There is a book currently available on e-Bay that may be of interest. It is entitled GHOST TOWNS OF THE YUKON. The description says: Here then is the history of the communities that sprang to life in the wilderness of Canada's Yukon territory and are now fading away. Some of the towns covered are Fort Frances, Fort Yukon, Barker Creeek, Klondike Ciy, Ogilvie, Canyon City. Of course, Yukon Territory is not in Alaska. But it is Alaska's next-door-neighbor. One of the towns listed, Fort Yukon, is clearly an Alaskan town. It is also far from a ghost town. So ~ I don't know how reliable this book is. But I thought it might be of interest to list subscribers. The item number is 360132482116. The auction ends February 24th. The direct link is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360132482116&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D360132482116%26fvi%3D1

Jan 16, 2008 Ancient mask from Alaska ghost village returned to descendants ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Four decades after it was abandoned, King Island holds an almost mystical pull for former residents and their offspring, its crumbling homes still perched eerily high on stilts, clinging to the steep, rocky face of an unforgiving terrain. Until recently, little else remained of the Inupiat Eskimo village that wasn't held in traditions and memories or unknown collections and museums across the nation. Then came the unexpected news from a stranger that would change all that for the King Island settlement that relocated to Nome, 80 miles southeast of the Bering Sea island on Alaska's western coast. Charlene Saclamana, tribal coordinator with the Nome-based King Island Native Community, received an e-mail from Marilyn Lewis of Port Townsend, Wash., saying she possessed an ancient mask brought back from Alaska by a relative more than a century ago and she wanted to send it back to its rightful owners. On the back of the remarkably preserved relic was a faint inscription reading: "Taken from a medicine man's grave on King Island." Two weeks later, Lewis traveled to Alaska to deliver the wood mask with the red-ochre face, beaked nose and black painted hair. The artifact is now on display at the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum in Nome. "It gives me and my family something tangible from our past. We've lost so much of the culture," said Saclamana, whose parents lived on King Island before she was born. "We were eager to have the mask back in our possession. We never had anything that well preserved from the island." Lewis declined to comment to The Associated Press this week about her family's contribution, saying "it's not about us." But earlier she told the Nome Nugget that her father's uncle Nate traveled by steamship from Seattle to Alaska in 1898 to try his luck in the gold rush. The uncle spent three years in Alaska, apparently not searching for gold but working as a bartender, probably in Nome or Skagway. He kept notes at the time, but never mentioned any sojourn to King Island, leading to his family's theory that someone sold or gave him the mask. The uncle gave the mask to Lewis' father, Bill, in 1927. The relic remained in the family all these years until Lewis' elderly parents gave it to her late last year, asking if she would help find where it came from. Her hunt for the mask's origins began with an online search that led her to Deanna Kingston, lead researcher in an Oregon State University study of King Island and its former inhabitants. Kingston, whose mother was born on King Island, put Lewis in touch with Saclamana in early November. On Thanksgiving week, Lewis met a King Island representative at an Anchorage restaurant and turned over the mask. Saclamana consulted with elders as well as anthropologist Matt Ganley with the Bering Straits Native Corp. about the mask. Everyone agreed: it was the real deal. Telling clues include its simple design, red-ochre hue, distinct facial features and defined hairline, which is probably colored with graphite or condensed soot, Ganley said. The mask probably was carved from driftwood. "It's the style, the whole thing, the types of pigments used, the way the face is presented," Ganley said. "One person told me this looks like a lot of people from King Island." It's unclear exactly what the mask was used for, despite the inscription pointing to a shaman's grave. People in those days were buried aboveground, surrounded by their worldly possessions. In this case, the artifact might have been used in dances or religious ceremonies, according to Ganley. What's significant, he said, is that it survived and was returned freely instead of being the subject of a legal tug-of-war as other repatriation cases have been. It means far more to King Islanders than it would hanging on someone's wall as a souvenir. "It's a home item," Ganley said. "There's a sense that the island itself is pretty sacred to them, a focal point of their identity. They've maintained a pretty strong identity in Nome, not an easy thing to do." To this day, King Islanders consider the relocation a crucial point in their history and a driving force behind their lasting cultural distinction through dances, songs, stories and carving skills. For some, leaving the beloved village was a reluctant but necessary choice. There were various reasons why King Island was abandoned. Men were drafted into the military during World War II and didn't return. Later, tuberculosis killed some people and hospitalized others. Then fewer people returned from traditional summer camping grounds near Nome, where there were jobs and doctors. By 1966, everyone was gone, several years after the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs closed the village school because of declining numbers and concerns about a potential rock-slide. As far as Saclamana is concerned, the mask belongs there, although no final decision has been made about its permanent resting place. "Some of my relatives found a similar mask at a grave on King Island and left it there," Saclamana said. "My personal feeling is this mask should be returned to the island. It's considered sacred." Meanwhile, it has a home at the museum, where it will join an exhibit being developed featuring the style and ingenuity of ancient Bering Sea Eskimos, said museum director Laura Samuelson, who believes the relic may have been a shaman's mask. "He's very content to be here because he's among familiar items," she said. "So far, knock on wood, he's kept his powers to himself."

Oct 30, 2006 Flooding damages footbridge to historic mine ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Flooding wiped out a footbridge leading to the old Kennecott Mine and leaving no safe way in or out of the historic site. The floods earlier this month knocked out tripod supports of the decades-old trestle. The raging waters also caused National Creek to jump course, carving banks into abrupt drop-offs. Water curled around the assay building where miners once tested ore samples, and shaved off two walls. The old building will probably be demolished now, park officials said. Flooding also damaged two bunkhouses and the two-story hospital. "National Creek had done this kind of thing before, and you knew the buildings were at risk and probably couldn't be saved forever, but it's still sad to see them in this state," said Vicki Snitzler, a park planner. Park officials aren't sure how, or if, they're going to fix flood damage to one of the state's popular destinations for both Alaskans and tourists. Kennecott Mine is on the National Historic Landmark registry. The often-photographed, rust-red mill climbs 14 stories against the mountainside in what was the company town. In this ghost town, dozens of old buildings dot the grounds, many dating to the early 1900s. The operation closed shop in 1938 and most of the site was abandoned. When Wrangell-St. Elias acquired it in 1998, the main goal became stabilizing and protecting salvageable buildings. Typically visitors ride a shuttle from nearby McCarthy to reach the mine. Then they enter the park either by the trestle footbridge or a low-water crossing just above the bridge, where gravel approaches lead to a shallow section of the creek. Both those routes are impassable now, Snitzler said. The park has applied for emergency federal funding from a government group that pays for road repairs after natural disasters. Kennecott officials initially worried the park wouldn't qualify. The footbridge isn't exactly a federal interstate. And park structures must be repaired and rebuilt to historically accurate standards, said Ken Hutchison, a Kennecott project manager. But a team from Federal Highways visited the park last week and said neither of those factors should bar Kennecott from funds, Hutchison said. Park officials want between $1.2 million and $1.5 million. "We've got our fingers crossed," Hutchison said. Snitzler said park officials' first priority is to temporarily fix the low-river crossing on National Creek. Mending the trestle could take months, she said. Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com

Greetings: Beginning Thursday, August 17, Rootsweb lists will be transferred, in alphabetical order, to the new mail server. You should have received an e-mail last week about this. It is possible that when this happens you will receive a welcome message from the new server. No action is necessary. This is not a new list, but the old list on a new server. It is doubtful that subscribers will notice any change. The following link gives a timetable for when lists will be migrated to the new server: http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/migrate_sched.html You may ignore the references to the new list-update list. This list is proving to have nothing to offer to either subscribers or list administrators. In my opinion, it is a waste of time, and much incorrect information is being shared. The following message applies to AOL subscribers and AOL users: "After your lists are migrated it is imperative for AOL users to check their spam folders and if they find list mail there they need to be sure to CLICK THE *THIS IS NOT SPAM* link to send the list mail to the inbox. It is VERY important to help train the filters and let AOL know that this new server can be trusted." If you have any problems with the new system, please contact your list administrator (me) at LISTNAME-admin@ rootsweb.com. Hope you are all having a great summer! Sue

Note: This message is not SPAM. This is a message from your list administrator. A potentially very dangerous worm is set to activate on February 3, 2006, and has the potential to destroy files on your computer. It is imperative that you have antivirus software and that you update it regularly so that your software can recognize the latest viruses and worms. Normally, off-topic messages such as virus warnings are not allowed on Rootsweb lists. As "List Mom," I am making an exception in this case. This is an extremely important matter. Please follow this link to read the article about this worm and how to be sure you are protected. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WORM_WARNING?SITE=AKFAI&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT If you have any questions or discussion on this matter, please remember that the list is not the appropriate place for such discussions. You may contact me directly with any questions. The list administrator adddress for any Rootsweb list is the LISTNAME followed by -admin@rootsweb.com For example, to contact the administrator of the RENKERT list, the address would be RENKERT-admin@rootsweb.com Rootsweb's servers will then forward the message to me. We all spend countless hours researching our family history. It would be a shame to lose everything and have to start over. This might also be a good time to make a backup of your important files on a removable medium such as a CD. You all have a great day! Sue

The AK-GhostTowns List is available for adoption. If you are interested contact me personally - KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net Kathleen Burnett List Mom

Dear List Members, If you are interested in knowing about other genealogical mailing list available, one of the very best inventories of genealogical mailing lists is John Fuller's Genealogy Resources on the Internet located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html If you ever need to unsubscribe from this list or any Rootsweb list all you need to do is visit Password Central located at http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/ Follow the instructions and you will received an e-mail of all lists you belong to and from it you can unsubscribe from the ones you want to. Always know that I will be more than happy to help you if you are having problems unsubscribing, you only need to ask. Please send this request to KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net not to the entire list. If you would like to visit the Archived messages of this list, go to http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ and type in the name of the list you would like to search and from there you can search by dates. If you are having problem and I do not answer you right away, know that I will. I like many of you work full time outside of my home. I am fortunate that I can check my e-mail any time I wish, but know that there are spaces of time I cannot. I always check my e-mail each and every evening and will respond to message as quickly as possible. There are a few items I would like to suggest for the benefit of each of us. 1. When sending a posting to the list it would help if you would put the subject of your posting in the subject line. Doing this also might give you a better chance to attract the attention of someone who has the information you are looking for or the attention of someone who is searching for the information you are posting. Many members are on many many lists and when they see a subject line that reads "My Ancestors" they just delete it. 2. When posting a query regarding a surname it would help all of us if you would put your surname in CAPS. This way the members can easily pick out the surnames you are looking for. On the other hand when the entire message is in CAPS we feel that we are being yelled at. 3. Please remember to delete the tags and un-needed words when you re-send a message to the list with your answer. If you don't check this, your responses can become quite large and may cause problems with some of our member's servers. This member who might not be able to receive your message because of its size, just might be your long lost second cousin with all the answers you are looking for. 5. Remember to keep your Virus protection up to date and never open any attached file unless you are 100% sure what it is and even then you are taking a chance. 6. Now, the hardest thing is when one of our own, a fellow member becomes upset about a posting from one from one of us. It is so hard not to jump in and add our two cents. I want you to know how much I appreciate it when you just let these posting go by and delete them. Know that I am behind the scenes taking care of the problem. If you ever have a concern that I might have missed a message that needs addressed you are welcome to contact me during the day at Kathleen.burnett@era.com or in the evenings at KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net. 7. If your list has the gateway open, meaning the messages posted on the board also hit he list, know that every once in a while a SPAM message that is caught by the Board filter slips through the gateway and hits the list before it can be stopped. JUST DELETE IT. By responding to the list regarding he offending message, you just continue it on, and there is not one thing I can do about it at that point. Please remember, so that this list is better for each of us, the posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages, flames, etc., in other words Spam is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for removal. Consideration for exceptions, contact me at KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net I want to thank each of you for your continued support of me and your willingness to help make this list the success it is. It is your list and is here for your benefit. If you have suggestions or comments you would like in future reports, you only need to send them to me. Kathleen Burnett List Mom KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net

Is anyone on the list familiar with the location of the old Chena townsite? In particular, I am trying to find out where the cemetery was located. I have seen at least one part of the old townsite. I understand about half of the town was washed into the Chene River when it changed course. The area I visited recently has at least 3 or 4 old buildings, some inhabited. Sue

Dear List Members, If you were effected by the Comcast buy out, then you need to read this, if not delete it. Just this evening, I have receive over 100 requests for me to change e-mail address to a Comcast address. Many of these requests mention multiple lists of which the sender needs their e-mail address changed. It will take me a good week or so to get through them all. My suggestion is; If you still have the ability to unsubscribe go to PASSWORD Central at http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/ type in your old e-mail address, and follow the directions. You will receive an e-mail from which you can unsubscribe. If you can't do this, then you will just need to re-subscribe with your new address and let the old one bounce off. To re-subscribe this go to John Fuller's mailing list site http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html or remember you can subscribe and or unsubscribe by sending only the word UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE to XXXXXX-L-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM or XXXXXX-D-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM if you are on the Digest List. Naturally change the XXXXXX to the name of the list. If all else fails, contact me, but be understanding if it takes me a while to get to you. Kathleen Burnett List Mom

Dear List Members, The entire RootsWeb.com web site will be down for several hours Thursday morning (6/12/2003), while the technical staff completes routine maintenance. This includes the mailing lists This maintenance will take place from approximately 1-4 a.m. (Mountain Standard Time). There have been times in the past when it took much longer than planned. Watch for more information at http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/help.cgi Please do not send TEST messages to the list. They will not be seen and will flood the list when Rootsweb is re-activated. I would even suggest you put off posting to the list after midnight until Rootsweb is back up and running sometime tomorrow. Kathleen Burnett List Mom

Dear List Members, It is that time of year when some of you will be leaving on vacations. You might want to consider unsubscribing from the list while you are gone and then resubscribing when you return. The easiest way to do this is by using Password Central. http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/ Follow the instructions and you will receive a e-mail list of all Rootsweb Mailing Lists you belong to. You can unsubscribe using this e-mail. Save it and you then have a list of mailing lists you want to re-subscribe to. When you return, you can check the Archives for this list at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ Just type in the name of the list and you can check the messages for the dates you were gone. The following was shared with me and I think it is one of the best Maps I have seen showing the growth and history of the United States. http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie.html I appreciate each of you and know that it is because of you our list is the success it is. Kathleen Burnett List Mom

The US Ghost Town site is located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~usghstwn/ There are many states still available for adoption. If you are interested, contact Doris Robbins demwr@netzero.net If the state you are interested in is already adopted, consider volunteering for a county within that state, to do that contact the Web Host for the state. Kathleen Burnett List Mom