Franz Schonberg

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Franz Schonberg

In this Spring 2025 interview for Mr. Shumway’s Senior Alaska History class at Petersburg High School, Franz Schonberg speaks with student Izabella Tarquino about the legacy of his great-uncle, Bob Thorstenson, Sr.—a pioneering figure in Petersburg’s history and the Pacific Northwest fishing industry. In the 1960s, Thorstenson became an investor and leader in a single fish processing plant in Petersburg, Alaska that eventually grew into the global company Icicle Seafoods. Franz reflects on the values, grit, and personal sacrifices that fueled this success. He also discusses how the story came full circle in 2025 when Icicle Seafoods was acquired by Silver Bay Seafoods, a modern, fisherman-owned company now at the forefront of Alaska’s salmon processing industry.

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Nathan Midkiff

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Nathan Midkiff

Nathan Midkiff shares his career journey in the local cannery industry with his daughter, Martha. He began working at Petersburg Fisheries in 1976 while still in high school, starting on the slime-line and in the egg room. Eventually working his way up to becoming an electrician. This interview was recorded May 12, 2025 for Mr. Shumway’s Senior Alaska History class at Petersburg High School.

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Vicki Curtiss

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Vicki Curtiss

Vicki Curtiss shares with her granddaughter, Adara Curtiss, the story of their family’s roots in Petersburg, beginning with her grandparents’ immigration from Norway. She reflects on how Alaska’s Statehood impacted their family’s fish processing business, the origins of the Little Norway Festival and designing Petersburg’s Norwegian Bunad—highlighting the family’s continued celebration of their heritage. Vicki also honors the remarkable legacy of five generations working in the same fish processing company—an enduring symbol of cultural pride and economic contribution to the community. This interview was recorded in the spring of 2025 for Mr. Shumway’s Senior Alaska History class at Petersburg High School.

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