Gidget and Moondoggie

Yep, the little man finally got himself a steady. She is six months younger than he is, and also a southern gal - out of Missouri. Cute as a button, and rather feisty.

Sorensons, Feb 1958

Seward Church Altar, circa 1950

The Old Luthern/Methodist Church altar. The building is currently being used as the ResArt Coffee Shop. Many thanks to Mark Luttrell for identifying the location.

Chris Sorenson

My grandfather fell in love with Alaska immediately. He had come up with his father-in-law, Wayne Heinbaugh, to visit a friend who had tried his hand at the Nome gold rush. They both decided to make Seward their home. They moved into side-by-side quansot huts prior to building homes. Circa 1948.

U.S.S. Clove Hitch

January 16, 1948 Scenic Drive

Sorenson girls, May 1951

Dona pets a puppy, I believe his name was Grunt. Jackie doesn't look very happy. Darlene, Jackie and Dona stand outside the Heinbaugh's Madison Avenue house. Seward Alaska.

Esther Heinbaugh, May 1951

My great-grandmother standing outside her house off Madison Avenue, the home she spent the rest of her life in. She loved the view of the mountains and Resurrection Bay. Seward, Alaska.

Esther Heinbaugh goes to the dogs

Circa 1949 photo taken in Seward, Alaska.

Hope, Alaska circa 1948

You can see an old mining camp in one of the photographs.

June 1948, Last day of good fishing

June 1948, Silver Salmon. Cox, Kelly & Chris.

On Sept 21st, 1948 Kelly got killed up on road job. Crushed beneath a boom. Body sent to states via air - Cox went with body. Mrs. Kelly and son Donnie went to States three weeks earlier.

Henton's Lodge and Ferry

In Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, circa 1949.

Seward Hospital, 1948

Mount Marathon Race, 4th of July 1948

One of the oldest footraces in the country, the Seward Mount Marathon race is held every Fourth of Julyand is an important part of our cultural heritage. Millie was quite enchanted by the gang of rancers climbing to the top and hurling themselves down the steep mountainside in a controlled fall. She made a point of watching it every year. http://ap.alaskajournal.com/stories/state/ak/20070705/182443721.shtml

Chris Sorenson, Jr.'s 8th birthday, May 10 1951

As a smiling seven year old in the first picture, my uncle Chris jr. looked like the all American boy. Circa 1950

Just because you are living in the middle of the wilderness doesn't mean you can't have a good time. All the neighbor kids gather for a birthday party photo in front of our quonset huts. I believe that Chris is a blonde haired boy wearing a black collar, white sleeves, and his pants stuffed into boots. In the photo where all the kids are lined up, fourth from the left.

Same photo: the tallest girl to his right, wearing a bandana on her head, is most likely Darlene June Sorenson Kashvaroff Crawford. The toehead boy in front of her with the black striped shirt and jumper, Dale Sorenson. Further right, the little girl with a light covered scarf over her head, dark sweater, Dona Sorenson Lorenz Walker.

Who all the rest of the gang is, let me know if you can figure them out...

Isabel, 1951, Seward Alaska

Anyone know who this lovely in high heels was?

Jackie Sorenson, circa 1949 Seward, Alaska

Vintage wooden buildings

There is no indication given as to where these buildings were located, other than in the Seward, Alaska area. Their rugged charm caught Millie Sorenson's fancy. Circa 1949.

Kasilof Alaska Post Office, 1948

Bond's Luggage

I'm not quite sure who Bond was, but apparently he drove to Seward in May of 1951 with a couple gents in tow. Red Flyn and Chris Nelson are listed as the figures in the foreground. Red Flyn is also the solitary figure next to the car. From the looks of him, I am thinking that Chris Nelson may have been related to Gilbert "G.O." Nelson, a lifelong friend of my grandparents, Chris and Millie Sorenson. G.O. drove up the Alcan highway with them, and spent the rest of his days in Seward