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The listing for each recording includes the identifier, the title of the clip, a short description of the clip, the date of the recording if known (in some cases includes the date of the events mentioned in the recording), and a link to the audio clip on the Alaska’s Digital Archives. If the identifier is in bold print, transcription of this clip has already been claimed by a volunteer. If the link isn’t working, email us (contact information in the blog post or use the contact us link on this page) and let us know and we’ll get it fixed for you. Some of the descriptions were truncated, full descriptions can be seen on the link.
Edit 3/18/2020: Items that have already been transcribed have been moved to the end of the list so it’s easier to see what is still up for grabs. Thanks to our transcribers who have been making such great progress with this project so far!
Claimed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a7-3 Relief cabin. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume 4. The caption on the album reads: “”Description of an Alaskan scene: one which shouldn’t be made oftener than very seldom.”” Story of a man who goes to visit a trapper, Lawrence Johnson, who has cabins” 1968 March – April Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-3 Dreamland in Alaska by Wade C. Folsom. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A poem about Alaska written by Wade C. Folsom of Farmington, New Mexico and sent to Ruben Gaines. Read by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-8 Pat O’Donnell. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. The story of a man lost in the Talkeetna Mountains, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-12 Vitus Bering. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. The story of Bering seeing Alaska and his death, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-4 Dogs. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the effect of seasons on dogs written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-9 Kenai Peninsula impressions, scenery. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Recollections of living on the Kenai Peninsula, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-14 A goofy interlude. “Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Title taken from “”Conversation Unlimited 3,”” a published compilation of Ruben Gaines’ writings. A story about loon watching on Butterfly Lake. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines.” undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-13 Ptarmigan feathers. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Title taken from Conversation Unlimited, volume 1, a published compilation of Ruben Gaines’ writings. The story of Dolly V. Trout, a fictional author who wrote about Alaska. The undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-2 The mosquito. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about mosquitoes in Alaska, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-8 Cook Inlet. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about watching the sunset over Cook Inlet from the restaurants and bars atop downtown Anchorage hotels. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-3 Contemplators. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about how many Alaskans are happy to spend time just watching the world around them and contemplating. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-14 Tom’s Creek. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the wildlife on the Creek, particularly a mother duck protecting her ducklings. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-4 Air view. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. In this story about viewing Alaska from an airplane, Ruben Gaines (writer and performer) argues that it makes Alaska more attractive to see it this way. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-5 Smoke spiral. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about Ruben Gaines arriving in Alaska and traveling to Anchorage via the Glenn Highway, seeing a spiral of smoke from a distant chimney from an off-road cabin, and thinking about wha undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-9 Grayling. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. In this story, written and performed by Ruben Gaines, he recalls how the taxidermied animals at the Anchorage International Airport, primarily the grayling there, reminds him of fishing for undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-2 Gus the mailman. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a mailman delivering mail around Lake Iliamna by dog sled. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-1 Breakup. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about spring potholes in the roads in Anchorage. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-13 Arrow poem. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A poem describing a memory of one of those perfect moments from childhood, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-6 Oracle. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about how every town or village has that one person who serves as that location’s wise man or shaman. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-16 Sheep. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about seeing wild sheep on the mountains near Chickaloon from an airplane. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-7 Kenai Lakes. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a small lake on the Kenai Peninsula that is surrounded by blooming iris every spring. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-11 Geese. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about goose migration in Alaska. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-12 Iditarod poem. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A poem written in honor of the 1967 Iditarod Race, looking back at the mushers who traveled the trail not as racers but carrying freight or traveling to the towns along the way. Written and undated Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-10 Dictionary letter P lecture. Air date November 30, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Ruben Gaines delivers a fake classroom lecture on the benefits of expanding your vocabulary, focusing on words starting wi 1981-11-30 Link to clip
uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-9 Silence. Air date November 27, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Thoughts about adapting to silence after recuperating in a Chugach foothills cabin for a week. 1981-11-27 Link to clip
Claimed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-8 Moose at Alexander Lake. Air date November 26, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. A story about a flight to the vicinity of Mt. McKinley and flying over a herd of moose in the vicinity of Alexander Creek. 1946; 1981-11-26 Link to clip
Transcribed materials:
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-5 Late winter. Air date November 23, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Thoughts about Anchorage when the start of winter comes late, He reminisces about January 1960. 1960; 1981-11-23 Link to clip
Transcribed:uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-1 Polar bear and poem. Air date October 24, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines reflects on polar bears after having read an Alaska Geographic book on mammals. He discusses a 1969 traverse of the polar ice cap led by Wally Herbert in which bears were a menace as they were unafraid of humans 1983-10-24 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-8 Cliche zoo. Air date November 2, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines talks about how extemporaneous speech often consists of cliches. He discusses his least liked cliches and presents them in a context of exhibits in a zoo. Tems include hardnosed decision, one-on-one, mechanisms, 1983-11-02 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-9 Cold snap. Air date November 3, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines talks about the melancholy of winter thought and how it leads to thinking of being in warmer places. He recollects the winter of 1955-1956 and the amount of snow melt in the spring of 1956 that led to what he c 1983-11-03; 1955; 1956 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-15 Ice sounds. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the sounds of ice breaking up on lakes. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-10 Salmon. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about observing the upstream battle of spawning salmon. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-16 Sheenjek sheep. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about how sheep live in places where they don’t interact with humans. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a8-2 The Common cold. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume 4. The caption from the album cover reads: “”how it is better not to do anything but lie down and die for awhile.”” A story, written and performed by Ruben Gaines, about the effect of a cold on a househ” 1968 March – April Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a7-2 Yuletide in e flat. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited volume 4. Album caption reads: “”Doggerel inspired by the time of year when peace reigns and snow falls.”” A poem about winter written and performed by Ruben Gaines.” 1968 March – April Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-6 Character sketch: Ernest Gruening. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A short biographical story about Ernest Gruening, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-7 Chilkoot Charlie and the salmon. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story poem about how the Yukon River was dammed in order to create a lake in which alcohol could be brewed and how this is the reason why salmon return upriver. Written and performed by Ru undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-10 Kenai Peninsula impressions, wildlife. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Recollections of living with wildlife on the Kenai Peninsula, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-11 Home flight. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. The story of Ruben Gaines first flight to Alaska, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-5 Richardson Highway recollections. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Recollections of visiting places along the Richardson Highway, a story written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a9-1 Abercrombie, parts 1 and 2. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Two descriptions of the Richardson Highway area, from individuals who worked on the building of the road, an effort led by Captain Abercrombie. Story written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-5 Outhouses. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. Ruminations on how outhouses are disappearing and how that reflects how Alaska is changing. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-13 Moon. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about watching the moon at Pile Bay at Lake Iliamna. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-7 Year 2077. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about what Alaska might be like in 2077 between warming weather trends and increasing private ownership of natural phenomena like the aurora. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-6 Owls. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about listening to owls. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a7-1 Mukluk. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited volume 4. Album caption: “”The scout’s honor account of a dead town alive with fish.”” The narrator of this story, written and performed by Ruben Gaines, goes to a small town along Cook Inlet to go salmon fishi” 1968 March – April Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-1 Bush pilots. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the personality traits of bush pilots, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-12 Tunes for the skunked fisherman. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story of going fishing, not catching any fish, and worse still, dealing with songs that get stuck in your head (earworms or involuntary musical imagery) and how that music is never good mu undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-8 Indian calendar. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the months of the year as viewed through the changes in the natural world. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-11 Fishwheel. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a fake modern-day gold rush to the fictional town of Fishwheel in the upper reaches of the Yukon. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-14 Baseball in Ketchikan. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a Fourth of July baseball game in Ketchikan, with rain falling and teams that are not very good. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-9 Cloudy McKinley. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about traveling in Alaska and never being able to see Mt. McKinley. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-3 Buildings. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the deserted and decaying buildings at Dyea from the gold rush era and the men who built them. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-2 Anchorage. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about how people come to be Alaskans when moving here and how the location can absorb newcomers. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-15 Percy DeWolfe. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A memorial story about Percy DeWolfe, one of the last dog team mail men. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a11-4 Alexander Lake. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about lakes, specifically Alexander Lake, as they reflect the seasons of the year. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-4 Alaska garden fighting 2. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the benefits of praying over and preaching to your flowers to get them to grow. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-14 Jean Lake. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about fishing on Jean Lake on the Kenai Peninsula and watching small fish leaping out of the water. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-1 Ducks. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the noise and behavior of ducklings learning to fly. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-3 Alaska garden fighting 1. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story comparing flower gardening in California and Alaska. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-11 Butterfly Lake. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about Butterfly Lake, its short mosquito season, loons vocalizing on the lake, and other wildlife. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-10 Alaska names. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about learning to pronounce Alaska place names and the names of people as a radio broadcaster new to Alaska. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-13 D2 Prodigy. “Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about land ownership in Alaska, including a poem called “”D2 Prodigy.”” Written and performed by Ruben Gaines with the exception of the poem which was written by an unknown author.” undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-7 Shishmaref. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a photograph of the village of Shishmaref and how the village avoided the 1918 influenza epidemic by building a barricade and not allowing any visitors into the village. Writte undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-5 Alaska garden fighting 3. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the benefits of gardening with wildflowers. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed:uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-6 First snowfall. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the first snowfall of winter, and how Alaskans know that winter is here when Mount Susitna is full covered. Also a big snowfall in Pile Bay, Lake Iliamna. Written and performed undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-15 Alexander Creek. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story and poem about the winding nature of Alexander Creek and other Alaska creeks. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-2 Iliamna wind. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the power and sound of the wind in the Iliamna area. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-9 McKinley. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a memory of a scenic view of Mt. McKinley and the scenery surrounding it, with a swan on a lake.Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-16 Goodpaster country. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about a tributary of the Tanana River, the wildlife there, and how the quiet of the location offers a chance for people to reflect. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-12 Falling down in Alaska. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about the art of falling down in winter in Alaska. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a12-8 Fog story. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about being fogged in at Lake Alexander for a week and what we see when fog lifts. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-c1 Pop. A series of short fictional interviews between Junior and Pop. both characters voiced by Ruben Gaines. Primarily consists of discussions of alcoholic drinking and stills exploding in the Muldoon neighborhood in Anchorage. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d2 Klondike. A 7-part clip. Ruben Gaines tells the story of the Klondike from the perspective of the stampeders. The recording is in seven parts and includes quotes of poetry from Robert Service. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-10 Anticipation. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. About the transplantaion of a birch tree in a yard. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-13 Silence. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Natural sounds at Iliamna and what it means when those sounds cease. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-9 Two passings. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The end of summer for bumblebees and the end of youth. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-2 In waiting. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Gulls on a building in a harbor awaiting the start up of the fishing fleet. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-15 Fox. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Thoughts on seeing a fox in the wild. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-3 Remembrance. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The garden in winter as opposed to how it remains in the memory. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-21 Dump truck. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The return of the dump truck to traffic in the spring. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-14 Hills and time. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. A piece about how time can be reflected in geography. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-6 Beeches. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The memory of the sounds of beech trees and how they compare to birches. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-7 Creek. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The changing path of creeks. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-8 Private Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-22 Baranof. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Lord Baranof and the effects of the arrival of Russians in Alaska. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-5 Prospecting. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Old prospectors and what they do. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-1 Whaler. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. About the elders leading in traditional bowhead whaling. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-19 Nite scene. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Seeing a cat walking through a neighborhood at night. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-18 Grove. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. How nature responds to and reclaims the site of an airplane crash. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-4 Lake music. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The sounds of nature in the springtime at lakeside. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-12 Iliamna. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. About an Alaska Native woman elder gardening on the slopes of Mt. Iliamna and recalling a village on the site having been destroyed by an eruption. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-20 Investment. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The ephemeral riches of fireweed and other wildflowers and grasses. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-11 Alaska springtime. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. About the individuality of each springtime. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-16 Dawn. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Looking at the Chugach foothills at dawn. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d3-17 Dawning. Piece taken from a recording of free verse, written and performed by Ruben Gaines. The sounds of nature at dawn. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d6-3 Expatriate Alaskans. Air date March 2, year unknown. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Thoughts on how so many Alaskans survive living in Alaska by leaving it for vacation 1982; 1983 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d6-6 Sears Roebuck catalog. Air date March 5, year unknown. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. About paging through an old Sears-Roebuck catalog and pondering how things have cha 1982; 1983 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d6-2 Iliamna–the Chutes. Air date March 31, year unknown. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. He shares his memories of some treacherous narrows near Pedro Bay on Lake Iliamna. 1982; 1983 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d6-7 Abandoned cars. Air date March 8, year unknown. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Thinking about cars abandoned on roadside in winter in Alaska. 1982; 1983 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d6-5 Abandoned cabin. Air date March 4, year unknown. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. Thoughts and a poem on seeing a photograph of an abandoned cabin in Dyea, Alaska. 1982; 1983 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-7 Mrs. Maloney’s solo. Air date November 25, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. A poem about how an untalented singer tricks her way into singing the lead role in a visiting production of La Traviata an 1981-11-25 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-1 Grayling. Air date November 17, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. A story about fishing for grayling in Alaska, including fishing on Fielding Lake, Fog Lakes, a creek in North Pole, and lo 1981-11-17 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-3 Ester. Air date November 19, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. A story about trips to Fairbanks in winter and scenery in the Chena River basin, especially the region around Ester. He ta 1981-11-19 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-6 Talkeetna poem. Air date November 24, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. Thoughts about Mt. Denali and weather and scenery there and in the Alaska Range and Talkeetna mountains. He also shares a 1981-11-24 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-2 Place names. Air date November 18, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. The piece is about the difficulty broadcasters may have pronouncing Alaskan place names and investigating the origin of th 1981-11-18 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d8-4 Glaciers. Air date November 20, 1981. Item from an unidentified recording from the Ruben Gaines papers. Possibly an episode in his Conversation Unlimited radio broadcast. A description of how glaicers form and how they have shaped Alaska in the Cook Inlet region, Mount Susitna, and in southea 1981-11-20 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-1 L. Johnson, Cussing, Dogs. Air date April 22, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines tells a story about Lawrence Johnson, originally from Detroit, who was a trapper and prospector along the Goodpastor River in the 1950s and who was known for having been a census taker in 1900 in Alaska, his love 1983-4-22 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-6 Emil Jannings. Air date April 29, 1983. Title taken from tape label. After watching The Blue Angel on television, Ruben Gaines reviews Emil Jannings’ performance and compares him to actors like Marlon brando, Orson Welles, Lee J. Cobb, and Dustin Hoffman. 1983-04-29 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-4 Dowser. Air date April 27, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines talks about dowsers: a convention of dowsers in Vermont and a dowser he knew in Anchorage who worked as a concessionaire at Mulcahy Park. 1983-04-27 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-5 Gardening. Air date April 28, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines talks about gardening in Anchorage and that he has limited gardening skills. 1983-04-28 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-2 Edwin Way Teale. Air date April 23, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines reviews a book by the naturalist Edwin Way Teale called Wandering Through Winter, the account of a trip from California to Maine. 1983-04-23 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-3 Skeets Herfurt. Air date April 26, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines reminisces about people he knew in Hollywood, California, specifically Arthur Relsmond "Skeets" Herfurt who was an alto saxophonist who played with many musicians including Tommy Dorsey. 1983-04-26 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-7 Guinness. Air date April 30, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines talks about recent additions to the Guinness book of records, including multiple sets of twins, the 1979 service statistics for the U.S. Postal Service, a couple celebrating an 80th wedding anniversary, a 45 hour 1983-04-30 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-8 Place names. Air date February 2, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines reviews Alaska place names. He starts out with a discussion of how King Islanders prepare birds for consumption, and leads into the flavor of place names as represented by place names beginning with E from Dona 1983-02-02 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d9-8 Place names. Air date May 3, 1983. Title taken from tape label. Ruben Gaines talks about keeping himself busy in winter by reading Donald J. Orth’s book, the Dictionary of Alaska Place Names. Locations include Cheerful Mountain (now Makushin Volcano), Chiachi Island, Chiaktuak (Creek), Chi 1983-05-03 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-4 Bears. Air date January 27, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines talks about how seeing bears from airplanes is different from seeing them from the ground. He tells about a time when he watched a sow bear and cubs who were scared by a low-flying plane. 1983-1-27 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-5 Snow. Air date January 28, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines talks about the futility of predicting weather in Alaska. He then talks about a recent large snowfall in Anchorage and how a significantly larger snowfall would affect life in Anchorage from cars becoming usele 1983-01-28 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-7 Norseman. Air date February 1, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines talks about the Norseman aircraft, his own memories of flying in one to Pile Bay, the pilot Maurice King, and seeing one at Port Alsworth. 1983-02-01 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-9 Quiet inlet. Air date February 4, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines tells a story about a memory he has of interviewing the captain of a Japanese freezer trawler ship in Cook Inlet and having to catch a ride back to Kenai with a passing fisherman. He talks about feeling as if h 1983-02-04 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-2 Mt. St. Augustine. Air date January 25, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. After running across a photograph of Mt. St. Augustine, Ruben Gaines reminisces about seeing it for the first time as he was flying to Pile Bay in 1953. He also talks about the effects of a volcanic eruption. 1953; 1983-01-25 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-1 Russian Fisherman. Air date January 24, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines talks about his love for short stories, especially those written by Russian authors. He shares a short story written by a Russian author about encountering a bear while fishing. 1983-01-24 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-6 Killer whales. Air date January 31, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines tells about fishing in Resurrection Bay and encountering a pod of orcas. 1983-01-31 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-10 Exaggeration. Air date February 4, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines talks about how frontier history tends to contain a lot of exaggerations. He mentions a 1901 article published in the London Express that tells of a mastodon destroying a small town near Dawson. He talks about 1983-04-04 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-11 Guinness. Air date February 7, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines reviews a number of Guinness world records including longest continuous guitar playing, the largest brass insrument, the two oldest known songs, longest run for a Broadway show, the largest loss for a Broadway 1983-02-07 Link to clip
Transcribed:uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d10-3 Loons. Air date January 26, 1983. Title taken from label on tape. Ruben Gaines talks about watching and listening to loons at Butterfly Lake when the fishing is bad. He thinks that baby loons should be called goofs. 1983-01-26 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-8 Waters 2. Air date April 8, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about the Susitna River: that it is glacier fed and not vary navigable. He compares it to the Goodpaster River which is clear and habitat for grayling. 1982-04-08 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-7 Waters 1. Air date April 7, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about missing the look of Alaska’s bodies of water when outside of Alaska. He focuses on the Kenai River, the color of it, the time of breakup, and flooding. 1982-04-07 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-6 Sears. Air date April 6, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about looking through the 1902 Sears Roebuck catalog and what was regarded as a necessity at that time. He mentions ladies’ fans and the language of fans, and that canes were the male equivalent. 1982-04-06 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-11 NZ poem. Air date April 16, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines reflects on the preferences people have for the landscapes they like best and for him it’s the ocean. He talks about a trip to New Zealand in 1974 and reads a verse inspired by a beach there. 1982-04-16 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-14 Portland trolleys. Air date April 21, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines reminisces about trolley cars on Union Avenue in Portland, Oregon and watching passengers. 1982-04-21 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-12 Lakes-trees. Air date April 19, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about the effects of beavers on Butterfly Lake and Alexander Lake. And how trees look different in different habitats: the spruce by the Situk River near Yakutat are perfectly symmetrical while the birch 1982-04-19 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-1 Potholes. Air date March 30, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about seeing news pieces for someone in Pennsylvania selling plaques commemorating potholes and a man in Illinois who collects the hubcaps that come off after cars hit a pothole in front of his house. He 1982-03-30 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-13 Cliches. Air date April 20, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about a group from the Lake Superior State College in Michigan known as the Unicorn Hunters who annually issue a list of words that should no longer be used, such as revenue enhancement for taxes. He the 1982-04-20 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-9 Wineries. Air date April 12, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about the wineries of the Napa Valley and how they may no longer offer free tastings due to the influx of tourists. He also talks about the wineries between Los Angeles and San Bernadino. He compares the 1982-04-12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-10 Sears-R. Air date April 13, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about the price and style of shoes as found in the 1902 Sears-Roebuck catalog. 1982-04-13 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-2 Lost moose. Air date March 3, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about a cow and calf moose in his neighborhood and the intersection of moose and human habitat. 1982-03-03 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-4 Murie-verse. Air date April 2, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about Adolph Murie’s experiences in McKinley Park in the 1930s and 1940s. He ends with a poem about a bald eagle. 1982-04-02 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-3 Coughlin. Air date April 9, 1982. “Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about the book “”Radio’s Golden Age”” and discusses Father Coughlin, a Roman Catholic priest who was also a political commentator on broadcast radio.” 1982-04-09 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d11-5 Booze-Revolution. Air date April 5, 1982. Title taken from tape box label. Ruben Gaines talks about reading a statistic provided by William Rorabaugh that in 1790-1830 the average American male drank 17 gallons of alcohol a year. 1982-04-05 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-7 The Bear, the Sophia. Air date November 1, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines talks about the Alaskan history of two well known ships that sank: the Princess Sophia of the Canadian Pacific Line and the US Revenue Cutter Bear. 1983-11-01 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-6 Guinness. Air date October 31, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines talks about a variety of records listed in the Guinness book of world records including: milk bottle balancing, Evel Knievel’s broken bones, riveting, walking on hands, fastest baseball pitch, and baseball games 1983-10-31 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-4 Oldtimers. Air date October 27, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines compares what defines an oldtimer in Alaska as contrasted to what an oldtimer would be considered elsewhere in the United States where cities and towns might be 200 years old. He talks about the common struggles 1983-10-27 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-10 Veniaminoff. Air date November 4, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines talks about two individual Russians and contrasts them: Gavriil Pribylov in harvesting furs and Innokenty Veniaminov as a priest. 1983-11-04 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-5 Thoughts while trolling. Air date October 1983. Title taken from recording. Ruben Gaines talks about the things you think about while fishing, such as watching beaver activity and contemplating the surface of the water. 1983-10 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-3 Geese. Air date October 26, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines talks about the southward migration of geese in fall and how people tend to respond to the sight and sound of it. 1983-10-26 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-2 Sea otters. Air date October 25, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines discusses the history of sea otters in Alaska as told in Harold McCracken’s Hunters of the Stormy Sea. He discusses the decimation of sea otters due to hunting and describes the lives of hunters from a 1758 voya 1983-10-25 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d12-2 Sea otters. Air date October 25, 1983. Title taken from label on box. Ruben Gaines discusses the history of sea otters in Alaska as told in Harold McCracken’s Hunters of the Stormy Sea. He discusses the decimation of sea otters due to hunting and describes the lives of hunters from a 1758 voya 1983-10-25 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-6 Hypnosis happening. Air date October 17, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines tells the story of an artist who undergoes hypnosis in order to enable him to paint a painting he had been struggling to start. 1983-10-17 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-7 Ted O’Shea. Air date October 18, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines talks about visiting Los Angeles and going to the former site of the Melrose Grotto, a bar he used to go to that usually had production crew from Hollywood as customers. He reminisces about Ted O’Shea, an 1983-10-18 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-2 Indian chiefs. Air date October 11, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines talks about a Smithsonian Institution exhibition featuring portraits of Native American leaders and his personal reactions to them. 1983-10-11 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-5 Sears catalog. Air date October 14, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines talks about the Sears Roebuck catalog of 1927 and about the changes in fashion and prices. He focuses on how the fasion for young men has changed. 1983-10-14; 1927 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-8 Mouse in Pile-Bay, Tacoma. Air date October 19, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines reminisces about various mice he’s been around, from a mouse in his cabin at Pile Bay and in his basement apartment in Tacoma. 1983-10-19 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-10 Gazer in Christchurch. Air date October 21, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines talks about people watching while traveling and meeting a man employed to keep the beaches clean after winter storms near Christchurch New Zealand. 1983-10-21 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-4 Pictures on my wall. Air date October 13, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines talks about paintings of Alaskan scenery. He briefly mentions one of his favorite works by Rusty Huerlin. 1983-10-13 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-3 Cat at Big Bear Lake. Air date October 12, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines reminisces about working as a broadcaster at a remote radio station in California and a cat who was brought in to keep the mice under control. 1983-10-12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-9 Nahcritany. Air date October 20, 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines’ story about a Dena’ina deity, Naq’eltani. Air date October 20, 1983. 1983-10-20 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d7-1 Pile Bay, Winter. Air date October 10 1983. Title taken from caption on tape box. Ruben Gaines reminisces about New Year’s Day in 1954 and living in a log cabin that was still under construction in the winter. 1983-10-10 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-1 Birches (with poem). Air date September 11, 1981. Title taken from box label. Ruben Gaines compares country and town living and tells about a man mourning the loss of birch trees due to a windstorm. He shares a poem about an old birch tree overlooking Cook Inlet. The sound quality of the recording is not 1981-09-11 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-5 Home reminiscences. Air date September 17, 1981. Title taken from box label. Ruben Gaines talks about running into people returning from trips Outside and how old time Alaskans used to brag about how long it had been since they left the state but that this had changed. He talks about going to visit plac 1981-09-17 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-7 Garland (Stampeder). Air date September 21, 1981. Title taken from box label. Ruben Gaines talks about how gold rush stampeders have been portrayed in poetry. He reads a poem by Hamlin Garland called The Gold Seekers and a poem he wrote called Brief Tenure. 1981-09-21 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a10-10 Moose. Recording from Ruben Gaines’ radio show: Conversation Unlimited. A story about moose in the greater Anchorage region and how as Anchorage becomes more urban, the moose are disappearing. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-14 Spenard Road. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The story of how the route of Spenard Road in Anchorage was laid out by a drunk cow. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-12 Miscellany. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. This story includes a report on a householder who was injured after having expressed an opinion of his wife’s new wig, also that the political and comic pages of the Beluga Bug undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-3 Miscellany. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The story includes items about plans to decommission and sell the Seward Highway, and the Beluga Bugles plans for a comic strip to be based on Fannie Hill were canceled. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-1 Wild game dinners. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The demise of wild game dinners featuring bear, porcupline, and beaver at Pile Bay. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a1-1 Clarence. Possibly the story of Clarence the Seagull as presented on the album Conversation Unlimited with Ruben Gaines (volume one). The story of Clarence the Gull, as written and performed by Ruben Gaines. – 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a1-4 Chilkoot and Sweet Vivian. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited volume one. Ruben Gaines’ story poem about Chilkoot Charlie and Sweet Vivian. 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a1-3 The things will live. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited with Ruben Gaines (volume one). Ruben Gaines’ story about salmon spawning and salmon fishing. 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a1-5 To outfit a bear. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited with Ruben Gaines (volume one). Ruben Gaines’ story about dressing a bear. 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a1-2 The nameless one. Ruben Gaines’ story about how Alaska does not have a nickname. This is an alternate version to the one recorded as part of the album Conversation Unlimited, volume 3. 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a2-1 Chilkoot Charlie’s stew. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited with Ruben Gaines (volume one). A Chilkoot Charlie story poem written and read by Ruben Gaines. Chilkoot Charlie and Six-Toed Mordecai try to poison each other. 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a2-2 Lotsa dog food. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited with Ruben Gaines (volume one). A story about two boys who go bear hunting, written and read by Ruben Gaines. 1966 October 12 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a3-1 Chilkoot Charlie and the tundra boar. “Title taken from “”Chilkoot Charlie And…”” a published collection of Chilkoot Charlie’s stories. Ruben Gaines tells the story of Chilkoot Charlie encountering a wild boar near Anuktuvuk Pass.” 1967 January 5 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a3-3 The landed gentry. “Title taken from “”Conversation Unlimited 3,”” a published compilation of Ruben Gaines’ stories. Ruben Gaines talks about walking on Alaskan roadways in winter.” 1967 January 5 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a3-2 No more foxes. “Title taken from “”Conversation Unlimited volume 1,”” a published collection of Ruben Gaines’ stories. Ruben Gaines tells the story of Harry the sled dog from Kalgin Village and his encounters with a fox.” 1967 January 5 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a4-4 Specific for bean sickness. “Title taken from “”Conversation Unlimited 2″”; a published compilation of Ruben Gaines’ stories. Ruben Gaines tells the story of fishing for Dolly Varden trout in the Iliamna River.” 1967 January – February Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a4-3 Starting a car in the Alaskan winter. Title taken from content of the recording. Ruben Gaines tells a story of an Alaskan starting his car in cold weather. The volume of the recording fades in the last few seconds. 1967 January – February Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a4-2 Clarence. “Title taken from “”Conversation Unlimited volume 1,”” a published collection of Ruben Gaines’ stories. Ruben Gaines reads a story about Clarence the seagull and his encounter with an old fisherman.” 1967 January – February Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a4-1 Mrs. Maloney. Title taken from recording. Ruben Gaines reads his story poem about Mrs. Maloney as she brings in pets, falls off her roof, and does gardening. 1967 January – February Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a5-2 The nameless one. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume three. Ruben Gaines’ story about how Alaska does not have a nickname. 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a5-3 Captain Abercrombie’s kind. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited volume three. The story of how Captain Abercrombie led the building of the road from Valdez to Fort Egbert as written and performed by Ruben Gaines. 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a5-1 Chilkoot and the drought. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume three. The story poem written and read by Ruben Gaines about how Chilkoot Charlie had to deal with a drought and how it affected his ability to drink. 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a5-4 R.I.P. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume three. A futuristic look at the year 2001 when all problems on earth have been fixed. A story poem written and performed by Ruben Gaines. 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a6-1 Mrs. Maloney 2. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume three. Also known as “”Mrs. Maloney and the Solo”” in the “”Collected Ruben Gaines”” published anthology. The story poem of how Mrs. Maloney, not known for her singing voice, appears in the leading role o” 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a6-3 Words, words… Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume three. A vocabulary lecture on words beginning with the letter e. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a6-2 Lonesome stranger. Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume three. The story of a moose hunter and the man who comes into his camp. Story written and performed by Ruben Gaines. 1967 September Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a8-1 Chilkoot and the plastered salmon. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume 4. The caption from the album reads: “”What happens when the disruptive exuberance of man interferes with nature’s original intention.”” A Chilkoot Charlie story poem, written and performed by Ruben Gai” 1968 March – April Link to clip
Transcribed uaa-hmc-0110-s3-a8-3 Mrs. Maloney 3. “Title taken from album, Conversation Unlimited, volume 4. The caption from the album cover reads: “”The ghoulish expose of what happened to eight of her husbands, something that has to be seen to be disbelieved.”” A Mrs. Maloney poem story, written and perf” 1968 March – April Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-11 Battle of Little Big Horn as re-enacted at the corner of 36th and New Seward Highway. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A comparison of the Battle of Little Big Horn and the traffic at the intersection of 36th Avenue and New Seward Highway. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-9 Fishing season. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The results of the first day of combat fishing in Anchorage. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-19 State nickname. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A story about the proposal of the Dog State as the nickname for Alaska. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-7 Portage Glacier. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A story about how Portage Glacier is being endangered as people harvest the ice for cocktails. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-15 Queen Mary. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A suggestion that purchasing the Queen Mary (ship) might be a good way to rid of an unwanted wife. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-3 Belshazzar Coogan. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Advocating for a street in Anchorage to be named after Belshazzar Coogan, a long-time resident and occasional criminal. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-6 Boink. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A story about J. Abednego Boink, absentee landlord and financier, visiting Alaska. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-20 Wild game dinners. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. How wild game dinners are disappearing due to all the newcomers in Alaska, and how old-timers in Pile Bay still eat bear steak. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-10 Boink, ecology speech. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. J. Abednego Boink, an absentee landlord and Alaskan financier, visits Alaska to deliver a speech on the environment and ecology. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-18 Boink, Muskeg Manor. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A story about a visit to Anchorage by the absentee landlord and financier J. Abednego Boink and his plans to convert Anchorage’s 9th Avenue Park Strip to housing named Muskeg M undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-16 SST. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Speculating on what an around the world trip might look like if flown on an SST (Concorde) jet. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-4 Weather predictions. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A story about the outcome of a mistaken announcement about the arrival of spring and how it leads to a man streaking through a neighborhood. Written and performed by Ruben Gain undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-17 Miscellany. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Traffic related reports and an announcement of a rock concert. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-2 Bulba Sleeky. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A gossip piece about a May/December romance between a Hollywood vamp, Bulba Sleeky, and a younger man. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-1 Gracious Living. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. This sotry is about a potential nickname for Alaska as proposed by Dolly Varden Trout, a visiting speaker at the Pioneer’s Home. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-5 Gardening. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Comparing drinkers to garden flowers. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-13 State nickname. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A visiting speaker named Dolly Varden Trout advocates for Alaska to be nicknamed the Good Fellowship State. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-8 Cornerstone. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The Beluga Bugle is building a new men’s bathroom for the office and the contents of the cornerstone for the restroom. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b1-12 Gardening. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Gardening as a metaphor for a permissive woman. Written and performed by Ruben Gaines. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-8 Traffic. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A report from the pothole editor of the Beluga Bugle who wants to narrow Northern Lights Boulevard, and the birds that can be heard by those stuck in traffic along the street d undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-15 Miscellany. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The ragbag editor of the Beluga Bugle advocates for dog muzzles, also a review of the opening of rock concert season. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-14 Traffic. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The Humane Society editor advicates that all Anchorage streets be reduced to two lanes to better allow for dogs to survive the crossing. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-2 Weather report. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. This story is about how weather reports will in future be science based, resulting in a variable forecast. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-4 J. Abednego Boink. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The non-resident Alaskan financier and landowner attends the dedication of a new housing unit. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-17 State naming. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The state naming editor of the Beluga Bugle and Dolly Varden Trout advocate for Alaska to have the nickname: The Seal State. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-6 Opportunity State. “Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A proposal to make the nickname of Alaska “”the Opportunity State”” for all that awaits a newcomer.” undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-5 Births at intersections. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A piece about students entering elementary school may now report their place of birth as the intersection of 36th Avenue and Old Seward Highway in a traffic jam en route to th undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-18 Christmas tree. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Plans for the annual Christmas tree lighting party in downtown Anchorage to include howling by a team of sled dogs from Galena. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-11 Gardening. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. Gardening as a metaphor for weight gain. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-16 Detour. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A letter to the traffic editor of the Beluga Bugle describes an Anchorage road detour that takes two weeks to traverse. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-7 Zoo trades. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A report on how animals may be traded between zoos to provide access to animals that would not otherwise be seen. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-9 Plantanimals. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A discussion of animals and plants physically mermged and what the resulting name combinations might be. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-13 J. Abednego Boink. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. The non-resident Alaskan financier and property owner returns to Alaska to attend a poor people’s march for underprivileged inhabitants of Bootleggers Cove. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-b2-10 Alaska menu. Recording from the Beluga Bugle radio broadcast: a series of mock news pieces. A discussion of ptarmigan nest soup and evening seagull concerts. undated Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-3 Park’s bear. Air date September 15, 1981. Title taken from box label. Ruben Gaines talks about a painting he owns by Betty Park of a bear fishing. He reads a poem about a bear. The sound quality of the recording is not good. 1981 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-2 Iliamna weather. Air date September 14, 1981. Title taken from box label.Ruben Gaines talks about how predicting weather in Alaska is difficult and how the weather is very changeable, even more so in places like the vicinity of Lake Iliamna. The sound quality of the recording is not good. 1981-09-14 Link to clip
Transcribed: uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-4 Place names. Air date September 16, 1981. Title taken from box label. Ruben Gaines reviews Alaska place names beginning with the letter D from Donald J. Orth’s Dictionary of Alaska Place Names. Locations mentioned include those that start with the word Devil, Diana Lakes, Port Dolores, Mount Doll 1981-09-16 Link to clip
Transcribed uaa-hmc-0110-s3-d13-6 Schwatka. Air date September 18, 1981. Title taken from box label. Ruben Gaines talks about how places in Alaska are named, and notes that very vew places are named after Frederick Schwatka, who was known as an early explorer in Alaska and who explored in winter as well as in summer. He propos 1981-09-18 Link to clip