Hoffmann’s Alaska Quest: 1930 No 1

This 1930 silent home movie, Ellwood F. Hoffmann - 1930 Alaska No 1, from the Ellwood F. Hoffmann (1885-1966) Collection, documents the Philadelphia hosiery magnate’s Alaskan journey. After retiring at 50 from Lucille Hosiery, Hoffmann filmed all 50 states with a dashboard-mounted camera. This first Alaska reel likely captures rugged terrain—snowy peaks, coastal waters, or frontier towns like Juneau—in black-and-white 16mm. Shared with groups like the horticultural society with his humorous narration, it survives his 1966 car-accident death, offering a glimpse of 1930s Alaska through a wealthy hobbyist’s lens.