Courtesy Riverboat Discovery
Riverboat Discovery on the Chena River
fairbanks
THE GOLDEN HEART CITY
T
he small-town hospitality and pioneer spirit will make your stay in Fairbanks one to remember. It is Alaska’s second largest city with a population of 31,500 and the Fairbanks North Star Borough has a population of almost 100,000, including the nearby military bases. In 1901 Captain E.T. Barnette disembarked from the steamship, Lavelle Young, and set up a temporary trading post on the banks of the Chena River. His temporary post became permanent the following year when Felix Pedro discovered gold in the nearby hills. The gold rush was on and Fairbanks was flooded with miners from all over the world determined to strike it rich. In 1903 Fairbanks was incorporated as a City and was named after Indiana Senator Charles Fairbanks, who later became Vice President. Now, “discovery day” is commemorated each year with a celebration in July called Golden Days. Locals dress in period costumes and there is even a roaming jail that may arrest you if you’re not wearing a Golden Days pin or a garter! There is still active mining in the area and glimpses of the former bonanzas can be seen along the Steese Highway in the huge tailing piles leftover by the gold dredges.
www.BellsAlaska.com
Fairbanks is also the home of several outstanding attractions. The Riverboat Discovery is consistently rated the number one boat tour in Alaska and Gold Dredge 8 is also a visitor favorite. The University of Alaska ‘Museum of the North‘ is highly rated and gives visitors a glimpse into Alaska’s fascinating history. The Antique Auto Museum at Wedgewood Resort has such a fantastic collection of vintage automobiles, period fashion and historical photos that it is ranked by TripAdvisor as the number one attraction in Fairbanks.
Visitor Info The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is home to Explore Fairbanks the organization that oversees the Visitor Center. The 9,000 square-feet of interpretive space features exhibits on the land, the seasons and the peoples of Fairbanks, Interior Alaska and the Arctic. The MTCVC is open seven days a week from 8am to 9pm in summer and 8am to 5pm in the winter. Free Wi-fi. In historic downtown Fairbanks at 101 Dunkel Street. 907-456-5774 or 800-327-5774 Fairbanks Alaska Public Lands Information Center Information on accessing public lands in Alaska state and federal parks, forests and refuges. 101 Dunkel Street. 907-459-3730 Interior Alaska
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