Richard Proenneke
| Richard Proenneke | |
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Proenneke while in Twin Lakes
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| Born |
Richard Louis Proenneke May 4, 1916 Primrose, Harrison Township, Lee County, Iowa, US |
| Died | April 20, 2003 (aged 86) Hemet, California, US |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Residence | Twin Lakes, Alaska |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Heavy equipment operator, carpenter, mechanic |
| Awards | 1999 National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) |
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Proenneke, Richard, Site
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Park Service photo of the cabin
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| Location | Southeastern end of upper Twin Lakes, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve |
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| Nearest city | Port Alsworth, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 60°38′45″N 153°49′6″W / 60.64583°N 153.81833°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1967 |
| NRHP Reference # | 06000241 |
| Added to NRHP | March 8, 2007 |
Richard Louis "Dick" Proenneke (May 4, 1916 – April 20, 2003) was a self-educated naturalist who lived alone for nearly thirty years in the mountains of Alaska in a log cabin he had constructed by hand near the shore of Twin Lakes. Proenneke hunted, fished, raised and gathered his own food, and also had supplies flown in occasionally. He documented his activities in journals and on film, and also recorded valuable meteorological and natural data. The journals and film were later used by others to write books and produce documentaries about his time in the wilderness.
Proenneke's father, William Christian Proenneke, served in World War I and later made his living as a well driller. His mother, Laura (née Bonn) was a homemaker. His parents married in late 1909, or early 1910, and had three daughters and three sons: Robert, Helen, Lorene, Richard (Dick), Florence, and Raymond (Jake). The year of Richard's birth is often given as 1917, but social security and census records have him born in Primrose, Harrison Township, Lee County, Iowa, on May 4, 1916.
Proenneke enlisted in the United States Navy the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served as a carpenter. He spent close to two years at Pearl Harbor and was later stationed in San Francisco waiting to join a new ship assignment. After hiking a mountain near San Francisco he contracted rheumatic fever and was hospitalized at Norco Naval Hospital for six months. During his convalescence the war ended and he was given a medical discharge from the Navy in 1945. According to friend and writer Sam Keith, the illness was very revealing for Proenneke, who decided to devote the rest of his life to the strength and health of his body.
Following his discharge from the Navy, Proenneke went to school to become a diesel mechanic. The combination of his high intelligence, adaptability, and strong work ethic turned him into a very skilled mechanic. Though quite adept at his trade, Proenneke yielded to his love of nature and moved to Oregon to work at a sheep ranch. He moved to Shuyak Island, Alaska, in 1950.
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