David Reamer | Histories of Alaska

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska

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David Reamer is a historian who writes about Anchorage. His peer-reviewed articles include topics as diverse as baseball, housing discrimination, Alaska Jewish history and the English gin craze. He’s a UAA graduate and nerd for research who loves helping people with history questions. He also posts daily Alaska history on Twitter @ANC_Historian.

On the centennial of the Nome Serum Run, the story of the sordid aftermath for its 2 most famous dogs, Balto and Togo

Balto and a portion of the team were confined to the back room of a Los Angeles dime museum before they were purchased by a Cleveland businessman and relocated.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska February 2, 2025

2 mountaineers, 2 names for North America’s tallest mountain

Frederick Cook and Hudson Stuck had different approaches, and favored names, in attempting to reach the peak.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska January 26, 2025

What are Spenard’s borders? No one seems to agree.

The iconic Anchorage neighborhood has seen plenty of changes in the past eight decades and some consider it more of an attitude than a place.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska January 19, 2025
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‘Seward’s Folly’ is a myth. Spread the word.

The prevailing narrative of the Alaska purchase, pushed in history textbooks for decades, doesn’t reflect public opinion at the time more than 150 years ago.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska January 12, 2025

Teamsters, coastal trails, and deadly fires: Do you remember what happened 20, 40 and 60 years ago today?

For more modern historians, newspapers are one of the best resources. What can we glean from Alaska life by a look at the front pages going back decades?

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska January 5, 2025

After decades out of public view, the Alaska Railroad golden spike is up for auction. Will it come home?

Christie’s is offering up the legendary piece of Alaska history at auction in January, and it’s expecting to fetch between $30,000 and $50,000.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska December 29, 2024

The time Canada tried to trade ‘10,000 square miles of useless mountain peaks and glaciers’ for the Alaska Panhandle

The plan was not especially serious to begin with as onlookers chuckled when it was proposed in the spring session of the 1959 British Columbian legislative assembly.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska December 22, 2024

Torpedo juice: The legendary, illegal WWII liquor drunk in Alaska and around the world

Named for the 180-proof ethyl alcohol that powered American torpedoes, the concoction was consumed throughout the Navy and beyond.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska December 16, 2024

5 mistakes of a murderer: How justice was won for Billy Wimbish, killed near Fairbanks in 1910

John Cooper was convicted of murdering Wimbish, who was popular among fellow miners after leading a winning fight for back wages.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska December 8, 2024

The 20-foot ‘lizard-like monster’ that invaded Anchor Point in 1946

Word of the unidentified monster soon spread to Anchorage, and before long, it was featured in newspapers from New York to California. Reality turned out to be less alarming.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska December 1, 2024
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