Discover the Story of Moose Pass

The goal of this project was to build understanding and identity, raising local, regional, and national awareness of the Moose Pass, Alaska area, and to increase community collaboration and involvement within Moose Pass. Moose Pass is undoubtedly a pivotal community in the development of the Kenai Peninsula and by highlighting key people, places, and historic events through this project, we hope this will also increase public awareness and appreciation for the natural, historic, scenic, and cultural resources of the area.

People, Paths, & Places: A Frontier History of Moose Pass, Alaska is the result of a community project to collect and record the varied history of Moose Pass. The book is an outgrowth of a project that began in 2016 with the renovation of the town’s library. The community created a series of interpretive panels that would tell the history of Moose Pass for library visitors.

People, Paths, & Places: A Frontier History of Moose Pass, Alaska is organized much like the interpretive panels, with five sections titled Overview, People, Paths, Places, and Growing Up in Moose Pass. Each section includes the material on the interpretive panels themselves; an article or profile on a topic or person that was not included in the original project; and entertaining, enlightening excerpts from the Moose Pass Miner.

The book includes photos from the panels plus many more. The Moose Pass Chamber of Commerce, the Moose Pass Sportsman’s Club, and the Moose Pass Public Library were also instrumental in making the book a reality. Members of these organizations provided countless volunteer hours of research and helped fund the digitization and preservation of one-of-a-kind photos that document the people, paths, and places of Moose Pass.

The story of Moose Pass is the story of an Alaska frontier town just after the turn of the century. Life during the early days of Moose Pass reflects the hardships, fortitude, and resilience of Alaska’s early settlers. It is our hope that the words, images, and excerpts of this book will bring to life the history of this special community.

• Grant Type: Publications & Arts Grant
• Grantee: Moose Pass Chamber of Commerce
• Completed: 2020
• Project Duration: One Year
• Award Amount: $10,012
• Match Generated: $22,477