Oct 13, 2008

Man carves out customized gift shop, restaurantBy Patricia LilesAlaskaJournal.com

Nugget City, AK – Travelers stopping here for a cup of coffee at Nugget City or a quick browse through the Northern Beaver Post gift shop next door are in for a treat: custom-made wood artwork created on site by Yukoner Roger Latondress.

Unassuming and modest in appearance and demeanor, Latondress carves unique works of art from various wood products, displayed and available for sale at this Alaska Highway gift shop, located in the southern part of the Yukon Territory.

He carved a wooden three-dimensional scene of the nursery rhyme, Old Mother Hubbard who lived in a shoe, complete with laces, a curving boot tongue and carved, painted wood children.

Displayed in a glass case in Nugget City’s dining room is a musical jewelry box with horses carved on the front and side sections that appear to be made of ivory, but the figures are actually carved from light-colored birch wood.

A light-weight but strong-looking wood link chain, adorned by a medallion with a laughing wolf also hand carved by Latondress, is used to block off an extra dining area in the facility’s restaurant.

And the door to the Northern Beaver Post gift shop displays a beautifully carved eagle, wings aloft, clutching a salmon in his talons.

Latondress completes his wood carving artwork in between his winter caretaking duties and mechanical work at Nugget City, a collection of guest facilities located along the Alaska Highway, about 20 miles northwest of Watson Lake.

“His artwork helps make us different from everyone else,” said Linda Goodwin, who, with her husband, Scott, owns and operates Nugget City.

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