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Monday 9am - 6pm Tuesday 9am - 6pm Wednesday 9am - 6pm Thursday 9am - 6pm Friday 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 1pm - 4:30pm

Resurrection Bay Historical Society

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Seward, AK
Resurrection Bay Historical Society

A nonprofit organization whose collection of photos, archives and objects is housed in the Seward Community Museum. agent A.H. McDonald.

Resurrection Bay Historical Society Objectives

To collect, preserve and make accessible to the public materials that help establish and illustrate the history of the Seward area. To stimulate interest and disseminate information about the history of the Seward area. To encourage the preservation of historical buildings, structures and sites in the Seward area. From the Beginning

Seward folks int

erested in preserving local history met July 13, 1962, to organize as a group and elected Seely V. Hall as president; Pat Williams, vice president; Mildred Kirkpatrick, secretary; Rachel Puckett, treasurer; and Irwin Metcalf, Juanita Everitt and Elizabeth Mahan to its board of directors. After formally incorporating in 1965 as Resurrection Bay Historical Society, the group began receiving items, including a major donation of Alaska Native artifacts, ivory and baskets from former Seward resident Selma McDonald that had been collected by her late husband, Alaska Steamship Co. RBHS now needed a place to display and store its ever-growing collection. The city offered space in the new City Hall basement and the Seward Museum officially opened its doors on April 29, 1966. Twenty-three years later the museum moved into the ground floor of the former post office building at the corner of Third and Jefferson. Retired school teacher Lee Poleske volunteered to take charge of museum operations. As the community marked its 100th year of founding in 2003, RBHS agreed to support and participate in the Community Library Museum building project. Members poured hours of effort into bringing this dream to fruition and joined to celebrate the January 2013 dedication of the Seward Community Library & Museum at 239 Sixth Avenue. With the new building came an agreement whereby the city took over operations of the Seward Museum with support from the Resurrection Bay Historical Society. Our organization continues in its mission of collecting, preserving and making accessible materials pertaining to Seward’s history. Visit our website to learn more about the museum, our collections and making donations at http://www.resbayhistorical.org/

08/28/2026

Come join us at the Seward Library and Museum to celebrate Founder's Day! We'll offer free admission to the Museum, treats, and live music from 2 to 4pm.

08/26/2026

For many in Alaska, their favorite coworker has four legs and a furry coat. 🐾🐕

Celebrating National Dog Day by sharing our 1906 photo, which depicts a dog team on Fourth Avenue. In the background, you'll find Brown & Hawkins, Ellsworth's, Cooper's Cafe & Bakery (Later Seward Bakery), and Alaska Coast Company.

08/01/2026

How is it already August?! And our waterfront did not always look the way it does now.

Here is an aerial view photo looking northwest of Seward waterfront and downtown. Many large vessels are tied up at the dock. Typewritten on the front across the bottom: "Seward, Alaska - August 1, 1941".

07/28/2026

What's in the bag?! Here is a photo looking north up Fourth Avenue from the dock with its piles of gunny sacks. Businesses at left include: Alaska Transfer, Kenai Lumber and Fuel Co, Brownell Hardware, Seward Bakery, Pacific Coast and Trading, Business signs on right side of street include: Seward Commercial Company, Oregon Cafe, A.B. Drug, The Northern and Coleman House.

Note in the bottom left corner - the date of this photo is July 28, 1906. Exactly 120 years ago! 📸

07/16/2026

Oh the nostalgia. The primary appeal of a covered bridge is its clever appearance meanwhile its engineering of an enclosed design is entirely practical. A covered bridge's purpose is designed to protect the structural timbers from weather and extend their lifespans from decades to over a century. Here is a view looking north on the Seward Highway at the two covered bridges over the Resurrection River, taken in July 1949.

07/12/2026

Yesterday was special! 🎺

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the City of Seward, and the Alaska Railroad held a headstone unveiling ceremony for Joseph H. White, a veteran of the Union Army who served with the 73rd New York Infantry and the 69th New York Infantry in the Civil War. Joseph White came to Alaska from the East Coast around 1905. His grave, unmarked since his death in 1916, finally has a marble headstone provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the City of Seward, and the Alaska Railroad held a headstone unveiling ceremony for Joseph H. White, a veteran of the Union Army who served with the 73rd New York Infantry and the 69th New York Infantry in the Civil War. Joseph White came to Alaska from the East Coast around 1905. His grave, unmarked since he died in 1916, finally has a marble headstone provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

07/11/2026

Does this building look familiar to anyone?

Here is a photo of Seward General Hospital in July 1963. Looking west at front entrance on First Avenue with Mt. Marathon in background.

07/04/2026

Happy July 4th! 🎆

Hope everyone enjoys the holiday and good luck to all running the Mt. Marathon Race!! 🏔️

RBHS 2021.022.0001.10
Marathon Racers, July 1963.

07/03/2026

Can't wait to see you all out for the July 4th Festivities!! Here are a few highlights from the past that we enjoy! 🇺🇸 🥧

Photo 1: Parade on Fourth Avenue in Seward. West of street between Adams and Washington streets is visible. Includes Brown & Hawkins, bakery, Blue Shop, and Bobbies Bar.

Photo 2: Dr. Avery Roberts doing the high jump on the Fourth of July, 1916.

Photo 3: Pie-eating contest in downtown Seward, 1935.

06/27/2026

Ever wonder why we have a Dairy Hill Lane...

It all started with two dairymen, Stephen Adelman and his partner, Quinty, who came to Seward in 1915 from Washington. They brought 8 milk cows with them to start a dairy. They delivered their first bottles of milk in Seward on September 23. By early November, six of their cows were producing an average of 25 gallons of milk a day.

In January 1919, Stephen Adelman purchased 280 acres of land and started construction. However, when the health inspector came in March 1920, many of the cows failed inspection, and the dairy was closed. After several attempts to rebuild the stock and reopen the dairy, the Seward Dairy reopened and supplied the town for a few decades!🐄🥛

Address

239 Sixth Avenue
Seward, AK
99664

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 6pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	1pm - 4:30pm

Website

http://www.resbayhistorical.org/

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