My Workplace

 This is the Alaska Regional Support Office of the National Park Service located on 5th Avenue in Anchorage, AK.  It is a fairly new building, at least for the NPS, which has excellent windows.  I have a cubicle located on the fourth floor facing 5th Avenue.  My window appears to be just below the flood light on the lamppost. 

 This is my cubicle.  I enjoy the fact that I have two computer screens and have the ability to move windows back and forth.  This is helpful when I write portions of papers in multiple pieces while checking historic preservation practices and previous successful nominations. For my fellow NPS employees, if you look closely at the screen on left you will see the NPS internet warning software warning me about the insecurity of the NPS e-mail platform and advising me against use of the website.

 My office a few weeks late.

 Job perk!  I have the ability to check out archival items and take them back to my desk. Okay, this might not be earth shattering to some, but if you have ever been the national archives where half of the staff eyeballs you like a criminal and the other half ignores you as if you are looking at something as valuable as confetti, this is a nice upgrade!

 This is my view looking North at the parking garage.  Its not particularly picturesque, but it does allow for a great deal of natural light and if tedium seems to persist there is the opportunity for a brief respite with people watching.  

Here is my view looking to the northeast.  Unfortunately, I could not find any camera angle to doe this view justice.  I have a great view of the Chugach Mountains just outside Anchorage.  This was taken in July, but now they are all snow-capped!













Here is my view to the northwest.  The parking garage connects to the 5th Avenue Mall.  I find it odd that I frequent a mall on a weekly basis, but it is helpful having my bank, the post-office and Subway just across the street.  In the background you can see a pair of towers.  The one on the right is the Hilton Hotel.  I live just across the street from the Hilton in a basement apartment.  My morning commute, five blocks.




At this point you may be wondering what I am doing, other than taking an extended vacation.  I work as a historian for the National Register Initiative which nominates NPS properties to the National Register of Historic Places (http://www.nps.gov/nr/).   The National Trust for Historic Preservation as a great explanation of the NR (http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2011/may-june/what-is-the-national-register.html), but I can also give you the one sentence version.  The National Register is a list of important historic places and buildings throughout the United States that records the historic, landscape and architectural details of that place, both historical and current. 

Specifically, my job is to look at properties and buildings held by NPS units in Alaska and prepare nominations when appropriate.  Generally, properties have to be 50 years or older.  Thus far I have looked at a fishing camp, and hot springs traditionally used by Alaska natives and the creation of a visitor center as part of Mission 66 at a third park.  Since, I don't want to add too much detail about the job, I will leave my written comments as is, but if you wish to ask questions, please do so.

Next: I will blog about my trip to Katmai National Park and Preserve and Hiking through the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.  This will be a 3 or 4 post series.