The Moose Pass Chamber of Commerce recently announced the completion of the first in a series of signs supporting a new initiative – a historical walking tour of Moose Pass. Moose Pass is nestled on the shores of Trail Lake in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula.
According to the Moose Pass Chamber of Commerce, they chose the Community Hall, owned and operated by the Moose Pass Sportsmen’s Club, as the first location to showcase because of its importance to the community.
Funding for this sign was provided by the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Capital Assistance Program (CAP) funds allocated to Moose Pass.
Background of “The Moose Pass Sportsmen’s Club”
“The Moose Pass Sportsmen’s Club (MPSC) was organized in 1947 as a gun club to develop an indoor shooting range, but through time it has evolved into a broader civic organization. The organization was originally housed in a Quonset hut purchased for $200 from Fort Raymond in Seward, an army post that was deactivated after World War II. The Quonset hut was used for dances, showing films, and other school and community events. In 1952, the parents of the schoolchildren donated money to install a floor in the Quonset hut and created a small heated room in it for use as a second classroom when the number of students outgrew the one-room schoolhouse. It had been mounted on 55-gallon drums and wood, which made the building unstable.
On December 3, 1953, Wayne and Aletha Racine gave the MPSC the land for the current building. The MPSC eventually constructed a block building, using volunteer labor and materials, to serve as a permanent community center. Locals pitched in and purchased blocks to pay for the building, and the MPSC was given a discounted shipping rate to have the blocks delivered. The building was completed on November 13, 1961.
Initially, the community hall housed the Moose Pass Volunteer Fire Department and the Moose Pass Public Library, the oldest library in the state, and hosted community events. When Moose Pass received funds to build a new fire station, a major renovation to the community hall, completed in 2018, offered expanded space to house the library.
Since 1978, the MPSC has held its annual Summer Solstice Festival in June at the community hall to fund the operation of the hall, high school scholarships, and donations to the community. “