Category: Central Interior Alaska

Meandering mining camp? Where is Meehan, Alaska?

The Eagan cabin at Meehan, Alaska—all that’s left of the mining camp Where, oh, where, oh, where is Meehan? That’s what you might wonder looking at different U.S. Geological Survey maps of Fairbanks Creek. ...

Fairbanks Creek–mining camps, churn drills and gold dredges

Churn drill on Fairbanks Creek When I visited Fairbanks Creek in the 1990s there were several old churn drills sitting on the dredge tailings, obscured by trees.  They had probably been sitting there for...

West Coast Grocery warehouse and a ghost of Christmas past

  West Coast Grocery warehouse as it looked in early winter, 2011 The unpretentious metal-sided building at 318 Driveway Street (across from the News-Miner building) looks similar to the NC Company warehouse at the...

Desjardin-Stroecker Farm–a remnant of early Fairbanks agriculture

Desjardin-Stroecker farm as it looked in 1995 The Desjardin-Stroecker Farm, located at 2.5 mile on Farmer’s Loop Road, is one of the few remaining signs of Fairbanks, Alaska’s agricultural past (besides Creamer’s Dairy, which...

Find memories, welcome and soothing waters at Chena Hot Springs, Alaska

Historic cabins at Chena Hot Springs in 2009 Most Westerners exploring the Chena River drainage in the early 1900s had gold fever and were looking to get rich. Robert Swan had rheumatism and was...

All that’s left of Eldorado – Chatanika Valley, Alaska

Eldorado Creek building as it looked in 1994 The Tanana Valley Railroad (which operated from 1905 to 1930 under various names and owners) used to run 35 miles from Fairbanks to Chatanika through country...