Guide to the J. Pennelope Goforth papers
1940-2005, bulk 1979-1990
An Alaska Historical Society collection
Collection number: HMC-1523-AHS.
Creator: Goforth, J. Pennelope.
Title: J. Pennelope Goforth papers.
Dates: 1940-2005, bulk 1979-1990.
Volume of collection: 2.5 cubic feet and 1.1 GB.
Language of materials: Materials in this collection are in English.
Collection summary: Primarily photographs taken by a photographer, journalist, and historian, who lived in the Aleutian Islands and other communities in Alaska.
Biographical note:
Pennelope Goforth came to Alaska in 1979 and settled in Unalaska, where she ran a photography business, Aleutian Photography. She helped found a weekly newspaper, The Aleutian Eagle. In 1990, she moved to Juneau and began working in state government as an aide to Senator Fred Zharoff and later as an editor for Alaska Department of Labor publications. In the mid-1990s, Goforth left Alaska to pursue a master’s degree in electronic publishing from New York University. Returning to Alaska, she moved to Ketchikan and set up a digital media company, CybrrCat Productions. She again worked for the State of Alaska as a program coordinator for the fishing industry, as well as a marketing representative for several workforce-development initiatives. She moved to Anchorage and began researching and presenting on Alaska’s maritime history. Her book Sailing the Mail in Alaska, the Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaites was published in 2003. Goforth passed away in 2024.
Collection description:
The collection consists primarily of photographic negatives, prints, and slides taken and collected by J. Pennelope Goforth. The largest portion of the collection is the Aleutian Photography Collection, which showcases the work of Goforth’s photography business. The collection of photographs taken primarily by Goforth, with contributions from other photographers, was curated by Piama Oleyer. Photographs in this collection date from 1979 to 1990 and are mostly from Dutch Harbor and Unalaska, with smaller amounts of material from other communities. The photographs depict people, scenery, community events, and fishing. Another project represented in the collection is the Aleutian-Pribilof Islands Photographic Reproduction Project, which includes copies photographs from individuals living in communities around the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands, as well as World War II veterans. The collection includes materials related to some of Goforth’s historical research, including printouts and CD-ROMs of presentations. In addition to these projects, Goforth kept photograph files on a variety of topics, which have been retained in the collection. Finally, the collection includes non-photographic materials, such as Goforth’s resumes and incorporation documents for Aleutian Press, Limited.
Arrangement: Materials relating to the same project or topic are grouped together, however, these groupings are in no discernible order.
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Digital materials: The digital contents of this collection are not available online. Access may only be provided on-site in the Archives research room. For more information about potential distance access to digital records, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: The Alaska Historical Society holds copyright to materials in this collection created by J. Pennelope Goforth and has given the Archives authority to grant use permissions.
Preferred citation: J. Pennelope Goforth papers, Alaska Historical Society collections, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Works used in preparation of inventory: Goforth, J. Pennelope. “About SeaCat Explorations.” Last modified December 21, 2019. https://clayworkspotters.com/akmh/about.html
Separated materials: A folder of photographs taken by and of John E. Thwaites was removed from the collection and added as a separate collection: John E. Thwaites collection; 1918-1930 (HMC-1524-AHS).
Acquisition note: This collection was donated to the Alaska Historical Society in 2024 by Arnie Lidnin, J. Pennelope Goforth’s brother. The Historical Society retains ownership of the collection and placed it on deposit in Archives and Special Collections in 2025. A deed of gift for the collection was signed by Lidnin in 2026.
Processing information: This collection was described by Gwen Higgins in 2026.
Container list:
Quotation marks denote original folder titles supplied by the creator.
| Box/Folder | Description | Date |
| 1/1 | Resumes | undated |
| 1/2 | Aleutian Press Limited incorporation documents | 1981 |
| 1/3 | Commercial Fisheries Entry commission permit card | 1984 |
| 1/4 | Family photographs | undated, 1975 |
| 1/5-8 | Negatives and contact prints from binder. Locations depicted include: Granger (Washington?), Port Townsend (Washington) Silver Creek (Idaho?), Tucson, Montana, Vancouver, Mexico, Bob Marley concert, Seattle | 1976-1978 |
| 1/9-21 | “Aleutian Photography Collection created by J. Pennelope Goforth curated by Piama R. Oleyer Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska 1979-1989” volumes I-IX. Photographs are primarily of Unalaska and Dutch Harbor. | 1979-1987 |
| 1/22-24 | “Aleutian Photography Collection created by J. Pennelope Goforth curated by Piama R. Oleyer Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska 1979-1989” volumes XII and XIII Locations represented incude: Kodiak, Eklutna, Aleknagek, Nushagak, Dillingham, Sitka, Anchorage, and Juneau. | 1987-1990 |
| 2/1 | “Aleutian Photography Collection created by J. Pennelope Goforth curated by Piama R. Oleyer Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska 1979-1989 Volume XIV Other Photographers” | 1982-1983 |
| 2/2-5 | Aleutian-Pribilof Islands Photographic Reproduction Project World War II veterans’ photographs. Includes photograph catalogs, copy negatives, and prints | 1941-1944 |
| 2/6-14 | Aleutian-Pribilof Islands Photographic Reproduction Project. Includes photograph catalogs, copy negatives, and prints. Locations depicted include: Unalaska, Akutan, King Cove, Sand Point, Atka, and St. Paul. | 1983 |
| 2/15 | “Geo textbook” photographs | 1981-1986 |
| 2/16 | Photographic postcards taken by Goforth | 1980-1985 |
| 2/17 | Historical photographs. Copied and original prints | undated, 1954 |
| 2/18 | Aleutian Photography negatives and prints | 1980-1982 |
| 2/19 | Drawing by Japanese Prisoner of War. Sent to Goforth by Jesse Dickerson as a submission for a museum exhibit. | 1943 |
| 2/20 | Portrait of 17th Alaska Legislature and Goforth with Gov. Steve Cowper | circa 1991-1992 |
| 2/21 | “Colleen Elliott negatives and prints of Private Industry Council” | 1990 |
| 2/22 | Unidentified meeting and office photographs | undated |
| 2/23 | Historic postcards by Otto Schallerer and other photographers | undated |
| 2/24 | Personal photographic negatives | 1979-1990 |
| 2/25 | Boat photographs | 1979-1995 |
| 2/26 | “Unalaska, Starring-Seattle church” negatives | undated |
| 2/27 | “Laoiattienakov, A.” negatives | 1990 |
| 2/28 | “Earthwatch” photographs | undated, 1980 |
| 2/29 | “Storm Unalaska” photographs | 1985 |
| 2/30 | “Kenai old folks” negatives | undated |
| 2/31 | “Boats and fishing” photographs | 1979-1988 |
| 2/32 | “Buildings/structures” photographs | 1981-1988 |
| 2/33 | Photographs sent to National Fisherman. Subjects included the christening of the Sharon Lorraine, steel fabrication shop, and Akutan | 1979-1983 |
| 2/34 | “Red Dog” negatives | 1989 |
| 2/35 | “Denali” negatives | 1991 |
| 2/36 | Unidentified negatives | undated |
| 2/37 | Unalaska, fishing photographs from binder | 1980-1981 |
| 2/38 | “People” photographs | 1980-1987 |
| 3/1 | “Russians” photographs | 1986-1987 |
| 3/2 | “Fishing: crab, cod, shrimp” photographs | 1979-1980 |
| 3/3 | “Canadian/Alaskan Arts Council project” photographs | undated |
| 3/4 | “WWII and historic Unalaska” photographs | 1940-1963 |
| 3/5 | Bell Island Hot Springs presentation materials | 1997-2000 |
| 3/6, server | “John E. Thwaites and the Ice Worm” CD-ROM, and printout | 2003 |
| 3/7, server | “Sailing the Mail to Kodiak” CD-ROM | 2005 |
| 3/8, server | “Commemorating Unalavik: The Return of the Hands.” Photographs, program, and CD-ROM documenting the loan of a pair of large wooden hands used by a Yup’ik shaman to the Sam Fox Museum in Dillingham. | 2002 |
| 3/9, server | CDs of scanned photographs | undated, 1978-1980 |
| 3/10 | Unlabeled 1/4” reel to reel audio tape (possibly blank) | undated |