How Did I Miss That?
Welcome to Episode 16,
I’d Vote for Him
I’m Lisa Blank and this is How Did I Miss That?
I’m back y’all and what an amazing vacation that was in Alaska! I’d never been to the largest state in the Union before and now, I can’t wait to go back. I was literally searching for vacation rentals while still on the trip. I have so many fun things to research and share with you guys that I honestly don’t know where to start! Do I talk about all the interesting facts I learned from our Uber drivers and restaurant servers about where they’re from? What about all the things the incredible tour guides told us in each place we visited? Or maybe I should start with something new I learned from a deck of cards we picked up? So many topics and only one episode! Yeah right…y’all know this is going to turn into a series of Alaska episodes, right?! Or maybe it will launch into a new travel centered podcast and blog. The sky is the limit, and I’m overwhelmed by the possibilities! But I’m here for it…wherever it may take me. So, let’s jump down the snowshoe rabbit hole and see what we can find out about one of my favorite cities I visited on my trip, Talkeetna, Alaska.
As we move ever closer to the election this November…no this is definitely not turning into a political episode or podcast…I think we can learn a thing or two from the small, eccentric town of Talkeetna. You see, the people of this little town once elected a most unusual mayor, and they’ve continued to do so for the past 2 mayoral elections. When faced with two dismal choices of human candidates, Talkeetna residents took matters into their own hands and elected Stubbs…the Cat. Now there’s a candidate I could get behind! And since I have 3 orange tabbies at home, the fact that Stubbs was also an orange tabby would have sealed my vote.
During recent past elections, and quite frankly including the one coming up, I’ve wondered how in the world the two people on the ballot are the best we could come up with from a country of over 340 million, but there we are. I’ve often been tempted to write in Mickey Mouse and see how many others may have also. Well in 1997 the citizens of Talkeetna did just that, only they didn’t write in the Mouse, they wrote in and successfully elected Stubbs the Cat. And he faithfully served for 20 years until his death in 2017. What exactly did Stubbs do in his role as mayor of this cute little town, you may ask? Well, I’m sure naps were involved and if he was anything like my 3 spoiled chonkers, a combination of chin scratches and lots of treats were on the agenda, too. In all honesty though, the town thrived and flourished during his tenure. The fact that a town actually had a cat as mayor was a huge tourist draw that brought visitors from around the world to meet him. And once they got to pet the mayor (that sounds so wrong, doesn’t it?!), they stayed to support the local shops and restaurants and take in the charm of Talkeetna.
And charming it still is! I loved the short time we were able to spend there! You can walk the length of the main drag in about 5 minutes if you’re able to avoid going into any of the businesses. But who wants to do that?! There’s so much to explore and experience! I found the cutest bead shop and of course had to bring home some treasures to make into jewelry. Bead shops have almost disappeared where I’m at, so it was nice to be back in a quaint little store run by two sweet ladies for over 25 years. It’s called Beadberry Patch, and they ship! You can find them on Facebook and Etsy. There was a great brew pub and distillery. And while I didn’t partake in any adult beverages, my son enjoyed a cream soda made from local birch tree sap. Lots of local gift shops and popup stands selling cinnamon almonds, spinach bread, and fish tacos line the street, too. At the end of the main road, you are greeted with the most magnificent panoramic view of the Alaska Range and the convergence of three glacial rivers that form the Susitna River. And of course, I had to dip my toes in…it’s what you do! Man, was that water cold!! I’ll post some pics of the view on the podcast Facebook page for you.
Then there was Nagley’s General Store where we were directed to meet and greet the current mayor. Only she wasn’t in. Such a bummer!! After Stubbs the Cat’s death in 2017, the title of Mayor was passed on to Nagley’s other store cats, Aurora and Denali. Unfortunately, Denali passed in 2022 and Aurora has held the title by herself since then. Let’s hope Aurora doesn’t use up all of her nine lives any time soon. Apparently, her predecessor, Stubbs, was quite careless with his nine lives. It’s reported that he fell into a restaurant fryer that had been turned off…thank goodness! Teenagers shot at him with a BB gun and he once jumped into a garbage truck only to be discovered outside of town and returned to Nagley’s. He even survived an assassination attempt! In 2013, Stubbs was mauled by a dog and taken to nearby Wasilla, Alaska for treatment of a punctured lung, fractured sternum, and a gash on his side. Thankfully he recovered and was once again returned to Nagley’s.
You may be wondering how this town pulled off a quote unquote prank for so many years. As lighthearted and super fun as a story of citizens actually electing a cat to an official government office is, it is also quite legendary and untrue. The truth is that Talkeetna is an unincorporated village which means it doesn’t have a government. But that didn’t stop them from naming Stubbs, Denali, and now Aurora as honorary Mayor of their little village. That part is completely true and quite frankly has endeared me and thousands of other visitors of Talkeetna to the quirky town in Alaska.
I can’t recommend an Alaskan vacation enough! It was absolutely gorgeous with breathtaking vistas around every corner. And spending the day in Talkeetna was a treat! If you’re ever there, make sure to pop into Nagley’s and give the mayor some pets and chin scratches for me. I can’t wait to plan my next trip to Alaska where I can spend some more time exploring all the places I loved on this trip. And maybe I’ll finally get to meet Mayor Aurora, too!
Thanks for listening! If you like what you’re hearing, please make sure to share this podcast with all your friends and neighbors. And don’t forget to click follow or subscribe. Then join me every Tuesday and Friday as I uncover another interesting tidbit of knowledge and wonder… how did I miss that?!
