Original Valley colonist injured In fall

Margaret Nelson, 96, suffered a broken hip in a fall Monday at her Wasilla residence. Margaret is the last surviving member of the original colonists, part of the Colony Project of 1935.

Margaret celebrated her 96th birthday March 27. She was born in Mountain, Wis., in 1913. After high school graduation, she earned a teaching degree. Margaret taught school in a one room school house that included all eight elementary grades.

In 1933 Margaret married Paul Nelson at the age of 20. In the spring of 1935, Paul and Margaret became one of the 350 families that moved to the Matanuska Valley as part of the Valley Project. Youngest of all the colonists, they lived in the tent city in Palmer until October 1935 while their housing was being built on the Butte (now the reindeer farm).

In their early years they cleared their land, raised over 500 chickens and ran a successful dairy farm.

In addition to the farm operation, Paul worked as a carpenter on the military base until 1941. They lived and worked the farm until the late ‘50s.

After selling the farm, they realized they were too young to retire and built a new dairy just five miles from their original location. Paul and Margaret worked this farm until 1971. After retirement, they leased their Butte property and home to a Valley vegetable farmer.

Today Margaret resides at Knik Manor at the Wasilla Senior Center. She is a wonderful mother and grandmother to her ever growing family which includes six girls, 21 grandchildren, 46 great-grand children, and 15 great, great-grandchildren.

Her lifelong husband and best friend Paul, died of cancer in July of 2002.

She enjoys visiting her daughter’s homes on weekends and enjoys telling and remembering her experiences in Alaska.