Amazing Pipeline Stories: How Building the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Transformed Life in America's Last Frontier

by Dermot Cole OLE

In the 1970s, the world's largest construction companies invaded Alaska in a wild rush to build the 800-mile $8 billion trans-Alaska pipeline. Workers by the tens of thousands headed north, hoping to make their fortunes working on the pipeline, in a stampede that dramatically affected Alaska. With the avalanche of big money and new arrivals came new drugs, prostitution, gambling, and violent crime. Rapid economic and social changes ultimately touched the lives of virtually every Alaskan. Journalist Dermot Cole, dean of the Alaska press corps, recalls the best of the pipeline stories with humor, authenticity, and drama.

Genres: History

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fact filled book. So many different sources in order to complete this book. Very well rounded. I am left still with the same question that I had formulated after I had just started this book tho. Did the Alaskans know that after the pipeline was built that they would incur yearly checks for its output? I ask that question because I can see their point of view of the headaches and hassles that came with all the workers on the pipeline. I however cannot see how they were so mean to some of the workers with their comments that they were using their resources for just a short amount of time. For the Alaskans, I would think that they came for around 3 years and then because of them I get $$ yearly for the rest of your life as long as you stay in Alaska: not too bad of a gig. Whereas the workers were there for a short amount of time, earned money and only if they invested and it ended up working in their favor would it pay off for them. There was no guaranteed long time profit for the workers that helped get the oil flowing. Another huge accomplishment that came out of the pipeline was the rebuilding of Fairbanks. Who knows if the city would have survived had the pipeline not come in to help rebuild it.

[Yaakov Bressler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever detailed insight into the practical realities (and contradictions) of life on the Alaska pipeline. Fairbanks centric storytelling, which I personally really liked. Was a quick and fun read.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of accounts of the building of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline during the 1970s (now the Alyeska Pipeline). Lots of good anecdotes but not as deep as an oral history might be.

It serves as a good lesson in a fast, intense investment in an area, showing what happens in terms of crowding, inflation, contract management, theft and long-term changes. It also has some good statistics on the scale of the project.