Rockwell Kent "Wilderness" Centennial Journal

ROCKWELL KENT WILDERNESS CENTENNIAL JOURNAL 100 YEARS LATER by Doug Capra © 2018 February 25 – 28, 1919 – 2019 Part 3 -- Kathleen’s January letters to Rockwell ABOVE – A Jim Pfeiffenberger photo titled "Otter Morning" -- note the sea otter on its back in the foreground. Taken this last day of February 2019. Fox Island and the entrance to Resurrection Bay in the distance. Kent and his son arrive back on Fox Island on February 25, 1919. They’ve spent several days in Seward collecting new mail from the arriving steamships and writing letters to go out. Ironically, just as Kent readies to leave Alaska, he finds himself more than welcomed in town with many offers of housing, meals, sleepovers for Rockie with other children, and travel bargains. People are even curious about his paintings and want to see them. The Seward Chamber of Commerce has invited him to speak and have probably offered him a letter of recommendation. There is a historical...

ROCKWELL KENT WILDERNESS CENTENNIAL JOURNAL 100 YEARS LATER by Doug Capra © 2018 February 21-25, 1919 – 2019 Part 2 -- Kathleen’s January letters to Rockwell ABOVE -- This is what Kent and Rockie would have seen as they arrived at the Port of Seward. Photo circa 1915. Resurrection Bay Historical Society, Seward Community Library Association. Kent and Rockwell wake up early on Friday, February 21 st all ready and packed to head to Seward -- but, as usual, their engine gives them trouble and needs more repair. Kent works on it but it does little good. They finally get off by 11 a.m. Once out in the bay "the flywheel came loose six times," Kent writes, "the muffler four, and the valve spring fell off and stayed off." As usual their dory leaks but it’s worse than normal, and they have no bucket to bail.  They stop at George Hogg’s camp along Caines Head, an old timer who has frequently helps them out. Hogg isn’t there but Kent knows him ...