This
is the first of three Bradford Washburn shots of Bonanza Ridge and Kennecott in
1938. This is the straight-on view of Kennecott with a good view of the rock
glacier behind it as it flows on the northern slope of Porphyry Mountain. In
front is the moraine of Kennicott Glacier.
Note the difference in the spellings. There has always been a lot of controversy
over this. The glacier and river were named in honor of Robert Kennicott, one of
America's first official explorers to Alaska. The town and company had a
different spelling. I believe this was deliberate to differentiate the company
and town from Alaska due to the unfriendly political climate which existed
toward the Guggenheims at that time much as they did toward the oil industry
many years later. Every other writer on the subject has assumed that Kennecott
is a misspelling, but this does not fit with the way Kennecott did business.
Every detail was precise and double-checked. Why would they misspell their own
name? Of course, I am right. (Click for larger view).
