Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska A great disturbance in the Force

The night the Birdhouse burned down an iconic watering hole was lost to the world. Those who know, know......

We're going to the Bird House
Gonna have a real good time
Let it roll baby roll
Let it roll baby roll

The mystical ptarmigan horn was awesome.

Trying to remember . . . is that the little 'shack' of a place down on Turnagain Arm with all the panties and bras pinned to the walls and ceiling?

Edit: In order to be more PC, let me re-phrase - men's and women's under garments.

Back in the very early '80s I was working on a road job at the 'Y'. The traffic on the highway was bad enough that we got shutdown early Fridays so the weekend traffic could do its thing. This was mid August. On my way home I stopped in at the Birdhouse for a cool one. There was a spot at the bar so I parked my ass there. The guy on my left was pretty well in the bag and was chatty. He told me he had a motorcycle, had been hunting and had his backpack next to him. At some point he reached down onto his pack and pulled out a goat head skinned, fleshed, ready for an euro mount and plops it on the bar blood and all. All very interesting and no one behind the bar or in the bar took much notice. Such was the Birdhouse. Also, in the neighborhood was another watering hole where Ceille(sp) hanged out.

Yes, that's the place.

I'll admit . . I tipped a few there back in the day - early 80's, on the way back from the Russian and Kenai Rivers. Never personally left any of my own garments there, but know of a few young ladies that did !

I got my ex wife to play the horn to call in the ptarmigan, I don't think she ever forgave me for that, probably one of the many reasons she's my ex.

Lots of fond memories from the old Bird House during the 70s and 80s. A must stop when headed south especially great spot to bring visitors to Alaska. Always something memorable happening. Tons of laughs and witnessed quite a few of those bras and panties being hung above the bar. Just a real fun unique establishment full of local color and a slice of real Alaska.

Another watering hole was Seal Meats(sp)? just up the road a bit. Now she was an interesting character, quite a lady with a couple of great assets and an even bigger reputation. I’ll just leave it at that.

Alas, those times and places are long past. I realize Mike Gordon had the Bird House rebuilt behind Chilkoot Charlie’s but, it just ain’t the same. It’s the Bird House in name only. I guess you’d had to
been there back in those days to know what I mean. Those old Alaskan clubs, taverns, saloons and roadhouses are disappearing. Sure was fun while it lasted.

Ceiling "hanged out" often! She stuck a nipple in each of my ears and hollered "stereo!"

A very good friend rewired the place to bring it up to code... shortly before it burned.

I was just passed the Bird house last Friday on the way to Alyeska. We did not stop. I vaguely remember it from back in the 1970's. Since I had no transportation I never made it there. Smitty's in Eagle River was about as good as it got for me. Once in a while we would go to a stripper club in Muldoon. That was a fun time.

kwg

I had the good fortune to have many beers at the Bird House on a few occasions back in 1992 before the unfortunate fire. The Bird House was an institution and I was sorry to hear about the fire, but I can't say as I was surprised. That 3 feet of sawdust on the floor was a fire just waiting to happen.

I also had the good fortune to eat at the Klondike Diner in Soldotna many times before it closed. My favorite was the Big Dipper sandwich & the revolving pie case. Their pumpkin pie was excellent and every time my Bud and I would stop in, we'd first check out the pie case for pumpkin pie. Invariably, a waitress would say: "The Texans are back!" & she was right!