In 1970
we began our new life in Fairbanks, Alaska.
We left a beautiful open country
setting in Iowa for a great adventure in North Country.
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| Colfax Center Presbyterian Church, cemetery and manse in 1970. |
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It is strange how odd furniture looks
in the open air instead of in its place in the house. |
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Here,
Cindee had suffered a bee sting
on the back of her leg and the only mirror
available
to check it out was sitting on the ground beside the church.
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We had
a huge auction sale where folks came from miles around to get a glimpse of our
stuff. We sold as much as we could and sent the rest by moving van. We waited many weeks for that van to finally reach Fairbanks.
We made the trip in a 2-door Ford LTD. We thought it would be safer for our kids than a 4-door. That
was before seat belts, so our two girls each picked a side in the back seat
while Mike bounced back and forth, many times stretching out on the back ledge.
We traveled slowly and carefully on those 1100 miles of gravel roads.
Eventually,
after ten days of travel, on September 29, 1970, we drove into Fairbanks.
There was snow on the streets, the lawns, the houses and everywhere. We didn’t
see the bare ground or the streets again until perhaps April. These pictures
show how the snow piles up higher and higher. In those days, it was unheard of
to have a wind storm or blizzard in Fairbanks.
The
church (instead of being in the open country) was located
right in the heart of the city. We spent nearly eight years learning to love Alaska so
much that when we left, we said we’d be back.
And we were! It took twelve years.
