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ESTELLE AND PHILIP GARGES. Papers and Photographs; 1928-1929, 1947. .6 cu. ft.
Philip Garges was born in Washington, D.C., in 1902. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1924 and received a degree in civil engineering from Cornell University in 1926. He married Mary Estelle Tyler in 1928. They traveled to Alaska on their honeymoon in 1928. Philip Garges was also on his way to Fairbanks, Alaska to work for the Alaska Road Commission. They lived in Alaska for several years. Mary Jerene Garges, their daughter, was born in Juneau in December 1929. Later, Philip Garges served in World War II. In 1952, he became district engineer in Buffalo, New York. He retired in 1954 at the rank of colonel. Colonel Garges died in Annandale, Virginia in 1983.
This collection primarily consists of copies of papers and photographs relating to Philip and Estelle Garges' trip and stay in Alaska for the period 1928-1930. The papers include a copy of a journal began by Estelle Garges and maintained by her and her husband; several letters (1928); newspaper clippings; and biographical information on Philip Garges and other West Point graduates. The most important and interesting part of the collection are the copied photographs. There are almost four hundred photographs relating to Alaska. Included are scenes of Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks, the Steese Highway, road construction, and so forth. Most of these had been mounted in a Garges family album. Over half of the photographs are identified. The copies include negatives and contact prints.
The collection was loaned to the archives for copying in 1991. Several items were also given to the department in 1992. A deed of gift was signed in 1992.
Inventory:
Series 1. Papers; n.d., 1928, 1947. .1 cu. ft.
This series consists primarily of papers relating to the Garges'
trip to and stay in Alaska in 1928. Included are a diary (part),
letters and postcards, biographical information in Philip Garges
and his friends, and an Alaska Road Commission travelogue of
the Steese Highway.
1. Diary; March 30-May 10, 1928. 10 typed pages.
The diary covers the part of their trip to Alaska from Seattle
to Fairbanks. Most of the entries were made by Estelle Garges;
only a few were written by Philip Garges. Included are stops
in Ketchikan, Juneau, Seward. Anchorage, Curry, and Fairbanks.
They traveled on the S.S. Alaska, the S.S. Aleutian and the Alaska
Railroad. This is a typescript copy made by Jerene Garges Jones.
There are two U.S. Army Signal Corps telegrams at the end of
the diary. They are: Phil (Petersburg) to Mrs. P. R. Garges (Juneau),
April 27, 1928; and Phil (Circle) to Mrs. P.R. Garges (Fairbanks),
December 12, 1928.
2. Letters (Postcards) Sent; 1928. 3 items.
These three postcards were mailed by Estelle Garges from Fairbanks
on September 27, 1928. They were sent to Mr. P. J. Fitzgibbons,
Mrs. P. J. Fitzgibbons, and Mr. D. E. Garges. These are copies
of originals found in the photograph album.
3. Letters Received; 1928, 1947. 3 items.
Emerson Itschner (Fairbanks) to Phil (Juneau); February 7, 1928.
12 pages.
Emerson L. Cummings (Juneau) to Phil (no place given); February
17, 1928. 2 pages.
Lt. Col. Charles B. Eggen (Alaska Air Command) to Col. and Mrs.
Garges (Fort Belvoir, Virginia); August 4, 1947. Copy of an original
found in the photograph album.
4. Biographical Information; n.d. 3 pages.
This includes personal sketches about Philip Robinson Garges
and Emerson LeRoy Cummings from the West Point class book The
Howitzer and sketches of the careers of P. R. Garges and E. R.
Cummings and E. C. Itschner from a Register of Graduates - Class
of 1924.
5. Newspaper Clippings; n.d., 1929. 5 items.
Four clippings concern a play, The New Poor, sponsored by the
Loyal Order of Moose; P. Garges had a part in it. One clipping
concerns the Alaska Road Commission and the Kuskokwim Portage.
6. Alaska Road Commission Booklet "Alaska: A Travelogue
of the Richardson and Steese Highways;" 1928.
This is a 24 page travelogue containing an Alaska Road Commission
Map of Central Alaska or the Golden Belt Route Including the
Richardson and Steese Highways and the Alaska Railroad.
Series 2. Photographs; 1928-1929. .5 cu. ft.
This series consists of copies of mounted and loose photographs
taken or collected by Philip and Estelle Garges in 1928 and 1929.
The 377 mounted photographs are in an album, which also contained
12 unmounted photographs. In addition, there are contact prints
and copy negatives of 378 of the pictures.
1. Photograph album; 1928-1929. .1 cu. ft.
This is a xerographic reproduction of the original album which
was loaned to the archives for copying. It documents the trip
to Alaska made by Philip and Estelle Garges in 1928, as well
as their stay there through 1929. The album contains 377 mounted
and 12 loose photographs. Included are pictures of towns and
villages, roadhouses, houses, people, airplanes, ships and boats,
gold mining operations, road and bridge building, the Steese
and Richardson highways, the Alaska Road Commission, the Alaska
Railroad, sled dog racing, and animals. Towns and villages include
Fairbanks, Circle Hot Springs, Central, Chena Hot Springs, Skagway,
Tanana, Fort Gibbon, Ruby, Kaltag, Russian Mission, Bethel, Nome,
and Anchorage.
2. Contact prints and copy negatives; 1928-1929. .4
cu. ft.
These are copy negatives and prints made from the photographs
in the collection. Included are copies of 366 of the 377 mounted
photographs in the album, and of the 12 unmounted photographs.