Richard Proenneke
Richard Proenneke | |
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Hemet , California, U.S. | |
Other names | Dick Proenneke |
Occupation(s) | Heavy equipment operator, carpenter, mechanic |
Awards | 1999 National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) |
Richard Louis Proenneke (
Proenneke bequeathed his cabin to the
Early life
Proenneke's father, William Christian Proenneke (1880–1972), served in
Proenneke completed primary school in Primrose, but left high school after two years because he did not enjoy it. Until 1939, he worked in proximity to Primrose driving tractors, working with farm equipment, and doing typical chores Iowa family farms required at the time. He also admired motorcycles and obtained a Harley Davidson as a teen.[1]: xiii
Proenneke enlisted in the
Later career
Following his discharge from the Navy, Proenneke went to school to become a
For several years, he worked as a
Twin Lakes cabin
Richard Proenneke Site | |
Location | Southeastern end of upper Twin Lakes, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve |
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Nearest city | Port Alsworth, Alaska |
Coordinates | 60°38′42″N 153°49′15″W / 60.645°N 153.82096°W |
Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1967 |
Built by | Richard Louis "Dick" Proenneke |
NRHP reference No. | 06000241[4] |
Added to NRHP | March 8, 2007 |
On May 21, 1968, Proenneke arrived at his new place of retirement at Twin Lakes. Beforehand, he made arrangements to use a cabin on Upper Twin Lake owned by retired Navy Captain Spike Carrithers and his wife Hope of Kodiak (in whose care he had left his camper). This cabin was well-situated on the lake and close to the site that Proenneke chose for the construction of his own cabin.[5][6]
Proenneke's cabin is handmade and is notable for its fine craftsmanship as a result of his carpentry and
Proenneke remained at Twin Lakes for the next sixteen months, after which he briefly went home to visit relatives and secure more supplies. He returned to Twin Lakes the following spring and remained there for most of the next thirty years, traveling to the contiguous United States only occasionally to visit his family. He made a film record of his solitary life, which was later re-edited and made into the documentary Alone in the Wilderness. In 2011 a sequel was produced after enough footage for at least two more programs was discovered. Alone in the Wilderness: Part 2 premiered on December 2, 2011.
Proenneke's cabin was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The site is a popular attraction for many who want to personally experience parts of Proenneke's life and values.[4][6]
Death and legacy
In 1999, at age 83, Proenneke left his cabin and moved to Hemet, California, where he lived the remainder of his life with his brother Raymond "Jake" Proenneke. He died of a stroke on April 20, 2003, at the age of 86. He willed his cabin to the National Park Service, and it remains a popular visitor attraction in the still-remote Twin Lakes region of Lake Clark National Park.[8][2]
In 2005, the National Park Service and the Alaska Natural History Association published More Readings From One Man's Wilderness, another volume of Proenneke's journal entries. The book, edited by John Branson, a longtime
The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1967–1973 was published by Alaska Geographic in 2010. As with More Readings From One Man's Wilderness, the volume is edited by John Branson. This collection of journals covers Proennekes' first years at Twin Lakes, including the construction of his cabin and cache. The journal entries overlap those in Sam Keith's edited collection of some of Proenneke's journals, One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey. But unlike that book—in which Keith frequently modified Proenneke's writing style—The Early Years presents Proenneke's journals with minimal or no modification.
In 2017, a Richard Proenneke museum exhibit was opened at the Donnellson Public Library in Donnellson, Iowa, near Proenneke's hometown of Primrose. The exhibit features a replica of Proenneke's cabin, some of his writings, and other artifacts.[11]
In 2016 and 2018, respectively, A life in Full Stride: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1981-1985 and Your Life here is an Inspiration: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1986–1991 were published. In 2020, the fifth and final collection of Proenneke's journals, Reaching the End of the Trail: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1992–2000 was published. These three final collections were published by the Friends of Donnellson Public Library, The Richard Proenneke Museum, and were edited by John Branson.
See also
- Carl McCunn, wildlife photographer who became stranded in the Alaskan wilderness and eventually committed suicide when he ran out of supplies (1981)
- Survivalism
- Velma Wallis, Native American writer who drew on her independent living experiences trapping, fishing, hunting, and gathering in rural Alaska
- Ed Wardle, documented his solo wilderness adventure in the 2009 television series Alone in the Wild
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
References
- ^ a b c d e Branson, John, ed. (2006). More Readings From One Man's Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke 1974-1980 (PDF). United States Department of Interior, National Park Service, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. p. 471.
- ^ a b "Virtual Tour of Upper Twin Lake". Lake Clark National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service). 2019-10-28. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ "Friends of Donnellson Library - family". Richard Proenneke Museum. 1916-05-04. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, Building the Cabin". Bob Swerer Productions. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c National Park Service (December 19, 2018). "Proenneke's Cabin". Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, Living in Alaska". Bob Swerer Productions. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Friends of Donnellson Library - Raymond aka "Jake"". Richard Proenneke Museum. 1923-01-21. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ "Winners of the 1999 National Outdoor Book Awards". National Outdoor Book Awards Foundation. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, Later Years". Bob Swerer Productions. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "Friends of Donnellson Library - Richard Proenneke Museum - Home". richardproenneke.com.
Bibliography
- Authors: Keith, Sam and Proenneke, Richard (1973, 2013), One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey, Alaska Northwest Books, ISBN 9780882409429.
- Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2005) More Readings From One Man's Wilderness: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1974-1980, National Park Service, ISBN 9780930931780.
- Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2011) The Early Years: The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1967-1973, Alaska Geographic, ISBN 9780982576533.
- Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2016) A Life in Full Stride: the Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1981-1985, Friends of Donnellson Public Library, .
- Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2018) Your Life Here Is An Inspiration: the Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1986-1991, Friends of Donnellson Public Library, ISBN 9781643163864.
- Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2020) Reaching the End of the Trail: the Journals of Richard L. Proenneke, 1992-2000, Friends of Donnellson Public Library, ISBN ?.
External links
- National Park Service: page about Richard Proenneke
- National Park Service: information about visiting Proenneke's cabin
- Bob Swerer Productions' Dick Proenneke Bio
- Alone in the Wilderness at IMDb
- National Park Service: Lake Clark web site
- Lake Clark National Park landscape photos by Mark Meyer (12 photos)