Get Mears! Frederick Mears: Builder of the Alaska Railroad

Appointed by President Wilson in 1914, Mears served as chief engineer and later chairman of the Alaska Engineering Commission until 1923. Concurrent with driving rail across hundreds of miles of rugged wilderness, he created a town for the railroad workers and other settlers - the town that became Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. Today, few people know who Frederick Mears was, though evidence of his work abounds not only in Alaska but also in Panama, France, St. Paul Minnesota, and Stevens Pass Washington. This never-before-told story of Colonel Mears illuminates an overlooked piece of history. Unfolding amid major world events, from the Civil War. to construction of the Panama Canal, and through both world wars, Mears' biography seeks to honor the man who, through his energy, dedication and drive, overcame contemptuous criticisms and disruptive setbacks to succeed at finishing the job. The Alaska Railroad is his legacy.