| Eva McGown | |
| Born | Eva Montgomery June 23, 1883 Antrim, County Antrim, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Died | February 22, 1972 (aged 88) Fairbanks, Alaska, USA |
| Cause of death | in Nordale Hotel fire |
| Occupation | Official hostess of Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Religious beliefs | Episcopal Church |
| Spouse | Arthur Louis McGown |
Eva McGown née Montgomery (1883 – 1972), the "hostess of Fairbanks," was best known for her three decades helping newcomers, military wives, construction workers, students, and visitors to find shelter in Fairbanks, Alaska during periods of time — particularly World War II — when the demand for housing far oustripped supply. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Antrim ( is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile northeast from Lough County Antrim ( Contae Aontroma or simply Aontroim in Irish) is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, and one of nine counties Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fairbanks (ˈfɛrbæŋks is a Home Rule City in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fairbanks (ˈfɛrbæŋks is a Home Rule City in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Named Official Hostess of Fairbanks and Honorary Hostess of Alaska, McGown was featured in an article in Reader's Digest and a broadcast of the popular biographical television program This is Your Life, and was the basis for the character Bridie Ballantyne in the 1958 novel Ice Palace and its 1960 film adaptation. Reader's Digest is a monthly general-interest family Magazine co-founded in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and DeWitt Wallace. This Is Your Life was a television documentary series hosted by its producer Ralph Edwards. She died in 1972 in a fire in the Nordale Hotel, where she had lived the last 28 years of her life.
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Early life and marriage
Eva Montgomery was born on June 23, 1883 in Antrim, County Antrim, Ireland. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common County Antrim ( Contae Aontroma or simply Aontroim in Irish) is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, and one of nine counties Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Little is known about her early life other than that she was director of a choir in Belfast in the early 1900s. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. [1]
In 1914, when she was 31, she came to the United States to marry Arthur Louis McGown, the part-owner of the Model Cafe in Fairbanks. Fairbanks (ˈfɛrbæŋks is a Home Rule City in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. Her travel from Belfast to Fairbanks included a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on what she later described as "a filthy boat"[2] and a cross-country journey by train to Seattle, where she boarded a steamer bound for Valdez, Alaska, followed by over a month's winter travel by horse-drawn sleigh and dogsled to Fairbanks, staying at roadhouses along the way. Valdez ( is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the US state of Alaska. [2] "There were rough and tough men on the trail," Eva later remembered. "But never a cursing word did they say in my hearing. They gave me hot bricks for my feet and wrapped furs around me. "[2] She arrived in Fairbanks on February 26, 1914, and was married to Arthur McGown that same evening. [2]
Arthur became ill five years into their marriage and remained an invalid for the remainder of his life. [3] He died in 1930 of a bone tumor. [2]
Hostess of Fairbanks
Soon after, Eva left the cabin where she had lived with her husband and moved into Room 207 of the Nordale Hotel on Fairbanks' Second Avenue, where she would live for the rest of her life. [2] She supported herself by selling magazines and taking odd jobs[2], also occupying herself by as a hospital visitor and visiting lonely women newly arrived to Alaska, doing what she could to make them feel welcome. [3]
When World War II arrived, her services as a greeter with an intricate knowledge of available rooms in Fairbanks became vital, and the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce put her on the payroll for $75 a month to help military wives, construction workers, and others find a place to stay. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including A chamber of commerce (also referred to in some circles as a board of trade) is a form of Business network. She later became a city employee for $110 per month. [3] "It was said that Eva carried an inventory in her head of all the spare bedrooms in Fairbanks," writes Stanton Patty. "She also arranged for beds to be set up in church basements and auditoriums — sometimes even at the city jail. "[2] McGown's work was accomplished from a desk in the corner of the Nordale Hotel lobby. [4]
It was estimated that from 1940 to 1951, McGown helped around 50,000 new arrivals, construction workers, students, and visitors find a place to stay. [5][3]
National exposure
McGown's fame spread far beyond Fairbanks. In 1951, she was the subject of an article in the magazine Reader's Digest[5] and on April 22, 1953 she was featured on a broadcast of the NBC biographical television show This is Your Life with host Ralph Edwards. Reader's Digest is a monthly general-interest family Magazine co-founded in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and DeWitt Wallace. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's This Is Your Life was a television documentary series hosted by its producer Ralph Edwards. Ralph Livingstone Edwards ( June 13, 1913 &ndash November 16, 2005) was an American radio and television host and producer [6] Her TV appearance was also included as part of the first broadcast of Fairbanks television station KFAR-TV in early 1955. [7] In her 1958 novel about Alaska, Ice Palace,[8] author Edna Ferber based the character of Bridie Ballantyne, official greeter of the fictional town of Baranof, on McGown;[9], the part of Bridie Ballantyne was played by Carolyn Jones in the 1960 film adaptation of the novel. Edna Ferber ( August 15 1885 - April 16 1968) was an American novelist, Author and Playwright Carolyn Sue Jones ( April 28, 1930 — August 3, 1983) was an American Actress, best remembered for playing the role [10]
Personal life
McGown belonged to the Women Pioneers, Eastern Star, Salvation Army, Soroptimists, Fort Wainwright and Eielson Officers' Women's Clubs. The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest Fraternal organization in the world that both men and women can join The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. Fort Wainwright is a United States Army post adjacent to Fairbanks in the U Eielson Air Force Base is located in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. She was a member of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church where she played the organ and led the choir. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. She continued to play the organ until she developed arthritis in her hands, but afterwards still sung with her strong soprano voice. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. [11]
Recognitions and honors
McGown was the first woman to win the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce distinguished-service award. [2]
In 1953, territorial governor B. Frank Heintzleman issued a proclamation in 1953 naming McGown Alaska's honorary hostess. Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Heintzleman ( December 3 1888 &ndash June 24 1963) was an American Republican Politician [2]
In 1971 the University of Alaska Fairbanks dedicated a music rehearsal hall in McGown's honor. The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as The Eva McGown Music Room is located in the Fine Arts Complex. It is specifically designed for choral practice and is equipped with risers for group rehearsal. [1]
A stained glass window designed by Helen L. Atkinson and made by Debbie Mathews from over 500 pieces of glass was created for St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in 1999. The window commemorates Eva McGown and the St. Matthew's choir of the early 1900s[11] and depicts McGown playing the organ. [1][11]
Death
In one of Alaska's deadliest hotel fires, the Nordale Hotel caught fire on February 22, 1972, killing four people and destroying the hotel. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [12] Among the four who died in the blaze was McGown, then 88. One of the items recovered from the hotel safe after the hotel fire was a small box belonging to her, in which was contained a piece of dried sod from Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world [3] An Alaska Supreme Court decision later ruled that the City of Fairbanks had a duty to protect hotel occupants through fire inspections. The Alaska Supreme Court is the State supreme court in the State of Alaska 's judicial department ( Alaska Court System) [12]
Notes
- ^ a b c University of Alaska. (n. d. ) "The Eva McGown Room." UA Highlights: The People Behind Campus Names. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska. Reprinted from the Nanook News (student newspaper of University of Alaska Fairbanks), May 14, 1971. The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Patty, Stanton. (2005-05-14). "Alaskan memories: A Fairbanks woman with a big heart of gold." Seattle Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. Excerpted from Fearless Men and Fabulous Women: A Reporter's Memoir from Alaska & the Yukon by Stanton H. Patty (Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press, 2004), pp. 171–175. ISBN-10: 0974501409.
- ^ a b c d e Cole, Dermot. (2003). Fairbanks: A Gold Rush Town that Beat the Odds. Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press, p. 197.
- ^ Cole, 2003, p. 196.
- ^ a b Walworth, Dorothy. (1951-05). "The Love of Eva McGown. " Reader's Digest 58: 349, May 1951. Reader's Digest is a monthly general-interest family Magazine co-founded in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and DeWitt Wallace.
- ^ Davidson, Jim. (2005). "This Is Your Life: Radio and TV Episode List." Jim Davidson's Classic TV Info. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
- ^ Cole, 2003, pp. 167–168.
- ^ Ferber, Edna. (1959). Ice Palace. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
- ^ Cole, 2003, pp. 175–176.
- ^ "Ice Palace (1960)." Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
- ^ a b c Atkinson, Helen L. (2001-05-29). "Early 1900 choir." Fairbanks, AK: St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. Retrieved on 2007-06-08. This article describes the design of a stained glass window created in 1999 for St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Fairbanks honoring Eva McGown.
- ^ a b State of Alaska v. Jennings. ] 555 P. 2d 248 Alaska 1976. Oct 01, 1976. Retrieved through Alaska Case Law Service on 2007-06-08.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | McGown, Eva |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Montgomery, Eva |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Official hostess of Fairbanks, Alaska |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 23, 1883 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Antrim, County Antrim, Ireland |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 22, 1972 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Fairbanks, Alaska, USA |
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