Richard McCormick Senior was born on August 8, 1859 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

By 1886 a number of families of Treadwell employees started to arrive. Some of the first permanent residents on Douglas Island were Richard McCormick, Nickolas King, George Shatter, Mike McKanna, P.H. Fox, and Henry Mead.

In 1888, he married Nora Connors-McCormick with whom he had eleven children including Richard McCormick, Junior.

He served as blacksmith at the Mexican Mine, a postmaster at Treadwell in 1911, and later was employed at the Treadwell Foundry.

He died on May 3, 1934, at age 74, in Pacific Grove, California, and was buried Douglas Catholic Cemetery

Survey and Inventory of Douglas Historic Cemeteries

In March 1881, Edward DeGroff staked claim to Lots 6 and 7. He came to Harrisburgh, later renamed Juneau, to represent the Northwest Trading Company - the first retail store in the settlement.

In June 1881, DeGroff became the first postmaster of Harrisburgh. In addition to his postmaster and store clerk responsibilities, DeGroff also served as deputy to the District Recorder, Colonel Richard Dixon (DeArmond 1967).

C.W. Young, a Juneau contractor and hardware store owner, owned property during the early 1900s.

John Marshall and Lena Kron-Marshall, long-time Juneau residents, owned both lots for many years but resided on West Sixth Street (Daily Alaskan Empire 1940).

The Elton and Allan Engstrom Building was built on Block 6; Lots 6-7 at 111-113 West Third Street. It faces north and sits on the steep, northeast slope of Telephone Hill.

The commercial building, constructed in 1951 by long-time Juneau residents and brothers Elton and Allan Engstrom, housed the Alaska Public Works Department from 1951 to 1973.

In 1984, the insurance company offices of Corroon & Black/Dawson & Company occupy a major portion of the building. The two-story structure also contains other business offices and apartments.

The Engstrom Building, a two-story structure, has a one-story extension attached to its east facade. The main structure is 27' x35' with a floor area of 945 square feet. The one-story extension is 22 1 x41 1 , encompassing 902 square feet. The extension entry is on the north facade.

Five sets of double-hung sash windows with four windows to a set are placed symmetrically on this facade. The entrance door is multi-panel wood and reached by a short flight of concrete steps.The south facade has a wood door. Pre-1984 T-1-11 channel, plywood siding covers the east facade. The west facade fronts aparking lot located on the corner of Third and Dixon Streets. The one-story extension attached to the east facade has a flat roof.

Telephone Hill Historic Site and Structures Survey, 1984 

Bessie Manning was a Charter Member of Juneau Igloo No. 6.

Bessie C. Johnson was born on October 21, 1889 in Iowa to Peter and Jenny Johnson. She
came to Alaska with her parents in August 1898.

She married James L. Manning on September 18, 1912 in Douglas, Alaska. They were divorced.

Bessie remarried to Martin A. Lavenik on December 24, 1929.

She was working as an assistant post master in Juneau in 1930.

Bessie died on September 19, 1964 in Seattle, Washington.

1900/1910 U.S. Federal Census Douglas; 1930 U.S. Federal Census Juneau; Douglas Island
Weekly News 9-18-1912; Alaska Daily Empire 12-26-1929; Alaska Sportsman Feb 1965; U.S.
Social Security Death Index; Alaska Marriage Certificate

Bradford House was constructed around 1910 at 839 Dixon Street. This Craftsman Bungalow-style residence is a contributing member of the Chicken Ridge Historic District.

Zina and Gertrude Davis Bradford occupied the home. Zina worked for the Standard Oil Company and was appointed postmaster in the 1920s

The front elevation is asymmetrical in its composition featuring paired double-hung windows in the small roof dormer and a square single sash window on the right side of the enclosed porch addition. The nearly square building (25' x 24') is 1-1/2 stories with full basement. Also features a nearly full length (20' x 7.5') shed roofed addition (1940's) to the west side.

Exterior walls are clad with stucco on the first story, coursed wood shingle siding on the gables, and horizontal beveled clapboard siding on the addition. Although the stucco was added in later years the building retains its architectural integrity. The side gabled roof system is covered with composition shingles. Additional features include partial length shed roofed roof dormer, closed cornice gable ends, and exposed rafter tails. The structural system consists of wood balloon frame and concrete foundation.

Josephine Carlotta "Lottie" Clark was President of the Juneau Women's Igloo in 1923, 1926, 1933, 1943

She born in Santa Clara, California on September 23, 1867.

She was reared on her father's ranch in Yuba County, California and following her formal education in a private school she went to Stockton where she attended business college. On her graduation from this school she was employed in a business office in Sacramento.

She married John T. Spickett in Sacrament on December 24, 1896. Mr. Spickett who was in the theater business was engaged to bring a troupe of performers to Alaska and she came with him to Juneau in November of 1898.

Here Mr. Spickett's troupe performed at the famous Louvre Theater and on completion of the engagement the Spicketts found that they had grown fond of Alaska and decided to make their home here.

During the time Mr. Spickett's troupe performed at the Louvre, Lottie held the position of office manager for the Lottie held the position of office manager for the S. Blub Store. She later held a position on the office staff of the B.M. Behrends store for ten years.

She and her husband built the Spickett Apartments on Fifth Street in 1916 and made their home there.

Lottie was appointed Juneau postmaster by President Hoover in 1928. She held this position for eight years. Since her retirement from that office she was engaged in managing her Juneau business.

John T. Spickett was a charter member of the Juneau Men's Igloo and was President  in 1924, 1925, 1926, 1930. Spickett was Grand President of the Grand Igloo of Pioneers of Alaska for two years.

Spickett was born in Bristol England, January 4, 1858. He came to the United States with his parents in 1870. When he was six years old, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan.

Attracted by the theatrical profession in his youth, John was both a performer and manager-producer. He made two trips to England as a member of Haverly’s Minstrels and in 1891; he had an amusement concession at the Chicago World’s Fair.

In 1896, John Spickett organized a touring company and performed at the Juneau Opera House. Leaving Alaska, he went to California and toured the state for two years.

While in California, he married Josephine Charlotte Clark in Sacrament. He and his wife returned to Juneau in 1898 to make their home.

Spickett’s first business venture in Juneau was to purchase the Franklin Hotel in 1899, aka the Occidental Annex on Front and Main streets which he conducted until 1905. He then opened a liquor and cigar stand across the street.

Being a staunch Republican, Mr. Spickett was appointed postmaster of Juneau in 1908 and served in that capacity until 1912. In connection with the post office, Mr. and Mrs. Spickett conducted a newsstand and music house. After his term as postmaster, he sold his newsstand to James Barragar and entered the moving picture business.

He opened the Orpheum Rooms, at Main and Willoughby Avenue, which at that time was the finest theater in Alaska. After securing his pictures and starting his show house, Mr. Spickett secured the agency of the Canadian National Railways which he held for a number of years.

After closing the Orpheum, he operated the Dream and the Palace, the former being closed and the latter sold to Lawrence Kubley. Mr. Spickett retired from active business life, after a long and successful theatrical career.

In politics Mr. Spickett was a Republican and was Chairman of the Republican territorial Committee.

Mr. Spickett was the first member to be initiated in Juneau Lodge No. 420 B.P.O. Elks, of which he was a life member, and always took an active part in lodge work, until his health failed. He was one of the first secretaries and through his efforts in the early days, kept the lodge together. Until recent years he always had charge of the minstrel shows of the Elks and the last minstrel show was dedicated to him.

John T. Spickett died in Juneau, Alaska on July 31, 1932.

Biographies of Alaska-Yukon Pioneers 1850-1950, Volume 2 p 302 – 304, by Ed Ferrell (May 1, 2009