We spent may summer days at Spenard Lake. We liked "riding" swells created by the planes taking off from and landing on Lake Hood. I remember passing the Red Cross life saving class there in the late 1940s..
Brrr! I guess Alaska residents are acclimated to swimming in the lakes there in summer. As a long-time Southern Arizona resident, it's difficult to imagine. We took a trip to Anchorage in the summer, August 2 years ago, and needed a coat or jacket every day! But that Spa Swimming Pool looks inviting. ;-)
Nice to know about the lakes in Alaska for swimming.
I didn't bowl at Center Bowl very much because my parents didn't allow us to go there often because beer was served. (My parents were weird). But I do remember often going walking to the movies at Center Theater which was just across the street. I lived on 36th Avenue & Lois Drive so it wasn't a far walk back then
Jun 4, 2023·edited Jun 4, 2023Liked by Michael R Dougherty
I spent a lot of time at Goose Lake back in the 60s each time the temp reached 70 or better.
One day in 1966 I was walking from the Airport across to where I lived near Clack Jr. High feeling very low and was walking across the beach around Goose Lake and a past girl friend was there as if she was waiting for me to come through. That was for me one of the happiest moments of that whole year.
I have fond memories of swimming in Spenard, Goose, Mirror and Jewel Lakes. We used to swim across Jewel Lake and back, and I remember waterskiing on Sand Lake and Big Lake (5 days after Ice-out). We also used to swim in Ship Creek. You can swim FAST downstream. As for swimming at the Spa, I think my eyes are still burning with chlorine 50 plus years later! 😆
When I was growing up, I was living in Valdez (from 1951 until 1968). We usually would visit Anchorage in the late spring (after breakup was pretty much finalized), and didn't get to go to the lake areas. Mostly, in our free time over a weekend visit, we'd head for the roller rink, where both my mom and dad were welcomed, because they were (VERY good) roller dancers from their youth. Our whole family would get to skate free, because Mom and Dad would "show off" for everyone else--an impromptu show.
After I moved to Anchorage in 1970, I learned about cooling off at Goose Lake, and we (myself and my two small children at that time) had some really great times there. That was when my ex-husband was still in the army, and stationed (after returning from Viet Nam) at Fort Richardson. My oldest girl (of my eventually six children) was two years old in January 1970, and my oldest boy was born that February (at the Elmendorf Hospital). Jen loved to romp in the sand and wade with me at the edges of the shoreline, while I backpacked Jim Jr. as I strolled and enjoyed the cool water and the sunshine. Dad Jim never was able to go with us, due to being on active duty at the base, but it was my favorite place to get away from our tiny upstairs apartment. :-D
You actually got a sunburn in 50's/60's Anchorage? I only had the "pleasure" of a snow-burn from skiing. My cousins and I would lay out along Goose Lake many a day but never did I ever receive a suntan, let along sunburn. My skin tone is what we called "fish belly white". Dad would take me fishing at Spenard lake. I have some pictures from 1956 of us at the lake. The SPA. OF COURSE. Sometimes our cub scout troop was allowed to use the pool at Fort Rich. Only once was I stupid enough to swim in an Alaskan lake; Mirror lake and it still had ice out towards the middle of the lake. And Goose Lake!!???? Did you know that the surrounding homes dumped their sewer into the lake. That's why there was a warm spot in the lake. No thank you.
We spent may summer days at Spenard Lake. We liked "riding" swells created by the planes taking off from and landing on Lake Hood. I remember passing the Red Cross life saving class there in the late 1940s..
Brrr! I guess Alaska residents are acclimated to swimming in the lakes there in summer. As a long-time Southern Arizona resident, it's difficult to imagine. We took a trip to Anchorage in the summer, August 2 years ago, and needed a coat or jacket every day! But that Spa Swimming Pool looks inviting. ;-)
Nice to know about the lakes in Alaska for swimming.
I didn't bowl at Center Bowl very much because my parents didn't allow us to go there often because beer was served. (My parents were weird). But I do remember often going walking to the movies at Center Theater which was just across the street. I lived on 36th Avenue & Lois Drive so it wasn't a far walk back then
I spent a lot of time at Goose Lake back in the 60s each time the temp reached 70 or better.
One day in 1966 I was walking from the Airport across to where I lived near Clack Jr. High feeling very low and was walking across the beach around Goose Lake and a past girl friend was there as if she was waiting for me to come through. That was for me one of the happiest moments of that whole year.
Thank you Diane. :)
I have fond memories of swimming in Spenard, Goose, Mirror and Jewel Lakes. We used to swim across Jewel Lake and back, and I remember waterskiing on Sand Lake and Big Lake (5 days after Ice-out). We also used to swim in Ship Creek. You can swim FAST downstream. As for swimming at the Spa, I think my eyes are still burning with chlorine 50 plus years later! 😆
When I was growing up, I was living in Valdez (from 1951 until 1968). We usually would visit Anchorage in the late spring (after breakup was pretty much finalized), and didn't get to go to the lake areas. Mostly, in our free time over a weekend visit, we'd head for the roller rink, where both my mom and dad were welcomed, because they were (VERY good) roller dancers from their youth. Our whole family would get to skate free, because Mom and Dad would "show off" for everyone else--an impromptu show.
After I moved to Anchorage in 1970, I learned about cooling off at Goose Lake, and we (myself and my two small children at that time) had some really great times there. That was when my ex-husband was still in the army, and stationed (after returning from Viet Nam) at Fort Richardson. My oldest girl (of my eventually six children) was two years old in January 1970, and my oldest boy was born that February (at the Elmendorf Hospital). Jen loved to romp in the sand and wade with me at the edges of the shoreline, while I backpacked Jim Jr. as I strolled and enjoyed the cool water and the sunshine. Dad Jim never was able to go with us, due to being on active duty at the base, but it was my favorite place to get away from our tiny upstairs apartment. :-D
Edi:
Yes, Spenard lake had the added attraction of “surf” caused by plans taking off and landing. Thank you for sharing.
Linda:
Great story - thank you for sharing.
You actually got a sunburn in 50's/60's Anchorage? I only had the "pleasure" of a snow-burn from skiing. My cousins and I would lay out along Goose Lake many a day but never did I ever receive a suntan, let along sunburn. My skin tone is what we called "fish belly white". Dad would take me fishing at Spenard lake. I have some pictures from 1956 of us at the lake. The SPA. OF COURSE. Sometimes our cub scout troop was allowed to use the pool at Fort Rich. Only once was I stupid enough to swim in an Alaskan lake; Mirror lake and it still had ice out towards the middle of the lake. And Goose Lake!!???? Did you know that the surrounding homes dumped their sewer into the lake. That's why there was a warm spot in the lake. No thank you.