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Students get firsthand account of Soldotna’s homesteading history

Published 11:51 am Sunday, October 21, 2018

By Victoria Petersen

Marge Mullen shows a third-grade class how the residents of the Howard Lee Homestead heated their home, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
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Marge Mullen shows a third-grade class how the residents of the Howard Lee Homestead heated their home, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Marge Mullen shows a third-grade class how the residents of the Howard Lee Homestead heated their home, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Marge Mullen shows a group of third graders around the Howard Lee Homestead, which was used as the city’s first post office when she first homesteaded in Soldotna, on Wednesday, oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Marge Mullen shows a group of third graders around the Howard Lee Homestead, which was used as the city’s first post office when she first homesteaded in Soldotna, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Marge Mullen shows a group of third graders around the Howard Lee Homestead, which was used as the city’s first post office when she first homesteaded in Soldotna, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Marge Mullen shows a group of third graders around the Howard Lee Homestead, which was used as the city’s first post office when she first homesteaded in Soldotna, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Marge Mullen shows a group of third graders around the Howard Lee Homestead, which was used as the city’s first post office when she first homesteaded in Soldotna, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Marge Mullen shows a group of third graders around the Howard Lee Homestead, which was used as the city’s first post office when she first homesteaded in Soldotna, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Third graders at Soldotna Elementary are learning all about their community. Marge Mullen, one of the city’s first homesteaders, it invited every year to teach students about what life was like in the early days on the peninsula.

Mullen showed the students around Soldotna’s historic post office, where she used to receive mail. She visited the students in their classroom earlier last week to talk about her own homestead.

“I took some survey tape and made a 14- by 16-foot square on the floor to show them that my homestead could have fit inside their school room,” Mullen said.

Third-grade teacher at Soldotna Elementary, Shaya Straw said having Mullen speak to the students is a great opportunity.

“I think it’s cool they get to have this first-hand account of history here,” Straw said.

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