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Will Rusho collection

Guide to the Will (W. L.) Rusho photographs and memoir
1947-1948, 2004

Collection number: HMC-0639.
Creator: Rusho, Will (W. L).
Title: Will (W. L.) Rusho photographs and memoir
Dates: 1947-1948, 2004.
Volume of collection: 0.02 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Digital images and memoir relating to a soldier’s service in Whittier, Alaska.

Biographical note:
W. L. Rusho was born in Montrose, Colorado in 1928.  He enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Whittier, Alaska from 1947 to 1948.  He served as Chief Clerk for the Port Quartermaster for most of that time.  He graduated from Colorado University in 1952 and worked as a Public Affairs Officer for the Bureau of Reclamation in both Arizona and Utah from the 1950s to the 1980s.  During that time he produced several award-winning motion pictures that dealt with water developments throughout the western United States.  He and his wife, Carole McGee Rusho, live in Utah.

Collection description:
This collection consists of 59 digitized photographs and one four-page memoir. 58 of the images are available in tiff format, one is available in jpeg format only.  The images were scanned at 300 ppi, generally 2100 pixels along the longest dimension.  The original photographs were taken in 1947 and 1948.  Subjects include buildings, scenery, the Whittier tunnel, and other views of the town of Whittier and surroundings.  In the memoir, Mr. Rusho discusses living in Whittier, his tasks as a clerk in the Army, and the Whittier climate.

Arrangement: The images are arranged in chronological groupings.

Rights note: Copyright to this collection is not held by the Archives.

Preferred citation: Will (W. L.) Rusho photographs and memoir, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Acquisition note: The collection was presented to the Archives by Mr. Rusho in 2004.

Processing information: This collection was described by Arlene Schmuland in 2004.

Location of originals: Originals are still held by Mr. Rusho.

Photograph list:

Item number Caption Date
1a Docks 1947 October
1b Docks looking north 1947 October
1c (jpg only) First snow of season 1947 October
1d Whittier Docks 1947 November
1e View to east across Passage Canal 1947 November
1f W. L. Rusho 1947 November
2a Untitled 1948 January
2b Untitled 1948 February
2c Clara May Fitzmaurice (Commanding Officer’s daughter) 1948 February
2d Glacier and mountain to west 1948 January
2e Headquarters. Detachment, 79th Transportation Service Corps 1948 February
2f Information and Education Building (after roof was shoveled) 1948 January
2g Parking lot 1948 February
2h ‘Home’-a snow covered Quonset hut 1948 January
2i Quonset homes for GIs (latrine at far right) 1947 December
2j Quonsets and tractor 1947 December
2k Quonsets for GIs 1947 November
2l Radio station 1948 January
2m W. L. Rusho 1947 December
2n Service Club (after roof was shoveled) 1948 January
2o Shoveling snow from roof of Port Quartermaster Building 1948 February
2p Snow crushed building 1948 February
2q Snow crushed building 1948 February
2r ‘Whittier, Alaska’ snow pile 1948 January
2s Street scene 1948 February
2t Typical street scene 1948 January
2u Sunset on the mountain across the fiord 1948 February
2v Sun shines on the mountain across the fiord but not yet on Whittier 1948 February
2w Post Theater 1948 January
2x Tractor stuck in snow 1948 January
2y Snow covered building and water tower 1948 January
2z Frozen water tower 1948 February
3a Cliffs above Whittier, Alaska 1948 May
3b Double exposure with ghosts 1948 June
3c Dock activity 1948 June
3d Fireboat drill 1948 July
3e Fireboat drill 1948 July
3f Hiking on mountainside 1948 May
3g View of town from mountain 1948 May
3h Picnic in Bear Valley 1948 June
3i Picnic in Bear Valley 1948 June
3j Portage Glacier 1948 May
3k Alaska Railroad 1948 June
3l Road to tunnel 1948 June
3m Alaska Railroad. Bear Valley 1948 June
3n Alaska Railroad. Bear Valley 1948 June
3o W. L. Rusho 1948 June
3p W. L. Rusho at Port Quartermaster 1948 June
3q Settle skyline as seen from USAT Mower 1948 June
3r Having fun 1948 May
3s Snowmelt runoff 1948 June
3t Town from hill 1948 May
3u Tugboat 1948 July
3v Tugboat 1948 July
3w Railroad tunnel 1948 June
3x Tunnel into Bear Valley 1948 June
3y Bear Valley. Train enters tunnel 1948 June
3z USAT Mower arrives for trip home 1948 July
3aa USAT Mower arrives for trip home 1948 July

 

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