Vernon E. Lontz papers, 1934-1946.
Title:
Vernon E. Lontz papers, 1934-1946.
Personal Author:
Physical Description:
1.5 cu. ft.
Abstract:
The Vernon E. Lontz manuscript material consists of records of the Arctic Circle Exploration Company (A. C. E. Company), Alaskan memorabilia, and Lontz's book, "Arctic Interlude." There are also newspaper clippings, an incomplete copy of The Alaska Yearbook, and a letter written by Lontz in which he described his role with the A. C. E. Company. The photograph collection includes two loose-leaf photograph albums, foldered prints, duplicates, and negatives. The 380 prints depict locations such as Candle, King Island, Kotzebue, the Kobuk region, and Shungnak, Alaska, as well as ships, mining scenes, A. C. E. camps, reindeer herding, animals, and individuals.
Corporate Subject:
Biographical/Historical Data:
Vernon E. Lontz (1915-1997) was born in Oklahoma, but grew up in Seattle. He first went north in 1934 on the M.S. Boxer and the next year on the M.S. North Star, both ships belonging to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He worked in the gallery first as "pot-walloper" and later as baker. He left the sea to marry Charline Elois Nusbaum and joined Arctic Circle Exploration, Inc., (A.C.E.), first as a cook and then accountant at the A.C.E. headquarters at Candle. From 1942 until 1946 Lontz toured the South Pacific with the Marine Corps. He turned down, to his later regret, a captaincy offered by Governor Gruening to help organize the Alaska Territorial Guard. After being honorably discharged from the Marines, he returned to the A.C.E. at Candle as the office manager, treasurer of Arctic Trading & Transport, Inc. (a subsidiary of A.C.E.), and master of two ocean-going barges. Too much time had gone by during the war with little to no organized management of the diversified company. Financial difficulties resulted and the company's assets were divided among its creditors. Vernon E. Lontz returned "Outside" where he founded "Nati's Mexican Restaurants" in January of 1960.
Restrictions on Access:
Access limited to Alaska and Polar Regions Collections research room hours.