When Google Fails (Part 1): Go Local

For those of you who have been reading along, my frustration with finding sources that specifically talk about lifestyle of 1920 Nome is known to you. Since I am trying to write a story about that specific time/place, and not having that first hand knowledge, I need to find it from somewhere. I’ve never had Google fail me as many times as for this project. It’s made me realize how dependent I am upon their search engine to read my mind and provide instantaneous answers.

So I’ve had to go old-school.

I reached out to the Nome Nugget a few months ago, asking for information about the 1920 flying expedition to Nome. Taking into account several name changes over the years, the Nome Nugget is the longest running newspaper in Alaska. Diana Haecker, the editor and publisher of the newspaper, responded that their records were destroyed in the 1934. No help there, but she expressed interest in my project (which I always appreciate).

On Diana’s advice, I also contacted the Carrie M. McClain Memorial Museum in Nome. After some persistence I received a reply from the director. She said there are several newspapers at the museum from the 1920s, but they are not digitalized, so only local researchers have access to them. Their local library also has the newspapers on microfilm. Great for residents, not so great for researchers in Ohio.

The obvious solution would be to go to Nome, right?

A trip to Nome would be amazing. I could do my research, experience it first hand, walk where my characters would have walked, and meet Dr. Oakley (okay, completely different area, but I love her show). I just checked on flights, and there are even some cheap ones from Detroit to Fairbanks! I suppose from there I could rent a car and drive across to Nome, see the sights on the way.

(Edit: I just made a poor assumption, that there would be a road between Fairbanks and Nome. Check the map above, or Google Maps: there is no road. I’d have to fly. That red dotted line going to Nome is the Iditarod race trail, not a road. This is why I am researching every detail, so I am not applying my outsider assumptions to a very different locale.)

In the end it will be more economical to find someone who lives in Nome that would be willing to spend an hour or two to find the microfilm, print a copy of anything they find about the expedition, and mail it to me.

Mail it to me? When am I, the 1980s? Take a picture and text it to me. Email even.

That will likely be my goal for this week: find a way to get my hands on that information. Wish me luck!