The fire that destroyed the original Matanuska Maid Dairy warehouse in Palmer on Tuesday took a piece of Alaska’s history. The building dates to 1935, when the original Matanuska Valley colonists settled in Alaska, and has been on the Alaska Association For Historic Preservation’s list of endangered historic properties for several years.
Judi Bittner, the state’s historic preservation official, says the destruction of the building represents a big loss to the state’s history and to the people of Palmer.
The property was in private ownership by Anchorage attorney William Ingaldson. Palmer Public Safety Director Jon Owen said Tuesday that the city had not purchased the property, although there were plans to do so.
“The building was uninsured,” Owen said.
The Anchorage Daily News reports the value of the building at $380,600. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
APTI Reporter-Producer Ellen Lockyer started her radio career in the late 1980s, after a stint at bush Alaska weekly newspapers, the Copper Valley Views and the Cordova Times. When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Valdez Public Radio station KCHU needed a reporter, and Ellen picked up the microphone.
Since then, she has literally traveled the length of the state, from Attu to Eagle and from Barrow to Juneau, covering Alaska stories on the ground for the AK show, Alaska News Nightly, the Alaska Morning News and for Anchorage public radio station, KSKA
elockyer (at) alaskapublic (dot) org | 907.550.8446 | About Ellen
