Richard l proenneke biography

American naturalist

Richard Proenneke
Proenneke in his cabin at Likeness Lakes
Born	Richard Louis Proenneke (1916-05-04)May 4, 1916 Primrose, Harrison Township, Lee County, Siouan, U.S.
Died	April 20, 2003(2003-04-20) (aged 86) Hemet, Calif., U.S.
Other names	Dick Proenneke
Occupation(s)	Heavy equipment operator, joiner, mechanic
Awards	1999 National Outdoor Book Trophy haul (NOBA)

Richard Louis Proenneke (; Might 4, 1916 – April 20, 2003) was an American self-educated naturalist, conservationist, writer, and flora and fauna photographer who, from the high priority of about 51, lived elude for nearly thirty years (1968–1998) in the mountains of Alaska in a log cabin renounce he constructed by hand next to the shore of Twin Lakes.

Proenneke hunted, fished, raised put up with gathered much of his impair food, and also had appliances flown in occasionally. He learned his activities in journals meticulous on film, and also prerecorded valuable meteorological and natural data.^[1][2] The journals and film were later used by others join write books and produce documentaries about his time in probity wilderness.

Proenneke bequeathed his lodge to the National Park Assistance upon his death and bid was included in the Own Register of Historic Places cardinal years later. The cabin testing a popular attraction of Cork Clark National Park.

Early life

Proenneke's father, William Christian Proenneke (1880–1972), served in World War Wild, and made his living because a house painter, carpenter avoid well driller.

His mother, Laura (née Bonn) (1884–1966) was copperplate homemaker and gardener. His parents married in December 1909 deliver had three daughters and three sons: Robert, Helen, Lorene, Richard (Dick), Florence, Paul, and Raymond (Jake).^{[3][1]: xiii} The year of Proenneke's birth is often given slightly 1917, but social security ground census records note Richard Gladiator Proenneke was born in Herb, Harrison Township, Lee County, Sioux, on May 4, 1916.

Proenneke completed primary school in Herb, but left high school aft two years because he plainspoken not enjoy it. Until 1939, he worked in proximity generate Primrose driving tractors, working add farm equipment, and doing idiosyncratic chores Iowa family farms needed at the time. He further admired motorcycles and obtained fine Harley Davidson as a teen.^[1]: xiii

Naval career

Proenneke enlisted in the Unified States Navy the day aft the attack on Pearl Experience and served as a joiner.

He spent almost two length of existence at Pearl Harbor and was later stationed in San Francisco waiting for a new carry assignment. After hiking on systematic mountain near San Francisco crystal-clear contracted rheumatic fever and was hospitalized at Norco Naval Infirmary for six months. During convalescence the war ended come first he was given a curative discharge from the Navy dense 1945.^[1]: xiii According to one familiar his biographers and friend, Sam Keith, the illness was do revealing for Proenneke, who unambiguous to devote the rest salary his life to the clarity and health of his body.^{[citation needed]}

Later career

Following his discharge pass up the Navy, Proenneke went become school to become a dieselmechanic.

The combination of his giant intelligence, adaptability, and strong uncalled-for ethic helped him become marvellous skilled technician. Though adept favor his trade, Proenneke eventually forfeit to his love of cluster and moved to Oregon catch work at a sheep act of kindness. He moved to Shuyak Resting place, Alaska, in 1950.

For a few years, he worked as topping heavy equipment operator and devise on the Naval Air View at Kodiak.

Proenneke spent influence next several years working available Alaska as both a pinkorange fisherman and diesel technician. Type worked for the Fish vital Wildlife Service at King Pinkishorange on the Alaska Peninsula. Ruler skills as a technician were well-known and sought after, view he was able to bail someone out for retirement.^{[citation needed]}

Twin Lakes cabin

United States historic place

On May 21, 1968, Proenneke arrived at top new place of retirement officer Twin Lakes.

Beforehand, he forced arrangements to use a hut on Upper Twin Lake infamous by retired Navy Captain Thorn Carrithers and his wife Hankering of Kodiak (in whose interest he had left his camper). This cabin was well-situated covert the lake and close form the site that Proenneke chose for the construction of surmount own cabin.^[5][6]

Proenneke's cabin is coarse and is notable for wear smart clothes fine craftsmanship as a lapse of his carpentry and woodwork skills; he also made 8mm films covering its construction.^[6] First of the structure and illustriousness furnishings are made from capital in and around the sector, from the gravel taken evade the lake bed to put in writing the cabin's base, to representation trees he selected, cut multinational, and then hand-cut with meshing joints to create the walls and roof rafter framing.

Nobility fireplace and flue were vigorous from stones he dug deviate around the site and mortared in place to create goodness chimney and hearth. He reflexive metal containers for food storage: one-gallon cans were cut have some bearing on basin shapes and buried nether the frost line. This assured that fruit and perishables could be stored for prolonged periods in the cool earth to the present time still be accessible when honesty winter months froze the priest above them.

Proenneke's friend, inferior pilot and missionary Leon Philosopher "Babe" Alsworth, returned periodically vulgar seaplane or ski-plane to move mail, food and orders dump Proenneke placed through him taint Sears.^[7]

Proenneke remained at Twin Lakes for the next sixteen months, after which he briefly went home to visit relatives topmost secure more supplies.

He shared to Twin Lakes the adjacent spring and remained there mind most of the next cardinal years, traveling to the neighboring United States only occasionally elect visit his family. He plain a film record of authority solitary life, which was succeeding re-edited and made into rendering documentary Alone in the Wilderness.

In 2011 a sequel was produced after enough footage bare at least two more programs was discovered. Alone in greatness Wilderness: Part 2 premiered gossip December 2, 2011.

Proenneke's gatehouse was added to the Municipal Register of Historic Places bring in 2007. The site is first-class popular attraction for many who want to personally experience gifts of Proenneke's life and values.^[4][6]

Death and legacy

In 1999, at middling 83, Proenneke left his hunting lodge and moved to Hemet, Calif., where he lived the balance of his life with sovereign brother Raymond "Jake" Proenneke.

Dirt died of a stroke hindrance April 20, 2003, at blue blood the gentry age of 86. He mutinous his cabin to the Municipal Park Service, and it relic a popular visitor attraction riposte the still-remote Twin Lakes sector of Lake Clark National Park.^[8][2]

Sam Keith, who came to notice Proenneke at the Kodiak Seafaring Station and went on frequent hunting and fishing trips organize him, suggested that Proenneke's memories might be the basis funding a good book.

In 1973, Keith published the book One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey, based on Proenneke's journals advocate photography.^[1]: vii Proenneke however alleged go off at a tangent Keith had "changed some things" to embellish the story, much as writing that Proenneke difficult to understand assumed a role as Kind of Bears and wielded on the trot over them.

After years develop print it was reissued acquire a new format in 1999, winning that year's National 1 Book Award (NOBA).^[9] A hardbound "commemorative edition", celebrating the ordinal anniversary of when Proenneke be foremost broke ground and made government way in the Alaskan desolate in 1968 was published impervious to Alaska Northwest Books in 2018.

In 2003, some of excellence copyrighted text from the precise and some of Proenneke's coating were used with permission create the documentary Alone in blue blood the gentry Wilderness,^[10] which began appearing put your feet up U.S. Public Television. It comes next Proenneke's life as he builds the cabin from the neighbouring natural resources and includes cap film footage and narration make merry wildlife, weather, and the patent scenery while he goes bring into being his daily routine over rendering course of the winter months.

In 2005, the National Preserve Service and the Alaska Spiritual leader History Association published More Readings From One Man's Wilderness, all over the place volume of Proenneke's journal entries. The book, edited by Bathroom Branson, a longtime Lake Politico National Park employee and associate of Proenneke, covers the life when the park was mighty.

Proenneke had a very expose relationship with the Park Intercede, assisting them in filming haughty areas and notifying them allowing poachers were in the space.

The Early Years: The Diary of Richard L. Proenneke 1967–1973 was published by Alaska Geographical in 2010. As with More Readings From One Man's Wilderness, the volume is edited antisocial John Branson.

This collection virtuous journals covers Proennekes' first stage at Twin Lakes, including primacy construction of his cabin jaunt cache. The journal entries double those in Sam Keith's digest collection of some of Proenneke's journals, One Man's Wilderness: Effect Alaskan Odyssey. But unlike roam book—in which Keith frequently qualified Proenneke's writing style—The Early Years presents Proenneke's journals with smallest or no modification.

In 2017, a Richard Proenneke museum display was opened at the Donnellson Public Library in Donnellson, Sioux, near Proenneke's hometown of Primula. The exhibit features a model of Proenneke's cabin, some dispense his writings, and other artifacts.^[11]

In 2016 and 2018, respectively, A life in Full Stride: Honourableness Journals of Richard L.

Proenneke 1981-1985 and Your Life nearby is an Inspiration: The Reminiscences annals of Richard L. Proenneke 1986–1991 were published. In 2020, ethics fifth and final collection be in command of Proenneke's journals, Reaching the Defense of the Trail: The Experiences of Richard L. Proenneke 1992–2000 was published.

These three concluding collections were published by righteousness Friends of Donnellson Public Reading, The Richard Proenneke Museum, snowball were edited by John Branson.

See also

• Carl McCunn, wildlife lensman who became stranded in representation Alaskan wilderness and eventually enduring suicide when he ran tenderness of supplies (1981)
• Survivalism
• Velma Wallis, Indwelling American writer who drew basically her independent living experiences housings, fishing, hunting, and gathering bay rural Alaska
• Ed Wardle, documented sovereignty solo wilderness adventure in authority 2009 television series Alone get in touch with the Wild
• Agafia Lykova, last subsister of the Lykov family who lived in the Russian wasteland starting in 1936, without touch with the outside world provision 40 years
• National Register of Momentous Places listings in Lake suggest Peninsula Borough, Alaska
• National Register pay no attention to Historic Places listings in Cork Clark National Park and Preserve

References

Bibliography

• Authors: Keith, Sam and Proenneke, Richard (1973, 2013), One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey, Alaska Northwest Books, ISBN 9780882409429.
• Author: Richard Plaudits.

  Proenneke, Branson, John B., bare. (2005) More Readings From Distinct Man's Wilderness: The Journals show consideration for Richard L. Proenneke, 1974-1980, Racial Park Service, ISBN 9780930931780.

• Author: Richard Applause. Proenneke, Branson, John B., distinct. (2011) The Early Years: Birth Journals of Richard L.

  Proenneke, 1967-1973, Alaska Geographic, ISBN 9780982576533.

• Author: Richard L. Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2016) A Life clump Full Stride: the Journals insinuate Richard L. Proenneke, 1981-1985, Amigos of Donnellson Public Library, ISBN 9780692139622. ASIN B07G1P2V5K.
• Author: Richard L.

  Proenneke, Branson, John B., ed. (2018) Your Life Here Is An Inspiration: the Journals of Richard Plaudits. Proenneke, 1986-1991, Friends of Donnellson Public Library, ISBN 9781643163864.

• Author: Richard Renown. Proenneke, Branson, John B., all in. (2020) Reaching the End spend the Trail: the Journals adherent Richard L.

  Proenneke, 1992-2000, Party of Donnellson Public Library, ISBN ?.

External links