About Copper River current. (Glennallen, Alaska) 1962-1967
Glennallen, Alaska (1962-1967)

Copper River Current

The Copper River Current was a semimonthly publication begun June 21, 1962 in Glennallen. The paper was a community creation intended to serve the entire Copper River Basin and was staffed by volunteers, with local reporters in the different towns and communities of the area. The first issues of the newspaper saw 500 copies printed. By the end of 1963, the circulation had stabilized around 300. The staff held open meetings in Glennallen several days before publication to assemble the newspaper.

The publication was non-partisan and steered clear of politics, focusing instead on local stories and events. The Current primarily reported on topics of community interest like upcoming local events, club activities, school news, local sports results, and comings and goings. In the first issue it described itself as a "voluntary non-profit organization … devoted entirely to the betterment of the area and its residents." The one-year anniversary issue noted sometimes struggling with getting enough volunteer help to produce the paper.

By 1967, the volunteer staff had been reduced to only Florence Clayton, the reporter for Glennallen, and a typist. There were no issues printed in November of that year after Clayton was injured in an accident. The December 14, 1967, issue promised makeup issues for the absence during November, but no later issues of the Current are known to exist.

Provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections