Eva McGown (née Montgomery) (1883–1972), the "hostess of Fairbanks," was best known for her three decades helping newcomers, military wives, construction workers, students, and visitors to find shelter in Fairbanks, Alaska during periods of time — particularly World War II — when the demand for housing far outstripped supply. Named official hostess of Fairbanks and honorary hostess of Alaska, McGown was featured in an article in Reader's Digest and a broadcast of the popular biographical television program This Is Your Life, and was the basis for the character Bridie Ballantyne in the 1958 novel Ice Palace and its 1960 film adaptation. She died in 1972 in a fire in the Nordale Hotel, where she had lived the last 28 years of her life.
Early life and marriage
Eva Montgomery was born on June 23, 1883, in Antrim, Ireland. Little is known about her early life other than that she was director of a choir in Belfast in the early 1900s.
In 1914, when she was 31, she came to the United States to marry Arthur Louis McGown, the part-owner of the Model Cafe in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her travel from Belfast to Fairbanks included a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on what she later described as "a filthy boat" and a cross-country journey by train to Seattle, Washington, where she boarded a steamer bound for Valdez, Alaska, followed by over a month's winter travel by horse-drawn sleigh and dogsled to Fairbanks, staying at roadhouses along the way. He died in 1930 of a bone tumor.
From 1940 to 1951, McGown helped an estimated 50,000 new arrivals, construction workers, students, and visitors find a place to stay.
National exposure
McGown's fame spread far beyond Fairbanks. In 1951, she was the subject of an article in Reader's Digest Her TV appearance was included as part of the first broadcast of Fairbanks television station KFAR-TV in early 1955. In her 1958 novel about Alaska, Ice Palace, Edna Ferber based the character of Bridie Ballantyne, official greeter of the fictional town of Baranof, on McGown;, the part was played by Carolyn Jones in the 1960 film adaptation of the novel.
Personal life
McGown belonged to the Women Pioneers, Eastern Star, Salvation Army, Soroptimists, Fort Wainwright and Eielson Officers' Women's Clubs. She was a member of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, where she played the organ and led the choir. She continued to play the organ until she developed arthritis in her hands, but afterward still sang with her soprano voice.
Death
thumb|upright=0.75|Grave of Arthur and Eva McGown at [[Clay Street Cemetery]]
In one of Alaska's deadlier hotel fires, the Nordale Hotel caught fire on February 22, 1972, killing four people and destroying the hotel. Among the four who died in the blaze was McGown, then 88. One of the items recovered from the hotel safe after the fire was a small box belonging to her, in which was contained a piece of dried sod from Ireland.