City mulls razing site where 1st Alaska flag flew

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Sunday, July 12th, 2020 8:53am

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The Jesse Lee Home. Photo credit to Friends of the Jessse Lee Home.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The fate of one of Alaska’s most historic yet neglected structures could be decided Monday.

City officials in Seward will decide whether to demolish the Jesse Lee Home, a former Methodist boarding school where the Alaska territorial flag was first flown almost a century ago and where its Alaska Native designer, Benny Benson, lived.

The Seward City Council will hold a public hearing and then decide the fate of the structure.

At least one group plans to try to save the building.

If successful, the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation will bring together those with historic preservation expertise to formulate a plan.

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