Guide to the Ann Chandonnet papers
1942-2017
Collection number: HMC-0085.
Creator: Chandonnet, Ann.
Title: Ann Chandonnet papers.
Dates: 1942-2024.
Volume of collection: 9.3 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Personal papers, writings, and research files of an Alaskan poet, author, and journalist.
Biographical note:
Ann Fox Chandonnet was born in Massachusetts in 1943. She obtained her B.S. from Lowell University in 1964 and an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. After graduating, she taught English at Kodiak High School in Alaska from 1965-1966 and then at Lowell State College in Massachusetts from 1966-1969. Ann returned to Alaska in 1973. In 1966, Ann married Fernand “Fern” L. Chandonnet. The couple adopted three sons, Yves, Alex, and Maxim. She has since become a poet and author who has published a number of poetry collections including The Wife and Other Poems, At the Fruit Tree’s Mossy Root, Ptarmigan Valley,Canoeing in the Rain: Poems for My Aleut-Athabascan Son, and The Shape of Wind on Water. She has also written several cookbooks, including Gold Rush Grub: From Turpentine Stew to Hoochino and The Alaska Heritage Seafood Cookbook, as well as children’s books, two histories of Eklutna Village, and many other titles. Chandonnet wrote for the Anchorage Times newspaper as a full-time reporter from 1982 to 1992. She was also a food editor and children’s book reviewer for the Anchorage Daily News. Chandonnet moved to Juneau in 1999, where she worked for the Juneau Empire as a police and courts reporter. She was the founder of the Literary Artists Guild, an organization for Alaskan authors and poets. Chandonnet has lived in Lake St. Louis, Missouri since 2013.
Collection description:
The bulk of the collection contains Ann Chandonnet’s personal papers including her personal and professional correspondence from 1962-2007. Frequent correspondents include Chandonnet’s mother, Barbara Curran, her mother’s cousin, Mary Colburn, poets Joanne Townsend and Will Inman, and other writers and family members. Chandonnet’s personal papers also contain a scrapbook that she kept in 1965-1966 while she was teaching at Kodiak High School on Kodiak Island, family photographs, advertisements for and reviews of her books, newspaper clippings about her, legal papers, and papers related to the Literary Artists Guild, among other materials. The collection also contains drafts and published copies of Chandonnet’s writing, including news, arts, and human interest features that she wrote for various Alaska magazines and newspapers, including the Anchorage Times and the Anchorage Daily News, manuscript drafts of and book proposals for some of her books, poetry, food writing, fiction, and drafts of interviews and speeches. There are also photocopies of research material from various archives and books that Chandonnet use to write several books, including materials on the history of Eklutna and research for her book of Civil War letters, Write Quick.
Arrangement: This collection is arranged into three series:
Series 1: Personal papers; 1942-2024
Series 2: Writing files; 1959-2021
Series 3: Research files; 1975-2009
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Use restrictions: Permission to quote from a literary work or any part thereof must be obtained from the author in writing.
Rights note: The donor retains the literary property rights and copyright to all literary works of her authorship such as books, essays, articles, and poetry, including drafts but not including correspondence and other papers.
Preferred citation: Ann Chandonnet papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Related materials: Archives and Special Collections holds the papers of Ann Chandonnet’s husband, Fernand Chandonnet, HMC-1274. The Archives also holds the records of the Literary Artists Guild of Alaska (HMC-0164), which Chandonnet founded.
Separated materials: Published books and journals were separated from the archival collection in 2010 and 2023 and added to the Consortium Library Rare Books collection. The papers of Chandonnet’s husband Fernand Chandonnet were separated from the collection and established as a separate collection in 2017.
Acquisition note: This collection was originally donated to Archives and Special Collections by Ann Chandonnet in 1982. Additions to the collection were donated by Chandonnet between 1984 and 2025.
Processing information: Some initial arrangement of the collection was done by Eldon Gretzinger and Joan Tenenbaum in 1983. Further arrangement and description was completed prior to 1991. The guide was revised and updated by Megan K. Friedel in 2010. Additional material was added to the collection by Gwen Higgins in 2017 and 2025.
Container list:
Series 1: Personal papers; 1942-2024. 5.6 cubic feet.
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
| Box/ Folder |
Description | Date |
| 1/1 | Advertisements and press releases for books by Ann Chandonnet | 1972-2005 |
| 1/2 | Advertisements and programs for appearances by Ann Chandonnet | 1984-2005 |
| 1/3 | Advertisements and programs for other events | 1979-1999 |
| 1/4 | Alaska Center for the Book meeting minutes | 1992 |
| 1/5 | Anchorage Times papers relating to closing of newspaper operations | 1992 |
| 1/6, 8/2 | Articles and newspaper clippings about Ann Chandonnet | 1978-2005 |
| 1/7 | Articles and newspaper clippings by and about other authors | 1974-1981 |
| 1/8 | Awards and certificates | 1958-1983 |
| 1/9 | Biographical information and resumes | 1974-2008 |
| 7/6 | Book covers | undated |
| 7/7-8 | Clippings | 1973-2010 |
| 1/10 | Contracts and other legal papers | 1972-1998 |
| 7/9-11 | Contracts with publishers. Folder 9 is restricted due to the presence of personally identifiable information. | 1968-2023 |
| 1/11 | Correspondence | undated |
| 1/12 | Correspondence – Letters to Juliana Wells | 1962-1963 |
| 1/13-14 | Correspondence | 1963-1972 |
| 1/15 | Correspondence – Letters of recommendation | 1968-1982 |
| 1/16-17 | Correspondence | 1973-1976 |
| 1/18 | Correspondence regarding adoption tax deduction | 1976-1980 |
| 1/19-20 | Correspondence regarding Eklutna research | 1976-1982 |
| 1/21-26 | Correspondence with Katherine Jensen | 1976-1990 |
| 1/27 | Correspondence | 1977 |
| 1/28 | Correspondence | 1978 |
| 1/29 | Correspondence | 1979 |
| 1/30 | Correspondence | 1980 |
| 1/31 | Correspondence | 1981 |
| 1/32-33 | Correspondence | 1982 |
| 1/34-35 | Correspondence | 1983 |
| 1/36-2/1 | Correspondence | 1984 |
| 2/2 | Correspondence | 1985 |
| 2/3-4 | Correspondence | 1986 |
| 2/5-6 | Correspondence | 1987 |
| 2/7-8 | Correspondence | 1988 |
| 2/9-2/11 | Correspondence | 1989 |
| 2/12-15 | Correspondence | 1990 |
| 2/16-22 | Correspondence | 1991 |
| 3/1-2 | Correspondence | 1992 |
| 3/3 | Correspondence | 1993 |
| 3/4 | Correspondence | 1994 |
| 3/5 | Correspondence | 1995 |
| 3/6 | Correspondence | 1996 |
| 3/7-8 | Correspondence | 1997 |
| 3/9 | Correspondence | 1998 |
| 3/10 | Correspondence | 1999 |
| 3/11 | Correspondence | 2000 |
| 3/12 | Correspondence | 2001 |
| 3/13-14 | Correspondence | 2002 |
| 3/15-17 | Correspondence | 2003 |
| 3/18-21 | Correspondence | 2004 |
| 3/22-23 | Correspondence | 2005 |
| 4/1 | Correspondence | 2006 |
| 4/2-3 | Correspondence | 2007 |
| 4/4-7 | Correspondence – personal | 1973-2017 |
| 4/8-9 | Correspondence – professional | 1975-2015 |
| 7/12-38, 9/1-13 | Correspondence | 1966-2024 |
| 9/14 | Employment materials | 1990-1993 |
| 9/15 | Event information | undated, 2011-2019 |
| 4/10 | Financial records | 1979-2007 |
| 4/11 | Fox family genealogical papers | 1991-2007 |
| 4/12 | Grant and award applications | 1998-2003 |
| 9/16 | Interview for Eating Alaska documentary | 2010 |
| 9/17 | Journal of trip to France | 1983 |
| 4/13 | Juneau Writer Club contact list | 2005 |
| 9/18 | Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference teaching materials | 2004 |
| 4/14 | Literary Artists Guild correspondence, bylaws, and minutes | 1980-1982 |
| 4/15 | Literary Artists Guild newsletter, The Upstart Crow | 1982 |
| 9/19 | Media – Pioneer Village CD, Grandma & Grandpa’s visit CD, Bracelet-Grandpa CD, Robert M. Cox II air check audiocassette | 1979-2010 |
| 9/20 | Menu for dinner at Cyrano’s books | 1995 |
| 4/16 | Notes and other papers on marketing writing | circa 1977-1983 |
| 4/17 | Photographs. Includes one compact disc of digital photographs taken at the Alaska Book Festival in 2007. | 1942-2007 |
| 9/21 | Photographs copied for inclusion in a book | undated |
| 9/22 | Photographs – Headshots | 1978-1986 |
| 9/23 | Photographs – Mostly Max | 1986-1997 |
| 9/24 | Photographs – Tyonek historical survey | 1983 May 26 |
| 4/18 | Poetry and stories by other authors. Includes poems by Joanne Townsend, Arlitia Jones, Elizabeth Cuadra, Will Inman | 1978-2005 |
| 9/25 | Publicity for poetry | 1984, 1997 |
| 4/19 | Reading lists | undated |
| 4/20-21 | Reviews of books written by Chandonnet | 1974-2015 |
| 9/26 | Reviews | 1990-2012 |
| 9/27 | Reviews for Alaska’s Arts, Crafts & Collectibles | 1998 |
| 8/1 | Scrapbook kept by Ann Chandonnet documenting her time teaching English at Kodiak High School. Includes photographs, postcards, newspaper and magazine clippings, and letters to her grandmother, Ethel B. Fox | 1965-1966 |
| 4/22 | Sound recording of “Return of the Great Round: A Musical by Eleanor Limmer.” 1 compact disc with a typescript synopsis. | 1993 |
| 4/23 | Sound recording of “Trout Ball: by Greg Keeler | 2008? |
| 4/24 | Teaching papers | 1992-2005 |
| Box 8 | Tunic: Central American huipil blouse given to Chandonnet by Joanne Townsend | undated |
| 4/25 | Video recording of “Alaska: A Place for Poets,” Parts I and II. 1 VHS videocassette. | 1986 |
| 4/26 | Rough-cut DVD recording of Ellen Frankenstein’s documentary, “Eating Alaska” | 2007 September 23 |
Series 2: Writing files; 1959-2021. 3.3 cubic feet.
Arranged alphabetically by format.
| Box/ Folder |
Description | Date |
| 4/27 | Articles – Drafts for Alaska Journal magazine | 1978 |
| 4/28 | Articles – Drafts for Alaska Press Women’s Bicentennial Series | 1976-1978 |
| 4/29 | Articles – Drafts for Alaskana magazine | 1973-1981 |
| 4/30 | Articles – Drafts for the Anchorage Times newspaper | 1983-1986 |
| 4/31 | Articles – Drafts for other publications | 1976-1986 |
| 5/1, 8/3 | Articles – Clippings of articles published in various Alaska newspapers and magazines | 1981-2004 |
| 9/28-29 | Articles | 1973-2012 |
| 9/30 | Articles – “Blossom” gardening column in Heritage of Hawk Ridge Community Association newsletter | 2019 |
| 9/31 | Articles – “Linda Yarborough: Plotting the Culture of the Past” | circa 1993 |
| 5/2-/3 | Book review drafts – Children’s books | 1978-1982 |
| 5/4-5 | Book review drafts – Other books | 1978-1984 |
| 5/6, 8/4 | Book reviews of children’s books published in the Anchorage Daily News and other publications | 1978-1997 |
| 5/7 | Book reviews published in The Delta Paper | 1979-1982 |
| 5/8 | Book reviews published in The Small Press Review | 1979-1982 |
| 5/9, 8/5 | Book reviews published in other publications | 1978-1998 |
| 5/10 | Graduate school essays | 1965 |
| 9/32-33 | Fiction – Baby Abe | 2019-2022 |
| 9/34 | Fiction – Buttons | 1997-1999 |
| 9/35 | Fiction – “Caring.” Short story submitted to American Fiction | 1990 |
| 5/11 | Fiction – Chief Stephen’s Parky manuscript | 1984 |
| 5/12 | Fiction – Mound Girl notes and drafts | 2015-2016 |
| 9/36 | Fiction – Mound Girl draft | 2018 |
| 5/13 | Fiction – Short story drafts | 1962-1964 |
| 8/7 | Food writing – Colonial Food proofs | 2012 |
| 9/37 | Food writing – Colonial Food draft | 2012 September |
| 5/14 | Food writing – Drafts | 1980-1982 |
| 9/38 | Food writing – Food festivals lecture | 2017 October |
| 5/15 | Food writing – LifeDiet manuscript and book proposal | 1986 |
| 9/39 | Food writing – Maize, A Global History book proposal | 2010 December 1 |
| 9/40 | Food writing – Newsletter articles | 2007-2010 |
| 5/16, 8/6 | Food writing – Published | 1974-1997 |
| 9/41 | Food writing – “That Palatable Puffball” article | undated |
| 9/42 | Food writing – Unpublished manuscripts on Thanksgiving, folk medicine, “A Dickens’ Christmas Dinner”, and food during the Revolutionary War | undated |
| 5/17 | Interviews and speeches – Drafts | 1978-1984 |
| 9/43 | Lecture – “Creating a Family History” | undated |
| 9/44 | Non-fiction-Alaska’s, Crafts & Collectibles Roy Corral photographs | 1997 |
| 5/18 | Non-fiction – “Eklutna manuscript” | circa 1984 |
| 5/19 | Non-fiction – Essays on writing and publishing | 1983-1993 |
| 5/20 | Non-fiction – An Introduction to Cook Inlet manuscript | 1989 December |
| 5/21-6/1 | Non-fiction – On the Trail of Eklutna drafts | 1984 |
| 6/2 | Non-fiction – The Once & Future Village of Ikluat/Eklutna draft | 1979 |
| 9/45 | Non-fiction – A Pictorial History of Cook Inlet unpublished manuscript | 1989 |
| 6/3-6/4 | Non-fiction – Two Hearts: A Mother’s Tale of Fetal Alcohol book proposal. Versions 1 and 2. | circa 2003 |
| 6/5 | Non-fiction – Write Quick draft and final (CD copy) | 2008-2009 |
| 6/6 | Non-fiction – drafts and proposals | undated |
| 9/46-10/3 | Poetry | 1966-2019 |
| 6/7-14 | Poetry – Drafts | undated, 1960-2013 |
| 6/15-18 | Poetry – Published clippings | undated, 1959-2007 |
| 10/4 | Poetry – All that Words Can Say: Love Poems Selected and New | 1988 |
| 6/19 | Poetry – Canoeing in the Rain manuscript with related correspondence | 1988-1990 |
| 10/5 | Poetry – Chugach unpublished manuscript | 1992 |
| 10/6 | Poetry – A Fair Reflection | undated |
| 10/7 | Poetry – Following Coyote | 1996 |
| 6/20 | Poetry – Paying Attention manuscript | 1989 |
| 10/8 | Poetry – Paying Attention | 1990 |
| 6/21 | Poetry – Pretty Rooms: A Sonnet Sequence manuscript | 1963-1964 |
| 6/22 | Poetry – Ptarmigan Valley galley proof | 1980 |
| 10/9-10 | Poetry – The Shape of Wind on Water manuscript and correspondence | 1989-2021 |
| 6/23 | Poetry – The Wife, Part 2 draft | undated |
| 6/24 | Poetry – The Wife, Part 2 camera-ready copy | undated |
| 6/25 | Poetry – Voice Lessons: Poems About Poetry manuscript | undated |
| 6/26 | Poetry – Sound recording of “Shadows,” with music by Philip Munger and poetry by Ann Fox Chandonnet. 1 compact disc. | 1993 |
Series 3: Research files; 1975-2009. 0.4 cubic feet.
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
| Box/Folder | Description | Date |
| 6/27 | “10 Anchorage Artists” newspaper clippings and notes | 1979 |
| 6/28 | Alaska totem poles | 1998 |
| 6/29 | “Chief Stephen’s Parky” research materials and notes | undated |
| 6/30-7/2 | Eklutna history project research material | 1975-1982 |
| 7/3-5 | Write Quick research materials | 2006-2009 |