William Egan was born in Valdez to a mining family on October 8th, 1914. From his meager beginnings in Valdez, he would become one of Alaska’s most famous people. By age 10, Bill worked in a local cannery following his father’s death in an avalanche to help his mother care for the family. His interest […]
On September 0th, 1915, The Cordova Daily Times broke the news that William Van Valin, a noted explorer, lecturer, and teacher, had discovered a “Lake of Oil” a mile inland from Smith Bay, approximately halfway between Wainwright and Utqiagvik (Point Barrow) Van Valin described and photographed streams of crude two feet thick flowing from the […]
