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Jean Pederson (Curry) (1966)

Hey Kids,

You can post any comments, interesting things etc. on this Message Forum.

Jean C

Jean Pederson (Curry) (1966)

Thank you Pete Martin Jr. for this photo of the old gym.

'Ye olde High School Gym!' Played 3 years of varsity basketball in this gym and enjoyed it all. Made a lot of friends through the sport. Plus a lot of memories.
'Ye olde High School Gym!'  Played 3 years of basketball in this gym and enjoyed it all.  Made a lot of friends through the sport.  Plus  a lot of memories.
Allen Lund, John Kangas, Tia Rose and 82 others like this.

Tom Jensen I remember the building well but not the little structure on top... What was that for?
December 31, 2013 at 4:40pm via mobile · Like

Pete Martin Jr. Never ever looked into that part. Audie?
December 31, 2013 at 4:41pm · Like

Beth Hagerman Little building housed the fire siren
December 31, 2013 at 4:47pm via mobile · Like · 2

Tom Jensen That makes sense. Thanks! And a very happy. & healthy New Year to all!
December 31, 2013 at 5:04pm via mobile · Like · 1

Steve Homer Every day at noon it went off
December 31, 2013 at 5:10pm via mobile · Like · 1

Cliff Tagaban I spent many years in that old place. Taught my children how to play basketball in that place. I use to volunteer a lot of time so City League basketball could have access and just such wonderful memories of a great place. Hated to see it go.
December 31, 2013 at 5:18pm · Like · 3

Jey Shu I used to go roller skating in there on the weekends
December 31, 2013 at 5:22pm · Like · 3

John Otness What a great ole building...
December 31, 2013 at 5:27pm · Like · 1

Melissa Eide Hammerstrom I remember having PE in the old gym!
December 31, 2013 at 5:42pm via mobile · Like · 2

Jey Shu yup.. I remember they had these little swiveling wheeled karts there that kinda looked like a mechanics creeper that we would zoom around on.. fun times
December 31, 2013 at 5:46pm · Like · 1

Mike Tagaban I played in that gym for many years and remember hearing the siren sounding many times.
December 31, 2013 at 5:47pm via mobile · Like · 1

Terry Terje Otness That is where KFSK originated. It was on the second floor. Next to Polly Lee's craft classroom.
December 31, 2013 at 6:25pm · Edited · Like · 1

Melissa Thorsen-Broschat Loved that old gym!
December 31, 2013 at 6:24pm · Like

Charlotte Tanner Terry Terje Otness do you remember Polly's painting that you called steamy pilings? hahha
December 31, 2013 at 6:45pm · Like

Terry Terje Otness Oh, no! I have no recollection - I sense some skullduggery here.. Not that I don't deserve it! lol
December 31, 2013 at 6:57pm · Like · 1

Becky Kevin R I remember going to a lot of basketball games. Good to see it.
December 31, 2013 at 6:59pm via mobile · Like

V'eronique E. Abbott There was a 4 leaf clover patch in front of the door.
December 31, 2013 at 7:22pm · Like · 2

Candi Marie Henriksen Many memories there!!!!
December 31, 2013 at 7:34pm via mobile · Like · 1

Jill Williams Loved that old building, lots of fond memories for sure!
December 31, 2013 at 8:27pm · Like · 3

Rachel Chaney Wilson i'm still kinda mad they tore it down.
December 31, 2013 at 8:28pm · Like · 3

Candi Marie Henriksen Me too Rachel Chaney Wilson. Sad.
December 31, 2013 at 8:29pm via mobile · Like

Terry Terje Otness I was sad to see it go as well. Just like, I was when the warehouses were taken out along Hungry Point.
December 31, 2013 at 8:45pm · Edited · Like · 3

Dean Kayler I remember when they had a guy walking around up there looking for japanese planes during the war.
December 31, 2013 at 8:43pm · Like · 3

Charlotte Tanner Terry Terje Otness - no skullduggery, it was just a comment that we laughed about, and it stuck with me all these years, sorry....
December 31, 2013 at 8:48pm · Like

Terry Terje Otness No, worries. Skullduggery defined as trickery. I'm a bit less of a critic than I was at an earlier age. The old idea that people who live in glass houses ought not throw stones. I was making light of your comment.
December 31, 2013 at 8:59pm · Like · 1

David J Otness You might think 'skull'-duggery but the word itself begins with 'skul'. G from there.
I remember being up on the second floor with music instructor David Gandrud when I was 19 and all sorts of religiously inspired.Does anyone remember "mr Gandrud"?
December 31, 2013 at 9:14pm · Like

Sharon 'Birch' Kivisto That ol GYM had sooo much character!!!
December 31, 2013 at 9:15pm · Like · 2

Janet Lee Armer ...I have dreams of this place....last time I was in this building was when they used to use it for Saturday roller skating around the early 80's. We moved away from Petersburg around 1982
December 31, 2013 at 9:28pm · Like

Allen Lund At first they had the entrance in the front and then they built entrances on the two sides.
Yesterday at 7:15am · Like

Melissa Thorsen-Broschat Well that explains it! I kept on looking at the side of the building, thinking, "where is the entrance?
Yesterday at 7:34am · Like

Maura Molver Odell My great aunt Helen Fenn, Lester Elkins' sister, sat night watch shifts in the little box on top during WWII. I remember going to games and playing under the bleachers there.
Yesterday at 8:29am via mobile · Like · 2

Judy Ohmer One of the things I valued most with our gymnasium was the sense of community there…with bleachers on both sides so you could see at least half the crowd gathered for whatever event was happening…instead of the backs of the heads of a few, and the people immediately to your right and left. It was a whole different experience…and I hope that in any next planning for a new facility or any remodel ahead…that the community-building aspect is included. I love looking into the faces of the people I care about. Let's do it again!
Yesterday at 10:42am · Like · 2

Willard Pavao A lot of good memories for me. A lot of good basketball games high school and city league. Favorite seat was on the right side halfway up by the half court line. Woodshop was held upstairs with itchy Hanson.
Yesterday at 11:55am via mobile · Like · 2

Wendy Westre Wow! So many classes, so many games, so many dances, so many memories! We were just talking the other day that this is one building that should be on the museum cats meow!
Yesterday at 3:19pm via mobile · Like · 4

John Hansen I lived in that gym with my father
23 hours ago via mobile · Like

Jean Pederson (Curry) (1966)

From Skip Hallingstad's Facebook post. Thanks Skip.

Skip Hallingstad

Photo of celebrities in town , taking time off of filming the movie "Ice Palace", during the late 1950's .  The pic was taken at my grandmother Alma Wallen's restaurant (at the time),  the Beachcomber Inn.   Alma and her husband, Oscar Nicholson, initially built and owned a large cannery at the site.   Later, after Oscar's passing, Alma remarried to Bjarne Wallen and together they built the Beachcomber restaurant from what was remaining of the prior cannery.  I'm also proud to say Grandma Alma was one of the co-founders (Bernadine Trones being the other) of Petersburg's "Little Norway " Festival, in 1958.   Alma was also one of two people in Petersburg High School's very first graduating class.       From left to right:   Bjarne Wallen, actor Robert Ryan, actor Jim Backus, actor Richard Burton, and Alma Wallen.
Allen Lund, John Kangas, Linda Reeser and 34 others like this.

Candi Marie Henriksen awesome skip....great photo!
August 11, 2012 at 11:57am · Like

Marci Kangas AWESOME Skip, you have some very Wonderful and deep roots here in PSG
August 11, 2012 at 12:06pm · Like

Rexanne Stafford Thanks Skip for sharing...brings back memories...Jim Backus entertained us in the old theater by going up on stage and doing his "Mr. Magoo" voice! Also remember watching the fight scene they were filming on the steamship dock (PFI now) from Kaylor Dahl dock.
August 11, 2012 at 1:20pm · Like · 2

Skip Hallingstad That must have been an exciting time for this little hamlet, back then. That's cool you got to share in the experience.
August 11, 2012 at 2:11pm · Like

Jill Williams This is a classic! Your grandma displayed it on a counter under a glass top at the Beachcomber Inn for years. Your grandmother, Alma was a fine lady and did contribute a lot to our community. Your grand father was a visionary pioneer of Petersburg. He was a very successful business man which truly boosted the economy that helped establish our town. Your grandparents were a part of the true founders of our fishing community.
August 11, 2012 at 7:41pm · Like · 5

Nicole Hallingstad So many memories from the Beachcomber...!
August 11, 2012 at 7:57pm via mobile · Like · 1

Marilyn Merriam I have this pic on an old Beachcomber menu....I like the old prices....King Salmom Steak...$6.00.....Baked Potato 25 cents extra...sour cream...25 cents extra....18 oz. T-Bone....$9.50.....Bjarne always had a great story to tell.....always a good evening.
August 11, 2012 at 8:30pm · Like · 5

Skip Hallingstad Jill, thank you for the kind words.
August 11, 2012 at 8:51pm · Like

Greg Severson Alma was already a 2nd generation Petersburg resident. Her parents, the Cornstads raised Alma and Millie in Petersburg in the very early period of the town.
August 12, 2012 at 3:32pm · Like · 2

Greg Severson And the Hallingstad family was in Petersburg in the very early times, too.
August 12, 2012 at 3:36pm · Like · 2

Gwynne Samuelson Very, very cool. Thanks for sharing Skip!
August 15, 2012 at 12:38am via mobile · Like

Kathi Riemer There was a little blackboard in the coffee room at the cold storage in the late '70's, that had the names of all of the women who got a kiss from Richard Burton. I wonder if it is still there.
August 15, 2012 at 6:11pm · Like · 2

Jill Williams This photo is at the Beachcomber, they still have the same chairs there today!
August 16, 2012 at 9:34pm · Like · 1

Diane White I think the actors were in town to film Ice Palace.
August 19, 2012 at 11:17am · Like · 1

Terry Terje Otness You are correct Diane. I have the VHS, but would like to have a dvd of it. Anyone heard of such a version? It has some great shot of boats at the time and of Wrangell from the air. When I saw the video of the boats in PetersburgI was a bit overcome by it, because our family had to move south at such an early age. My mom has a pretty good recollection of some of it.
August 19, 2012 at 12:49pm via mobile · Like

Norm Israelson I heard that when they tried to hire an extra to fall off the PAF dock in one scene, they had to ship one in as no one is Petersburg was willing to do it. Hell, probably 90% of them couldn't swim (including me)
August 20, 2012 at 11:55am · Like · 4

Luanne Heiner Cottle Mom was working at Tom Goodman's and got Robert Ryan's autograph for me on Tom Goodman stationary! I still have it!
August 25, 2012 at 5:44pm · Like

David J Otness I remember this time well and there are some interesting anecdotes. Jim Backus did a Mr Magoo show live at the theatre if memory serves.
Richard Burton was duly noted for peeing on the street while libated.
Which reminds me (seeing Bjarne) when Bjarne "streaked" Kito's Kave one night.
Hah!
September 11, 2012 at 7:59pm · Like · 1

Bruce Manly Back then, i imagine going all the way out there on an unpaved road was sort of an adventure. I can sure see the Beach-Comber in this photo, Minus the blood red carpet and low lighting.
September 24, 2012 at 11:06pm · Like

Nancy Strand I have a memory of viewing that fall from under the Cold Storage (?) dock with Kathryn in her skiff . . . And one day George Takei and Vincent Sherman's ( he directed the movie) son got caught in a deluge of rain and ducked into our warehouse. Mom call...See More
September 28, 2012 at 5:50am · Like · 3

Kathi Combs-Hammer Terry Terje Otness, I had a professional friend make copy Ice Palace from VSHS to DVD, it is in storage in Oregon.
September 28, 2012 at 8:53am · Like · 1

Kathi Combs-Hammer I know John Wayne, Brad Pitt & Jennifer Anison, Sylvsester Stallone Cary Grant, Bobby Kennedy, Jr & former President Ronald & Nancy Reagan were also in Petersburg.
September 28, 2012 at 9:41am · Like · 1

Bill Johnson BJARNE HAD THE BEST SALMON RECEIPT IN THE WORLD. ANYBODY REMEMBER THAT ROCK THAT LOOKED LIKE A BAKED POTATO THEY WOULD PUT ON A NEW COMERS PLATE WHEN THEY GOT THEIR DINNER?
September 29, 2012 at 5:54am via mobile · Like · 1

Pete Martin Jr. Alma was Ray Evans aunt and he told me a few stories of Bjarne who was quite a character in his own right; quite a colorful fella.

Bob Chastain

The picture of the old Petersburg Gymnasium brought back many great memories of coaching basketball there in the years 1969 to 1971.  I loved the closeness of the spectators and a crowd on both sides of the gym.  The atmosphere at gametime was electric!  I don't know how many spectators that gym held but it was a maximum crowd for all the games we played there. People stood on both ends of the gym because there was no room in the bleachers.  If I remember correctly, we won most of our games on that court.  The crowd was like the "12th Man" for the Seattle Seahawk's!  I don't think opposing coaches enjoyed coming to town to play.  The "spirit" of the community was just terrific.  I was blessed being able to coach those Viking men during those years.  There was lots of basketball talent but most of all, the kids really wanted to win!  The gym floor was "so soft" which allowed players to really spring to the basket.  I have coached in many gyms in Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.  In my estimation, the Petersburg Gym was one of the best.  Thank you Petersburg for all the memories!  Bob Chastain

Kay Cisney (Bennett) (1961)

Does anyone have the article about Harold Bergman that they could email to me?  kbird43@me.com  Thanks.

Jean Pederson (Curry) (1966)

Hey Kids.

Can you identify the teachers in this photo?  Post reply on this message forum.

Audi Mathisen (1961)

I don't know all of these, but a few.  Back row, from principal Lester Wingard, (#1), going to my left, photo rt, 2: Mrs. Ousley, 3: Miss Lindenmeyer, 4: Verda Grinrod, 5: Unk, 6: Noca Wikan?, 7, 8,9: unknown.  Front row, middle, seated, is Miss Otness, and of course the leftmost is Miss Evans. The person seated to Ms. Otness' left looks, to me, an awful lot like Lorraine (Rude) Thompson.

Nancy Strand (1963)

Mrs Grindrod is 5th from the left . . .