History of Douglas continues through Independence Day celebrations

The Douglas community celebrated both old and new ways to be active Friday afternoon during the island’s annual Independence Day celebration.

Children dashed into their parents’ arms as Maggie Swanson, president of the Douglas Fourth of July Committee, looked on. The annual field races were one of many festivities following the Douglas parade.

“Douglas is about community and family and kids, and that’s what this is,” Swanson said. “You see everybody out having a wonderful time and that’s why we do this.”

The Juneau Disc Golf Club was recognized as the grand marshal of this year’s parade because of its Treadwell disc golf course, Swanson said.

Juneau Youth Services handed out 100 free discs while club members pedaled around the street in pedicabs.

Ed Schoenfeld, a previous grand marshal, gave Shannon Crossley his sash to wear in the parade. For Crossley, a “third-generation Douglas girl,” it was an honor.

“I honestly felt my grandma with me,” Crossley said. “She would have been so excited.”

Shannon Crossley was involved with building the nine-hole course at the Treadwell Historical Park in 2022.

Approximately 30 volunteers assisted with the installation, which took just three and a half hours. Crossley said she often sees children holding discs and walking down the street to play in the same woods she grew up exploring. She said the course was built because the club was teaching the sport to the youth of Juneau.

“We realized that with beginners, it can be a little bit difficult to approach a long course like Aant’iyeik,” Crossley said. “So we wanted to build a course that was in a neighborhood and in a big open space. Treadwell was perfect because it had really great lines and young trees. It was along an accessible path too. It had all the amenities, like the bathrooms and the water station. It was a great fit.”

The City and Borough of Juneau Parks and Recreation has asked the club to add nine more holes — Crossley said their goal is to have the expansion completed by this fall. Currently, the club is in the design process.

While the club is sponsoring the longer course, the Pioneers of Alaska will fund the installation of tee box signs at each hole. Crossley is a historic preservationist. She said she looks forward to the signs’ explanation of the former mining town’s history.

“It’s a dream of mine, I think, to be able to expand accessibility of disc golf, and for people to be able to bring their families down there interacting with the gold mine,” Crossley said. “It’s really special.”

She said the course has also helped tourists access local history. After departing the cruise ship, passengers check an app called UDisc to find where they can play. Juneau has four disc golf courses: Treadwell, Aant’iyeik, University of Alaska Southeast, and Echo Cove.

Crossley, former communications director for the club, has since transitioned to educating residents in Southeast Alaska about the sport. She’s traveled to Wrangell, Sitka, Petersburg, Hoonah, Skagway, and Kake to teach others how to play.

“If I can play disc golf, anyone can play,” she said. “When I teach 6-year-olds, sometimes they can throw further than me. That’s OK. Just seeing that light in people’s eyes that they did something is addicting.”

James Houck, past club president and current board member, agreed. He said there are not many sports someone can begin at any age — he started playing when he was 45.

“I’ve been an athlete my whole life,” he said. “I’ve boxed, I’ve played football, I’ve wrestled. Disc golf is the only sport I’ve ever played where, in the middle of a round, you’re already planning how you’re going to play your next round. And you only need one disc to play.”

He said he’s proud of what the club has done and the expansion of the sport in Juneau. He encouraged community members to join through discgolfscene.com.

“It’s just so much fun,” he said. “In the nine holes at Treadwell, you can finish an entire round in about two minutes, and you’ve walked over a mile. Most people play it twice, and you’ve walked two miles in 45 minutes, and you’ve had a great, rousing time with your friends.”

Firefighters drench the crowd

Another Douglas community favorite sport is the annual “Olde Time Firemen’s Hose Race,” sponsored by the Douglas Volunteer Fire District.

Ken Arnoldt, a volunteer with Capital City Fire/Rescue, has been participating since 2019. He said the volunteers faced off with the Juneau Career Firefighters, whose team won this year. After the race, Arnoldt showed children the fire truck’s water pump and hose system. He also shared what he enjoys about the event, which has been taking place for more than 100 years.

“Seeing the kids get excited about us being out there and then spraying them with the water — everybody gets so excited,” he said. “Interacting with the community and showing people the fire engines.”

Five-year-old Madeline Blasco and her 8-year-old brother, Bryce, jumped in the puddles on the street after the hose race ended. Other families had already fled, their red, white and blue clothes wet.

“I had fun,” Bryce Blasco said with a grin. “But I got soaked.”

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356.