Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
1950s scenes of the Juneau area include a boat harbor with several small boats, views of the Juneau cityscape and AJ Mine, a man holding a salmon, and Mendenhall Glacier, including a U.S. Forest Service warning sign.
The following student research related to scenes in this film was provided in 2026 by a University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate within the Honors College:
Glaciers have drawn visitors across the centuries. This clip shows footage of the Mendenhall Glacier, a massive river of ice stemming from the Juneau Icefield. Still a popular touring stop today, it was especially popular in the 20th century, when Juneau was one of the few (comparatively) easy places to travel to in Alaska, and the Mendenhall Glacier extended much further than it does today. Articles from The Alaska Daily Empire (circa the 1920s) promoted the Mendenhall Glacier as the only glacier navigable by automobile. These clips remind us that the desire to explore incredible places has existed throughout history and across cultures.
Source & Format
Color, silent, 16mm film
Ed Orbeck Collection (AAF-10087)
Alaska Film Archives
Repository
The Alaska Film Archives is a unit of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives Department, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contact
If you have additional information or can help further identify what’s seen here, we welcome your insights. Please contact us using the information in the “About” section.
Support the Alaska Film Archives
The Alaska Film Archives appreciates your support. Donations of any amount help us preserve and share Alaska’s audiovisual history. Visit the “About” section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help. Thank you!
1950s scenes of the Juneau area include a boat harbor with several small boats, views of the Juneau cityscape and AJ Mine, a man holding a salmon, and Mendenhall Glacier, including a U.S. Forest Service warning sign.
The following student research related to scenes in this film was provided in 2026 by a University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate within the Honors College:
Glaciers have drawn visitors across the centuries. This clip shows footage of the Mendenhall Glacier, a massive river of ice stemming from the Juneau Icefield. Still a popular touring stop today, it was especially popular in the 20th century, when Juneau was one of the few (comparatively) easy places to travel to in Alaska, and the Mendenhall Glacier extended much further than it does today. Articles from The Alaska Daily Empire (circa the 1920s) promoted the Mendenhall Glacier as the only glacier navigable by automobile. These clips remind us that the desire to explore incredible places has existed throughout history and across cultures.
Source & Format
Color, silent, 16mm film
Ed Orbeck Collection (AAF-10087)
Alaska Film Archives
Repository
The Alaska Film Archives is a unit of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives Department, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contact
If you have additional information or can help further identify what’s seen here, we welcome your insights. Please contact us using the information in the “About” section.
Support the Alaska Film Archives
The Alaska Film Archives appreciates your support. Donations of any amount help us preserve and share Alaska’s audiovisual history. Visit the “About” section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help. Thank you!
