Primary Name: Lyche, Martha Malin
Filed as: Lyche, Martha Malin
Also known as: Martha MacKinnon; Martha Malin MacKinnon
Occupation / Association: Charter Member, Pioneers of Alaska Juneau Women's Auxiliary No. 6; hotel operator
Associated places: Juneau, Alaska; Tacoma, Washington; Norway
Keywords: Martha Malin Lyche Juneau Alaska, Martha MacKinnon Juneau Alaska, Lockie MacKinnon family Juneau, Juneau Hotel Main Street history, MacKinnon Apartments Juneau, Pioneers of Alaska Juneau Women's Auxiliary charter members, early Juneau hotel operators
Biography
Martha Malin Lyche was a Charter Member of the Pioneers of Alaska, Juneau Women’s Auxiliary No. 6.
She was born in Norway in May of 1873 and immigrated to the United States in 1887. In 1892, she came to Alaska from Tacoma, Washington.
Lockie MacKinnon traveled to Seattle in June to hire maids for the Circle City Hotel in Juneau. Martha and a Scandinavian friend were hired and traveled north to Juneau.
Martha later recalled that “two weeks later, I foolishly married the man.” Their first son, James Simpson MacKinnon, was born in Juneau in March 1897. Twin sons, John Neil Donald MacKinnon and Thron Rudolf MacKinnon, were born in 1901.
Lockie and Martha operated the Zynda Hotel, later renamed the Juneau Hotel, on Main Street. In 1926, the couple built the MacKinnon Apartments at Third and Franklin Streets in downtown Juneau.
Martha Malin Lyche MacKinnon died on October 12, 1948.
Sources
1900 U.S. Federal Census, Juneau, Alaska.
1910 U.S. Federal Census, Tacoma, Washington.
Alaska Gold Rush Pioneers of Juneau Douglas Area 1880-1921, p. 49.