Who We Are

What Alaska organization has over 8000 present or past members, no dues and once lead a jade claim near Kobuk? Members throughout the United States know the answer is the Alaskan Prospector’s Society (APS).

Organized in 1944 at Elmendorf Air Force Base (now Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson or JBER) near Anchorage, The APS was a spin-off from a course titled “Short Course in Mining” conducted by the University of Alaska’s extension service.

There was so much interest in the course, that the APS was formed to carry on activities. Year around meetings were held, and the first objectives of the early APS were to search for minerals. The social aspect expanded and parties, picnics, hikes, and other outings were included in the schedule.

The prospecting phase reached a peak in 1947 when 64 APS members leased a jade claim a Dahl Creek near Kotzebue. Four members were sent to work the claim and returned with enough jade to keep members busy sawin grinding and polishing through the next winter. New members and new interests changed the APS’s purposed and resulted in the motto, “To See and Know Alaska.” The Constitution was changed in 1961 to reflect greater interest in social gatherings, travel type programs and trips designed to give meaning to the APS motto. Meetings were held each Tuesday at Elmendorf with attendance varying from 75-125. As many as 300 have been attracted to programs of special interest. Eventually meetings were moved off base and were now held at the First United Methodist Church at 9 th Avenue and G Street. Regrouing after Covid, it was decided o meet the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 in the evening. It has since been changed to 7:00. A Christmas Party is held for of the first meeting in December.

Guests are always welcome. The membership requirement is unusual in that one need only to attend three meetings and sign the attendance roster (need not be consecutive) or present a program. There re no dues and once a member, always a member resulting in over 8000 present or past members scattered all over the United States.

Programs are presented at each meeting and include topics such as: living in Nome in the early seventies, set net fishing from Raspberry Island (Kodiak), history and geology of gold mining near Nome, astronomy, Aurora, black history, humanitarian, mountain climbing, Engine 557, garbage, hydroponics, vermicomposting…

In the past, many trips went by charter planes to remote villages with arrangements made to sleep in sleeping bags on floors of armories, community centers and churches. Those going took their own food. The cost of chartering an airplane became very high following the building of the pipeline; however, this has not slowed the group down with trips with trips this pas summer to Port Allsworth in Lake Clark National Park, a weekend in Skagway, the train to Seward on the 4 th of July for the Mount Marathon race, five days exploring Nome and the surrounding area, the Whistle Stop train to Hurricane Gulch and back and the Goodbye to Summer Picnic and the annual Christmas Party.

The dictionary defines a prospector as one who prospects or searches or explores. Members of the Alaskan Prospector’s Society are continually prospecting for fun and knowledge about their state. Come join us!