Alaska maps are on the wall above.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

This image shows District Conservationist Cliff Marcus taking a core sample of a birch tree to determine the age of the trees growing in the area. The cross-section sample extracted from the tree with the coring tool exposes the annual growth rings which are counted to determine the age of the tree. The stand of trees in view appears to be a mixture of birch and spruce with most of the birch trees being younger than the one Cliff is aging.

Title

SCS Personnel 12

Creator

Soil Conservation Service

Subject

District Conservationist Cliff Marcus takes a core sample from a birch tree to determine the age of the surrounding stand of trees.

Description

This image shows District Conservationist Cliff Marcus taking a core sample of a birch tree to determine the age of the trees growing in the area. The cross-section sample extracted from the tree with the coring tool exposes the annual growth rings which are counted to determine the age of the tree. The stand of trees in view appears to be a mixture of birch and spruce with most of the birch trees being younger than the one Cliff is aging.

Location

Unknown

Image shows the Soil Conservation staff at Palmer during the summer of 1958 posing in front of the Palmer office at S. Alaska Street & W. Dogwood Ave. Identified as (l to r): Flavia Marcus, Wanda Somerville, Dupree Sanders (detailed from Texas), James DeMent (detailed from Louisiana), Allan Linn, Edna Wehking, Sam Rieger, Cliff Marcus. Not shown is Charles Willson who took the picture. The two detailers were here for the season to conduct soil surveys.

Title

SCS Personnel 2

Creator

Charles Wilson, Soil Conservation Service

Subject

SCS Staff at Palmer, summer 1958

Description

Image shows the Soil Conservation staff at Palmer during the summer of 1958 posing in front of the Palmer office at S. Alaska Street & W. Dogwood Ave. Identified as (l to r): Flavia Marcus, Wanda Somerville, Dupree Sanders (detailed from Texas), James DeMent (detailed from Louisiana), Allan Linn, Edna Wehking, Sam Rieger, Cliff Marcus. Not shown is Charles Willson who took the picture. The two detailers were here for the season to conduct soil surveys.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows Conservation Surveyor Cliff Marcus, evaluating a soil sample he has extracted with his auger as he maps soil types on the Kenai Peninsula. Cliff worked out of the State Soil Conservation Service office in Palmer for many years, traveling to various areas of the state to identify and map the soils for their agricultural potential.

Title

SCS Personnel 3

Creator

T.H. Day

Subject

Cliff Marcus, Conservation Surveyor, evaluates a soil sample as he maps an area’s soil types

Description

Image shows Conservation Surveyor Cliff Marcus, evaluating a soil sample he has extracted with his auger as he maps soil types on the Kenai Peninsula. Cliff worked out of the State Soil Conservation Service office in Palmer for many years, traveling to various areas of the state to identify and map the soils for their agricultural potential.

Location

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Image shows three men, identified as soil scientists (l to r) Bobby Hinton, Dr. Sam Rieger, and Frank Carlisle, inspecting a soil sample drawn from the ground by a soils probe tool. Headquartered in Palmer, they were reviewing soils surveyed and mapped on the Kenai Peninsula. The soil survey is the basic tool of land-use planning in Alaska. SCS technicians use the survey to advise homesteaders on which land is most suitable to clear and the best use for each soil type on the homestead.

Title

SCS Personnel 4

Creator

Art Hawk, Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Soil scientists evaluate a soil sample

Description

Image shows three men, identified as soil scientists (l to r) Bobby Hinton, Dr. Sam Rieger, and Frank Carlisle, inspecting a soil sample drawn from the ground by a soils probe tool. Headquartered in Palmer, they were reviewing soils surveyed and mapped on the Kenai Peninsula. The soil survey is the basic tool of land-use planning in Alaska. SCS technicians use the survey to advise homesteaders on which land is most suitable to clear and the best use for each soil type on the homestead.

Location

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

District Conservationist Lew Hanks reviews a land use map with Matanuska Valley farmer and Colonist Henry LaRose during the winter of 1953. Temperature was noted to be minus 30 degrees.

Title

SCS Personnel 5

Creator

Lew Hanks

Subject

Conservationist Lew Hanks consults with farmer LaRose

Description

District Conservationist Lew Hanks reviews a land use map with Matanuska Valley farmer and Colonist Henry LaRose during the winter of 1953. Temperature was noted to be minus 30 degrees.

Location

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

USDA Soil Conservation Service employee Pat Scheibl smiles from her desk in the agency's State headquarters office in Palmer where she was employed as a clerk-typist. Office furniture in her corner workspace includes a typical government wooden desk with desktop florescent articulated lamp, a modern electric typewriter (barely visible behind her), a tabletop office machine (printer?) under an opaque plastic cover atop a small dark table at the photo's left, and a modern style padded guest chair partially visible at extreme left. On the wall above her desk at right is a large poster illustrating "How Grass Makes Food For Growth" and a large map of Alaska is partially visible high on the wall at left. Pat is a longtime resident of Palmer, having arrived in 1935 from Wisconsin with her Colonist family participating in the government's Matanuska Colony Relocation Project.

Title

SCS Personnel 6

Creator

Cliff Marcus

Subject

Pat Scheibl, Matanuska "Colony Kid", finds work soon after high school graduation as clerk-typist with the USDA Soil Conservation Service State office in her hometown.

Description

USDA Soil Conservation Service employee Pat Scheibl smiles from her desk in the agency's State headquarters office in Palmer where she was employed as a clerk-typist. Office furniture in her corner workspace includes a typical government wooden desk with desktop florescent articulated lamp, a modern electric typewriter (barely visible behind her), a tabletop office machine (printer?) under an opaque plastic cover atop a small dark table at the photo's left, and a modern style padded guest chair partially visible at extreme left. On the wall above her desk at right is a large poster illustrating "How Grass Makes Food For Growth" and a large map of Alaska is partially visible high on the wall at left. Pat is a longtime resident of Palmer, having arrived in 1935 from Wisconsin with her Colonist family participating in the government's Matanuska Colony Relocation Project.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Clerk-Typest Pat Scheibl works facing the camera at her desk in the State Soil Conservation Service Office in Palmer. Her typewriter and various desk-top material are before her in foreground. A rack of various publications is on the wall behind her. The views through two windows behind her show the sign on the Frontier Cafe at left and the back of the Wright Building across the street out the right window, confirming that the office in which she is working is in the Severns Building at the corner of W. Evergreen Ave. and S. Bailey Street.

Title

SCS Personnel 7

Creator

Unidentified

Subject

Clerk-Typest Pat Scheibl is working in the SCS office in Palmer.

Description

Clerk-Typest Pat Scheibl works facing the camera at her desk in the State Soil Conservation Service Office in Palmer. Her typewriter and various desk-top material are before her in foreground. A rack of various publications is on the wall behind her. The views through two windows behind her show the sign on the Frontier Cafe at left and the back of the Wright Building across the street out the right window, confirming that the office in which she is working is in the Severns Building at the corner of W. Evergreen Ave. and S. Bailey Street.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

This photo shows most of the staff of the USDA Soil Conservation Service in their office at S. Alaska Street and W. Dogwood Ave. in Palmer. Names of all but one man are identified on the photo caption. Lew Hanks, District Conservationist, took the picture and is not shown. The people are standing behind a standard government office desk and chair with Alaska maps and a large twelve-month calendar dated 1956 behind them on the walls.

Title

SCS Personnel 8

Creator

Lew Hanks

Subject

Most of the Palmer staff of the Soil Conservation Service gather for their group photo in 1956.

Description

This photo shows most of the staff of the USDA Soil Conservation Service in their office at S. Alaska Street and W. Dogwood Ave. in Palmer. Names of all but one man are identified on the photo caption. Lew Hanks, District Conservationist, took the picture and is not shown. The people are standing behind a standard government office desk and chair with Alaska maps and a large twelve-month calendar dated 1956 behind them on the walls.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

This photo shows most of the USDA Soil Conservation Service personnel who worked in the Palmer office at S. Alaska Street & W. Dogwood Ave. in 1959. Lew Hanks, District Conservationist took the photo and is not shown. The group is gathered in the corner of an office behind a standard government wooden desk and chair for a presentation of a 10-year service award to Cliff Marcus. Large Alaska maps and a large 12-month calendar are posted on the walls behind them.

Title

SCS Personnel 9

Creator

Lew Hanks

Subject

The Palmer SCS staff gather for the presentation of a 10-year service award to Conservation Surveyor Cliff Marcus. s.

Description

This photo shows most of the USDA Soil Conservation Service personnel who worked in the Palmer office at S. Alaska Street & W. Dogwood Ave. in 1959. Lew Hanks, District Conservationist took the photo and is not shown. The group is gathered in the corner of an office behind a standard government wooden desk and chair for a presentation of a 10-year service award to Cliff Marcus. Large Alaska maps and a large 12-month calendar are posted on the walls behind them.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a man, identified as Bob Welch, standing next to a portable sawmill in a birch forest setting. The mill carriage and circular saw blade are obvious. A stack of lumber is evident in foreground and logs to be sawn are visible. Two fuel barrels are evident, one with a pump attached. Background is composed of a forest stand. largely composed of slender birch trees. Information associated with the photo indicates this was the only operation in Alaska specializing in producing birch lumber at the time.

Title

Sawmill 3

Creator

Lew Hanks-USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Sawmill

Description

Image shows a man, identified as Bob Welch, standing next to a portable sawmill in a birch forest setting. The mill carriage and circular saw blade are obvious. A stack of lumber is evident in foreground and logs to be sawn are visible. Two fuel barrels are evident, one with a pump attached. Background is composed of a forest stand. largely composed of slender birch trees. Information associated with the photo indicates this was the only operation in Alaska specializing in producing birch lumber at the time.

Location

Near Knik, Alaska

Image is of the Wasilla sawmill established in the 1950’s to mill cottonwood logs for export. It was located in East Wasilla, below the hill later occupied by the Home Depot store, next to the railroad tracks visible in foreground.

Title

Sawmill 9

Creator

Unknown

Subject

The sawmill at Wasilla established to mill Valley cottonwood logs for export

Description

Image is of the Wasilla sawmill established in the 1950’s to mill cottonwood logs for export. It was located in East Wasilla, below the hill later occupied by the Home Depot store, next to the railroad tracks visible in foreground.

Location

Wasilla, Alaska

This winter photo shows a man in foreground, identified as Andrew Linn, standing in a large snowy expanse on snowshoes weighing a sampling tube which has previously been driven vertically into the snow and now contains the snow core which filled it. The extracted tube hangs horizontally on scales attached to a small scrubby spruce tree extending a few feet above the snow. Mr. Linn, dressed in an insulated hooded coat, is bent over looking at the reading on the scale and is holding a notebook in his hand. Scattered spruce forest appears out of focus at the base of a barely visible mountain in background.

Title

Snow Survey 1

Creator

Joe Dwyer

Subject

A technician weighs a snow sampling tube filled with a snow core sample in preparation of calculating the water content of the snow.

Description

This winter photo shows a man in foreground, identified as Andrew Linn, standing in a large snowy expanse on snowshoes weighing a sampling tube which has previously been driven vertically into the snow and now contains the snow core which filled it. The extracted tube hangs horizontally on scales attached to a small scrubby spruce tree extending a few feet above the snow. Mr. Linn, dressed in an insulated hooded coat, is bent over looking at the reading on the scale and is holding a notebook in his hand. Scattered spruce forest appears out of focus at the base of a barely visible mountain in background.

Location

Indian Pass Snow course, Ship Creek Watershed

Technician Andrew Linn, at left foreground in this winter photo, is crouched down to read the weight of a long, empty snow sampling tube hanging horizontally on scales attached to a scrubby spruce tree extending several feet above the snow. Knowing the weights of the tube when empty and when filled with a snow core sample was critical in calculating the moister content of the snow. A group of spruce trees exhibiting a wind-blown or alpine influenced character are obvious in middle ground with a diamond-shaped snow course sign attached high up on one. The sign acknowledges the Federal-State cooperative nature of the snow surveys. A partly tree-covered hill and faintly visible mountain are seen in background.

Title

Snow Survey 2

Creator

Joe Dwyer

Subject

A technician weighs the empty snow sampling tube to establish reference data for calculating water content of the snow pack.

Description

Technician Andrew Linn, at left foreground in this winter photo, is crouched down to read the weight of a long, empty snow sampling tube hanging horizontally on scales attached to a scrubby spruce tree extending several feet above the snow. Knowing the weights of the tube when empty and when filled with a snow core sample was critical in calculating the moister content of the snow. A group of spruce trees exhibiting a wind-blown or alpine influenced character are obvious in middle ground with a diamond-shaped snow course sign attached high up on one. The sign acknowledges the Federal-State cooperative nature of the snow surveys. A partly tree-covered hill and faintly visible mountain are seen in background.

Location

Ship Creek Watershed, Alaska

This image shows a man, identified as USGS scientist W.W. Barnwell, crouched on his snowshoes in immediate foreground in a large snow-covered expanse covering the rest of the foreground of the image. Wearing a quilted coat and dark winter hat with a camera hanging from his neck, his attention is focused on a small metal box balanced on his knees with its top cover open exposing a surface with a meter and several dials. Wires lead to an exposed pipe protruding about 20 inches above the snow surface close in front of him. A shorter exposed section of pipe is visible at left. The caption identifies that he is recording conditions of soil moisture below the snow cover. Scattered trees are apparent in middle ground with a helicopter parked in an opening beyond. Scattered trees cover the base of a mountain beyond in near background.

Title

Snow Survey 3

Creator

T.G. Freeman

Subject

Scientists from the Soil Conservation Service and US Geologic Service gather snow-related data from nearby sample plots in the Ship Creek Snow Course and sharing cost of necessary helicopter access.

Description

This image shows a man, identified as USGS scientist W.W. Barnwell, crouched on his snowshoes in immediate foreground in a large snow-covered expanse covering the rest of the foreground of the image. Wearing a quilted coat and dark winter hat with a camera hanging from his neck, his attention is focused on a small metal box balanced on his knees with its top cover open exposing a surface with a meter and several dials. Wires lead to an exposed pipe protruding about 20 inches above the snow surface close in front of him. A shorter exposed section of pipe is visible at left. The caption identifies that he is recording conditions of soil moisture below the snow cover. Scattered trees are apparent in middle ground with a helicopter parked in an opening beyond. Scattered trees cover the base of a mountain beyond in near background.

Location

Ship Creek Snow Course

Part of the mission of the Soil Conservation Service in Alaska is to gather data related to winter snow accumulation and condition in various locations as a historical record and for use in understanding potential water runoff when the snowpack melts in the coming summer. This summer photo shows one of the permanent sites chosen where winter visits by SCS scientists and others will collect data about the snowpack conditions. Set amongst brush in foreground is a ladder-like structure with five small boards attached at about three-foot intervals to a pole approximately 15 feet tall. This structure is assumed to aid in determining snow depth at the time of later winter visits. Scattered spruce trees are apparent throughout the middle ground with rounded hills and low mountains in background.

Title

Snow Survey 4

Creator

Ted Freeman

Subject

Establishing a snow survey data collection site in summer allows construction of facilities such as this snow depth indicator that will later be necessary when the site is covered in deep snow.

Description

Part of the mission of the Soil Conservation Service in Alaska is to gather data related to winter snow accumulation and condition in various locations as a historical record and for use in understanding potential water runoff when the snowpack melts in the coming summer. This summer photo shows one of the permanent sites chosen where winter visits by SCS scientists and others will collect data about the snowpack conditions. Set amongst brush in foreground is a ladder-like structure with five small boards attached at about three-foot intervals to a pole approximately 15 feet tall. This structure is assumed to aid in determining snow depth at the time of later winter visits. Scattered spruce trees are apparent throughout the middle ground with rounded hills and low mountains in background.

Location

Near Mt. Fairplay along the Taylor Highway

Establishing permanent sites for gathering data on snow depth and condition throughout Alaska usually involved summer installation and maintenance of some material or structures that would be needed in place when data was later to be collected when the site was covered in deep snow. This photo shows a large white amphibious "Widgeon" airplane resting on a gravel bar in foreground next to the Black River seen in front of the plane in near middle ground. A heavy spruce forest covers the middle ground from the far riverbank blocking all behind it but a small view of a low hill in background at left. Standing atop the plane is pilot Buddy "Bud" Woods of Woods Flying Service in Palmer, inspecting and maintaining his aircraft as he awaits return of the scientists he has flown to this location of a snow course site.

Title

Snow Survey 5

Creator

Tom Freeman

Subject

Buddy "Bud" Woods of Palmer waits with his airplane for the scientists he has flown to the Black River to complete their work setting up a snow course site.

Description

Establishing permanent sites for gathering data on snow depth and condition throughout Alaska usually involved summer installation and maintenance of some material or structures that would be needed in place when data was later to be collected when the site was covered in deep snow. This photo shows a large white amphibious "Widgeon" airplane resting on a gravel bar in foreground next to the Black River seen in front of the plane in near middle ground. A heavy spruce forest covers the middle ground from the far riverbank blocking all behind it but a small view of a low hill in background at left. Standing atop the plane is pilot Buddy "Bud" Woods of Woods Flying Service in Palmer, inspecting and maintaining his aircraft as he awaits return of the scientists he has flown to this location of a snow course site.

Location

Black River, Alaska

This summer photo shows Buddy "Bud" Woods, of Woods Flying Service of Palmer, in foreground standing in Deadman Lake, fishing, with his "Widgeon" amphibious airplane floating in the water behind him. On the shoreline across the lake to the left middle ground a small cabin is visible. A low rounded, treeless mountain stands at left and center in near background.

Title

Snow Survey 6

Creator

T.G. Freeman

Subject

Buddy "Bud" Woods awaits return of scientists he has flown to the area to establish or maintain a snow course survey site.

Description

This summer photo shows Buddy "Bud" Woods, of Woods Flying Service of Palmer, in foreground standing in Deadman Lake, fishing, with his "Widgeon" amphibious airplane floating in the water behind him. On the shoreline across the lake to the left middle ground a small cabin is visible. A low rounded, treeless mountain stands at left and center in near background.

Location

Deadman Lake, Alaska

This photo, taken at the heavily forested Black River snow course site, shows snow survey assistant Buddy "Bud" Woods standing below a large cottonwood tree with brush on the ground and heavy cottonwood forest taking up the rest of the image. He's holding up a machete in his outstretched hand pointing it up at a high mark on the tree at which a bear has scratched the bark. Somewhat above the scratch marks is an official "Snow Course Marker" sign proclaiming this as a special government use spot. Apparently, the resident grizzly bear took exception to this claim as indicated by the official note associated with the photo: "Woods pointing to the high claw mark made by a big bear. Each year the bear destroys the snow course marking sign and puts claw marks higher to show how big he is. This time the sign was placed as high as we could reach by one man standing on the shoulders of the other. If the bear makes marks above this one he can have the territory."

Title

Snow Survey 7

Creator

Tom Freeman

Subject

Buddy Woods points to where a bear has scratched high up on the tree bark in past years as it tore down the official snow survey site marker.

Description

This photo, taken at the heavily forested Black River snow course site, shows snow survey assistant Buddy "Bud" Woods standing below a large cottonwood tree with brush on the ground and heavy cottonwood forest taking up the rest of the image. He's holding up a machete in his outstretched hand pointing it up at a high mark on the tree at which a bear has scratched the bark. Somewhat above the scratch marks is an official "Snow Course Marker" sign proclaiming this as a special government use spot. Apparently, the resident grizzly bear took exception to this claim as indicated by the official note associated with the photo: "Woods pointing to the high claw mark made by a big bear. Each year the bear destroys the snow course marking sign and puts claw marks higher to show how big he is. This time the sign was placed as high as we could reach by one man standing on the shoulders of the other. If the bear makes marks above this one he can have the territory."

Location

Black River, Alaska

Image shows wind erosion of frozen roadside soil exposing stumps of trees previously buried by air-born soil deposited by winds off of the Matanuska River out of view to the left.

Title

Soil Erosion 1

Creator

Lew Hanks

Subject

Wind erosion of frozen soil

Description

Image shows wind erosion of frozen roadside soil exposing stumps of trees previously buried by air-born soil deposited by winds off of the Matanuska River out of view to the left.

Location

Palmer, Alaska

This mid-winter view of an unharvested onion field shows mature onions lying on top of the ground in foreground and several rows of exposed onions running diagonally from left to right into the middle ground. A low broadleaf tree-covered hill is visible out of focus in middle ground at upper left. The onions becoming exposed results from the top layer of bare soil being blown away by local Matanuska Valley winds.

Title

Soil Erosion 3

Creator

Lew Hanks

Subject

Local wind has blown away enough topsoil from an onion field to leave the unharvested onions exposed on top of the remaining soil.

Description

This mid-winter view of an unharvested onion field shows mature onions lying on top of the ground in foreground and several rows of exposed onions running diagonally from left to right into the middle ground. A low broadleaf tree-covered hill is visible out of focus in middle ground at upper left. The onions becoming exposed results from the top layer of bare soil being blown away by local Matanuska Valley winds.

Location

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

This winter view shows a field of exposed soil in foreground and near middle ground with a low ridge of soil running across the frame in middle ground with a leafless tree and minor brush on top. The field exhibits scattered dead potato roots and numerous unharvested potatoes lying on the surface, exposed by local winds having blown away the soil which once covered them as they grew.

Title

Soil Erosion 4

Creator

Tom Day

Subject

Unharvested potatoes lie on the surface of a field having been exposed by winds blowing away the soil that had covered them as they grew.

Description

This winter view shows a field of exposed soil in foreground and near middle ground with a low ridge of soil running across the frame in middle ground with a leafless tree and minor brush on top. The field exhibits scattered dead potato roots and numerous unharvested potatoes lying on the surface, exposed by local winds having blown away the soil which once covered them as they grew.

Location

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

This winter image shows a field of bare soil with numerous rows of what are identified as lettuce roots standing up to four inches above the soil surface. The rows run from lower right foreground to upper left middle ground. A low brush-covered ridge holding small patches of snow crosses the image in far middle ground. When lettuce is harvested it is normally cut at ground level below the head or leaves. The roots are thus left in the ground. The exposed roots in this photo illustrate the depth of soil that has been blown away since the fall lettuce harvest.

Title

Soil Erosion 5

Creator

T.H.Day

Subject

Lettuce roots left behind in the soil after the above-ground crop was cut now extend as much as four inches above the field's surface indicating how much soil has been blown away since the fall harvest.

Description

This winter image shows a field of bare soil with numerous rows of what are identified as lettuce roots standing up to four inches above the soil surface. The rows run from lower right foreground to upper left middle ground. A low brush-covered ridge holding small patches of snow crosses the image in far middle ground. When lettuce is harvested it is normally cut at ground level below the head or leaves. The roots are thus left in the ground. The exposed roots in this photo illustrate the depth of soil that has been blown away since the fall lettuce harvest.

Location

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Image shows a winter scene of several carrots in foreground sticking up from the soil indicating wind eroded the soil from around them. A black hat is nest to the carrots for scale. A typical Colony barn is in background across a barren field. Patches of snow are evident in the background.Farm identified as that of Al Saxton.

Title

Soil Erosion 6

Creator

Tom Day, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farming

Description

Image shows a winter scene of several carrots in foreground sticking up from the soil indicating wind eroded the soil from around them. A black hat is nest to the carrots for scale. A typical Colony barn is in background across a barren field. Patches of snow are evident in the background.Farm identified as that of Al Saxton.

Location

Two miles north of Palmer, Alaska

Image shows a grass field with a pond in foreground. A farm tractor, pump and pipes are at the edge of the pond. A man attends the tractor with a pickup truck behind. A collection of barns, houses, silos, and Quonset huts are in background at the edge of the forest. Caption: "Pumping equipment and sprinkler system from pothole. Leonard Moffitt farm."

Title

Sprinkler Irrigation

Creator

Cliff W. Marcus, USDA Soil Conservation Service

Subject

Farming

Description

Image shows a grass field with a pond in foreground. A farm tractor, pump and pipes are at the edge of the pond. A man attends the tractor with a pickup truck behind. A collection of barns, houses, silos, and Quonset huts are in background at the edge of the forest. Caption: "Pumping equipment and sprinkler system from pothole. Leonard Moffitt farm."

Location

Near Palmer, Alaska

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