Guide to the Larry Hibpshman Spenard research files
Circa 1915-2001
Collection number: HMC-1401.
Creator: Hibpshman, Lawrence.
Title: Larry Hibpshman Spenard research files.
Dates: circa 1915-2001.
Volume of collection: 4.0 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Research materials related to the Spenard area of Anchorage, Alaska.
Biographical note:
Larry Hibpshman (born 1946) arrived in Alaska in 1952 as part of a family migration to the Territory. Members of this family continue to live in various places in Alaska. Between 1952 and 1971 Larry attended Denali Elementary school, Lathrop and West High Schools, and Alaska Methodist University. He lived or worked in Anchorage, 12 Mile Village (Fairbanks) and two Air Force radar stations; Cape Romanzof, near Hooper Bay, and Tatalina, between McGrath and Takotna. Beginning 1988 he worked for 26 years at the Alaska State Archives in Juneau. While searching for a personal research topic he decided on Spenard, the first community in which he lived in Alaska. These records are the fruit of that research. Larry retired 2014 and lives in Kenai.
Collection description:
The collection consists of materials gathered and created by Larry Hibpshman relating to the history of the Spenard area of Anchorage, Alaska. Materials include photographs, ephemeral materials, research bibliographies, presentations, correspondence, biographical files, and notes.
Arrangement: The collection is divided into four series:
Series 1: Project records; undated
Series 2: People files; undated
Series 3: Organization and institution files; undated
Series 4: Resources and bibliographic files; undated
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: Rights to the materials created by Larry Hibpshman have been transferred to the Archives. The collection contains many materials to which the Archives holds no copyright.
Preferred citation: Larry Hibpshman Spenard research files, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Separated materials: Some published materials were removed from the collection and transferred to other Library collections.
Acquisition note: The collection was given to the Archives by Larry Hibpshman in 2022.
Processing information: This collection was described by Arlene Schmuland in 2023. Published articles, books, and clippings were removed from the collection at that time. Larry Hibpshman provided the biographical note.
Container list:
Series 1: Project records; undated. 1.6 cubic feet.
Includes notes, correspondence, speeches, presentations, photographs, and other bibliographic materials related to the research process.
| Box/Folder | Description |
| 1/ | Questionnaire templates and Spenard poetry |
| 1/2 | Handouts |
| 1/3 | Pictures some slides, some black and white prints, some photocopy |
| 1/4 | Excel spreadsheet printout of people who lived in Spenard with notes on identity, illustrations and sources |
| 1/5 | Slide lists Excel spreadsheet of Larry’s slides; mostly copies from various archival collections |
| 1/6 | Slide credits another Excel spreadsheet of Larry’s slides in a different format |
| 1/7 | Geography (map of Anchorage) |
| 1/8 | File Structure (out of date) |
| 1/9 | Bibliographic notes |
| 1/10 | Locator resources |
| 1/11 | Spenard Social and Civic Club/Spenard Volunteer Fire Department records finding aid |
| 1/12 | Willow Park Photographs ca. 1960 (1 ea.) and 1989 (Jeff Schultz Photography; 3 ea.) |
| 1/13 | Miscellaneous Prints and Negatives (probably not Spenard related) |
| 1/14 | Otter Homestead Photographs, 1942-1946 (Small acid free box; 11 ea.2X2½”; sepia; located where Stevens International Airport is): Joe Otter Cleaning (ca. 1942), Otter Homestead-looking north from home, Arnold and Martra(?) Otter 1946, Otter House, Hen House, Joe Alphonese, Otter, children 1944, Wash House 1942, Digging Well on Joe Otter’s farm 1942, Joe digging potatoes 1944, Cow Barn, Potato Patch |
| 1/15 | Cook Inlet Historical Society presentation, October 19, 2000 |
| 1/16-17 | My Photo ‘Index’ (and I use the term very loosely; includes about 150 note cards) |
| 1/18-25 | My 35 mm slides (From Anchorage Museum Archives, AK State Archives and elsewhere, plus a few of my own; @ 300 numbered + plus about 350 unnumbered. Some duplicates) |
| 1/26 | Spenard Paper Drafts |
| 1/27 | Territorial Governors Correspondence |
| 1/28 | Adverts |
| 1/29-2/3 | Correspondence |
| 2/4 | That Speech |
| 2/5 | Spenard Community Club (March 10, 2001) |
| 2/6 | Cook Inlet Historical Society Handouts (Alaska Prospectors 3002A Selection of Spenard Poetry) |
| 2/7 | Alaska Prospectors (2001) |
| 2/8 | Spenard history paper versions |
| 2/9 | Tables and lists |
| 2/10 | Spenard notes (AHS 1997) |
| 2/11-12 | Speeches, research and correspondence (1998-2002) |
| 2/13-14 | Organizations, people, research and notes |
| 2/15 | Interview contacts |
Series 2: People files; undated. 1.1 cubic feet.
Files on individuals and families. Includes interview notes, obituaries, business cards, correspondence, and other research products. Arranged roughly alphabetically by last name.
| Box/Folder | Description |
| 2/16 | Indexes and notes |
| 2/17 | Interview questions |
| 2/18 | Kara V. Ahgupuk |
| 2/19 | Aho Family |
| 2/20 | Harold N. Aldrich |
| 2/21 | Phyllis and LeRoy Allinger |
| 2/22 | Anton Anderson |
| 2/23 | Susan Anderson |
| 2/24 | Tron, Maud and Norma Anderson |
| 2/25 | Nola and Kenneth Andress |
| 2/26 | Harry Andrews |
| 2/27 | Jo Antonson |
| 2/28 | John and Ida Asplund |
| 2/29 | Betty Atkinson and Cartoons |
| 2/30 | Kenneth Atkinson |
| 2/31 | John Bagoy |
| 2/32 | Edward and Bernice Bantz; Joanne and Janice |
| 2/33 | Bob and Bernadine Barnett |
| 2/34 | Jim Barnette |
| 2/35 | Hank and Richard Beaulieu |
| 2/36 | Ross O. Bennet; Ross Studio |
| 2/37 | Tom Bevers |
| 2/38 | Bittner Family |
| 2/39 | Stanley E. Brow |
| 2/40 | Burge Family |
| 2/41 | Arthur Burstin |
| 2/42 | Howard J. Caffery |
| 2/43 | Irwin ‘Bill’ Carlow |
| 2/44 | Chamberlin Family |
| 2/45 | Jean McRae Clayton |
| 2/46 | Carol and Verna Close |
| 2/47 | Debi Cole |
| 2/48 | Faye and Roger Conolly |
| 2/49 | Jack Conright |
| 2/50 | Michael Joseph Conroy |
| 2/51 | Sonny Cook |
| 2/52 | Bob Creech |
| 2/53 | Maynard Dahlstrom |
| 2/54 | Father Ronald Dufy |
| 2/55 | Dwight and Edna DeMers |
| 2/56 | Elizabeth Ross Demeris |
| 2/57 | Cathy Diehl |
| 2/58 | Tom Dunnigan |
| 2/59 | Albert ‘Hank’ Dyer |
| 2/60 | Henry Easterly |
| 2/61 | Ellis |
| 2/62 | Dennis Elrod |
| 2/63 | Henry Emard |
| 2/64 | Erickson Family |
| 2/65 | Estelle Family |
| 2/66 | Mildred Evenson |
| 2/67 | A.J. Fisher |
| 2/68 | Ken Fisher |
| 2/69 | Jerry Fletcher Family |
| 2/70 | Ed Fortier |
| 2/71 | Lucille Fox Peterson Gallant |
| 2/72 | Jack Gilliland |
| 2/73 | William Terry Gilliland |
| 2/74 | John F. Grasse Trash Collector |
| 2/75 | Glen Groth |
| 2/76 | Joe Graham |
| 2/77 | Kris Gratrix |
| 2/78 | Emil and Lucille Gunter-(Kathy ‘O Estates trailer court) |
| 2/79 | Jane Hafling |
| 2/80 | Vance Halvorson |
| 2/81 | Bob Hanson |
| 2/82 | Hans Sigurd Anderson |
| 2/83 | Ralph Hanson |
| 2/84 | Lorene Harrison |
| 2/85 | Stephen Haycox |
| 2/86 | Hugh Heacock |
| 2/87 | Father Dan Herbert |
| 2/88 | Hibpshman Family |
| 2/89 | Ruth and Earl Hibpshman |
| 2/90 | Walter Hickel |
| 2/91 | Ken Hinchey |
| 2/92 | Herb Hilscher; Miriam, Hilary |
| 2/93 | Bob Horrell |
| 2/94 | Hobart Hyatt |
| 2/95 | Charles Isaacs |
| 3/1 | Michael and Olive Jacobs |
| 3/2 | Bill Jackson |
| 3/3 | Leland and Helen Johnston |
| 3/4 | A. Kenneth Jones |
| 3/5 | Lester Jones |
| 3/6 | Clifford Johnson |
| 3/7 | Russel Johnson House |
| 3/8 | Barbara Erickson Jordan |
| 3/9 | Joyce the Voice |
| 3/10 | Kenneth Kadow Family |
| 3/11 | Wes Keller |
| 3/12 | Delora Kincaid |
| 3/13 | Ethel Kincaid |
| 3/14 | Lorenzo Kincaid |
| 3/15 | Ralph Kincaid |
| 3/16 | Ross Kinnamon |
| 3/17 | John H. and Gerry Kirchner |
| 3/18 | Lester and Dora Klatt |
| 3/19 | Bob and Wilma Knox |
| 3/20 | Diana Kodiak |
| 3/21 | Yvonne Krotke |
| 3/22 | Rev. Peter Hyun Kwon |
| 3/23 | Liz Lauzen |
| 3/24 | Keith Lesh |
| 3/25 | John Crawford and Mary Frances nee’ O’Neil Lindsay |
| 3/26 | Kay and Jack Linton |
| 3/27 | Mildred Livesay |
| 3/28 | Monseigneur John Lunney |
| 3/29 | James N. and Frances D. McCain |
| 3/30 | Guy McGee |
| 3/31 | Marty McGee |
| 3/32 | Herb McKinney |
| 3/33 | William McKinney, Jr. |
| 3/34 | William McKinney |
| 3/35 | Glenn Mclain |
| 3/36 | Erma (Irma?) McMellon |
| 3/37 | Ella McRae |
| 3/38 | Muriel McSparin |
| 3/39 | Brooke Marston |
| 3/40 | Wilda Marston |
| 3/41 | Mabel Willard Martin |
| 3/42 | George Matkin |
| 3/43 | Methvin-LaCross-Ried |
| 3/44 | Mary Morrell |
| 3/45 | ‘Moose’ Moore |
| 3/46 | Muth Family |
| 3/47 | Jerry Neely |
| 3/48 | Helen Neet |
| 3/49 | Jack R. Nielsen |
| 3/50 | Lars and Jeanne Nelson |
| 3/51 | Vincent Noble |
| 3/52 | L.H. ‘Lu’ Norene |
| 3/53 | Earl Norris |
| 3/54 | Frank Norris |
| 3/55 | Glenn T. Norton |
| 3/56 | Steve Novak Spenard Builders Supply |
| 3/57 | Frank Nyman |
| 3/58 | Dr. Virginia Wright O’Malley |
| 3/59 | Joseph and Helena Otter Family |
| 3/60 | Nancy Parker |
| 3/61 | Wiley Parsons |
| 3/62 | Chuck Parson |
| 3/63 | Walter Pippel |
| 3/64 | Douglas J. Porter |
| 3/65 | Summer Powers |
| 3/66 | Frances Ray |
| 3/67 | R.C. and Grace Ramer |
| 3/68 | Paul Rees Family |
| 3/69 | Eva Reese |
| 3/70 | Charles Ricci |
| 3/71 | Orville Richardson |
| 3/72 | Ritchie Family |
| 3/73 | Vern Risch |
| 3/74 | Linda Robinson Fiber Artist |
| 3/75 | Virginia Robinson |
| 3/76 | William Rodgers |
| 3/77 | Mike Rogers |
| 3/78 | J. Sidney Rood |
| 3/79 | Dan Ross Family |
| 3/80 | Laurence ‘Duke’ Russell |
| 3/81 | Otto and Beth Schneider Family |
| 3/82 | Rev. Edward W. Schroeder |
| 3/83 | William L. Seaton |
| 3/84 | Simonson family |
| 3/85 | Ethel Sipe |
| 3/86 | Verne Smith Spenard Public Utility District Director |
| 3/87 | Joseph Spenard |
| 3/88 | Sperstead Family |
| 3/89 | Oro Stewart |
| 3/90 | Howard Strong |
| 3/91 | Harry A. Suggit Jr. |
| 3/92 | Billy Sullivan |
| 3/93 | Walter Teeland |
| 3/94 | Mary V. Tellefson |
| 3/95 | Evelyn Thompson |
| 3/96 | Olive Titus |
| 3/97 | Shirley and Galen Upton |
| 3/98 | Helen Vail (aka Vale) |
| 3/99 | Fay Van Gemmigan |
| 3/100 | Gene Vik |
| 3/101 | Lila Vogt |
| 3/102 | Clair Waddoup |
| 3/103 | Fred Walatka |
| 3/104 | Eugene Weiler |
| 3/105 | Catherine ‘Katy’ Weimer |
| 3/106 | Paddy Welch |
| 3/107 | Elton Wieman |
| 3/108 | Willard Family/Mabel W. Martin |
| 3/109 | Mildred Wilson |
| 3/110 | Winterfield family |
| 3/111 | Gladys Wood |
| 3/112 | Marge and Bob Woods |
| 3/113 | Pete Zamarello |
Series 3: Organizations files; undated. 1.2 cubic feet.
Files on organizations and institutions related to or located in the Spenard area.
| Box/Folder | Description |
| 3/114 | Regal Alaskan Hotel |
| 3/115 | Spenard Utilities, Inc. (Kadow) |
| 3/116 | Spenard Builders Supply |
| 3/117 | Suggitt and Wieman (Woodland Park) |
| 3/118 | Northern Lights Shopping Center |
| 3/119 | Montgomery Ward |
| 3/120 | Radio Stations |
| 3/121 | Small businesses |
| 3/122 | Arctic Office Machine |
| 3/123 | ARDCO (aviation services) |
| 3/124 | Auction Mart (Richardson-Lowe) |
| 3/125 | Barb’s Florists |
| 3/126 | Chugach Radio and Television Co. (Almquist) |
| 3/127 | Gold Rush Novelty Shop |
| 3/128 | Joe Mailey Painting Company |
| 3/129 | Kincaid and King |
| 3/130 | Kvichak Fisheries Company |
| 3/131 | Melody Lane Pet Shop |
| 3/132 | Mount McKinley Fence Company (Rasmussen) |
| 3/133 | Parker’s Shop-Store-Department Store |
| 3/134 | Rhythm School of Dance |
| 3/135 | Son of River City Billiards |
| 3/136 | Realty |
| 3/137 | Spenard Realty |
| 3/138 | Restaurants |
| 3/139 | Andy’s International |
| 3/140 | Bear’s Tooth Dinner Theater |
| 3/141 | Buckaroo Club |
| 3/142 | Benny’s |
| 3/143 | Forest Park Country Club |
| 3/144 | Garden of Eatin’ |
| 3/145 | Gwennie’s Old Alaska Restaurant |
| 3/146 | Hitchin’ Post |
| 3/147 | Idle Hour-Fly-By-Night Club |
| 3/148 | International Coffee Shop-Cloudhopper Lounge |
| 3/149 | Specialty Bake and Catering |
| 3/150 | Spenard Cleaners |
| 3/151 | Spenard Plumbing and Heating |
| 3/152 | Spenard Kiddie Drop |
| 3/153 | Spenard Washateria |
| 3/154 | Sunrise Bakery |
| 3/155 | Spenard Motel |
| 3/156 | Stratton’s Garage-Motors |
| 3/157 | Construction |
| 3/158 | ABC Cabinet and Fixtures (Williams-Denny) |
| 3/159 | Anchorage Furniture and Manufacturing Co. (Davidson) |
| 3/160 | Smitty’s Upholstery |
| 3/161 | Spenard Industries (Suggitt) |
| 3/162 | Turnagain Construction |
| 3/163 | Drilling, wells, and cesspools |
| 3/164 | Olday Excavating |
| 3/165 | Larson Excavating |
| 3/166 | Inlet Fuel |
| 3/167 | Parker’s Department Store |
| 3/168 | Spenard Hardware, Inc. |
| 3/169 | The Sportsman (outdoor sporting goods) |
| 3/170 | Three GIs |
| 4/1 | Bill’s Cash Grocery |
| 4/2 | H&D Market |
| 4/3 | Piggly Wiggly |
| 4/4 | Spenard Mart (Bartlett and Lesh) |
| 4/5 | Sweum’s (aka Lena Hansen’s) Store |
| 4/6 | Woodland Park Market-Service Station-Farms (Suggitt) |
| 4/7 | Pharmacies |
| 4/8 | Medicine |
| 4/9 | 4-H |
| 4/10 | Faith Baptist Church |
| 4/11 | Sand Lake Baptist Church |
| 4/12 | Turnagain Wesleyan Church |
| 4/13 | Woodland Park Presbyterian (Trinity Presbyterian, Faith Presbyterian) |
| 4/14 | Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church |
| 4/15 | Jewel Lake Parish |
| 4/16 | Lake Spenard Baptist Church |
| 4/17 | Salvation Army |
| 4/18 | Immanuel Baptist Church |
| 4/19 | Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church |
| 4/20 | Spenard Volunteer Fire Department |
| 4/21 | Spenard Social and Civic Club |
| 4/22 | Notes on Anchorage unification history |
| 4/23 | Sand Lake Elementary |
| 4/24 | Anchorage Independent School District |
| 4/25 | Anchorage Municipal Corporation |
| 4/26 | Anchorage City Manager |
| 4/27 | Spenard Public Utility District Number One |
| 4/28 | Lake Spenard |
| 4/29 | Spenard subdivisions list |
| 4/30 | Anchorage Neighborhood Housing Services Authority |
| 4/31-32 | Bureau of Land Management property records |
| 4/33 | Spenard Lions Club |
| 4/34 | Moose Lodge |
| 4/35 | Alaska Pioneers Igloo 15 |
| 4/36 | Soroptimists |
| 4/37 | Spenard Garden Club |
| 4/38 | Log buildings |
| 4/39 | Trailer parks |
| 4/40 | Quonset huts |
| 4/41 | Utilities |
| 4/42 | Law enforcement |
| 4/43 | Prostitution |
| 4/44 | Hydrological data report, 1962 |
| 4/45 | Institutions list |
| 4/46 | Chugach Electric Association |
| 4/47 | KFQD road |
Series 4: Resources and bibliographic files; undated. 0.1 cubic feet.
Primarily correspondence and resource lists by institution.
| Box/Folder | Description |
| 4/50 | Alaska State Archives |
| 4/51 | Alaska Historical Library |
| 4/52 | South Central Recorder |
| 4/53 | Anchorage Municipal Libraries |
| 4/54 | Anchorage Museum of History and Art |
| 4/55 | Anchorage Records Management office |
| 4/56 | Bureau of Land Management |
| 4/57 | Chugach Electric Association |
| 4/58 | National Archives Alaska Region |
| 4/59 | National Archives Washington DC |
| 4/60 | University of Alaska Anchorage |
| 4/61 | University of Alaska Fairbanks |
| 4/62 | Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association |
| 4/63 | Anchorage Daily News |