Everyone Knows Tootsie: The Life, Wisdom, and Humor of Pioneer Alaskan, Mattie "Tootsie" Crosby

By Michael Hankins

Everyone Knows Tootsie by Michael Hankins

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636303826

Book preview

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Everyone Knows Tootsie

The Life, Wisdom, and Humor of Pioneer Alaskan, Mattie Tootsie Crosby

Michael Hankins

ISBN 978-1-63630-381-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63630-382-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Michael Hankins

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Mahala Ashley Dickerson

Donna Brooks-Lewis

Pearlee Bloodsaw

Denise Franklin-Green

Louise Franklin

When I first visited the ghost town of Iditarod City, Alaska, in July of 2000, I’d been lightly schooled on highlights of its short yet illustrious past. During a summer writing class several years ago, under the tutelage of University of Alaska professor Michael Burwell, student Frank Gularte wrote a short essay dealing with life in the old gold mining town.

Frank was an adept storyteller. His grandfather Manuel Gularte owned businesses in Iditarod and Flat during its heyday. Frank’s dad, Tony, lived in both towns during the early years. Much of what Frank Gularte wrote as well as what he verbally told the class remained with me. That’s the first time I heard of African Alaskan pioneer, Mattie Tootsie Crosby.

In July of 2000, before beginning an eight-mile hike to Iditarod, the postmaster in Flat shared intriguing information. Mark Kepler informed hiking partner Steve Schmidt and me to be on the lookout for Tootsie’s place. I instantly recalled Frank Gularte mentioning that name. At the time I couldn’t remember exact details. Unknown as well, two experts on the subject were standing directly in front of me.

Mark Kepler’s wife, Sherry, mentioned that Tootsie was a local legend in Iditarod and Flat, throughout Alaska for that matter. She’d been a lady of the night, including madam, for several years, eventually becoming a respected and much-loved resident. Sherry went on to tell us, Early in her career Tootsie ran a Swedish style bathhouse.

Mark mentioned that the dwelling barely stood upright as winter after winter had pounded crumbling remains closer to the ground. He went on to say the previous January, he’d removed Tootsie’s huge cast-iron bathtub from rubble, sledding it to his home in Flat.

If only that tub could talk! he chuckled.

When Iditarod began to decline in population, many residents moved to Flat. Tootsie was one of those people. She set up shop leaving her deserted home in Iditarod to wandering hunters and prospectors. Before heading out on our photographic expedition, Mark gave us one last bit of advice, Be especially careful of rusty nails and bears. They’re all over the place.

With Mark and Sherry’s directions, we found Tootsie’s place without problem. The large two-story structure was reduced to one level. Sticking my head inside an almost-squashed window, I saw fancy red wallpaper peeling from walls. Such extravagance seemed out of place in the wilds of Alaska. It reminded me of something you’d see in a New Orleans bawdy house. I wanted to climb inside but deemed it too risky.

Walking to the front of the ruins I stepped on something slippery underneath a clump of tundra. Reaching down, I picked up an oddly shaped bottle. Brushing away gooey muck revealed it was a perfume bottle with a Victorian embossing. Paris was the first word to appear. It seemed we’d found the old bathhouse for sure.

Steve and I took numerous pictures before deciding it was time to head home. Walking sixteen-miles in one day through throngs of mosquitoes, ankle-twisting tundra, and soggy ground might be a piece of cake for sourdough miners, but it was a challenge for us. We’d brought along extra water and food which saved our hides. Mosquito nets rarely came off sweaty heads.

On our return to Flat, Steve and I briefed Mark and Sherry on what we’d discovered. When asked about bears we said, "Not one!"

Steve did inform them we skirted plenty of snarling nails and sharp metal roofing. The Keplers were interesting people to talk with. They knew almost as much about the history of Iditarod and Flat as John and Mary Miscovich.

I was fortunate to have coffee and cake with John and Mary on my second trip to Iditarod. They were a remarkable couple. John was born in Flat while wife, Mary, came there as his bride.

"It was love at first sight!" she cooed.

During our chitchat session, Tootsie’s name popped up several times. The Miscoviches referred to her as their close friend.

I would’ve liked talking with them more, but we’d entered John’s nap time. Mary Miscovich informed us, postlunch snoozes were one of her husband’s secrets to living a long and healthy life. He was in his eighties and still going strong. John Miscovich continued to mine until he was ninety-four.

On my third trip to Iditarod, I was once again drawn to Tootsie’s former digs. This time I had more questions, yet there was no one to answer them. I decided when I get back to Anchorage, I’d research her name at the local Loussac Library. Unfortunately, what I learned wasn’t good where posterity is concerned.

Tootsie throughout her life wrote memoirs about life in the great land. She had plans to publish a book titled Golden Dreams Here in Alaska. Some say the book was to be called Everyone Knows Tootsie. Whatever title, the manuscript was eventually finished and given to a schoolteacher friend. This person was to edit and type Tootsie’s notes along with placing things in chronological order. A simple task it seemed.

As time went on, nothing happened. Mattie often asked how things were going, always being informed they weren’t. The teacher said it was too much work. She handed back only a portion of the original notes. Evidently the others were lost, misplaced, or perhaps the woman’s dog ate them. Whatever reason, it was devastating news. When Mattie Tootsie Crosby passed away, even the portion of notes that had been returned to her mysteriously disappeared. It seemed as if her original thoughts and dreams would never get published. Miracles sometimes have a way of happening!

I was researching old newspaper articles about Iditarod, when out of the blue, an editorial Mattie Crosby wrote turned up in the Chula Vista-Star. That’s a California newspaper located basically in San Diego near the Mexican border. With piqued interest, I started to read. It only took a few sentences before I knew for sure I’d found Tootsie. For some reason she’d started writing this newspaper initially from her home in Flat. That was 1956. I found out it had something to do with old friends moving to Chula Vista from Flat several years previous. Evidently they were mailing Mattie local newspapers as a means to keep her up to date on current events.

Searching further, I uncovered more and more letters she’d written. Her compositions were long and descriptive. Much of it had to do with life in Alaska. Her imagination was over-the-top. She was an excellent poet. That’s when the light came on. There was enough information at my disposal to compose Tootsie’s memoirs for her. I’m talking about forty letters and over twenty-four thousand words. I’m sure it lacks in total detail what the original would’ve had, but there’s enough data to give readers a clear view of her charm, wit, intelligence, and spiritual being. There were a few close friends knowing she’d done such, yet they never took time to locate and compile all forty letters.

Some folks might say Mrs. Crosby speaks to us from the grave in these compositions. Without hesitation, Tootsie would be quick to explain that her body may be in the ground, but her soul resides in a much-higher place. Before introducing you to her letters, I’ll lay out a brief synopsis regarding Iditarod, Flat, and what Mattie obtained from published articles, recorded interviews, including valuable information the