Getting Closer

There's a buzz in town.

Increasing daylight, warmer weather, no snow on the ground, a river free of ice, have all created a good mood on the peninsula. Soon, the tourists will be here. How do I know? The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center placed their annual call and asked for more of our brochures for their information kiosk.

We've always been a member of this organization and recognize their value to our industry, and our community.  That being said, we've told many visitors to stop by and check things out because of the museum like quality of the displays and to learn about other things to do while on the peninsula. It's sound advice, but up until this past week, I had never taken my own recommendation and actually walked through the "visitor and cultural" part of their building. I guess that's human nature. When something is in your backyard you tend to overlook it. I still often wonder why my parents, who bought a home in Las Vegas, never took a tour of the Hoover Dam....sorry, I digress.

It's not a large building , but it's appropriate in size. There are many things on display, but what immediately caught my eye was the snag that my neighbors at Hi-Lo Charters pulled out of the Kenai River in 1987. This behemoth weighs over 600 pounds and it's estimated over 2500 spin-n-glo lures are wrapped into it. Every spring, on my river salvage runs, I keep hoping to find something like this. One day, maybe, one day.....

In college, I enjoyed taking Alaska history and anthropology courses, so it stands to reason that this display of Kenaitze Indian artifacts caught my eye. There is also a section devoted to the history of oil exploration on the peninsula. For all you trivia buffs, the first oil produced in Alaska came from the Swanson River field on the Kenai Peninsula in 1957 (not Prudhoe Bay).

Here's my friend George, purchasing an area map of the peninsula. I will give him all the credit for the building tour. He came with me when I dropped off the brochures and was interested in looking around. A retired educator never stops learning....see you again in July, George!

So, when you're on the peninsula next time, if you're not fishing 24/7, stop in at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. It's well worth your time (and if it's on the weekend, don't forget to go to the Saturday Market held on the front lawn).




Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service