David Reamer

author

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.

Was a dictionary really banned in Anchorage? Here’s the real story of how the book was outlawed in schools

Histories of Anchorage: With a 4-3 vote, the Anchorage School Board banned the book in 1976 after complaints from conservative watchdog group People for Better Education.

By David Reamer●

More a curiosity than a harbinger, the story of the first flight in Alaska by aviator James Martin

Histories of Alaska: Back when airplanes were called aeroplanes and pilots were called “birdmen,” James Martin made the first powered flight in Fairbanks as part of the 1913 July 4 celebrations. The initial reaction was a mixture of intrigue and doubt.

By David Reamer●

Histories of Anchorage park names, from Dena’ina origins to the etymology of ‘williwaw’

Whisper Faith Kovach Park off Lore Road is dedicated to the tragic loss of an Anchorage girl almost 25 years ago.

By David Reamer●

A ‘strange light bouncing up and down in the sky’: The history of UFO sightings in Alaska

In 1947, just as the country was catching flying saucer fever, three Anchorage teens made what is believed to be the state’s first of many sightings.

By David Reamer●

At the peak of his powers, legendary comedian Bob Hope made multiple visits to Alaska

Histories of Anchorage: The famous performer made numerous stops in Alaska to entertain troops as part of USO tours and even filmed an episode of his TV show here.

By David Reamer●

The first airplane in Anchorage: From the milestone flight to its tragic coda

The pilot who made Anchorage’s first flight, versatile mechanic Charles “Ham” Hammontree, cruised across the Knik Arm to Goose Bay and back to town.

By David Reamer●

Metallica in Anchorage: A very metal concert amid a satanic panic

Histories of Anchorage: At the peak of its powers, the band air-freighted 30,000 pounds of equipment to its fiery gig at Sullivan Arena.

By David Reamer●

It’s a bird! It’s a fish? Alaska’s history of collisions between planes and animals.

History column: Despite the fact that the state’s only known plane-fish collision was reported in the newspaper April 1, it was not a joke.

By David Reamer●

From a fierce local advocate to the overblown hero of the serum run, here is how some popular Anchorage parks were named

HISTORIES OF ANCHORAGE: There are 223 parks in Anchorage, and each one has a reason or story behind their titles.

By David Reamer●

Farmed for their fur or taken as pets, raccoons aren’t indigenous to Alaska, but they have a long and interesting history

Alaska history: Introduced in 1913, the critters have made homes in El Capitan Island, Brothers Islands and even the Interior.

By David Reamer●

How a Japanese fighter plane downed in the Aleutians unlocked secrets that turned the tide of World War II

Alaska history: The Mitsubishi A6M Zero crashed into a bog on Akutan Island, providing the Allies with critical intelligence on how to win battles being fought in the air.

By David Reamer●

14 people in Anchorage have been awarded Carnegie Medals for heroism. Here are their stories

Histories of Anchorage: Nine of the group were honored for a 1951 incident in which they helped pull a pilot from a crashed plane just before it exploded.

By David Reamer●

What should newcomers know about Alaska? Here’s what a 1956 pocket guide from the military says.

Histories of Anchorage: The entertaining illustrations are another highlight of the pamphlet, which was issued to service members arriving in the state and featured facts, warnings and several notable omissions.

By David Reamer●

Here are the histories behind many of Anchorage’s park names, from the well-known to the obscure

There are stories behind everything from the .05-acre Cunningham Park to the sprawling Delaney Park Strip.

By David Reamer●

An old Alaska cure for scurvy: Was the medicine worse than the disease?

Histories of Alaska: Billie Moore, who helped kick-start the Klondike gold rush from Skagway, recommended an infection of lice. While some swore by the method, the recommendation was likely offered tongue-in-cheek.

By David Reamer●