Alaska Trail Blazer broke ground for optimism in early Seward

In March of 1924, Brown & Hawkins circulated its first edition of The Alaska Trail Blazer. Printed in the basement of the Seward store that stands today, the publication suggested that Brown & Hawkins was incorporated in Delaware as a 95% Alaskan-owned company; the outgrowth of a mercantile establishment founded in Nome in 1900.

Among the first pionees to land, Charles E. Brown and Thomas W. Hawkins, “with a limitless supply of grit and determination coupled with unbounded faith in the future of Alaska and a meager capital of $1,000.00” established the Fourth Avenue Seward store in 1903. With a second branch in Anchorage, the firm touted itself as running “two of the largest and best stores in Alaska.” At the time they carried a complete stock of clothing, groceries, hardware, furniture, feed, fuel, oils, and paints.

The publication was not intended to enter the fields of journalism in competition with the general circulation newspapers of the day, but “to furnish the intimate news which is so often overlooked by the regular papers.”

It was distributed for free, and contained slogans developed by an individual identified only as the town optimist. “Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. Plan on more than you can do, then do it. Hitch your wagon to a star, keeping your seat and there are, nothing to it.”

The Alaska Trail Blazer dedicated significant space to the news of the bustling port, and Seward’s hardworking halibut fleet. It told which boats were calling for shelter from the terrific spring gales, how the Schooners Republic and Yakutat brought in 27,000 lbs. of halibut, and how proud the Seward Fish Company was to purchase it. Names that are familiar today, Captain (Herring) Peter Sather of the Schooner Rolfe visited town frequently, as well as Gus Deimarris, who was heralded as “a most successful farmer” in Cape Elizabeth along with his partner, Jim Collias.

Brown & Hawkins employed “twenty-four men and one young lady” in their stores with a reported payroll of $47,000, which meant the average yearly Seward salary in 1924 was $1,880. The Alaska Trail Blazer suggested another $3,500 was accessed in territorial treasury taxes each year for the upkeep of the government; $4,000 was spent in support of Alaskan newspapers, civic organizations, and general publicity; and over $6,000 went towards wharfage and railroad freight. About $15,000 was spent for Alaska-grown farm products, native-made snowshoes, Alaska-mined coal, and cord wood.

“Brown & Hawkins corporation is an eager supporter of new industries, and has been material in the organization of numerous Territorial enterprises,” proudly suggested the Alaska Trail Blazer. These traditional outfitters of “prospectors, miners, hunters, trappers, the halibut fishing fleet, home builders, and farmers” are still in business today, on a much smaller scale. Charles Brown re-married, sold his interest in the stores, moved back to New York, and died shortly thereafter.

The descendents of Thomas Hawkins are sole owners of Brown & Hawkins. His grandchildren, Hugh and Iris Darling, can be found outfitting today’s adventurers, explorers, pioneers, and tourists with clothing, gifts, jewelry, and award-winning sweets.