Iñupiaq men in qayaqs, Noatak, Alaska, circa 1929. Edward S. Curtis Collection, Library of Congress Digital Collections.
Crossing the Chilkoot Pass, circa 1898. Courtesy Candy Waugaman and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
The Gold Rush boomtown of Nome on the Seward Peninsula, 1900. Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library.
Do you have a story about the “Trusty Tusty?”
The Alaska state ferry MV Tustumena, “Trusty Tusty,” has connected Aleutian and Kodiak Island communities with mainland Alaska since 1964. The boat is to be retired in 2019, and a group has been working on collecting oral histories from the fans of the ‘Trusty Tusty.”
Courtesy of Alaska Department of Transportation
This August a pair of film makers, Lucy and Mike, will be collecting stories as they travel on the boat from Homer to Unalaska. They are interested in hearing from passengers, crew, and others served by the boat. Did you meet someone particularly interesting on the ferry? Do you remember a particularly rough storm, wildlife sighting, or rescue? Was the boat part of a significant homecoming or leave-taking? How did regular ferry service change your life or your town?
Your memories matter! If you have a story to share, let the project team know at info@tustystoryproject.org.
To learn more about the MV Tustumena Oral History Project: http://tustystoryproject.org/
