Hello Everyone,
Located in Alaska’s Interior, visitors find Fairbanks, with a population of 100,000, to be a city worthy of a week’s exploration. It houses a variety of museums and attractions, numerous restaurants, wide choices in lodging, and the University of Alaska. Unless you are staying downtown on a tour, a car is almost necessary to hit all of Fairbank’s highlights.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Starting in 1901, Fairbanks has had several “boom to bust to boom” histories. It started when Captain E. T. Barnette wanted to establish a trading post in Tanacross. Since he had wrecked his own boat, he convinced the Lavelle Young’s captain to take him further up the Tanana River. Due to shallow water, the boat journeyed up the Chena River instead. When the boat was seven miles from the Tanana River mouth, the captain deposited Barnette on a high spot on the riverbank.
Felix Pedro and other miners, from the hills north of town, convinced Barnette to set up a trading post at that location until he could move his food to Tanacross. The move was never made. The trading post and Barnette home were Fairbank’s first non-Native buildings.
Barnette promised Federal Judge James Wickersham he would call the settlement Fairbanks in honor of Charles Fairbanks. Fairbanks, a Republican senator from Indiana, was instrumental in making Wickersham one of three federal judges in what would soon be the Alaska territory.
In 1902, Felix Pedro discovered gold in creeks around Fairbanks starting the Fairbanks Gold Rush. Prospectors eagerly poured into the area, establishing homes and businesses. By 1903, the city incorporated with Barnette its first mayor. It was hit by food shortages in 1902 and 1903 and a flood in 1905.
The earliest buildings were log cabins. In 1906, a fire destroyed many original town site buildings. Their replacements were frame homes and stores using lumber from the town’s two sawmills.
In 1908, 18,500 people lived in the Fairbanks mining district. However, by 1920, the town had shrunk to 1,100. Miners had to cut trees for fires to thaw the ground, making gold hard to remove. When the trees disappeared, the people moved to more promising gold fields.
Construction of the railroad and later the Alaskan Highway contributed to economic prosperity. These allowed for heavy machinery to be moved into the area. The mining industry prospered again when the F. E. Company began dredge mining north of Fairbanks. Mining remained important until World War II.
The war also meant prosperity for Fairbanks. The military constructed airfields, roads, and communication systems in the area. Fort Wainwright began as Ladd Army Airfield, a cold weather testing station. The Cold War renewed defense spending in Alaska as radar systems and missile sites were installed. Bases and posts expanded.
When Alaska achieved statehood in 1959, two-thirds of the labor force were government employees. In 1967, the overflow of the Chena River flooded Fairbanks. Federal aid helped businesses and homeowners to rebuild their properties.
The 1968 Prudhoe Bay oil lease sale launched Fairbank’s next recovery. The population swelled to 74,000. However, after the pipeline construction was completed in 1978, it was bust time again. The drop in oil prices launched Fairbanks into a recession. Employment fell to 20 percent. As oil prices climbed, Fairbanks prospered during the 1980's. Oil production has since again dropped, but the city has discovered tourism.
MORRIS THOMPSON CULTURAL & VISITORS CENTER
The first stop in Fairbanks should be this visitors center. Its mission is to celebrate the people and culture of Interior Alaska while promoting the local economy. It’s also a gathering place to exchange cultural ideas. It does this by bringing together the resources of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, and the Tanana Chiefs Conference.
This center provides information, museum-quality exhibit galleries, a theater showing free films, and cultural demonstrations. It also contains a bookstore on Alaska and an artisans’ workshop where you can watch Native Americans produce crafts such as jewelry. Sometimes their artwork is available for sale. They are open to questions about their traditions.
Before entering the center, stop at the 1910 cabin of Walter and Mary Ellen Gould. It is one of the few historic cabins in Fairbanks on its original site. The sidewalk’s glass tile mosaics depict traditional Athabascan designs while the antler arch is a popular photo stop. It’s made up of more than 100 moose and caribou antlers collected from all over Interior Alaska.
After entering the building, stare up at the ceiling where a bright yellow Piper Pa-20 hangs. It’s a replica of the one flown by Episcopal Bishop William “the Flying Bishop” Gordon. He flew hundreds of thousands of miles ministering to congregations around the state.
Check out the Fairbanks Convention and Visitor Bureau kiosks. You’ll find brochures on events and attractions for Fairbanks and locales throughout Alaska. The Alaska Public Lands Information Center provides topographic maps and free information on outdoor recreation and the natural and cultural resources of Alaska’s public lands.
Take time to watch the video on Dick Proenneke titled “Alone in the Wilderness.” Proenneke built himself a cabin and other structures in 1968 using only hand tools. He created a film about this construction. He daily journaled notebooks and calendars with observations about wildlife, the weather, details about his days, and observations on his lifestyle.
He has been called a modern day Thoreau. The difference, however, is that Thoreau lived at Walden Pond for one year. Proenneke lived at his Twin Lakes cabin for 30 years between 1967 and 1998. Visitors to Lake Park National Park and Preserve can still visit the cabin and outbuildings listed on the National Register of Historic Sites in 2007.
The center shows free movies on the hour during the summer at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. The winter hours are 9:00 and 10:00 a.m., noon, and 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. Depending upon the subject such as on the aurora borealis or Brooks Range, these range from 30 minutes to an hour. We returned to see “Aurora - Rivers of Light in the Sky” and weren’t impressed. It was made in 1994 so was out-of-date and technically poor. It did go into detail as to what causes this phenomenon and what the ancient peoples thought of it.
The free one-hour cultural show during the summer, in the theater is worth attending. Hosted by the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of 42 Interior Alaska villages, it’s a combination of music, storytelling, and dancing. At our show, six female and four male Athabascan dancers, in traditional garb, were accompanied by Athabascan fiddler, Bill Stevens, and a guitarist.
They performed to such themes as the Raven and the Fox, the Goose Hunt, and the Igloo Dance. Other dances involved a waltz with audience participants, a fast dance, and a square dance. Shows occur at 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Occupying 9,000 square feet was the superb exhibit “How We Live: The People and the Land” featuring three life-sized dioramas of Interior Alaska’s landscape seasons. It’s a collection of sights and sounds. Summer features a fish camp and a view where the Yukon and Tanana rivers meet. At fall, you view a hunting camp and a grizzly digging for ground squirrels. The winter diorama is a walk-through, public use cabin. Look out its windows, and you’ll see a rendition of the northern lights. Inside is a display on why wilderness matters.
How We Make a Living concerns itself with Fairbank’s economy. Learn about the importance of the land and its resources such as gold, coal, and oil. Watch a video on the Alaska Pipeline. Learn about the contributions of the University of Alaska, the military, and industry to the area. Another display provides information about Morris Thompson, a Koyukon Athabascan, in charge of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Alaska during the 1970's. In 1985, he was CEO of Doyon, Limited which now runs private Denali tours.
Celebration of Communities consists of two rooms of Native American artifacts. Listen to stories of ancestors and note the potlatch case. Find out about hunting methods, living with the land, and the art related to their culture. These art foundations are noticed in the cases of their clothing, moccasins, baskets, and beadwork. An Athabascan whaling boat called an umiak dominates the center of one room.
The Center is open daily year round though hours differ. Summer hours, from mid May to mid September are 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. During the rest of the year, hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It’s located at 101 Dunkel Street and the telephone number is (800) 327-5774. No admission fee.
PIONEER PARK
The park, then called Alaska 67, opened May 27, 1967 for the Alaska 67 Centennial Exposition marking Alaska’s purchase from Russia. Its name was changed to Alaskaland a few months later. Since the name sounded like a Disney amusement park, it became Pioneer Park in 2001 to reflect its historical nature.
In its early days, the park housed a zoo and a midway with amusement rides. Now it is a collection of museums on various topics: pioneer, railroad, Native American, and aviation as well as a center for the arts with an upstairs gallery. Pioneer Park is also home to the Harding Car; Mining Valley, which is home to mining equipment; riverboat Nenana; and a railroad train circling the ground. It houses a carousel, a 36-hole miniature golf course, and lots of the original Fairbanks cabins that were moved here. For those who wish to spend the evening, the park offers a Salmon Bake and a theater show.
While the park is open year round, all the attractions, except for Bear Gallery, are only open daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day from noon to 8:00 p.m. With exceptions noted below, admission to the various museums and houses is free.
HARDING CAR AND RIVERBOAT NENANA
As you enter, you’ll spot the Harding Car also known as the Denali Car. It’s a passenger railroad car named after President Warren G. Harding. The car was one of three to carry the presidential delegation in 1923 when they came to Alaska. On that visit, the president drove the Golden Spike marking completion of the Alaska Railroad between Fairbanks and Seward.
The Alaska Railroad purchased the car from Great Northern in 1923 and continued to have it in service until 1945. In 1959, it was restored and donated to the city of Fairbanks then placed in Alaskaland in 1967.
You’ll also see the riverboat Nenana nicknamed “Queen of the Yukon.” Built in 1933, she was commissioned by the Alaska Railroad. Her parts were manufactured in Seattle and shipped to Nenana where she was constructed. From 1933 to 1954, she plied the Tanana and Yukon Rivers with her primary run between Nenana and Marshall, a distance of 858 miles. She traveled 17 mph down river and 7 mph upriver.
The ship remained active during World War II transporting supplies to a number of military bases. After the war ended, the decline in its passenger revenues, started during the war, continued. In 1949, the Alaska Railroad suspended all river passenger services. After reconditioning in 1952, she only made one more trip north before being leased to the Yutana Barge Lines in 1954 for one season. In 1957, she changed ownership and opened as a museum ship. After moving to a dry berth in 1965, she became Alaskaland’s centerpiece. Since she was the only surviving ship of its type, she became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
The Nenana was mainly a cargo ship holding up to 300 tons and pushing four barges on the Tanana. However, she pushed only one on the Yukon, because of the river’s curves and dangerous conditions. Having showers and toilets, she accommodated up to 30 passengers for sleeping in 24 passenger cabins.
Its engine had one of the most advanced designs of its time. It could recycle approximately 85% of its steam into water and allowed the boat to operate very quietly. She burned wood until 1948 when she switched to burning oil. Regarded as the second largest wooden hull vessel on the western side of the Mississippi, she was 210 feet long, 42 feet wide, rated at 1,028 tons, and had five decks. The Nenana had a crew of 32.
From the exterior, she appears much as she did when she operated. However, her interior has been substantially altered. When visitors enter the ship today, they see, in her center, a huge diorama depicting life along the Tanana and Yukon Rivers. Along her sides are smaller dioramas portraying the many ports where she stopped. You can also go see what her engine looked like as it has remained intact.
JUDGE WICKERSHAM HOUSE
Born in Patoka, Illinois, James Wickersham moved with his wife to Seattle in 1883 where he became a judge. In 1900, President McKinley appointed him the judge of the Third Judicial District in Fairbanks (the other two being Nome and Juneau). He was regarded as one of the most important people in Alaska as no one could overrule his decisions within 3,000 miles.
While in Fairbanks, he worked with E. T. Barnette to develop the small settlement into a city. Through their efforts, the city became incorporated.
In 1908, Wickersham resigned from his judicial post to become Alaska’s territorial delegate to Congress for seven terms. He was a major influence in passing the Organic Act of 1912 granting Alaska territorial status. He also introduced the law to establish McKinley Park (now Denali), the Alaska Railroad Bill, and the first Alaska Statehood Bill in 1916. He was responsible for creating the college which later became the University of Alaska.
On May 16, 1903, Wickersham made the first attempted climb on Mt. Denali along with four companions. They failed when they ran into the mountain face now called the Wickersham Wall.
The house, the first milled lumber home in Fairbanks, was built between 1904-1906. It was distinguished by a white picket fence. The home moved to Pioneer Park in 1967 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The only furniture pieces he owned are the two chairs in the parlor and dining room. The rest is period.
OTHER HOMES
A total of 29 cabins moved to Gold Rush Town from various locations in Fairbanks. These have been restored and many have a small plaque listing their original site. Those that aren’t identified had their information lost in the 1967 flood. Located in the Dr. Stearns’ cabin, who was the first veterinarian, is a 30-minute historical video on the park. This isn’t the only video since UAF Archives is responsible for a variety of historic ones rotated through this cabin. Other cabins are now shops or places to eat.
One you can visit belonged to Kitty Hensley and her daughter Hazel. Originally a tar paper shack, her friend, Captain Smythe, a retired riverboat captain, remodeled it using lumber from his sternwheeler damaged during a spring ice breakup. Smythe built a two-story home with a fine-turned stairwell and decorative fireplace. It moved to the park from 8th Avenue in 1967 and has been furnished with period pieces. It was the home of the park’s first visitor information center.
PIONEER MUSEUM
You’ll find the Pioneer Museum and its show,The Big Stampede, in Gold Rush Town. The free museum reflects the daily lives, work, and recreation of the early settlers via artifact and photo displays. All items are from Fairbanks starting in 1910. The museum is open during the summer from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and during the shoulder seasons with limited hours.
Visit the mining room to learn about placer mining, ground sluicing, and how a dredge works. See old mining equipment or admire detailed dioramas on early gold mining.
Displays include transportation including a replica of a 1901 Ford. Cases include everything from old shoes to household items to medical, engineering, and legal professional tools. The section on statehood includes an old paper proclaiming this event while another area represents an old mercantile store and the items it carried.
At the Big Stampede, the $4 admission for adults and $2 for children is worth it for this 50-minute show. Chairs, placed in the middle, revolve to face each of 15 mural-sized paintings illustrating the history of the Yukon and Fairbanks gold rushes. C. “Rusty” Heurlin, who taught the first art classes at the University of Alaska, painted all of them.
As you face each stationary painting, it is lit up, and you’ll hear narration about it by Ruben Gaines, Alaska’s first Poet Laureate. He was an early broadcaster in the 1950's and 1960's. It was originally designed for the Alaska ‘67 Centennial Exposition in Fairbanks.
You’ll learn about the early pioneers such as Felix Pedro and Judge Wickersham, climb the Chilkoot Pass, and cross Lake Bennett. Learn about underground mining in Fairbanks, travel through Thompson Pass on the way to Valdez, and shoot the White Horse Rapids with Jack London as your guide. Shows take place at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00, 2:30, and 4:00 p.m.
TANANA VALLEY RAILROAD MUSEUM
The Tanana Valley Railroad Engine #1 is the highlight of Pioneer Park’s newest facility, their railroad museum. It’s the oldest operating steam locomotive in Alaska and the Yukon Territory and the oldest Gold Rush era relic in Fairbanks. This museum contains billboards on railroad history with only a few train artifacts.
It was built in 1899 by the H. K. Porter Locomotive Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The engine arrived in Chena, near Fairbanks, on July 4, 1905 for use on the Tanana Valley Railroad. In 1922, she retired and was put on display. The Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad restored her and put her in passenger service in 2000. The running gear is original, but the cab was reconstructed and the boiler replaced. Powered by wood and coal, she is used for special events.
The Crooked Creek & Whiskey Island Railroad, a narrow gauge train, is pulled by another early locomotive dubbed old 67. It departs from the museum every 15 minutes during the summer season. Our 10-minute ride circling the park grounds was not narrated. Fare is $1 for seniors and children ages 12 and under. It’s $2 for everyone else to ride.
OTHER MUSEUMS
The Alaska Native Museum looks at Alaska through such Athabascan artifacts as a wolverine parka and traditional tools. A mural depicts life along the river. Admission is free.
The Pioneer Air Museum is operated by the Interior & Arctic Alaska Aeronautical Foundation. Dedicated to aviation history, it houses 14 antique aircraft, photos, and memorabilia of Alaska’s aviation heritage. It focuses from 1913 to the present. To find it, look for the building resembling a golden airplane hanger. Admission for adults over age 12 is $4. Children can visit for free but must be accompanied by an adult.
For those interested in the arts, you can visit the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts. It’s a combination of theater, art gallery, and meeting hall. The Bear Gallery, on the third floor, shows the work of top Alaska artists. Exhibits change monthly. Summer hours for June, July, and August are from noon to 8:00 p.m., daily. For the rest of the year, it’s noon to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. It’s free.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Other seasonal attractions are the Alaska Salmon Bake and Palace Saloon Show. Reservations for both are (907) 452-7274. We didn’t attend either because of time factors and cost. They are well received by the locals.
The salmon bake has operated for more than 37 years. It combines all-you-can-eat prime rib, wood grilled salmon, and beer-battered cod. Dinner includes a salad bar, baked beans, roasted potatoes, rolls, and beverages. Their snow crab is available as a stand-alone meal or as an add-on. They have a dedicated dessert cabin. Prices for 2016 were $34.95 for adults, $14.95 for ages 9-12, and $9.95 for ages 4-8.
Located in Gold Rush Town is the historic Palace Saloon and the Chena Hotel. It was one of a few downtown buildings surviving the 1906 fire. During the season, at 8:15 p.m. daily, visitors attend the “Golden Heart Revue,” a collection of musical comedy sketches performed at the saloon. It seeks to answer why anyone would build Fairbanks and how the town survived for 100 years. Ticket prices were $22 for adults and $11 for children in 2016.
Children will enjoy the carousel costing $1 a ride. It features the music of an 1890 Berni band organ. Brought from Kirkwood, Illinois, the merry-go-round was built between 1915 and 1920.
Families will enjoy the 36-hole miniature golf course as well as the picnic shelters which are available when not reserved ahead by others. For adults, it’s $5.25 for 18 holes and $7.25 for 36 holes. For children, ages 5-12, it’s $3.50 and $5.50, and for under age five, it’s $1.50 and $2.50.
Located in Alaska’s Interior, visitors find Fairbanks, with a population of 100,000, to be a city worthy of a week’s exploration. It houses a variety of museums and attractions, numerous restaurants, wide choices in lodging, and the University of Alaska. Unless you are staying downtown on a tour, a car is almost necessary to hit all of Fairbank’s highlights.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Starting in 1901, Fairbanks has had several “boom to bust to boom” histories. It started when Captain E. T. Barnette wanted to establish a trading post in Tanacross. Since he had wrecked his own boat, he convinced the Lavelle Young’s captain to take him further up the Tanana River. Due to shallow water, the boat journeyed up the Chena River instead. When the boat was seven miles from the Tanana River mouth, the captain deposited Barnette on a high spot on the riverbank.
Felix Pedro and other miners, from the hills north of town, convinced Barnette to set up a trading post at that location until he could move his food to Tanacross. The move was never made. The trading post and Barnette home were Fairbank’s first non-Native buildings.
Barnette promised Federal Judge James Wickersham he would call the settlement Fairbanks in honor of Charles Fairbanks. Fairbanks, a Republican senator from Indiana, was instrumental in making Wickersham one of three federal judges in what would soon be the Alaska territory.
In 1902, Felix Pedro discovered gold in creeks around Fairbanks starting the Fairbanks Gold Rush. Prospectors eagerly poured into the area, establishing homes and businesses. By 1903, the city incorporated with Barnette its first mayor. It was hit by food shortages in 1902 and 1903 and a flood in 1905.
The earliest buildings were log cabins. In 1906, a fire destroyed many original town site buildings. Their replacements were frame homes and stores using lumber from the town’s two sawmills.
In 1908, 18,500 people lived in the Fairbanks mining district. However, by 1920, the town had shrunk to 1,100. Miners had to cut trees for fires to thaw the ground, making gold hard to remove. When the trees disappeared, the people moved to more promising gold fields.
Construction of the railroad and later the Alaskan Highway contributed to economic prosperity. These allowed for heavy machinery to be moved into the area. The mining industry prospered again when the F. E. Company began dredge mining north of Fairbanks. Mining remained important until World War II.
The war also meant prosperity for Fairbanks. The military constructed airfields, roads, and communication systems in the area. Fort Wainwright began as Ladd Army Airfield, a cold weather testing station. The Cold War renewed defense spending in Alaska as radar systems and missile sites were installed. Bases and posts expanded.
When Alaska achieved statehood in 1959, two-thirds of the labor force were government employees. In 1967, the overflow of the Chena River flooded Fairbanks. Federal aid helped businesses and homeowners to rebuild their properties.
The 1968 Prudhoe Bay oil lease sale launched Fairbank’s next recovery. The population swelled to 74,000. However, after the pipeline construction was completed in 1978, it was bust time again. The drop in oil prices launched Fairbanks into a recession. Employment fell to 20 percent. As oil prices climbed, Fairbanks prospered during the 1980's. Oil production has since again dropped, but the city has discovered tourism.
MORRIS THOMPSON CULTURAL & VISITORS CENTER
The first stop in Fairbanks should be this visitors center. Its mission is to celebrate the people and culture of Interior Alaska while promoting the local economy. It’s also a gathering place to exchange cultural ideas. It does this by bringing together the resources of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, and the Tanana Chiefs Conference.
This center provides information, museum-quality exhibit galleries, a theater showing free films, and cultural demonstrations. It also contains a bookstore on Alaska and an artisans’ workshop where you can watch Native Americans produce crafts such as jewelry. Sometimes their artwork is available for sale. They are open to questions about their traditions.
Before entering the center, stop at the 1910 cabin of Walter and Mary Ellen Gould. It is one of the few historic cabins in Fairbanks on its original site. The sidewalk’s glass tile mosaics depict traditional Athabascan designs while the antler arch is a popular photo stop. It’s made up of more than 100 moose and caribou antlers collected from all over Interior Alaska.
After entering the building, stare up at the ceiling where a bright yellow Piper Pa-20 hangs. It’s a replica of the one flown by Episcopal Bishop William “the Flying Bishop” Gordon. He flew hundreds of thousands of miles ministering to congregations around the state.
Check out the Fairbanks Convention and Visitor Bureau kiosks. You’ll find brochures on events and attractions for Fairbanks and locales throughout Alaska. The Alaska Public Lands Information Center provides topographic maps and free information on outdoor recreation and the natural and cultural resources of Alaska’s public lands.
Take time to watch the video on Dick Proenneke titled “Alone in the Wilderness.” Proenneke built himself a cabin and other structures in 1968 using only hand tools. He created a film about this construction. He daily journaled notebooks and calendars with observations about wildlife, the weather, details about his days, and observations on his lifestyle.
He has been called a modern day Thoreau. The difference, however, is that Thoreau lived at Walden Pond for one year. Proenneke lived at his Twin Lakes cabin for 30 years between 1967 and 1998. Visitors to Lake Park National Park and Preserve can still visit the cabin and outbuildings listed on the National Register of Historic Sites in 2007.
The center shows free movies on the hour during the summer at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. The winter hours are 9:00 and 10:00 a.m., noon, and 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. Depending upon the subject such as on the aurora borealis or Brooks Range, these range from 30 minutes to an hour. We returned to see “Aurora - Rivers of Light in the Sky” and weren’t impressed. It was made in 1994 so was out-of-date and technically poor. It did go into detail as to what causes this phenomenon and what the ancient peoples thought of it.
The free one-hour cultural show during the summer, in the theater is worth attending. Hosted by the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of 42 Interior Alaska villages, it’s a combination of music, storytelling, and dancing. At our show, six female and four male Athabascan dancers, in traditional garb, were accompanied by Athabascan fiddler, Bill Stevens, and a guitarist.
They performed to such themes as the Raven and the Fox, the Goose Hunt, and the Igloo Dance. Other dances involved a waltz with audience participants, a fast dance, and a square dance. Shows occur at 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Occupying 9,000 square feet was the superb exhibit “How We Live: The People and the Land” featuring three life-sized dioramas of Interior Alaska’s landscape seasons. It’s a collection of sights and sounds. Summer features a fish camp and a view where the Yukon and Tanana rivers meet. At fall, you view a hunting camp and a grizzly digging for ground squirrels. The winter diorama is a walk-through, public use cabin. Look out its windows, and you’ll see a rendition of the northern lights. Inside is a display on why wilderness matters.
How We Make a Living concerns itself with Fairbank’s economy. Learn about the importance of the land and its resources such as gold, coal, and oil. Watch a video on the Alaska Pipeline. Learn about the contributions of the University of Alaska, the military, and industry to the area. Another display provides information about Morris Thompson, a Koyukon Athabascan, in charge of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Alaska during the 1970's. In 1985, he was CEO of Doyon, Limited which now runs private Denali tours.
Celebration of Communities consists of two rooms of Native American artifacts. Listen to stories of ancestors and note the potlatch case. Find out about hunting methods, living with the land, and the art related to their culture. These art foundations are noticed in the cases of their clothing, moccasins, baskets, and beadwork. An Athabascan whaling boat called an umiak dominates the center of one room.
The Center is open daily year round though hours differ. Summer hours, from mid May to mid September are 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. During the rest of the year, hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It’s located at 101 Dunkel Street and the telephone number is (800) 327-5774. No admission fee.
PIONEER PARK
The park, then called Alaska 67, opened May 27, 1967 for the Alaska 67 Centennial Exposition marking Alaska’s purchase from Russia. Its name was changed to Alaskaland a few months later. Since the name sounded like a Disney amusement park, it became Pioneer Park in 2001 to reflect its historical nature.
In its early days, the park housed a zoo and a midway with amusement rides. Now it is a collection of museums on various topics: pioneer, railroad, Native American, and aviation as well as a center for the arts with an upstairs gallery. Pioneer Park is also home to the Harding Car; Mining Valley, which is home to mining equipment; riverboat Nenana; and a railroad train circling the ground. It houses a carousel, a 36-hole miniature golf course, and lots of the original Fairbanks cabins that were moved here. For those who wish to spend the evening, the park offers a Salmon Bake and a theater show.
While the park is open year round, all the attractions, except for Bear Gallery, are only open daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day from noon to 8:00 p.m. With exceptions noted below, admission to the various museums and houses is free.
HARDING CAR AND RIVERBOAT NENANA
As you enter, you’ll spot the Harding Car also known as the Denali Car. It’s a passenger railroad car named after President Warren G. Harding. The car was one of three to carry the presidential delegation in 1923 when they came to Alaska. On that visit, the president drove the Golden Spike marking completion of the Alaska Railroad between Fairbanks and Seward.
The Alaska Railroad purchased the car from Great Northern in 1923 and continued to have it in service until 1945. In 1959, it was restored and donated to the city of Fairbanks then placed in Alaskaland in 1967.
You’ll also see the riverboat Nenana nicknamed “Queen of the Yukon.” Built in 1933, she was commissioned by the Alaska Railroad. Her parts were manufactured in Seattle and shipped to Nenana where she was constructed. From 1933 to 1954, she plied the Tanana and Yukon Rivers with her primary run between Nenana and Marshall, a distance of 858 miles. She traveled 17 mph down river and 7 mph upriver.
The ship remained active during World War II transporting supplies to a number of military bases. After the war ended, the decline in its passenger revenues, started during the war, continued. In 1949, the Alaska Railroad suspended all river passenger services. After reconditioning in 1952, she only made one more trip north before being leased to the Yutana Barge Lines in 1954 for one season. In 1957, she changed ownership and opened as a museum ship. After moving to a dry berth in 1965, she became Alaskaland’s centerpiece. Since she was the only surviving ship of its type, she became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
The Nenana was mainly a cargo ship holding up to 300 tons and pushing four barges on the Tanana. However, she pushed only one on the Yukon, because of the river’s curves and dangerous conditions. Having showers and toilets, she accommodated up to 30 passengers for sleeping in 24 passenger cabins.
Its engine had one of the most advanced designs of its time. It could recycle approximately 85% of its steam into water and allowed the boat to operate very quietly. She burned wood until 1948 when she switched to burning oil. Regarded as the second largest wooden hull vessel on the western side of the Mississippi, she was 210 feet long, 42 feet wide, rated at 1,028 tons, and had five decks. The Nenana had a crew of 32.
From the exterior, she appears much as she did when she operated. However, her interior has been substantially altered. When visitors enter the ship today, they see, in her center, a huge diorama depicting life along the Tanana and Yukon Rivers. Along her sides are smaller dioramas portraying the many ports where she stopped. You can also go see what her engine looked like as it has remained intact.
JUDGE WICKERSHAM HOUSE
Born in Patoka, Illinois, James Wickersham moved with his wife to Seattle in 1883 where he became a judge. In 1900, President McKinley appointed him the judge of the Third Judicial District in Fairbanks (the other two being Nome and Juneau). He was regarded as one of the most important people in Alaska as no one could overrule his decisions within 3,000 miles.
While in Fairbanks, he worked with E. T. Barnette to develop the small settlement into a city. Through their efforts, the city became incorporated.
In 1908, Wickersham resigned from his judicial post to become Alaska’s territorial delegate to Congress for seven terms. He was a major influence in passing the Organic Act of 1912 granting Alaska territorial status. He also introduced the law to establish McKinley Park (now Denali), the Alaska Railroad Bill, and the first Alaska Statehood Bill in 1916. He was responsible for creating the college which later became the University of Alaska.
On May 16, 1903, Wickersham made the first attempted climb on Mt. Denali along with four companions. They failed when they ran into the mountain face now called the Wickersham Wall.
The house, the first milled lumber home in Fairbanks, was built between 1904-1906. It was distinguished by a white picket fence. The home moved to Pioneer Park in 1967 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The only furniture pieces he owned are the two chairs in the parlor and dining room. The rest is period.
OTHER HOMES
A total of 29 cabins moved to Gold Rush Town from various locations in Fairbanks. These have been restored and many have a small plaque listing their original site. Those that aren’t identified had their information lost in the 1967 flood. Located in the Dr. Stearns’ cabin, who was the first veterinarian, is a 30-minute historical video on the park. This isn’t the only video since UAF Archives is responsible for a variety of historic ones rotated through this cabin. Other cabins are now shops or places to eat.
One you can visit belonged to Kitty Hensley and her daughter Hazel. Originally a tar paper shack, her friend, Captain Smythe, a retired riverboat captain, remodeled it using lumber from his sternwheeler damaged during a spring ice breakup. Smythe built a two-story home with a fine-turned stairwell and decorative fireplace. It moved to the park from 8th Avenue in 1967 and has been furnished with period pieces. It was the home of the park’s first visitor information center.
PIONEER MUSEUM
You’ll find the Pioneer Museum and its show,The Big Stampede, in Gold Rush Town. The free museum reflects the daily lives, work, and recreation of the early settlers via artifact and photo displays. All items are from Fairbanks starting in 1910. The museum is open during the summer from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and during the shoulder seasons with limited hours.
Visit the mining room to learn about placer mining, ground sluicing, and how a dredge works. See old mining equipment or admire detailed dioramas on early gold mining.
Displays include transportation including a replica of a 1901 Ford. Cases include everything from old shoes to household items to medical, engineering, and legal professional tools. The section on statehood includes an old paper proclaiming this event while another area represents an old mercantile store and the items it carried.
At the Big Stampede, the $4 admission for adults and $2 for children is worth it for this 50-minute show. Chairs, placed in the middle, revolve to face each of 15 mural-sized paintings illustrating the history of the Yukon and Fairbanks gold rushes. C. “Rusty” Heurlin, who taught the first art classes at the University of Alaska, painted all of them.
As you face each stationary painting, it is lit up, and you’ll hear narration about it by Ruben Gaines, Alaska’s first Poet Laureate. He was an early broadcaster in the 1950's and 1960's. It was originally designed for the Alaska ‘67 Centennial Exposition in Fairbanks.
You’ll learn about the early pioneers such as Felix Pedro and Judge Wickersham, climb the Chilkoot Pass, and cross Lake Bennett. Learn about underground mining in Fairbanks, travel through Thompson Pass on the way to Valdez, and shoot the White Horse Rapids with Jack London as your guide. Shows take place at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00, 2:30, and 4:00 p.m.
TANANA VALLEY RAILROAD MUSEUM
The Tanana Valley Railroad Engine #1 is the highlight of Pioneer Park’s newest facility, their railroad museum. It’s the oldest operating steam locomotive in Alaska and the Yukon Territory and the oldest Gold Rush era relic in Fairbanks. This museum contains billboards on railroad history with only a few train artifacts.
It was built in 1899 by the H. K. Porter Locomotive Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The engine arrived in Chena, near Fairbanks, on July 4, 1905 for use on the Tanana Valley Railroad. In 1922, she retired and was put on display. The Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad restored her and put her in passenger service in 2000. The running gear is original, but the cab was reconstructed and the boiler replaced. Powered by wood and coal, she is used for special events.
The Crooked Creek & Whiskey Island Railroad, a narrow gauge train, is pulled by another early locomotive dubbed old 67. It departs from the museum every 15 minutes during the summer season. Our 10-minute ride circling the park grounds was not narrated. Fare is $1 for seniors and children ages 12 and under. It’s $2 for everyone else to ride.
OTHER MUSEUMS
The Alaska Native Museum looks at Alaska through such Athabascan artifacts as a wolverine parka and traditional tools. A mural depicts life along the river. Admission is free.
The Pioneer Air Museum is operated by the Interior & Arctic Alaska Aeronautical Foundation. Dedicated to aviation history, it houses 14 antique aircraft, photos, and memorabilia of Alaska’s aviation heritage. It focuses from 1913 to the present. To find it, look for the building resembling a golden airplane hanger. Admission for adults over age 12 is $4. Children can visit for free but must be accompanied by an adult.
For those interested in the arts, you can visit the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts. It’s a combination of theater, art gallery, and meeting hall. The Bear Gallery, on the third floor, shows the work of top Alaska artists. Exhibits change monthly. Summer hours for June, July, and August are from noon to 8:00 p.m., daily. For the rest of the year, it’s noon to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. It’s free.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Other seasonal attractions are the Alaska Salmon Bake and Palace Saloon Show. Reservations for both are (907) 452-7274. We didn’t attend either because of time factors and cost. They are well received by the locals.
The salmon bake has operated for more than 37 years. It combines all-you-can-eat prime rib, wood grilled salmon, and beer-battered cod. Dinner includes a salad bar, baked beans, roasted potatoes, rolls, and beverages. Their snow crab is available as a stand-alone meal or as an add-on. They have a dedicated dessert cabin. Prices for 2016 were $34.95 for adults, $14.95 for ages 9-12, and $9.95 for ages 4-8.
Located in Gold Rush Town is the historic Palace Saloon and the Chena Hotel. It was one of a few downtown buildings surviving the 1906 fire. During the season, at 8:15 p.m. daily, visitors attend the “Golden Heart Revue,” a collection of musical comedy sketches performed at the saloon. It seeks to answer why anyone would build Fairbanks and how the town survived for 100 years. Ticket prices were $22 for adults and $11 for children in 2016.
Children will enjoy the carousel costing $1 a ride. It features the music of an 1890 Berni band organ. Brought from Kirkwood, Illinois, the merry-go-round was built between 1915 and 1920.
Families will enjoy the 36-hole miniature golf course as well as the picnic shelters which are available when not reserved ahead by others. For adults, it’s $5.25 for 18 holes and $7.25 for 36 holes. For children, ages 5-12, it’s $3.50 and $5.50, and for under age five, it’s $1.50 and $2.50.
1910 Gould Cabin - One of a Few Still on Its Original Fairbanks Site
Piper Pa-20 Flown by Episcopal Bishop William Gordon
Free Native Alaskan Cultural Show at Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center
Athabascan Fiddler, Bill Stevens, with Guitarist, Peter, Accompanying the Dancers
Fall Diorama Scene from the Exhibit "How We Live: The People and the Land"
Walk Through Public Use Cabin from "How We Live: The People and the Land"
Display from "Celebration of Communities" Exhibit
A Umiak, An Athabascan Whaling Boat
Entrance to Pioneer Park
Harding Car at Pioneer Park
The Nenana Appearing Much as She Did When Operated on the Rivers
Nenana's Center Diorama Illustrating Life Along the Rivers She Travelled
One of Nenana's Smaller Dioramas Depicting a Port Where She Stopped
Part of Neana's Steam Engine
Judge James Wickersham Home
Strolling Through Pioneer Park's Gold Rush Town
Pioneer Museum - Home to Exhibits and the Big Stampede Show
The Mining Room at the Pioneer Museum
Scene Representing an Old Mercantile Store at the Pioneer Museum
The Crooked Creek & Whiskey Island Railroad
Spotting the Pioneer Air Museum from Its Golden Dome
Home of the "Golden Heart Revue"