The Bent Page

Here are two more of those panoramic photos, this time from Nome, Alaska, when it was only two months old. They built fast back in those days. I suspect it had something to do with gold. The photos were taken in September of 1899, so the town only started construction in July.

Notice that the saloon is one of the first wooden structures while the living quarters remain tents. Goes to show what was really important and what wasn’t. To think what these people went through is incredible. So many hoped to get rich; so many returned poor. Probably the saloon owners made the most money. It must have been a rambunctious time.

Here’s a look at the waterfront.

There is a twin masted schooner there on the beach. Maybe she’s up for repairs or just lying there until her owners want to make the next voyage. Sailing her down through the Pacific must have been quite an adventure. Behind her lies a small steam boat. Again, I note the tents. Must have been a muddy mess.

Photos like these bring ideas for stories. Whenever I travel, I look for flea markets, yard sales, things like that, in hopes of finding old photographs. Each one has a story of its own and sometimes the best one is the one not told, that of the person who took the picture. What did they have in mind when they released the shutter? What was their purpose? Why did they find it necessary to take a picture at that moment? Of course, you can never really know. However, you can create answers of your own to those questions. It’s good exercise for the imagination.

These are the kinds of things history shows us. I only hope we learn something from it.