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Will F. Speers papers

Guide to the Will F. Speers papers
1943-1944
An Alaska Historical Society collection

Collection number: HMC-1337-AHS.
Creator: Speers, Will F.
Title: Will F. Speers papers.
Dates: 1943-1944.
Volume of collection: 0.01 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Letters from a doctor working at Funter Bay internment camp and at St. Paul, Pribilof Islands.

Biographical note:
In 1943, Dr. Will F. Speers traveled from San Diego to Funter Bay, Alaska, to provide medical services at the Aleut internment camp at Funter Bay, Alaska. In 1944, he accompanied residents of St. Paul back to the Pribilofs where he worked at the hospital.

Collection description:
The collection consists of letters written by Will Speers to a family by the name of Binner. The letters include stories of his travel and work. The last letter provides a review of living conditions at Funter Bay and at St. Paul. The collection also contains two commercially produced photographs of St. Paul village and a St. Paul Island seal rookery.

Arrangement: The letters are in chronological order.

Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: The Archives does not hold copyright to these letters.

Preferred citation: Will F. Speers papers, Alaska Historical Society collections, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Acquisition note: This collection was donated to the Alaska Historical Society in 2008 by Dale Thomas and Gordon McWilliams.  The Historical Society retains ownership of the collection and placed it on deposit in Archives and Special collections in 2008.

Processing information: This collection was described by Arlene Schmuland in 2019.

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