Thomas Stokes Bevers arrived in Anchorage Alaska in 1921.
Bevers served as fire chief from 1927 until 1940 becoming Anchorage Fire Department’s first paid chief.
In November of 1922, Bevers and then Fire Chief J.W. Greene set out to fight a fire that broke out in the Evan Jones Coal Mine. There they established a world record for continuous pumping. The two ran the pumper for 300 hours with only one break for maintenance, saving the coal mine. spraying roughly 1,200 gallons of water per minute into the coal mine.
In 1941 during World War II Bevers served two terms on the Anchorage City Council. He would have been acknowledged as the first African-American to be elected to office in Alaska. However, Bevers “passed” as white, and did not acknowledge his heritage while in Alaska.
He then went into real estate, investing in 8 acres of land along with several others, establishing the downtown neighborhood, now known as Fairview.
Bevers also took an interest in fur trading organizing the first fur rendezvous in 1935. Marking the start of Alaska’s largest and oldest winter festival. It is set to take place this year running from February 23rd through March 3rd.
He never spoke of his upbringing by a white mother and Black father in Virginia, and very likely "passed" as white in an era of racism.
Thomas Stokes Bevers died in 1944 after becoming one of Anchorage’s notable community members.
The Anchorage Daily Times eulogized his death reporting “Anchorage has lost one of its best friends and leaders”
Bevers final resting place is in the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery which was honored in 2015 with a new headstone from the Anchorage Fire Department.
