The Pedro Gold Dredge at Chicken Gold Camp
CHICKEN
C
hicken is located at mile 66.8 of the Taylor Highway and is 78 miles from Tok. It was originally going to be named Ptarmigan, due to the number of these birds in the area. However, the spelling could not be agreed on and Chicken was chosen because it was easier to spell! If you are driving to Chicken from the Alaska Highway, the road has been reconstructed and is usually in pretty good condition. The Taylor Highway is part of the Top of the World Highway, which leads 108 miles to Dawson City, another famous town with a gold rush history. The history of Chicken is rich and began with the discovery of gold, on Franklin Gulch, in 1886. Ten years later in 1896, Bob Mathieson made a major discovery on Upper Chicken Creek, staked his claim and built a cabin, ushering in a rush of
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prospectors. 700 miners were thought to be working the area between 1896 and 1898. A post office was established in 1903 to serve a population of around 400. The Historic Town of Chicken was a hub of activity for the southern portion of the Fortymile Mining District. Many of the original buildings still stand including “Tisha’s Schoolhouse” made famous by the book “Tisha” about Anne Purdy’s life teaching in this community in 1927. In 1939, the F.E. Company began acquiring claims and built a camp on Nora Bench. In 1953 they bought the town site and turned it into a camp for their dredging operation. Dredge #4 (the Pedro Dredge) was moved from Fairbanks to Chicken in 1959 and was operated until 1967. In 1998, after sitting idle for 31 years, the million pound dredge was moved in one piece to its present location in town. Chicken Gold Camp, RV Park and Outpost with rooms and cabins. The “Outpost” gift store has Alaska artisan made gifts, clothing, jewelry and more. The cafe serves homemade entrees, fresh-baked pastries, espresso drinks, wood-fired pizza and Alaska craft beers. The camp features gold panning, gold mining outings and historic tours. Chicken Gold Camp is a National Historic Site, which includes the Pedro Dredge and mining museum. 1/4 mile south on Airport Road in Chicken. 907-782-4427 Bell’s Travel Guides
