John Grainger Alaska postcard collection, ca. 1897-1980's.
Title:
John Grainger Alaska postcard collection, ca. 1897-1980's.
Personal Author:
Physical Description:
circa 7,500 postcards : black and white, color.
General Note:
Manuscripts form a separate collection, MS 23.
Other Grainger collections include PCA 118.
In the Alaska State Library, Historical Collections, P.O. Box 110571, Juneau, AK 99811-0571.
Abstract:
The postcards cover a broad range of Alaskan subjects, including the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, Alaskan wildlife, towns and villages, sled dog teams, gold rush, glaciers, Pacific Coast Steamship Co., Trans-Alaska Pipeline, railroads, ferries and other marine vessels, community activities, Alaska Natives, British Columbia and Yukon subjects, lighthouses, logging, northern lights. The collection contains some examples of birch bark, aluminum and leather postcards and 8 sectional panoramas. Alaskan artist, Fred Machetanz and photographers, Otto Schallerer and J.E. Thwaites are represented in the collection along with other photographers and publishing companies.
Conference Subject:
Subject Term:
Biographical/Historical Data:
John Grainger moved to Alaska in 1940. He began collecting Alaskan postmarks as a hobby, then, as postmarks became harder to acquire, he switched to Alaskan postcards. By 1997, his collection of over 10,000 postcards spanned 90 years of Alaskan history. Mr. Grainger also collected information about postcard publishers, photographers, and manufacturers which he documented in "Collecting Alaska Postcards." In addition to serving in WWII, he worked as advertising manager for Alaska Sportsman magazine and eventually became a partner in the magazine. He also worked as a linotype operator, a private pilot, and for the State of Alaska. Grainger has resided in Ketchikan and southeast Alaska for over 50 years with his wife, Frances. He contributes historical articles to various publications. [From: The Southeastern Log, Mar. 1976, v. 6, no. 3.].
Organization & Arrangement:
Alphabetical by subject.
Restrictions on Access:
Collection is open to research.