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

As it appeared in the Aug. 23, 1962 Frontiersman:

Highway Dept. plans Palmer-Eklutna Cutoff

Plans for rerouting the portion of the Glenn Highway which connects Eklutna Flats with Palmer were disclosed at a public hearing held in Palmer on Aug. 17.

The new stretch of the highway will take off from the old route at Bailey Hill Street, and will follow this street directly through town, connecting with the Matanuska Road and continuing through the old town of Matanuska, where it will cross the railroad tracks and require a bridge across the Matanuska River. Project plans also include a new bridge over Knik River.

It will tie in with the Anchorage-Fairbanks Highway, now under construction, in the vicinity of Matanuska.

Matanuska Maid is

new co-op name

The name "Matanuska Valley Farmers Cooperating Association" cut to "MVFCA" for convenience, passed into history Aug. 18, when members of the farm co-op voted to unofficially change the name of the organization to "Matanuska Maid."

Hospital bids accepted

Reopening of bidding on the proposed Valley Presbyterian Hospital will take place about Nov. 15, officials announced.

At the Piggly Wiggly in Palmer, you could buy Spam for 49 cents a can and a two-pound block of Velveeta for 98 cents. Four cans of tuna cost 89 cents, and a two-pound can of Folger's coffee cost $1.37. If you had to feed a family, you could buy four pounds of macaroni for 69 cents, and four pounds of spaghetti noodles for the same price.

At D&A Grocery, you could buy a giant size of Tide for 79 cents and a four-pack of toilet paper for 39 cents.

A one-bedroom apartment in Palmer would set you back $75 a month, with utilities included in the price.

At the Center Theater in Palmer, you could catch Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard and Mickey Rooney in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," which was presented in Technicolor.