Jean Boone

Jean Boone was interviewed on August 27, 1991 by Dan O'Neill at the Boone's general store in Eagle, Alaska. Like many others in Eagle, Jean wondered if the University of Alaska Oral History Program might have been co-opted by a large grant from the National Park Service. The interviewer explained that complete, unedited recordings would be deposited in the University's oral history collection where they would be available for researchers. He further stated that while the University could not guarantee the work of every researcher given access to the tape, it could reassure her that the Oral History Program was not in the business of manufacturing good public relations for the National Park Service, or anybody else. Finally, Jean said she was willing to speak on the record about what she saw as the destructive influences of the National Park Service. But she wanted to make sure her words would not be taken out of context or edited in such a way as to make her comments critical of the National Park Service seem supportive. In this interview, Jean talks about the reaction of people in Eagle to the establishment of Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve and to National Park Service management regulations, and the protests and poor relationships that ensued. She also discusses the importance of protecting the subsistence lifestyle and preserving the natural beauty of the area.