Anchorage Area 1920s

Anchorage Area 1920s. . , On November 23, 1920 the Alaska Engineering Commission rel[i]nquished responsibility for local government. Anchorage incorporated into a civilian run city., 4th Avenue was still the main commercial street. Even though the population remained static, improvements were made to the town. In 1918 Joe Spenard, an entrepreneur, arrived in town. He discovered a nearyby lake; laid a corduroy road to the area, built an outdoor resort and charged people for transportation to Spenard Lake Resort., President Harding drove the final spike to complete the railroad from Seward to Fairbanks, via Anchorage, in 1923. The total cost was $56,000,000. Earlier that spring, citizens turned out to completely clear a strip of land between 9th and 10th Avenues. The land had been partially cleared as a fire break, final clearing resulted in the first airplane landing strip in Anchorage. By 1926, Anchorage Air Transport Company, with one plane, was operating., In January 1925 an outbreak of Dip[h]theria threatened Nome, Alaska. 3,000 units of antitoxin left Anchorage, via the railroad for Nenana, the fastest dog teams in Alaska carried the serum to Nome via the town of Iditarod., During the 20's, Anchorage received local telephone service and the first radio station., [Photo captions, clockwise from bottom center, read] , A. Sunday afternoon at Spenard Lake., B. Early 1920's. 4th Avenue business district., C. Late 1920's. 4th Avenue business district., D. 1922 Homestead overlooking Turnagain Arm., E. 1921 Railroad construction along Turnagain Arm., F. 1923 President Harding (wearing golf cap) visits Alaska.