Alaskans who have lived here since the 1950s, or longer, are well aware of what the phrase “The Last Frontier” means.  It is a term that refers to great challenge, great opportunity, great reward and great people who had the skills and determination to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges to achieve the rewards. Such people were the famous big game guides, roadhouse operators, bush pilots, bank owners, postal mushers, homesteaders, miners, purse seiners, loggers, farmers, and trappers that Americans in the Lower 48 states had great respect for when the living conditions in Alaska were fully understood.  Unlike other American Frontiers throughout our nations long history, the Alaskan Frontier was remarkably crime free, compassionate and everyone was presumed trustworthy until proven otherwise.

The small mining communities and villages around Alaska were very small pockets of civilization in very large geographic areas of land during Territory days. The isolation and very long winter seasons drove those hardy and independent Alaskans together to form service clubs, music and performance groups and public charities.  Participation rates for those citizens in Fairbanks was extraordinarily high! For the first 50 years of its existence, the inhabitants of that one-time riverside trading post on the Chena River all knew each other very well indeed.

That Frontier Spirit of cooperation and collaboration that impressed so many visitors and traveling journalists during the 20th Century is still alive and present in the community of Fairbanks today.  The public charities and service clubs of Gold Rush days are still here and they are carrying out the same work and are still driven by that same Frontier Spirit.  Bill found it to be very rewarding to work with these groups and stay connected with the Fairbanks of old and the Trustees are committed to doing the same… just as Bill instructed.