Joseph "Joe" Henderson

Joe Henderson was interviewed on September 14, 1992 by Bill Schneider and David Krupa in Wiseman, Alaska at the general store that he and his wife, Sherry, recently restored and reopened. Sherry and Joe's young son, Eric, and Carol Scott also were present at the interview. Earlier in the day, Joe repaired the household water pump and shared fresh moose, a gift from a neighbor's successful hunt. The cabin radiated the warmth and coziness of a home nicely provisioned for the long Wiseman winter to come. Joe's quiet, soft-spoken manner contrasts with the strength of his convictions and views regarding development, the land "lock-up" of the National Park Service, and the seeming shortsightedness of policies that discourage the kind of tourism/guiding activities that he offers and feels could allow more people access to the park area. He is very articulate in describing the unintended effects of well-meaning policies aimed at preservation that are conceived in Washington and have little relevance to the Alaskan context. Joe also talks about his skills as a dog musher and trainer, and about his involvement with the filming of the feature film "White Fang," which made use of a number of Joe's dogs. He recalls the lessons he learned while in the midst of some of the best animal handlers in the world. Joe stresses the importance of positive feedback in training, and suggests that if a dog is making mistakes in harness, it is usually the fault of the trainer....a humble conclusion.