The year was 1946, the Alaska Canada Highway had just opened to civilian traffic. Joe and Pete Balch had been dreamed of claiming homesteads in the Alaska Territory since they were teens living on their grandfathers homestead in Whapeton North Dakota. Freshly released from the military after the war had ended they decided it was time to head north. This is the story of how they got there.
I suppose I could have put this story first in the lineup, being that it is the origin story for all the others, but alas…I didn’t. I hope you enjoy it anyway.
*the picture is the actual Jeep in the story, faithfully restored by its new owners and still in Salcha!
