ALASKA PIONEER PATHFINDER Kenneth Pysz January 2017 Grand President Volume 22, Issue 1 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE The sinking of the Princess Sophia is SINKING OF THE S.S. PRINCESS the worst marine disaster in the Pacific SOPHIA MEMORIAL PROJECT Northwest but its loss was overshadowed by the Armistice of World The Coastal Steamer S.S. Princess War One and the Spanish Flu epidemic Sophia departed Skagway at 10:15 on that was ravaging the country at the October 23, 1918 with over 350 same time. passengers and crew. At 2:00 a.m. of Men’s Igloo #6 and Women’s Igloo October 24th she ran aground on #6 are doing a project to memorialize Vanderbilt Reef in Lynn Canal, about 30 the loss of life and this portion of miles North of Juneau, in a raging winter Alaska’s history by placing a bronze storm memorial plaque and an interpretive Rescue ships from Juneau began to sign at the Eagle River State Recreation arrive by 9:00 a.m. and throughout the Area which is located just South of the day but the Captain of the S.S. Princess site of the wreck. The dedication Sophia determined that the ship was ceremony will be October 25, 2018. safely lodged upon the reef and that We are also working with the weather conditions made it too Maritime Museum of British Columbia to dangerous to try to evacuate the ship. help raise funding for a traveling exhibit The storm continued to increase of artifacts, pictures and digital media to forcing the rescue vessels to seek tell the story of the S.S. Princess Sophia shelter behind nearby island that night and the impact of her sinking on Alaska, but they returned the next morning. the Yukon Territory and British Weather conditions on October 25th Columbia. You can get more information continued to deteriorate precluding any on the travelling exhibit at rescue attempts. Rescue ships were http://princesssophia.org/exhibition/ again forced to seek shelter. At 5:20 You can make tax deductible p.m. the U.S. Lighthouse Tender Cedar donations through the Pioneers of received a final message from the Alaska Grand Igloo Foundation by Princess Sophia radio operator. “Come sending them to: quickly, the water is coming in my Grand Igloo cabin.” Foundation The Cedar attempted to reach the Attn: Joy McDougall Princess Sophia but was driven back by 200 B Street fierce winds and snow storm. The next Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 morning they found the Sophia had been thrown across the reef by the The check should be made to the storm and sunk with a loss of all aboard. Grand Igloo Foundation marked for the Over the next few months the Princess Sophia Project. community of Juneau responded to the recovery efforts for the casualties while (Contributed by Fred Thorstenstein, at the same time dealing with s Spanish Past Grand President, Juneau Igloo #6.) Flu epidemic. Page 1 of 8 ALASKA PIONEER PATHFINDER Kenneth Pysz January 2017 Grand President Volume 22, Issue 1 NEW ROYALTY ANNOUNCED FOR and the Coronation & Tea will take place 2017 on May 15, 2017. Anchorage Igloos 15 and 4 selected Reed and Marcia Oswalt will represent Roger and Carol Storrs to serve as the Kodiak Igloos 18 and 17 as their King and Queen Regents for 2017. Regents for 2017. They will be crowned at the King and Queen Regents Coronation and Tea to 2016-2017 GRAND IGLOO COMMITTEES be held February 19, 2017 from 2:00- 4:00 p.m. at the Pioneer Hall, 612 F Archives and Generations: Street. The following weekend the Ruth Knapman, Chair, Fbks 457-6380 Igloos will hold their annual Pancake Karen Bonnett-Peterson, Juneau 789-7244 Bill Chace, Fbks 488-3805 Feed during the Fur Rendezvous on Joyce Chace, Fbks 488-3805 Saturday, February 25, 2017 and Dawn Grossmann, Delta 310-804-0412 Sunday, February 26. Archives and Historical Palmer Igloos 31 and 11 2016 King and George Lounsbury, Chair, Fbks 457-3058 Queen, Doug and Marlene Swanston Donna Krier, Fbks 457-5889 passed the crowns to Jim and Aggie Wilson as Regents for 2017. Jim has Erica Miller, Fbks 488-2315 driven the float for the Palmer Colony Sam Richards, Anch 245-1942 Days in the past but this year he can actually ride on the float. Audit Virginia Calloway, Chair, Juneau 789-0614 Marge Bandy, Valdez (c)255-7330 At the Seward Installation of Officers on Kim Kowalski-Rogers, Seward January 15, Joe and Tina Crump were 422-2982 selected. To say they were surprised is (c)362-1255 an understatement. They are fairly new Robin McDougal, Fbks 474-0501 members and are also the new Pete Weimer, Anch 562-5647 Presidents for Seward Igloos #9. Communications New King and Queen Regents for Virgil Campbell, Chair, Seward 288-3616 Cordova, Igloos 19 and 5 are Marvin Sharon Benson, Palmer 480-772-7784 and Mazie VanDenBrook. Ruth Benson, Delta 488-5541 Jim Casement, Cordova 424-7363 Linda Trierschield, Sitka 747-5466 Fairbanks Igloos 4 & 8 will crown their new royalty, Marilyn Nigro and Ray Constitution and By-Laws Sandburg, at the Regents Coronation Judy Weimer, Chair, Anch 562-5647 and Tea on Sunday, March 12, 2017. (c) 351-8466 Ruth Benson, Delta 978-7081 Juneau Men & Women’s Igloos 6 will Sharon Boko, Fbks 474-9081 announce their selections at the Mildred Richards, Anch 245-1942 Sweethearts’ Dinner March 18, 2017 Dixie Weiss, Juneau 586-1044 Page 2 of 8 ALASKA PIONEER PATHFINDER Kenneth Pysz January 2017 Grand President Volume 22, Issue 1 Credentials Public Relations (Cont) Linda Conley, Chair, Fbks 488-4781 Larinda Kassner, Juneau 586-1213 Norma Alderfer, Anch 563-7351 Jim Casement, Cordova 424-7363 Resolutions Gene Hansen, Fbks 457-1492 Pat Barber, Chair, Anch 272-2044 Jean Lee, Anch 279-4310 David Barnett, Anch 276-5739 Carol Whelan, Juneau 723-5433 Virginia Walters, Kenai ( No ph# furnished) Evelyn Wince, Anch 243-6013 Snider Park Legislative and Government Ken Pysz, Chair, Palmer 746-5288 Don Smith, Chair, Anch 529-6170 David Barnett, Anch 276-5739 Lee Pederson, Anch 272-7188 Darwin Fischer, Palmer 354-4423 (c) 227-6172 Ruby Church, Sec., Palmer 376-5763 Bruce Botelho, Juneau 364-2334 Bill Church, Palmer 376-5763 Gail Phillips, Homer 248-5325 David Church, Palmer 745-0130 Chuck Dickson, Anch 248-0203 Medallions Ed Johnson, Anch 279-4292 Don Burt, Chair, Homer 299-5113 Doug Swanston, Palmer 357-4415 Therese Veker, Anch 278-8645 Pete Weimer, Anch 562-5647 Judy Weimer, Anch 562-5647 (c) 351-8466 Standing Patents and Emblems Membership Donna Gifford, Chair, Valdez 835-2254 Joan Skilbred, Chair, Fbks 488-4447 Lorraine Haas, Homer 235-5693 Ruth Benson, Delta 488-5541 Vila Johnson, Anch 279-4292 Karen Bonnett-Peterson, Juneau 789-7244 Vision Money, Homer 235-4298 Virginia Calloway, Juneau 789-0614 Corky Dickson, Anch/Palmer 248-0203 Travel (EZ-BIZ) Frank McGilvary, Fbks 452-6929 DA McGilvary, Chair, Fbks 452-6929 Leigh Kainulainen, Sitka 738-4703 Charlene Ditton, Homer 235-8295 Nominations A NUGGET Betsy Sharp, Chair, Fbks 452-2427 Ed Barber, Anch 272-2044 Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson Don Burford, Juneau 209-8744 went on a camping trip, pitching their Don Burt, Homer 299-5113 tent under the stars and going to sleep. Ruby Church, Palmer 376-5763 In the middle of the night, Holmes Linda Trierschield, Sitka 747-5466 woke Watson up. “Watson, look up at Pathfinder the sky and tell me what you see.” Diane Pederson, Chair, Anch 272-7188 “Millions and millions of stars,” Lee Pederson, Anch 272-7188 Watson replied. (c) 227-6172 “And what do you deduce from that?” Diane Barnett, Anch 276-5739 Sherlock inquired. “Well, if there are millions of stars Public Relations and a few of those have planets, it’s Bill Cotton, Chair, Delta 488-5541 quite likely there are planets like Earth Dee Brown, Palmer 745-3839 Page 3 of 8 ALASKA PIONEER PATHFINDER Kenneth Pysz January 2017 Grand President Volume 22, Issue 1 out there. And if there are planets like Recording Secretary, George Earth out there, there might also be life.” Kostrometimpff, Sitka. Treasurer, Orville “Watson, you idiot,” Holmes replied. T. Porter, Sitka. Corresponding “It means somebody stole our tent.” Secretaries, Henry E. Haydon, Sitka,; Wm. A. Kelly, Sitka; C. H. Schap, Sitka. MOMENTS IN HISTORY Librarian, Maurice E. Konealy, Sitka. The object of this organization is to 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the collect and preserve all the historical purchase of Alaska from Russia. This is data connected with the annals of a time for Pioneers to especially reflect Alaska, commencing at as early a date on their history and identity. The Alaska as possible and continuing them down Historical Commission and Alaska to our own times; perpetuating if it be Historical Society have invited Alaskans possible, in some enduring form the to step forward and organize local stories of the pioneers who preceded events commemorating this anniversary. our flag thither, and of those who have In keeping with the mission of the come to this remote region since that Pioneers of Alaska, I would urge local time The gentlemen who have taken an Igloos consider sponsoring a local event active interest in this movement, feel during 2017 to remember this important that it is common ground upon which event in Alaskan history. every man, interested in Alaskan affairs (Sent to us by Kit Hill, President of the can meet and aid those who may follow Kenai Women’s Igloo #16) after them, in telling the interesting story of this great domain, from authentic Another moment in history is an article records made at this time, and sent to us by Ruth Knapman, Fairbanks continued as the years go on.