James Wickersham was Alaska’s pioneer judge, arriving in 1900 as the new District Court Judge, headquartered in Eagle City on the Yukon River. He held the position for seven terms, from 1900 to 1907 and covered 1,000 miles roundtrip by steamer or dog team. Wickersham also held court in the Aleutians and along the coast aboard U.S. Revenue cutters.
At age 45, he had the distinction of being the first white man to attempt the summit of Mt. McKinley. Eventually, as a delegate to congress, Wickersham won legislation that created Mt. McKinley National Park, now Denali National Park and Preserve. In 1903, District Court headquarters were moved to the new hub of Fairbanks and Wickersham moved with it. He rounded out his career as a delegate to Congress from 1909-1920 and from 1931-1933.
Judge Wickersham finally settled in Juneau and purchased the Wickersham house in 1928, where he lived with his wife until his death in 1939. He was 82. His wife continued to live in the house until her death in 1963. From there, Wickersham’s niece, Ruth Allman, inherited it. Recognizing the historical value of the Judge’s accomplishments and the collection of historical photographs, artifacts, diaries and scrapbooks, she opened her home to visitors for the next 25 years. In 1984, the house and its contents were purchased by the State of Alaska and established as a state historic site.
The house’s history began long before the Judge purchased it. Frank Hammond built this large Victorian house in 1898 on the ridge overlooking the town of Juneau. Superintendent of the Sheep Creek Mining Co. Mr. Hammond wanted a house suitable for a mine official. Subsequent owners consisted of John Malony, lawyer for Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Co. and founder of Juneau Cold Storage and Bartlett Thane, Manager and Director of the Alaska Gastineau Mining Company.
For more information contact:
House of Wickersham
213 7th Street
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 586-9001
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/wickrshm.htm