Digital Bob Archive

FROM SITKA, I:

This piece and the one next week are in the nature of a finale to this column, which has been appearing in Info-Juno for just over five and a half years. In it during that time there appeared approximately 146,000 words about Juneau and its vicinity. That would by no means make a Michener-sized book, but it would make a pretty fair volume. It seems doubtful that they will appear in book form, the cost of short-run book publishing being what it is today.

Rudy Ripley was kind enough to ask whether I could continue the column from Sitka, but after some consideration I rejected that idea. The greater part of the basic information for the column, over the years, has come from the Alaska Historical Library and it would be difficult to do the research at long range.

Not that there are not more than a few pangs over leaving Juneau, not the least of which is that marvelous depository of Alaska history and its extremely helpful staff.

In that case, I was asked a number of times earlier this year, why move from Juneau to Sitka? Well, we reached the conclusion during the past long and rather harsh winter that it was time to move into a Pioneers' Home. Quite frankly, had the Juneau Home been located in or near downtown Juneau we would quite likely be there. The isolated location of the Juneau home with poor to indifferent transportation for residents, was one of the deciding factors.

The Sitka Home is downtown, with a postal substation, a drug store, a book store, two banks, the public library, clothing stores, many specialty shops and services, bars and liquor stores and half a dozen restaurants within easy walking distance.

There were some other reasons for the move, too. Sitka is my home town. I was born here in 1911, Dale and I were married here in 1935 and our children were born here in 1938 and 1940. A good many of the people I grew up with, went to school with, worked with or did business with in earlier years are still here.

Additionally, Sitka, being closer to the ocean than Juneau, has a somewhat milder climate. There are numerous pleasant places to walk without climbing hills. The mountains are more distant from the town itself and the scenery as one looks out from anywhere in town is more varied. For one thing, there is a horizon - from the top of Castle Hill and from several other vantage points one can look out over the ocean toward Asia.

Seven weeks of residence may be too short a time to judge fairly, but it does seem to me that the people are a little less frenetic than the average run of Juneauites, a little more relaxed, a little more cheerful and friendly. Certainly the members of the staff here at the Home are cheerful, friendly and helpful.

One early observation: An astonishing number of young women on the streets are pushing strollers or baby carriages.