Events
Death, With Dessert
Saturday, Jan. 25, 3 pm: The End of a Boy Hero
In 1917, a Juneau boy became the youngest Alaskan to serve in World War I. After being shot on the front lines, Leroy Vestal recovered and returned to his hometown, where he became a prominent citizen. Sixteen years later, he met his untimely end in a downtown boarding house.
Saturday, April 19, 3 pm: A Tenakee Shooting
In 1906, bully and small-time crook Norman E. “Diamond” Smith was shot dead in the general store of Tenakee Springs, a Southeast Alaska fishing town that served as a sin-filled resort for Yukon gold miners. The shooter, miner and fisherman Robert Reed, pleaded self-defense, but the victim was unarmed. Could he beat the rap?
Saturday, May 31, 3 pm: The Body on the Boat
In 1930, an elderly fish-buyer named George F. Marshall was found dead on his boat, the Phoenix, which was docked north of Ketchikan. His hands and feet were tied up and his head showed a deep bruise. Four people were arrested. But would they be convicted?
Details:
All programs are at McPhetres Hall, Church of the Holy Trinity, 315 Gold St., downtown Juneau. Tickets are $35 for each talk. Available at trinityjuneau.org or call the church at (907) 586-3532. The presentations benefit the church and its programs. Dessert provided by Treadwell Kitchen.
Walking Tours
Capital Killers
The Birdman of Alcatraz killed his first man in Juneau. A teacher and a nurse who worked here ended up dismembered, hidden in luggage in California. A local entertainer died when his boat was set afire while sailing to a show. Details are in this guided tour that starts and ends at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum. It’s led by former Juneau crime reporters, Ed Schoenfeld and Betsy Longenbaugh, who will talk about these and other historic cases.
Price of tour, $31.50, includes admission to the City Museum and a 20 percent discount on select items in the Museum store. Space is limited to 15 participants. This tour is recommended for adults and may be suitable for mature teens. Reservations required at 907-586-3572.
2025 Dates: To be announced.
Death in Douglas
A young woman serves a plate of hooligan to her mother in their Douglas beach cabin. The mother convulses and dies. Did the daughter commit matricide? Or did her lover poison the fish without her knowledge? Find the answers to this and more on the Death in Douglas: True Crime Tour. Participants will walk about 2 miles while hearing about seven murder cases in Douglas and Treadwell from the first half of the Twentieth Century. This tour starts and ends in Douglas and is led by former Juneau crime reporters, Ed Schoenfeld and Betsy Longenbaugh. Reservations required at 907-586-3572.
Ticket price, $31.50, includes admission to the City Museum and a 20 percent discount on select items in the museum store. Space is limited to 15 participants. This tour is recommended for adults and may be suitable for mature teens.
2025 Dates: To be announced.
