Gary Lee Price unveils his vision
for “The Queen of Fairbanks” statue!

We’re so grateful to you who have donated to help get to this point! And we’re thrilled to share this sneak peek at Irene Sherman’s figure as an eight-inch maquette by Gary Lee Price. Here’s his depiction of this Fairbanks icon enjoying her favorite day of summer: the Golden Days Parade, which celebrated the discovery of gold near Fairbanks. Born in this boomtown in 1911, Irene was a one-time gold miner (among other things) and a popular one-woman float when she appeared in the annual parade, greeting the locals and hundreds of visitors as she rolled along on her decorated, adult-sized tricycle.

If you never met Irene in person, here’s a quick introduction: She was America’s farthest-north bag lady for much of the 20th century, walking or pedaling the streets of Fairbanks, Alaska, and spreading her unique brand of friendship. Born into a gold-mining family, Irene was terribly burned in a cabin fire at age five due to parental negligence, and she bore those scars—both physically and mentally—for life. At age nine, she became a ward of the Territory of Alaska and was sent to Seattle for further surgeries, foster care, and eventually residency in the Home of the Good Shepherd. She yearned to go back home to Alaska, and finally returned at age nineteen. When she became a chronic hoarder, no one knows, but for a time in the 1940s, she was known as “Packsack Annie” and squatted in a wall tent (year-round!) in the part of town called Graehl. Later, thanks to the benevolence of A. Leslie Nerland and his wife, Irene was permitted to live on land that Les Nerland deeded to the borough. But first he signed legal documents that gave Irene a place to live there until her death. Like others in Fairbanks who watched out for Irene, the Nerlands were generous toward Irene without fanfare.

Irene was the picture of resilience as she marched around town in oversized men’s boots, decked out in many layers of hand-picked used clothes, whether it was eighty above or forty below. The self-proclaimed “Queen of Fairbanks” was loud and coarse and drank too much, ever ready to refill the beer mug tied to her waist. Still, Irene lived every day to its fullest. She was a welcome fixture in the annual Golden Days Parade.

So why dedicate a statue to a woman who lived in the margins? As Irene bestowed her love on the people of Fairbanks, in good measure, she received it. Many remember her as the heart of the “Golden Heart City.” Elsewhere she may have been institutionalized for her nonconformity, in her hometown Irene was free to live independently while surrounded by watchful friends. She enjoyed the grace, goodwill, and quiet financial support of pioneer families and newcomers alike, especially the Nerland and Burnett families, and many others who made life better for Irene in ways large and small.

We’ve made progress in our statue fundraising, but we still have a some distance to cover. Special thanks to our major donors: Kinross Fort Knox, Mt. McKinley Bank, Explore Fairbanks!, Judy Shiffler, the Snedden Family Foundation, Ken Ryfogel, Bob Eley, Courtney King, Tricia & Perry Brown, and Fred Kuykendahl Sr. Our thanks to the dozens and dozens who also gave sacrificially to bring honor to Irene, businesses and individuals alike. Donors receive a receipt from the Snedden Family Foundation, our host 501(c)3. Also, donors will be named on signage surrounding the statue. Thank you.

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About Us  

The Irene Sherman Golden Heart Project planning committee is all volunteer and includes, in alphabetical order: