User:Englishmademedoit/Yule F. Kilcher

Yule F. Kilcher is a Swiss immigrant who moved to Alaska in the 1940’s. He homesteaded outside of Homer, Alaska, where he raised his family. Besides his role as a homesteader, Yule also served on the Alaska state senate.

Early Life
Yule Kilcher was born on March 9, 1913 in Switzerland. He left Switzerland later due to the growing tensions of WWII. He arrived in Alaska permanently in 1940, where he received 160 acres of land to homestead. This land was in the Kachemak Bay area, outside of Homer, Alaska.

In 1941, Yule married Ruth Weber. They had 8 children who were raised on the family homestead: Atz, Otto, Wurtilla, Fay, Catkin, Stellavera, Mossy and Sunrise. In 1955 he helped write Alaska’s state constitution. From there, he went on to hold the State Senate seat from 1963 until 1967. Ruth and the children helped operate the homestead while Yule travelled to Juneau to attend the state legislature.

Homesteading
In 1862, the United States of America passed the Homestead Law. If someone met certain requirements, they could obtain federally owned land as long as they proved they lived on the land and maintained it. As of 1986, homesteading is no longer possible in Alaska.

The Kilcher homestead grew from 160 acres to 600 acres of land. As time wore on, Yule saw how other homesteads around Kachemak Bay were slowly being divided up between family members and becoming smaller versions of the previous homestead. He did not want the hard work of his family’s homestead to disappear. He created a conservation easement, set up in the 1990’s, starting the Kilcher Family Trust. Through the trust, the 600 acres of the Kilcher homestead remains intact for future generations to grow on and improve.

Interest in the Arts
Yule produced a documentary, A Pioneer Family in Alaska. This was the first documentary depicting homesteading life. He showcased his documentary around Europe in the 1950’s.

Yule’s oldest son, Atz Kilcher, is a famous Alaskan singer and song writer known for his yodeling. On February 6, 2018, Atz also released a book, titled Son of a Midnight Land: A memoir in Stories. In the memoir, Atz describes in detail the tumultuous relationship he had with his father, and goes on to discuss his years of healing through stories on the homestead, sports, and preforming on stage.

Yule’s granddaughter, Jewel Kilcher, daughter of Atz Kilcher, is a famous pop singer.

Death
Yule passed away in Homer on December 8, 1998.