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God’s Highway
Even church work was influenced by the construction of the Alaska Highway. It was common for U.S. Army regiments to have their own chaplain to conduct religious services and help organize recreational opportunities. Some chaplains obtained movie projectors and showed weekly movies; some ran the PX selling cigarettes and chocolate bars along with offering spiritual advice.
Bishop Coudert (on left) and Father Hamel standing on the Alaska Highway, 1942.... (view more details)
Most of the Alaska Highway construction workers in 1943 were civilian. Their spiritual and moral needs were of concern to some church leaders. Reverend Donald C. Amos, the "Parka Padre", was hired by a group of co-operating Protestant churches (Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian and United Churches). He traveled along the highway in his truck and offered religious services to construction camps along the way.
...Reverend Amos dressed for winter and ready to travel the Alaska Highway. 1943..... (view more details)
Roman Catholic clergyman standing beside four soldiers outside church doors.... (view more details)
Father Hamel playing cards.... (view more details)
Father Huijbers stands on the steps... (view more details)
Yukon communities also received spiritual benefits from the new road. Once the Alaska Highway was available for civilian use, clergy could travel by road to their parishioners. Most small Yukon communities could no longer support their own full-time clergy, but the highway allowed clergy to travel to several communities throughout the week. One of these itinerant clergy was Father Henk Huijber. Armed with a background in architecture, Father Huijber not only visited small towns, but built churches in several communities as well. Before arriving in Canada in 1947, Father Huijber, "the builder priest", had been a member of the Dutch Resistance and chaplain to Dutch troops in Germany.
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