Guide to the Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 15 records
1910-1988
Collection number: HMC-0202.
Creator: Pioneers of Alaska. Igloo 15.
Title: Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 15 records.
Dates: 1916-1988.
Volume of collection: 9.6 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Records of the local Anchorage branch of a fraternal organization for pioneers in Alaska.
Organizational history:
Igloo No. 15 of the Pioneers of Alaska is one of the oldest fraternal organizations in Anchorage, Alaska. The charter for the organization was signed in September 1916 and approved by the Grand Igloo of the Pioneers of Alaska in February 1918. Officers during Igloo No. 15’s first year in 1917 included John Frame, President; John Robinson, 1st Vice President; J. S. Mathews, Secretary; and Ray Larsen, Treasurer. Early meetings of the Igloo were held in the Labor Union Hall, the Moose Lodge, and Robarts Hall. In July 1917, the Igloo purchased Anchorage’s first school building from the Alaska Engineering Commission and moved it to a lot in downtown Anchorage. It served as a meeting hall for the Igloo and Women’s Auxiliary No. 4, (established 1919) until 1964 when it was damaged in the Alaska earthquake. In 1965, Igloo No. 15 established the non-profit Pioneer Hall Building Corporation to acquire property and funds to contract for the construction of a new Pioneer Hall in Anchorage, and to administer and maintain the hall after its completion. The new hall was completed and dedicated in 1966.
Collection description:
This collection contains the records of Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 15. Included are administrative records; meeting and membership records; legal files; special events files; financial records; and papers concerning the Grand Igloo, pioneers homes in Alaska, and graves and cemetery records. These files contain extensive data documenting the history and operation of the organization. The administrative records include the Igloo’s constitution and bylaws, annual reports (1918-1983), Board of Trustees records (1969-1974), correspondence (1917-1987), minutes, resolutions, and attendance registers, as well as membership rolls and lists, documents relating to the sale of the old Pioneer Hall and the construction of the new hall, and ledgers, check registers, and audits.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged in the following order:
Part 1. Administrative records; 1916-1988
Series 1: General records; 1917-1987
Series 2: Pioneer Hall Building Corporation; 1965-1966
Series 3: Special events records; 1923-1978
Series 4: Financial records; 1917-1988
Part 2. Grand Igloo records; 1920-1984
Part 3. Pioneer Homes; 1937-1981
Digitized copies: Digital copies of collection material not available online. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: Archives does not own rights to this collection.
Preferred citation: Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 15 records, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Acquisition note: This collection was deposited in the Archives by the Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 15 in 1988, 1989, and 1992.
Processing information: This collection was originally arranged and described by Dennis Walle. The collection was rearranged and the guide revised by Megan K. Friedel in 2012.
Container list:
Part 1. Administrative records; 1916-1988. 8 cubic feet.
Part 1. Series 1: General records; 1917-1987. 6.2 cubic feet.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 1/1 | Constitution and bylaws | 1917, 1919, 1982 |
| 1/2 | Ritual book | 1961 |
| 1/3 | Board of Trustees meeting notes and discussion material | 1969-1974 |
| 1/4 – 1/23 | General correspondence | undated, 1917-1987 |
| 1/24 – 2/9 | Secretary’s correspondence | undated, 1952-1987 |
| 2/10 | Roll call of officers | 1921-1925 |
| 2/11 – 4/10 | Meeting minutes | 1916-1987 |
| 4/11 – 4/13 | Resolutions | 1918-1982 |
| 4/14 – 4/17 | Meeting attendance registers | 1952-1984 |
| 4/18 – 4/19 | Membership applications, A-Z. See appendix for index of names. | 1921-1973 |
| 4/20 | Membership applications suspended | 1933-1984 |
| 4/21 – 5/6 | Membership rolls | 1917-1973 |
| 5/7 | Membership rolls – Auxiliary No. 4 | 1975, 1977 |
| 5/8 – 5/9 | Membership cards, A-Z | 1964-1966 |
| 5/10 – 5/16 | Membership cards – Deceased members | circa 1930-1982 |
| 5/17 – 5/19 | Membership cards – Members withdrawn, dropped, or transferred | circa 1929-1981 |
| 5/20 | Membership cards – members issued clearance cards | circa 1960-1978 |
| 5/21 | Member address books | undated |
| 6/1 | Member address lists | undated |
| 6/2 – 6/6 | Membership rosters | undated, 1981-1985 |
| 6/7 | Bill of sale – Old Pioneer Hall | 1965 |
| 6/8 | Estate settlements | 1970, 1976 |
| 6/9 | Leases | 1917-1976 |
| 6/10 | Leases – Correspondence and notes | 1975-1980 |
| 6/11 | Elevator maintenance agreement | 1981 |
Part 1. Series 2: Pioneer Hall Building Corporation records; 1965-1966. 0.3 cubic feet.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 6/12 | Articles of incorporation | 1965 |
| 6/13 | Board of Trustees meeting minutes | 1965 |
| 6/14 | Building contract | 1965-1966 |
| 6/15 | Bank loan receipts | 1965 |
| 6/16 – 6/17 | Bank statements and cancelled checks | 1965-1966 |
| 6/18 | Building fund | 1965 |
| 6/19 | Debentures | 1966 |
| 6/20 | Disbursements | 1965-1966 |
| 6/21 | Hall rental charges | 1966 |
| 6/23 | Insurance | 1966 |
| 6/24 | Loan application from Small Business Association | 1965 |
| 6/25 | Other records | 1966 |
Part 1. Series 3: Special events records; 1923-1978. 0.3 cubic feet.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 6/26 | Breakup Ball | 1967-1977 |
| 6/27 | Cabaret Party | 1967 |
| 6/28 – 6/29 | “Days of ‘98” | 1954-1955 |
| 6/30 | Dedication of Pioneer Hall | 1966 |
| 6/31 | Fish Feed | 1970-1973 |
| 6/32 | Harvest Dinner | 1972-1978 |
| 6/33 | Open House | 1923-1938 |
| 6/34 | Pancake Feed | 1970-1977 |
| 6/35 | Picnic | 1968-1977 |
| 6/36 | Stampede | 1975 |
Part 1. Series 4: Financial records; 1917-1988. 1.2 cubic feet.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 6/37 – 6/38 | Annual financial reports | 1917-1980 |
| 6/39 | Annual income and expense statements | 1967-1971 |
| 6/40 – 6/44 | Annual reports and correspondence for trust accounts | 1970-1977 |
| 6/55 – 7/4 | Ledgers | 1918-1964 |
| 7/5 – 7/10 | Ledger/check registers | 1943-1976 |
| 7/11 | Audits | 1960-1966 |
| 7/12 – 8/3 | Bank statements, deposit slips, bills, and cancelled checks | 1922-1977 |
| 8/4 – 8/10 | Bills | 1917-1975 |
| 8/11 | Bond subscriptions – Pioneer Hall | 1965 |
| 8/12 | Building loan certificates – Pioneer Building | 1918 |
| 8/13 – 8/16 | Cancelled checks | 1918-1976 |
| 8/17 | Correspondence | 1916-1980 |
| 8/18 – 8/19 | Deposit records | 1970-1974 |
| 8/20 | Insurance | 1955-1975 |
| 8/21 | Inventories – Safe deposit box | 1967-1988 |
| 8/22 | Mail rates | 1977 |
| 8/23 | Paid accounts | 1973 |
| 8/24 | Proposed budget | undated |
| 8/25 – 8/27 | Receipts | 1920-1972 |
| 8/28 – 8/31 | Record of funds transferred from secretary to treasurer | 1966-1984 |
| 8/32 – 8/33 | Rental of Pioneer Hall | 1971-1973 |
| 8/34 | Tax assessments | 1917-1962 |
| 8/35 | Tax information and returns | 1954-1974 |
| 8/36 – 8/37 | Treasurers reports (for additional treasurers reports, see meeting minutes) | 1917-1981 |
| 8/38 | Treasurers reports – Dues and initiation fees received | 1980-1982 |
| 8/39 | Trust agreement | undated |
| 8/40 – 9/2 | Warrants | 1917-1930 |
Part 2. Grand Igloo records; 1910-1984. 1.4 cubic feet.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 9/3 | Constitution and bylaws | 1947-1984 |
| 9/4 | Glass-plate negative of charter form | undated |
| 9/5 | Meeting/convention minutes | 1920-1964 |
| 9/6 – 9/10 | Meeting/convention reports | 1960-1986 |
| 9/11 | Meeting/convention speeches | 1981, 1985 |
| 9/12 – 9/20 | Convention records, including minutes, correspondence, financial records and reports, and Sitka petition | 1954, 1961 |
| 9/21 – 9/24 | 53rd session minutes, correspondence, financial records, and committee records | 1969 |
| 9/25 – 9/26 | Convention programs | 1958-1986 |
| 9/27 – 10/1 | Grand Igloo session programs | 1954-1987 |
| 10/2 – 10/5 | Correspondence | 1931-1934 |
| 10/6 | Ledger | 1910, 1921-1923 |
| 10/7 | Ledger – Supplies ordered (listed by Igloo) | 1908-1916 |
| 10/8 | Supply price list, inventories, and warrants | 1921-1924 |
| 10/9 | Igloo charter and membership list | undated, 1932 |
| 10/10 | Rubber stamps | undated, 1969 |
Part 3. Pioneer Homes; 1937-1981. 0.2 cubic feet.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 10/11 | Biennial reports, Pioneer Home Superintendent | 1937-1940 |
| 10/12 | Annual reports, Sitka Home Christmas fund | 1956-1967 |
| 10/13 | Anchorage Pioneer Home addition report | 1979 |
| 10/14 | Brochures | undated, 1961, 1976 |
| 10/15 | Guest lists | circa 1961-1973 |
| 10/16 | Older Alaskans Commission legislation | 1981 |