Alaska Packers Association Museum in Blaine, Washington

Tim Troll screens the documentary film about the
Diamond NN 59's restoration.

Last month the Alaska Packers Association Museum in Blaine, Washington, held an opening for its new exhibit on Bristol Bay salmon fishing. Tim Troll, Alaska fisheries historian, curator of the exhibit, and author of Sailing for Salmon: The Early Years of Commercial Fishing in Alaska’s Bristol Bay, 1884-1951, spoke about the many historic photos that comprise the exhibit and screened a film about the restoration of the Diamond NN 59, a sailboat with a long history in the fishery.

            

The evening featured lots of storytelling by former
(I dare not call them old) Bristol Bay fishermen.

From the museum’s website: “Housed in an original cannery building, the museum exhibits tell the story of days gone by and include a scale model fish trap, antique machinery, a gallery of historic photos, and an original 29-foot Bristol Bay sailboat that gill-netted salmon in the Bristol Bay fishery. Take the time to view ‘Sockeye and the Age of Sail’ video documentary with early day film footage of the APA Star Fleet of tall ships under sail, connecting Blaine, the Bristol Bay salmon fishing, and San Francisco in the fortunes of fishing.”

Alaskans who find themselves in the area this summer (Blaine is just a couple hours north of Seattle, right on the Canadian border) would be wise to pay a visit. The museum is located at 9261 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine, WA. Summer hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only, 1:00-5:00 p.m. More info at: http://www.draytonharbormaritime.org/apa.html