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Bill Bacon photograph files

Guide to the Bill Bacon photograph files
1941-2004

Collection number: HMC-0991.
Creator: Bacon, William W., III
Title: Bill Bacon photograph files.
Dates: 1941-2004.
Volume of collection: 6.0 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Photographs, color slides, and subject files of Alaskan photographer and filmmaker.

Biographical note:
Bill Bacon, born in 1926, worked as a photographer and filmmaker for more than 60 years. He produced, directed, and filmed documentaries and photographed diverse subjects such as wildlife, environment, oil industry, and travel. As a photographer, he documented life in Alaska, the United States, and all over the world.  He worked as a freelance photographer working with newspapers, travel magazines, stock footage companies, and commercial organizations, like ARCO.

Collection description:
The collection contains materials produced and collected by Bill Bacon as a photographer.  The subject files contain negatives, photographs, notes, correspondence, and research files created for varying projects and assignments from 1956-2004. The photographic slides date from 1954-2000. Slides from Alaska and a majority of the subject files document places and people all over the state of Alaska. Subjects and locations include Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Chefornak, Kongiganak , Alaska’s politicians, dog sled racing, oil, mining, aviation, Alaskan cities and regions, Alaska Natives, glaciers, art in Alaska, military (such as DEW Line), World War II and more. Slides from outside of Alaska include images of places and people from different parts of the world.  This includes such locations as Washington state, Montana, China, Russian, Greenland, and Mexico; and subjects such as Blackfoot Indians, logging, and geological formations.

Arrangement: The series is divided into the following series:
Series 1: Subject files; 1941-2004
Series 2: Slides; 1954-2000
Subseries 2a: Alaska related slides; 1954-1995
Subseries 2b: Outside Alaska slides; 1958-2000

Digitized copies: Selected items from the collection have been digitized and can be viewed on Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining copies please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: Bill Bacon waived copyright of materials to which he owned copyright.  Copyright restrictions apply to collection materials not produced by Bill Bacon.

Preferred citation: Bill Bacon photograph files, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Works used in preparation of inventory:
White Eagle. “The producer. Cinematography: William Bacon III Bill Bacon Productions.” White Eagle and the Whirling Rainbow Foundation. http://www.whirlingrainbow.com/producers.htm (accessed August 2, 2010).
Swenson Media Group: Vision, sound & story. “William Bacon Productions: Producer, director of photography and cinematography, cinematographer.” http://www.swensonmediagroup.com/William_Bacon_Productions.doc  (accessed August 2, 2010).

Acquisition note: The collection was given to the Archives by Bill Bacon in March 2008. Additional materials were added in June 2008.

Processing information: This collection was described by Mariecris Gatlabayan in 2010. Collection materials came in no discernable order. Groupings in which the materials arrived and their descriptions were retained. Photograph prints, negatives, and slides were rehoused in archival safe folders. Descriptions on folder titles, envelopes, and negative enclosures were transcribed or attached to the corresponding photographic materials. Archivist provided description when no description was attached.

Container list:

Series 1: Subject files; 1941-2004. 3.0 cubic feet.
This series relates to Bill Bacon’s projects, research, and photography assignments. Most photographs were taken in Alaska. Subjects covered in this series are diverse and include dog sledding, Alaskan cities, Alaska Natives, mining, oil drilling, aviation, the environment, geology, the U.S. military, and scientific exploration.  A majority of this series is photographs, negatives, color transparencies, and slides. Mixed in with the visual materials are articles, brochures, correspondence, and Bill Bacon’s notes. The first sentence of each description was taken from labels written on envelopes and boxes. Succeeding description was added by archivists to provide more information about the contents of folder. When there was no description attached to archival materials, an archivist provided description. Files are in no particular order.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/1 Dog mushing: 12 mi. race 1962 January 14, February 4
1/2 Golden Heart publications Dog mushing related publications 1941-1956
1/3 Iditarod publications 1991-1992
1/4-15 North American sled dog race 1957
1/16 Kuskokwim 300, Jan. 24: Jerry Austin ? January 24
1/17-19 North American 1961
1/20-21 Women’s race-North American 1961
1/22-23 Junior races 1961
1/24 Old man’s race 1961
1/25 Mutt parade: March 25, 1961 1961 March 25
1/26-28 Golden Days [and] Eskimo Olympics 1961
1/29 Dog related articles undated
1/30 Leonard Seppala 1961
1/31-35 Sled dog races of the past 1957
1/36-39 Alaskan people. Includes photographs, negatives, and newspapers articles 1955-1988
1/40 Alaska’s Natives articles 1992-1993
1/41-42 Jo Crumrine 1958-1978
1/43-45 People-photos and negatives. Includes images of William Banff, James H. Barker, Muktuk Marston, Senator Mike Gravel, Jack Ryan, Eva McGowan, Bill and Jerry Sheldon, and Mike Stepovich undated
1/46-50 Nome. Includes images of George Thiel [Gurde?] and Claude [Coltra?] 1958-1961, undated
1/51 Alaskan towns and cities. Includes images of Circle Hot Springs, McGrath, Umiat, and Bethel 1961
1/52-53 Anchorage-Fur Rendezvous 1957, 1978
1/54 Anchorage ’79 1979
1/55 Big Delta, Boundary, Copper Creek Center, cabin caches 1955, undated
1/56-57 Cripple Creek 1961
1/58-61 Fairbanks air shots and buildings 1961-1962
1/62-63 Fairbanks cold weather 1961 December
1/64 Fairbanks fires 1956-1961
1/65-72 Fairbanks street scenes, commercial photos, fires, nightclubs, and construction 1955-1957, undated
1/73-2/1 University of Alaska Fairbanks. Includes aerial views of the campus and images of buildings and classes on campus 1957, 1962, undated
2/2 Fort Yukon. Includes images of the village, church, hospital, stores, an “Indian school,” Melville’s Roadhouse, gravesites, and aerial shots of the Fort Yukon 1957, 1961, undated
2/3-4 Gambell. Images of unidentified Alaska Native family gathering undated
2/5 Kotzebue. Images of Alaska Native dancing and Quaker church circa 1961
2/6 Livengood Pioneer Roadhouse 1956
2/7 Matanuska Valley undated
2/8-11 Nenana: dock and barge fire in August 3, 1957 and the Nenana Ice Pool. Includes correspondence and notes Bill Bacon wrote to accompany selected images he sent to Life magazine in 1956 1956, 1957
2/12 Pribilof Islands related articles 1985-1988
2/13 Seward Peninsula: Nome articles 1980-2003
2/14-15 Southeast files. Includes photographs of Juneau in 1963 and articles and booklets about Sitka and Alaska Native masks created in Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, Canada 1963, 1986-1988
2/16 Alaska mining article undated
2/17 F.E. Company mining: “underwater mining” undated
2/18-24 Gold mining series: Fairbanks F.E. Company circa 1956-1970
2/25-28 F.E. mining: Fairbanks. Includes Bacon’s notes circa 1960
2/29-30 Hiways [highways]: Tok, Gakona, and Paxson 1957,1961
2/31 Valdez undated
2/32-33 Prince William Sound oil spill articles and Bacon’s shot list and notes 1989
2/34-35 Oil spill EXXON Valdez articles 1983-2004
2/36 D-2 Land/Oil reports and articles 1978-1979
2/37 Gas Pipeline: “Big John Gas Pipeline” undated
2/38-39 ARCO publications 1980-1981, undated
2/40 Canada-to-Kenai gas line article clippings 1993
2/41-42 Prudhoe Bay 1969-1985
2/43-49 Alaska oil and oil pipeline 1970-2002
2/50 Other oil basins newspaper clippings 1984-1993
2/51-52 Diaper Field: sale 71 newspaper clippings and informational packet 1982
2/53-63 Dan Prince oil rig circa 1980-1982
2/64-66 Hover Barge: ACT-100 Mukluk Island 1989-1990
2/67 ACT-100 with helicopter and rollagon: images of Sohio’s hover barge test in Prudhoe Bay 1982
2/68 S-61 helicopter 1983
2/69-75 Sohio hover barge tests. Includes informational packet and William Bacon Productions invoice 1982
2/76-80 Jeff-A Mukluk group shot insert. Includes commemorative envelopes that were “carried on the first Arctic open ice run to Mukluk Island, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska” 1983-1984
2/81 Kuparuk. Includes article featuring Bill Bacon’s photographs 1980
2/82-83 Valdez Terminal. Includes informational packet 1976-1979
2/84-85 Alyeska pipeline and animals article and photographs 1977
2/86 Semi submersibles off-shore drill rigs: Ocean Odyssey circa 1980-1990
2/87 Drilling Islands: CIDS [Concrete Island Drilling System] articles 1985
2/88-3/5 Global Marine Development photographs, negatives, and papers related to the production of the film, C.I.D.S.  Includes images of Exxon’s Ice Island in 1979, C.I.D.S. script, invoice, and Bacon’s research files circa 1979-1984
3/6 Drilling Islands 1979
3/7-10 Alyeska Pipeline publications and notes circa 1970-1976
3/11 Petroleum related articles 1962-1982, undated
3/12-14 Amoco Belcher prospect circa 1988
3/15-23 ARCO PR. Includes images of drilling in the North Slope and an ARCO ship in Valdez 1968-1969, undated
3/24 Oil: Prudhoe Bay and Kenai 1969, 1972, undated
3/25-26 ARCO’s Norton Sound Project information project. Includes images of people at Little Diomede and Gambell circa 1982
3/27-32 Oil. Prudhoe Bay notes, correspondence, and related articles that featured Bacon’s photographs circa 1962-1980
3/33 Archaeology and astrology related articles that are annotated circa 1950-1999
3/34 Aurora Borealis 1961, 1980
3/35 Permafrost related articles 1972, undated
3/36-38 Agriculture in Alaska. Includes images of cat skinner and Paul Elbert in Happy Valley 1956-2004
3/39-40 Defense: Air Force Army, clear Distant Early Warning (D.E.W.) Line, and U.S. Air. Includes images of D.E.W. Line in Barrow 1962, undated
3/41-42 Geological formations: Glaciers and Alaska mountain range. Includes photographs of Mount Rainer undated
3/43 Art: “Resty and Fred” photographs that include photographs of Ruth Koehler’s artwork 1962
3/44 Art: “Rusty and Sandy.” Contains negatives and photographs of paintings. The name “Rusty” may be referring to Rusty Herulin (Magnus Colcord Heurlin) undated
3/45 Art: Fred Machetanz ice shots. Photographs of Machetanz paintings and ice cakes undated
3/46 Aviation: Wein Airlines, Pilatus Porter, Fort Yukon strip 1950-1965
3/47 Aviation related articles. Includes brochures and estimates to charter plane circa 1972 to 1991, undated
3/48 Aviation: Apache [plane]. Photographs made for Jess Bachner 1957
3/49 Aviation: Scandinavian Airlines Fairbanks International Airport 1957
3/50 Aviation: Photographs. Includes articles related to history of Aviation in Alaska circa 1961
3/51-53 Bureau of Land Management: Fires. Photographs, color transparencies, negatives, and articles related to BLM helicopters fighting fires circa 1957, 1994, undated
3/54-60 Riverboat Discovery tour and Captain Brinkley circa 1962
3/61 Captain Jim and Mary Brinkley’s the Discovery 1962
3/62 Riverboat Nenana photographs taken from Nenana to Fairbanks circa 1954-1955
3/63 Boats: outboard and boat races 1956, undated
3/64 Boats: Russian fishing fleet 1975
3/65 World War II: Japan and atomic bomb articles. Includes 1945 U.S.S. Connor Press News 1945-1985
3/66-68 ARLIS II (Arctic Research Laboratory Ice Station) near North Pole. Contains images of researchers working and living on ice station 1962
4/1 ARLIS II 1962
4/2-4 ARLIS II-March 1962. Includes list of photograph descriptions, letter regarding his March 1962 trip, and articles 1962-1975
4/5 Oil field stickers undated

 

Series 2: Slides; 1954-2000. 3.0 cubic feet.
This series is composed of color slides taken by Bill Bacon.  It is divided into two subseries: Alaska related slides and slides of places outside of Alaska. Descriptions come from descriptions on slide boxes and slide enclosure and relate to the city/region/state, topic, or event he was photographing.  Within each subseries, slides are organized in alphabetical order according to Bill Bacon’s descriptions.

Series 2: Slides. Subseries 2a: Alaska related slides; 1954-1995. 2.0 cubic feet.
Slides are described by geographical location, topic, or event photographed. Slides are in alphabetical order by description.

Box/Folder Description Dates
4/6 $200,000.00 Gold & Cash undated
4/7 3rd Miner’s Day, Talkeetna 1983
4/8 Alaska Railroad 1985
4/9 Alaska Towns/Villages 1954
4/10 Alaskan filmers [filmmakers] 1978 May
4/11 Alcan Highway 1960, 1961, 1975
4/12 Aleutian Islands Unimak Island Isanotski 1976
4/13 Alyeska area 1985
4/14 Alyeska Pipeline work camps 1976
4/15-16 Anchorage 1978-1984
4/17 Anchorage area tourist spots 1985
4/18 Anchorage-Airshots 1980
4/19 April in Paris Captain Cook 1983
4/20 Army Corps Engineers Chena Lakes Flood 1977
4/21 Art-Alaska State Council on the Arts 1979 October-November
4/22 Bethel 1981
4/23 Bethel Waterfront Barge Freight 1981
4/24 BIMA, Nome 1986
4/25 Brevig Mission, Nome 1980
4/26 Brooks Range 1981
4/27 Chefornak 1981
4/28 Chevak 1981
4/29 Chitna 1981
4/30 Circle Theater construction 1981
4/31 Cloud formations 1974
4/32 Columbia Glacier 1981
4/33 Construction 1980
4/34 Cordova Million Dollar Bridge & railroad trams 1985
4/35 D.E.W. [Distant Early Warning Line] 1975
4/36 Denali–The Great One 1983
4/37 Dillingham Alaska commercial fishing 1982
4/38 Dillingham docks 1982
4/39 Dyea Alyeska 1986
4/40 ECL Alaska 1987
4/31 Eek 1981
4/42 Eklutna 1981
4/43 Elim 1980
4/44 Eskimos/Indians Spirit Days 1985
4/45 Executive Explorer, Glacier Bay 1986
4/46 Fairbanks–Mining U.S. Smelting Refining and Mining Company 1956-1957
4/47 Fairbanks “1955-56-57” 1954-1977
4/48 Farms Alaska–Old farms in the 1950s 1961
4/49 Fish–Salmon process 1982
4/50 Forest Fires Alaska–Big “D” 1954
4/51 Forest Fires Alaska–Central Switch Creek 1954
4/52 Forest Fires Alaska–Minto Undated
4/53 Forest Fires Alaska-Montana Creek 1954
4/54 Forest Fires Alaska–Salcha River Fire 1957
4/55 Forest Fires Alaska–Sheenjack River 1954
4/56 Fur Rondy 1982
4/57 Gambell 1980
4/58 Glaciers: Exit Glacier (August 30, 1993) and Riggs Glacier (June 22,1992) 1992, 1993
4/59 Glacier Bay Grand Pacific Glacier 1981
4/60 Golovin 1980
4/61 Goodnews 1981
4/62 Governor Bill Sheffield TV Spot Running for Office 1986
4/63 Gustavus 1981
4/64 Haines 1985
4/65 Halibut Fishing I 1982
4/66 Halibut Fishing II 1984
4/67 Hatcher Pass 1983
4/68 Haul road scenes 1983
4/69 Healy Electric Power Plant and coal beds 1984
4/70 Helmrick’s Home 1983
4/71 Herbie Nayokpuk 1980
4/72 Highway accidents 1984
4/73 Homer 1976-1984
4/74 Homer Land 1984
4/75 Hoonah 1979
4/76 Hooper Bay 1981
4/77 Hope 1982
4/78 Hubbard Glacier, Yakutat 1973
4/79 Hubbard Misty [Tracy?] Arm 1987
4/80 Hyder + Road to 1986
4/81 Ice & Snow–Ice XLS 1962
4/82 Ice & Snow–Sastrugi 1962
4/83 Ice & Snow Formations–Arctic Ice 1979
4/84 Ice & Snow Formations–Grounded Ice Shore Barrow 1975
4/85 Ice & Snow Formations–The Lead Opening 1970
4/86 Ice & Snow Formations–Pressure Ridges 1979
4/87 Ice & Snow Formations–Rafting 1979
4/88 Ice Road 1982
4/89 Independence Mine Hatcher’s Pass 1981
4/90 Inter Tie Denali Linemen Cantwell 1984
4/91 Juneau 1986
4/92 Juneau Ice Field 1979
4/93 Kaktovik 1981
4/94 Kantishna R. Undated
4/95 Katmai 1970
4/97-97 Kenai 1977-1993
4/98 Ketchikan, Saxman 1986
4/99 Kiana 1981
4/100 Kipnuk 1981
4/101 Kobuk River, Arrigetch Peaks 1992
4/102 Kongiganak 1981
4/103 Kotzebue 1981
4/104 Koyuk 1980
4/105 Kwethluk 1981
5/1 Little Diomede 1980
5/2 Maps AK-USA Undated
5/3 Matanuska Valley 1977-1984
5/4 McCarthy Undated
5/5 Mekoryuk on Nunivak Island 1979-1981
5/6 Mendenhall Glacier 1986
5/7 Moose at 40 below (possibly Fairbanks) undated, before 1959
5/8 Moses Point 1980
5/9 Mt. Augustine, cabin, helicopter-crash 1976
5/10 Mt. McKinley 1980
5/11 Mt. McKinley climb, KOMO-TV 1974, March-April
5/12 Mt. Sanford 1981
5/13 Nancy Lake 1983
5/14 Napakiak 1981
5/15 Napaskiak 1981
5/16 Native baskets 1984
5/17 Nenana 1956, 1981
5/18 Nightmute 1981
5/19 Ninilchik 1982
5/20 Nome 1955-1981
5/21 Nome-Reindeer herding and herder Larry Davis 1980
5/22 North American-dog sled race 1961
5/23 Norton Sound 1980
5/24 Nova D-2 land issue 1978
5/25 Oil pipe line views no snow 1981
5/26 Paxson Area 1983
5/27 People Alaska–Jo Crumrine 1985
5/28 Permafrost 1977
5/29 Petersburg-Bill Greinier shrimping 1986
5/30 Petersburg 1986
5/31 Platinum 1981
5/32 Pollution-California, Washington, Fairbanks 1967-1972
5/33 Pope John, Fairbanks 1984 May
5/34 Port of Anchorage, Alaska 1977
5/35 Portage-Cooper Landing 1984-1985
5/36 Portage Glacer. Includes slides of Childs Glacier in Cordova, Worthington Glacier, glacier in Thole area, Crow Foot Glacier in Canada, and Matanuska Glacier 1984
5/37 Prudhoe-Harrison Bay seise 1982
5/38 Quinhagak 1981
5/39 Rafting–McKinley Park 1981
5/40 Rainbows 1985
5/41 Reid Glacier 1992
5/42 Renaissance Fair 1980
5/43 Riggs Glacier 1992
5/44 River boats 1961
5/45 River break-up 1995
5/46 Saint George 1984
5/47 Saint Michael 1980
5/48 Saint Paul 1984
5/49 Saint Paul Halibut Dock Boats 1984
5/50 Saint Paul Halibut Dock Boats, Unload 1985
5/51 Salmon Fishing-Sport 1982
5/52 Savoonga 1980,
5/53 Scammon Bay 1981
5/54 Seldovia 1970
5/55 Seward 1981-1982
5/56 Shaktoolik 1980
5/57 Shishmaref 1980
5/58 Sindy/Jim-Round Island 1982
5/59 Sitka 1981-1987
5/60 Sled dogs; dog mushing, Smokey [sled dog]. Includes slides of sled dog racers, trappers, and sled dogs 1961-1978
5/61 Sleeping Lady 1981
5/62 Solar energy use 1982
5/63 Spirit Houses, Eklutna 1991
5/64 Stebbins 1980
5/65 Stephan Lake Lodge 1982
5/66 Sunsets 1982
5/67 Teller 1980
5/68 Toksook Bay 1981
5/69 Truck tanker oil spill-haul road 1981
5/70 Tuntutuliak 1981
5/71 Tununak 1981
5/72 Turnagain-smelt fishing, dip netting 1982
5/73 Tyonek Flats 1985
5/74 Unalakleet 1980-1982
5/75 Unalaska 1982-1983
5/76 University of Alaska [Fairbanks] 1955-1957
5/77 Valdez 1978-1984
5/78 Views along the haul road–Dietrich Bridge 1983
5/79 Views along the haul road–FBKS [Fairbanks] North 1981
5/80 Wasilla 1981
5/81 Whales 1980
5/82 White Mountain 1980
5/83 Whittier 1985
5/84 Winter Carnival & North American dog sled race 1957
5/85 Winter Scenes-Alaska and Eastern Washington 1973
5/86 World War II–I: slides of unidentified veteran 1985
5/87 World War II–II: slides of unidentified veteran 1985
5/88 World War II: [Attu?] and Amchitka site 1985
5/89 World War II: Unalaska and Dutch Harbor veterans and sites 1985
5/90 Wrangell 1985
5/91 Yakutat 1969-1983

Series 2: Slides. Subseries 2b: Outside Alaska slides; 1958-2000. 1.0 cubic foot.
Descriptions are of geographical locations, topics, or events photographed. Slides are in alphabetical order by description.

Box/Folder Description Date
6/1 Arizona 1960
6/2 Athens Greece 1985 1985
6/3 California 1963
6/4 Canada – Alberta 1960
6/5 Canada–B.C. 1986
6/6 Canada–Banff National Park 1958-1968
6/7 Canada – Calgary 1959
6/8 Canada–Northwest Territories 1973-1980
6/9 Canada–Totem Poles / Indian Graves 1962
6/10 Canada–Vancouver Islands 1989
6/11 Canada – Yukon 1970, 1974
6/12 Carcross, Yukon Territory 1986
6/13 Caribbean 1994
6/14 CASA [plane] 1985
6/15-16 China 1987-1993
6/17 Ethiopia 1985
6/18 Geological formations 1967
6/19 Glacier National Park, Montana 1960
6/20 Grønland [Greenland]:  Eskimo villages, glaciers, and ice caps 1973, 1980
6/21 Iceland-island farms 1973
6/22 Iceland-geyser area volcano 1973
6/23 Iceland-Hverageroi 1973
6/24 Iceland-Reykjavik 1973
6/25 Idaho 1972
6/26 India–hunger strike [Tibetan Youth Congress] 1998
6/27 Indians-Blackfoot 1958
6/28 Kenya 1985
6/29 Logging-Weyerhauser, helicopter pesticide spray, and Port Angeles and Sequim area 1965, 1989
6/30 London, England 1985
6/31 Mexico 1986
6/32 Mexico-Ixtapa + Zehuatenejo (reconstruction) 1986
6/33 Multi-places (Deception Pass, Skagit, Elwha River, La Push, Cape Flattery, Point of Arches, San Juan Islands) 1963-1975
6/34 Nepal 1998
6/35 New Mexico 1986
6/36 Norway 1979
6/37 Nuuk, Greenland–Inuit Circumpolar Conference 1980
6/38 Oregon 1963-1988
6/39 Panama–Locks – Starship 1987
6/40 Parthenon-Zehuateneo [Zihuatanejo] 1986
5/31 Pollution-California, Washington, Fairbanks 1967-1972
6/41 Rivers Inlet–Vancouver Island and Victoria 1971
6/42 Russia 2000 July 5-13
6/43 South Dakota 1984
6/44 Sweden 1993
6/45 Washington state 1964-1987
6/46 Washington D.C. 1953-1954
5/84 Winter scenes-Alaska and Eastern Washington 1973
6/47 Western rivers–river rafting camera one 1989 June
6/48 Yellowhead Circle Tour 1969 1969 June 5-11
6/49 Zehuatenejc [Zihuatenjo]-misc. 1986

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