transcribed from a document created by my great-grandmother, Lulu Blakely.

LULU M. BLAKELY
ALASKA TRIP       AUGUST – 1949

On the morning of August 7th I received a letter from my duaghter telling me that her husband was buying a new four passenger Aeronica Airplane, and he was sending a lady pilot from Anchorage, Alaska, to Detriot to pilot the ship to Anchorage. In her letter she invited me to ride with the pilot on that long journey.

At first I gave it no serious thought, then other letters followed and more confidence was gained and on Sunday, August 21st, at 1:15 P.M. I boarded the plane and took of in the blue with Lois Wise, a young lady who weighed about 90# leaving on the ground my husband, my son and his family and a few loyal friends who had gathered to see me off.

Miss Wise was an efficient and careful pilot giving added confidence as we progressed.

I was able to identify the town of Warren, the Grand River Avenue and Oh! the glory of seeing from the air, the well laid out farms, the fields and the lakes.

At 3:30 we landed at Michigan City for gas and a bite of lunch. I phoned home and I know Ira was relieved to know the first tiny lap of the journey was completed. Then on to Moline, Illinois, and I again telephoned Sunday evening.

Monday we were off early – crossed very rough country – gullies every where. Near noon we circled over Arcadia landing field but it didn’t look good to our pilot so we flew on twenty miles to Broken Bow to get gas, where the landing strip looked good. However there was almost no tillable land, many water holes and land looks white in patches, probably alkali. Monday night at LaPlatte, Nebraska.

Tuesday A.M. there was a strong, thirty mile an hour north wind and we desired to take a direct western course. It was necessary to face the nose of the plane directly northwest in order to go straight west, however that was not for long, for the wind changed. We often followed railroad tracks or main highways. The wonderful fields of grain so symetrically laid out, alternately wheat field and plowed field like a giant checker board – probably an effort to keep the dust down.

Landed at Great Falls at 4:30 P.M. Wednesday. Here we stayed over one whole day. Lois had a friend whom she wanted to contact.

Early Friday morning I went with Lois to the airport, taxied with her in the plane to the administration building where she got final instructions from the aeronautical officials and at 5:10 A.M. she took off alone headed north for Cutbank, Montana, near the Canadian border. Here she would clear customs before entering Canada.

I returned to our hotel and spent another day resting, then early Saturday at 5:40 A.M. the airport limosine called for me at the hotel and I boarded a Northwest Airliner for Seattle, Washington. Here we encountered the Rocky Mountains, Stopped at the city of Spokane and Yakima, Washington, the coutnry of apple orchard fame.

An advanced Olympic Hotel reservation was indeed fortunate, for the city was overcrowded with convention guests and I should have been lonely hunting for a room by myself.

Sunday, 8 A.M. found me aboard another Northwest Airliner, this time to complete my journey to Anchorage, Alaska. Seven hours flying time.

Lee, my son-in-law, met me at the airport, took me to see his office then we flew 40 miles in his two passenger scout plane to the McKinley Farm, where six little children and their mother gave me a most enthusiastic welcome – each one must show me something of particular interest to him or her – I didn’t have enough hands to greet them all at once. It was a great occasion!!

The day was very warm, so warm we took our chairs outside and sat awhile in the shade, however soon we sought the sun, to counteract the chill in the air. It was, however beautiful fall weather all the time I was in Alaska.

The farm lies in the Matanuska Valley and is in the territory colonized by the U.S. Gov’t about 15 years ago. A few of those colonists remain but many were not qualified farmers and there was not sufficient work, good roads nor means of transportation to sustain them while they put down roots and got a foothold.

Alaska is forging ahead now in the recent years since the war.

The rivers in Alaska near Anchorage and Palmer are Matanuska River and Knik River, both are fed by glacial drifts and are great spreading rivers, in which no fish live. In many places these rivers spread to a width of a mile or more cutting away banks and an ever changing course. They are not navigable rivers, very swift and angry appearing.

There are comparatively few roads, however the highway from Palmer to Anchorage has now about twenty five of its fifty-five miles black-topped.

Anchorage has several large modern office buildings and many smaller shops. The stores are modern and the merchandise is just what we would find in any shopping district here in Detroit. There are no paved streets but I am sure another year will see a good deal of paving. The utilities workmen have had the streets of Anchorage torn up all summer getting ready to do paving.

Elmendorf Field is the Army airfield and the larger commercial air planes are permitted to use this field. There are many air plane companies and air fields near Anchorage, in fact, Alaska is so air minded that Anchorage claims as many plane arrivals and takeoffs as New York City.

There are mny bush pilots, ex G.I.s who are expert fliers and who can land a plane in precarious places. These fliers bring in passengers from isolated islands and far away places. These people come into town for a few days to do necessary shopping, for dentists or doctors services and pay well for this transportation made especially for them.

Doris’ home is made of logs. It is very comfortable, has oil heat and bathroom facilities. They keep one horse and one cow. The limited farm work is done by tractor. Their one crop this year is potatoes, and a big crop it is. They expect to harvest 60 tons of potatoes, 40 tons were dug and bagged before I left and they had not had a frost.

The most of our time Doris and I spent together working at home, grocery shopping and errands, always together, taking some or all the little ones on every errand. We picked raspberries from bushes away over our heads, and made jelly.

The vegetation is especially verdant and rank. The flowers are wonderful nasturtiums, pansies, snapdragons and bachelor buttons are larger than any I have ever seen. These flowers were all in blossom when I left Alaska September 24.

A highlight in my vacation was a trip to Mt. McKinley National Park Hotel. Doris and I took Judy 9, Billy 7, Rodger Dean 6, and Karen Lu 5 on a train trip 185 miles which took us 9 1/2 hours, a slow train it was but the scenery was beautiful and interesting. The train goes north Wednesday and Friday and Sunday and south Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. So we could not return by train until Tuesday. So it was arranged that Lee would fly up to the hotel and return with all the children Sunday afternoon. Doris and I again boarded the train and rode 5 1/2 hours longer to Fairbanks where we stayed all night. Monday we acquired commercial flight tickets to anchorage and returned in two hours. A marvelous trip, right over the mountains and I do believe it was the most interesting flight of any I took.

Fairbanks is a smaller city than Anchorage and does not have as many modern buildings tho it is reported to be an up and coming city. The two story frame hotel in which we stayed was right on the Tenana River and several airplanes were moore there on the water.

These cities seem to have more liquor saloons and beer parlors than any other business.

On the last Tuesday evening I was in Alaska, Chapter “6” PEO had its first fall meeting. Doris and I were invited and a charming group of 14 youngish women were its members. I am so happy that Chapter “T” made it possible for Doris to have this very fine contact. Their meeting was conducted with precision and dispatch. The husband of the hostess showed movies of Mt. McKinley Park and a trip above the Arctic Circle. It was most interesting, one especially showing thousands of caribou and those of Mt. McKinley Park which I had so recently seen.

Doris and I then drove to her home about 45 miles. We had a delightful evening.

Now, my vacation was drawing to a close. A Few days at the home. One day after school the boys were working at harvesting the potatoes and Doris and I donned our farm togs and helped pick up potatoes, two hours quite satisfied me. Now, I know that 60 tons are a lot of potatoes.

I left Anchorage on a Northwest Airliner bound for Minneapolis, 12 hours non-stop. Often in the night I would imagine that I was on a train, the sensation seemed no different. An excellent meal was served by the stewardess and assistant. There were 5 men members of the crew and one stewardess.

I spent 2 days with my niece and family in Minneapolis and reached home Sept. 27th.

Another glorious finale. Thanks for listenin’