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Historic Travels US - The West Marches On (2-DVD Set)
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Dubbed the "land that nobody knew", Alaska amazed explorers with its immeasurable wealth, vast diversity and unbelievable scenic beauty. Learn more about this fascinating corner of the earth that was purchased from the Russians for a mere $7.2 million!
March 30, 1867 remains one of the most memorable days in the History of Alaska and the United states. It was on this historic day that U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward signed an agreement with Baron Edouard Stoeckl, the Russian Minister to the United States for the acquisition of 590 thousand square miles of vastly unchartered and unknown land for $7.2 million, then a monumental sum. Infact, the deal seemed so preposterous to many Americans that they quickly called it "Seward’s Folly".
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However, over the next century, even the staunchest of Seward’s critics were compelled to eat their words. Teams of explorers who scouted the vast territory soon returned with accounts of the immense potential waiting to be tapped in the form of minerals, timber, fertile farmlands and seas teeming with thousands of tons of fish. The revenue from a single year’s fishing in the 1930s alone overshot the purchase value of the region.
Often written off as the ‘last frontier’, ‘the land that nobody knows’ and ‘a barren wilderness of ice, snow and Eskimos’, Alaska continues to amaze its detractors with its immeasurable natural wealth and unmatched beauty.
This captivating set of DVDs showcases some of Alaska’s assets, its scenic beauty and geographical diversity. It also offers glimpses of the thrilling life in the west in this fascinating collection of films.
Some of the clips you will see on this DVD set are:
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Boulder Dam
This silent clip shows the beginning of construction on the Hoover Dam, which was later, renamed Boulder Dam. It also carries excellent footage of Boulder City, the model housing community built to provide residences for project workers.
Sponsor: U.S. Department of the Interior
Producer: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in collaboration with Six Companies, Inc. and The Babcock & Wilcox Company
Year: 1931
Length: 00:27:10
Audio: Silent
Color: BLACK & WHITE
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Alaska’s Silver Millions
This fascinating film on the geography of little known Alaska, carries a charming narration by Bernard H. Hubbard, whose lifetime study of glaciers in Europe earned him the nick name "Glacier Priest". Filmed by Hubbard along with Nicholas Cavalier, this documentary highlights the natural beauty of Alaska and also provides a thrilling insight into the Salmon fishing and canning industries that rake in millions of dollars each year.
Sponsor: American Can Company
Producer: Carousel Films
Year: 1936
Length: 00:17:08
Audio: Mono
Color: BLACK & WHITE
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Reno Flood
This clip captures the effects of a raging flood, which cut a wide swath through Reno, Nevada.
Sponsor: N/A
Producer: N/A
Year: 1927
Length: 00:02:36
Audio: Silent
Color: BLACK & WHITE
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Amateur film: "Frisco Fair / Pacific Northwest"
This amateur silent film shot in Kodachrome provides a glorious view of Californian countryside and captures the fascinating beauty along the coast and highways of California and Oregon. It also provides a breathtaking tour of San Francisco's Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-40).
Sponsor: N/A
Producer: N/A
Year: 1937
Length: 00:17:05
Audio: Silent
Color: COLOR
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Alaska A Modern Frontier (Revised Edition)
This film from the 50s aims to portray Alaska as a land opportunity and immense natural wealth. It spans the mining, lumber, agricultural and salmon fishing industries, and also covers the gradual modernization process of the state.
Sponsor: N/A
Producer: Coronet Instructional Films
Year: 1948
Length: 00:10:19
Audio: Mono
Color: COLOR
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Hawthorne Ammunition Depot: Black Beauty Dam
This short newsreel captures the dedication ceremony for the dam built to supply water for Hawthorne Ammunition Depot, an isolated naval base in the Nevada desert.
Sponsor: United Fund of Greater St. Louis
Producer: Guggenheim (Charles) & Associates
Year: 1956
Length: 00:00:36
Audio: Mono
Color: BLACK & WHITE
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Reno Rodeo
This film captures the thrills and spills at a rodeo in Reno, Nevada. It also shows Jimmy Lederer, Universal Newsreel cameraman, receiving the "Wrangler" framed award.
Sponsor: National Association of Home Builders and Birmingham Association of Home Builders
Producer: WBRC-TV (Birmingham, Ala)
Year: 1965
Length: 00:16:01
Audio: Mono
Color: BLACK & WHITE
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A Day Called X
This film presents a dramatized evacuation of the city of Portland under threat of an atomic bomb attack. It showcases the city’s preparedness for such catastrophic events.
Sponsor: N/A
Producer: CBS Television Network
Year: 1955
Length: 00:27:16
Audio: Mono
Color: BLACK & WHITE
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Running Time:
DVD One : 01:01:28
DVD Two : 01:04:13
 EDITORIAL REVIEW:
"Among other things, this set of DVDs offers a refreshingly upbeat perspective of Alaska - the land beyond nowhere, whose secrets, for centuries, remained locked in the minds of native Eskimos who were drawn to it by the promise of an undiminishing food supply in the form of fish, seals and reindeer.
Ostensibly produced to attract settlers and professionals to the region, which later became the 49th state, the two films included here (Alaska’s Silver Millions and Alaska - A Modern Frontier), provide a thrilling geographical and economical account of the potentially prosperous state. Of note are the thrilling scenes of breaking ice and hissing volcanoes, shot by the ‘Glacier Priest" Bernard Hubbard.
The other statement these DVDs make is that life in the west was rewarding and full of pleasant surprises. The clips on the construction of Boulder City, The San Francisco World’ Fair and the rodeo in Reno bear testimony to this fact.
Shot partly in black and white and partly in Kodachrome, the clips - most of which are accompanied by charming narrations - carry a certain undeniable fascination and historic value that makes these rare DVDs a much-treasured possession.
Definitely a treasure-trove of historic information about the west, I have no doubts that this unique set of DVDs will find a place of honor on the shelves of all history geography and adventure buffs."
CUSTOMER'S REVIEWS:
"It is amazing that I picked up this fabulous set of DVDs from a friend’s place just a few days before my son was to make a class presentation. My son was thrilled by the clips on Alaska and used these as apart of his presentation. Needless to say, his was among the best efforts. Personally, I found the clip "a day called X" very comforting. I was amazed to see how well prepared Portland was even in the 50’s to handle an unlikely but probable nuclear attack. This was when the cold war was "heating up" and I am certain the clip calmed many frayed nerves with its reassuring message."
Customer's Name : Jack Hamilton (Portland Oregon)
"I have just added my name to the long list of fans that follow the fascinating adventures of Bernard Hubbard in print and on the celluloid medium. His patience was truly out of this world and his courage admirable to say the least. Hubbard’s portrayal of Alaskan icy cliffs and active volcanoes and his enchanting presentation on the bountiful wealth of Alaska find great support in the other clip (Alaska, A Modern Frontier), about this marvelous corner of the earth. Many thanks to the producers of this great set of DVDs which made it possible for me to enjoy the charms of the west from the comforts of my home."
Customer's Name : Anne Dominique (Houston, Texas)
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Historic Travels US - The West Marches On (2-DVD Set)
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you will love these amazing DVDs!
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General Packaging Description:
Our professionally-produced DVDs are shipped in retail Amaray style DVD cases just like you would find in a store. These beautifully packaged DVDs make great gifts and are themselves works of art. While we offer some of the best prices anywhere, we have never sacrificed quality for price.
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System requirements:
Computer: Pentium II, 300mhz, 64mb RAM, DVD-ROM, compatible video and sound card.
Player: NTSC compatible DVD player, standard TV.
Region: All players, irrespective of region
NOTE ON COMPATIBILITY: While our DVDs are designed for optimal playback for all home DVD players, it is possible that some older systems will have trouble playing our DVDs. Although rare, it is worth mentioning. If this occurs you will receive a full refund.
Given that some of these videos are extremely old and their original audio quality is not very good, we have tried to improve it to the best possible quality. However, due to their inherent quality problems, you might still have a few instances where the audio is of a slightly lower volume.
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