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Railroads

From 1901 to 1909, Valdez’s newspapers were filled with headlines eagerly announcing the formation of a railroad to be built from Valdez. Promoters and financiers were encouraged by the success of Alaska’s gold rush. As many as a dozen railroads were proposed with Valdez as a terminus, yet most of these did not even get…

Parlor

In the years following the Gold Rush, the population of Valdez dropped substantially, from about 7000 in the 1910’s to approximately 1000 in 1920. Yet Valdezans took pride in their modernity and their ability to maintain a high standard of living. Homes contained most of the amenities of houses elsewhere in the United States. The…

Valdez Trail – Richardson Highway

Since it was founded, Valdez has been the supply and service point for construction and maintenance crews, a staging area for travelers, and the political strength behind movements to upgrade the road. The ups and downs of Valdez’s economy and population have often been tied to the demand for and use of the Richardson Highway….

Fort Liscum

The present location of the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal has long been important to Valdez history.  In the late 1890’s, Adam Swan established a small trading post appropriately named Swanport. This trading post became the initial jumping- off place for prospectors heading across the Valdez Glacier for the Klondike gold fields. In 1900, the U.S. Army…

Pinzon Bar

“The Pinzon” –no one ever called it the Pinzon Bar-was a fixture of the original downtown Valdez town site. There were many others, but the Pinzon seems to have been a “hub” for socializing and political activity until it was closed following the 1964 earthquake. The Pinzon served alcoholic beverages, of course, but more than…