Peek at the Past: A look back in Mat-Su's history

As it appeared in the Jan. 3, 1963 Frontiersman

Postage rates

jump Jan. 7

About all the general public has to remember concerning the postage rate hike is that it will cost a penny more to mail a letter or card.

First class rate for letters is up to five cents; drop letters jump to four cents; and cards went from three cents to four cents. Airmail letters will cost eight cents per ounce instead of seven, and air parcel post will go up accordingly, said Bea John, Palmer postmistress.

Talkeetna snow foils Elks, Santa

Even Santa has trouble with the Alaska winter and roads.

Annually, in cooperation with the Elks Lodge, Santa delivers gifts to needy families in the Talkeetna area. But this year, the weatherman turned sulky, and it wasn't possible.

Not much information is known, but it is known that they got within three miles of Talkeetna before radiator troubles, deep snow, freezing cold and no available road or trail turned them back.

A new year meant new sales at the Piggly Wiggly. You could buy a 10-pound bag of potatoes for 69 cents, a 10-pound bag of flour for $1.29 and pork roast for 69 cents a pound.

At D&A Grocery, you could pick up four pounds of oranges for 99 cents, a half-gallon of Matanuska Maid ice cream for 89 cents and a pint of Matanuska Maid cottage cheese for 39 cents.

The Sunrise Bakery was advertising more than 35 varieties of bread. They used the slogan, "If it is fresher than Sunrise, it hasn't been baked yet."

At the Center Theater in Palmer, John Wayne's "Hatari" was showing for "three big days only. Advanced ticket prices available!"

Casey Ressler

Valley Life editor

352-2265

Phone

352-2276

Fax

valleylife@

frontiersman.com

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