RV Park BRINGS GUESTS From All over the world
Spruce Meadow RV Park Owners Linda & Corinna Williams Keep Dream Alive With The Help Of Juneau Community & Visiting RVers
"Know that if you ever come up to Alaska, you have a home away from home in Juneau," says Linda Williams after a 30 minute phone conversation with a stranger. This is the characteristic hospitality of Spruce Meadow RV Park in Juneau, AK, owned by Linda and her daughter, Corinna Williams. The RV Park started in 2000 and is on 12.5 acres with RV spots surrounded by Sitka Spruce trees where "each spot has a sense of privacy," explains Linda, “and there is the experience of being in the wild while being close to the city."
The story of the Park starts with Linda and her husband, who was a mining engineer from Idaho. He came up to Alaska and "fell in love with it," Linda recalls. He moved to Fairbank to study at UAF in the School of Mines to get his mining engineer degree, and eventually was called to help to try and reopen the AJ Mine in Juneau in 1986. "He loved working at the mine, but we started thinking of an opportunity to get the most out of life," Linda says. Linda says on a Sunday before church she had an inspiration, "We should start an RV park." At the time RVers that came to Juneau, who could only get there via ferry, would stay at the mall in the parking lot. They formed a partnership with another couple and started working on the park in 1997-1998. The church offered the land to them and they purchased it. Unfortunately the land was wetlands, so they started filling it in, however, they strove to keep as much a natural setting as possible with the Spruce trees, Alder, ferns, and etc. In November of 1998, Linda's husband was diagnosed with cancer and "in October of 1999 he was gone."
The park wasn't quite built and they took out another loan to finish it. Finally they opened in May of 2000 and Linda recalls, "It was a rocky year because no one in the RV world trusted us." As a way to market, Linda and Corinna started meeting people at the ferry terminal and started handing out flyers, something that was, "Fun, but hard work." One day Linda saw a caravan of RVers and told them about the park. "There were 24 RV's and I didn't think they would come, but their leader said they would." She brought them to the park and they felt like it "was the beginning of our exciting adventures."
Linda and Corinna do not come from the RV world and do not come from the business world, so they had a lot to learn. "We haven't done this by ourselves," Corinna says, "When we first bought this park we were like a deer in headlights." A Godsend Corinna points out was a man by the name of Richard Walker. He was their camp host the first year and "taught us how to run the park." There has been so many other people to help them make this a successful park from RV guests who help train and bought the tools to put in electric breakers, to residents, workers and the local high school students and each one has left their fingerprint in the park. They eventually bought out their partners in 2002.
Though they were scared, they kept working at it and Linda recalls a confirmation that they were doing the right thing. “Around 2007-2008 we went to an open house at our bank. The president of the bank was there and I walked up to introduce myself. I introduced myself saying, ‘I don’t know if you know me…’ He said, ‘Of course I do, you are the woman that keeps her word.’” That meant a lot to the Williams’ and its things like that make them feel like it is really worth it.
One thing that wasn’t taught and is prevalent in conversation with Linda and Corinna is their hospitality. “I want to touch our guests even before they leave their house,” Linda says, “and many times, when they arrive, they’ll say ‘You’re Linda!’ And give me a hug.” Spruce Meadow takes most of their reservations over the phone with Linda. When guests arrive, they make sure Spruce Meadow is the “Alaskan-Home-Away-From-Home.”
Some of the stories that come out of the guests of the years provide laughter and joy to the Williams’. “We had this one guest who was by the dryer and she asked how to work it,” Linda recalls, “I just looked in disbelief because there was a poster right behind her that explained everything very simply. So I started reading the poster to her. She turned around and saw it, then smiled and said, ‘I’m on vacation so I don’t read.’” Another lady once asked why they don’t have a fence to keep out the mosquitos.
As they treat guests like they are at home, they make sure all are comfortable and safe, including wildlife guests. “We make sure there is no exposed coolers or any food out,” Corinna says, “so our resident bears just walk through and don’t get hurt.” “We say you can shoot the bear with a camera, not with a gun,” Linda adds. This ensures regular bear, deer, porcupine and many more sightings in the park.
Their guests come from all over the world. “We have people from Sweden, Germany, Australia, etc. and they are the sweetest, nicest people,” Linda says, “and it is such a privilege to show off Juneau. Every time you get to see your city and your state through their eyes.” Juneau has a lot to show off, too. The Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching, Tracy Arm Fjord, and many more natural wonders are easily accessible. Linda and Corinna Williams are there to provide a home to see it. As a testimonial on their “tree mail” says, “You are wonderful, wonderful helpful hosts who show the true Alaskan Spirit.”
Andrew Malo
A graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Education, Andrew has taught for the past decade in Chicago, New Mexico, and Japan. He enjoys tinkering with trucks and motorcycles, woodworking, reading and computer programming.
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Spruce Meadow RV Park is privately owned and has been in operation since 2000 with 47 scenic spaces. It's located just 3.7 miles from the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry terminal, which is the only way to access Juneau by RV.