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Ruth Ann Warden

Park Service employee who helped with interviews in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Project Jukebox

Ruth Ann Warden appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

As Interviewer

Interview Title	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Abstract
Lucille Brenwick	2001-02-01	Wrangell-St.Elias National Park	This interview was held at Lucille Brenwick's home in Copper Center, Alaska, a neat and comfortable house located next to the National Park Service offices. Lucille's great-niece, Ruth Ann Warden, of the Park Service, conducted the interview with Bill Schneider and Dave Krupa. In the interview, Lucille reflects on and compares life before leaving for Chemewa, a BIA school in Oregon, with life outside, and life when she returned to the Copper River Basin. The interview is rich in the description of the people who helped her as a girl growing up across the Copper River from Copper Center. Lucille also recalls the impact of the 1918 Flu Epidemic, and the people who lived and worked around the roadhouses.
Margaret Eskilida	99-24	Wrangell-St.Elias National Park	Margaret Eskilida was interviewed by Bill Schneider, Ruth Ann Warden, and Margaret's daughter, Millie Buck, on June 8, 1999 at Millie's and her husband, Billy's, house in Glennallen, Alaska. Margaret was not feeling well, so the interview was short with lots of references to how difficult it is to know what to say in such a general interview. Millie provided some help in placing her mother's life in perspective and it is clear that Margaret is talking to Ruth Ann who is a young woman. This interview was done months after Bill had interviewed Millie.
Fred Ewan	99-25	Wrangell-St.Elias National Park	Fred Ewan was interviewed on June 8, 1999 by Ruth Ann Warden and Bill Schneider at his house in Gulkana, Alaska. Ruth Ann arranged the interview and throughout the interview Fred references her grandfather, Henry Johns. Fred's interview is informative on many topics such as surveying the road, life out in remote camp, Indian customs, and the beginnings of wage employment. Throughout the interview, there is a message that the old days were good because people had their land and their way of life - no one told them where to go, what to do. Fred also thinks that the lessons of the woods are not known by young people today and that this is too bad; they couldn't make it in the woods if they had to.
Ruth and Harry Johns, Sr	98-28	Wrangell-St.Elias National Park	Harry and Ruth Johns were interviewed by Bill Schneider, Ruth Ann Warden and Karen Brewster on June 26, 1998 at their home in Copper Center, Alaska. Arrangements for the interview were made by their granddaughter, Ruth Ann Warden. Ruth Ann is a member of the Interpretation staff at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and she assisted with the interview. Harry is the Traditional Chief of the Ahtna people and is an ordained minister in the Native Bible Conference of the Central Alaska Mission. The Johns' dedication to the community and the church is evident throughout the recording. Their home is the center of activity for their large family of eight children, all of whom still live in the area, over 30 grandchildren, and at least 20 great-grandchildren. The Johns provide a perspective on the early history of work and transportation along the Richardson Highway. Both are very careful not to discuss culturally sensitive topics.
Virginia Pete	2001-02-05	Wrangell-St.Elias National Park	Virginia Pete was interviewed by Ruth Ann Warden of the Park Service, Dave Krupa and Bill Schneider on February 2, 2001 in her home in Tazlina, Alaska. Her sister, Gloria Stickwan, and her grandson (a young boy of 3 or 4) were present. Virginia was selected by the Village Council for the interview. Gloria works for the Copper River Native Association on cultural documentation. Virginia is a little hard of hearing, but she understood all of the questions and does a good job developing answers to the questions and presenting important themes such as the Army occupation of Dry Creek and how her family was forced to move out -- without compensation. Virginia now lives in a neat little house set back from the highway. Her beadwork is set out on a side table and there are several historic pictures and lots of recent ones on the shelves and walls.
Ruby Sinyon	2001-02-03	Wrangell-St.Elias National Park	Ruby Sinyon was interviewed by Bill Schneider, Dave Krupa and Ruth Ann Warden on February 2, 2001 at the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Interpretation Center in Copper Center, Alaska. Ruby is from Chistochina and she came to the National Park Service offices with other members of the community who were attending a meeting. In this interview, Ruby talks about the hard times growing up in the area. Her story also extends into Nabesna and her husband's seasonal work at the mine there. Anne Worthington of the National Park Service was also present during this interview.