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Charles “Clif” Howard photographs

Guide to the Charles “Clif” Howard photographs
circa 1913-1943

Collection number: HMC-1341.
Creator: Howard, Charles “Clif.”
Title: Charles “Clif” Howard photographs.
Dates: circa 1913-1943.
Volume of collection: 0.02 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Materials in the collection are in English.
Collection summary: Photographs taken and collected by a radio operator for the Alaska Communications System.

Biographical note:
Charles “Cliff” Howard was an Alaska Communications System (ACS) radio operator. He was stationed in Kodiak in 1932; Anchorage in 1934 and again from 1940 to 1941; and Bethel in 1935. From 1942 to 1943, he was stationed at Ladd Field in Fairbanks with the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

Collection description:
The collection consists of original photographs, commercial photographs, and postcards depicting scenes in Anchorage, Barrow (Utqiagvik), Bethel, and various locations in the Aleutian Islands and Southeastern Alaska. Subjects of the original photographs include scenery near Anchorage, captive bear cubs, a parade on a street in Anchorage, a children’s dance performance in a park, and an Alaska Railroad train. The commercial photographs and postcards show buildings and scenery, primarily in Anchorage and Kodiak. There is a greeting from a friend in Fairbanks on the reverse of one of the postcards. There are two postcards written by “Charlie” in 1913 to family in England. The Bethel photographs were largely taken by Reverend Ferdinand Drebert and include images of the orphanage and the aftermath of a storm. The images from Barrow include photographs of the town, the radio station, various town residents (including Barrow Morgan and Oliver Morris), and scenes of the feast thrown in honor of Charles Lindbergh’s 1931 visit. The Lindbergh visit photographs appear to have been taken by Alfred H. Hopson. Identifications for photographs may be available in Out of Alaska: Memoirs of a Boeing Engineer by Terris C. Howard.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged in the order in which it arrived in the archives. Photographs in envelopes were removed and placed in sleeves behind the corresponding envelope.

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

Rights note: Archives and Special Collections owns copyright to materials created by Charles “Clif” Howard. Other materials, such as commercial prints and postcards may be subject to copyright not held by the Archives.

Preferred citation: Charles “Clif” Howard photographs, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Acquisition note: The collection was donated to the Archives in 2019 and 2020. A deed of gift signed by Terris C. Howard, son of Charles “Clif” Howard.

Processing information: This collection was described by Gwen Higgins in 2019. The 2020 addition to the collection was processed by Becky Butler in 2024.

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