A Homesteader's Family cabin
Carroll nee Madden is a homesteader's daughter . Her family came to Alaska in the early 50's when Keith was a teenager and I had was at primary school .Carroll's family claimed a piece of land by marking out a 40 acre plot by the river .They had ,as other homesteaders of the 50's to prove their intent to stay by growing crops and settling the land for 7 months before they could gain the title to the property.
Museum cabin containing exhibits
Carroll is a voluntary guide at the Soldotna Homesteading Museum where original log cabin homes and community buildings have been reconstructed in order to convey the nature of pioneering in our lifetime.Carroll brilliantly and enthusiastically portrayed her childhood as living history and we were enthralled .She expressed great pride in the achievements of her parents generation their tenacious pioneering spirit ,ingenuity,intellect and creativity in adjusting to the challenges of the Kenai peninsula.These were determined people of resilience and energy who worked together to create. the community ethic of this place.
"Through the window of a family cabin
The Homestead Museum leaflet states "located on Centennial park road it features a wildlife museum and historic log village and fishing boats.Among the log buildings is the last territorial school built in 1958 ,where students studied by the light of gas lanterns ,still hanging in the school.
Fishing boat of the time
Soldotna's founding settlers arrived in 1947.
Carroll was a wonderful guide who comes from the stock of a resilient and resourceful family. To think that they were living the life of our first settlers while I was dancing to the Beatles!
ReplyDeleteAll this put lives today into a different sort of perspective.Many generations before us have sacrificed and made many lifestyle choices that we can learn from .These pioneers of our time worked hard and stoically so as to achieve the kind of lives and community values that were important to them.They went against the culture of the time in order to be to be independent spirits and I admire them
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