Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center
This Stop: 101 Dunkel Street -Next Stop: The Antler Arch between here and the river -The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is a wealth of culture and information. It is free to enter and should be everybody’s first stop in Fairbanks! Inside you’ll find a 9,000 square foot exhibit that depicts the people and culture of interior Alaska. There are films that run all day and local staff to answer any questions that you might have about the area. I encourage you to visit the rangers at Public Lands office who can provide passport stamps, interpretive programs, and if you have kids with you, Junior Ranger Badges for learning about Interior Alaska’s National Parks. There is a small Alaska Geographic store here, as well as, clean, well maintained restrooms.The center is named after Morris Thompson. He was an Athabascan born in the Tanana Valley. Thompson was an important figure in the adoption of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) adopted in 1971. He then, at the age of 34, became the youngest commissioner ever of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.Morris Thompson went on to work for Doyon Limited, one of the Regional Alaska Native Corporations. In 1985, he took over as President at a time when the company had an operating loss of -$28,000,000. By the time he retired, 15 years later, Doyon was earning over $70,000,000 a year.Alaska lost this enigmatic leader in a plane accident in 2001. The Center was dedicated in 2008 and named after Morris Thompson to honor his many contributions to the state and the Alaska Native Community.When you leave the Visitor's center, turn Right and make your way to the Antler arch that leads to the river
Antler Arch - Fairbanks River Walk
You are going in the right direction! Keep walking toward the Antler Arch that you see on the trail that leads to the Chena River. This iconic arch was created in 2010 using over 100 antlers collected from all over the state. The largest set of moose antlers came from Nikolai, harvested by a young boy on his first hunt. There is a little more information about the making of this arch on a sign to its left. The names of all of the individuals and communities that donated antlers to this project are carved into each antler. It’s a testament to the collaborative effort of the community in creating this beautiful structure.Local artist Sandy Jamieson played a crucial role in the installation of the Antler Arch. He meticulously intertwined the antlers, knitting them together to represent the shared experiences of the families and friends who harvested these animals together.As you take in the beauty of the Antler Arch, make sure to get your camera ready for a photo. It's a great way to commemorate your trip to Alaska. You won’t be alone, this serves as a popular photo stop for locals and visitors alike. You may even see a wedding shoot. After taking your photo, continue under the arch and walk along the pathway toward the river. Turn left to walk along the Chena River toward the center of downtown.
Chena River and directional
Continue to stroll along the Chena Riverwalk. If you were to follow this paved path from one end to the other, it would be about 3.5 miles long. The Chena is a 100-mile freshwater river with 5 tributaries. Not far from here, it flows into the Tanana River, which empties into the Yukon River. This river played an important role in the history of Fairbanks from its' very beginnings in 1901 when a hopeful trader rolled the dice, taking a sternwheeler up an unexplored waterway... but more about that later. Once Fairbanks was established, people and supplies arrived and left town via the sternwheelers that navigated the shallow water here. With the construction of highways, railroads and airports, the river is no longer a necessary transportation route, but it still remains a focal point of community activity. In the winter, after freeze-up, the river is used as a snowmobile, dog team and cross-country ski trail. In the summer, the river is utilized by floatplanes as a runway and hosts canoe & boat races. If you wait around long enough, you might see some of our quirky residents paddling downstream in rather questionable crafts that one can only hope are water worthy. The annual Rubber Ducky Race held during Golden Days Festival in the middle of July is a major event on the river today. The Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce hosts this event where they release 8000 rubber ducks at the Wendler Street Bridge, upriver behind you and these duckies race down the river to the Cushman Street Bridge which we will se later on this tour. Each duck is numbered to match a ticket... and the first 40 ducks are the winners! It is quite a spectacle and attracts a huge crowd! There are great prizes, including big money for first place ($5000-$10,000 dollars depending on if you buy a yellow $5 ticket or a pink $10 ticket). Tickets are sold online, at local businesses, and on the street during the Golden Days Event... If you just have to participate, we've included a link below that explains the whole thing in greater detail!Continue along the river until you are prompted to take side path on your left. That will be our next stop.
WWII Lend/Lease Monument
Turn left here onto the path that shoots off of the main trail. You will see an aviation themed statue. This is our next stop.This is known as the Lend-Lease Memorial. From the side where you enter, you will see a plaque on the base that is one of 2 memorial plaques here to honor the women who served in the war.In 1941, the Germans led an attack that dealt a crushing blow to the Russians. The Russians appealed to the US gov. to include them in the lend-lease program, designed for our allies, through which we supplied war materials. The US & Russian allies worked out a plan in 1942, to use Fairbanks as a transfer point for lend-lease war aircraft. And thus, the Russian “invasion” of Fairbanks began.The Russian’s stationed in Fairbanks were under strict rules not to fraternize with the Americans, yet there was a need for interaction to do business. On top of this list was the need to train the Russian pilots, who spoke little to no English, on how to fly the American planes. Translators from both sides were kept busy.American pilots considered the Russian pilots to be cocky and risky. One pilot instructor said that a daring Russian pilot asked only four questions through an interpreter before taking off in his plane. 1) How to start it. 2) Maximum pressure and RPM for take off. 3) How to keep oil and coolant temp’s up. And 4) How to work the radio! He took off sure that he could figure out the rest, which he did.Tensions were high between the two groups. The Soviet Mechanic’s were very picky about the planes being in top condition, pressuring the American’s to put in extra work to make them perfect. They were so finicky that it was surmised that those mechanics would be punished back in Russia for any mechanical issues that the pilots might have.By the end of the war, the US had transferred over 7,924 planes to Russia via Fairbanks. They took minimum instruction, painted the red star on the wings, and flew off over the ocean. More than 100 Russian pilots died (76 planes crashed) on the 3,500 mile flight to Russia.It was said that, in the end, the cost of the airplanes given to the Russia surpassed the original purchase price of Alaska.Exit the memorial on the same path that you came in on to continue your journey along the river. Up ahead you will see a pedestrian bridge across the Chena that is our next stop.
Pedestrian Bridge & Utilidor
Up ahead on your right is the William Randsom Wood Centennial Bridge. On your left is a painted pipe known as a utilidor. We are going to go straight. The bridge is for pedestrians & bicycles and is part of the Chena River Pathway system. The bridge’s namesake, the late Dr. Wood, was the 4th president of the University of Alaska, served as Fairbanks mayor, and was the founder of Festival Fairbanks and more. The bridge was completed and dedicated on September 5, 2003 in honor of Dr. Wood and coinciding with the centennial of the founding of Fairbanks.That giant snorkel-shaped painted pipe on the left, across from the entrance to the bridge, is one of Fairbank's famous Utilidors!Many commercial buildings in downtown Fairbanks have oddly low heating costs! About 70 downtown customers receive steam heat and hot water from “waste heat” from the power plant. It is piped beneath the streets of downtown through a series of underground tunnels called utilidors.The utilidors also house other utilities such as communications, gas and electrical lines.The utilidor needs an air exchange and the 23 “snorkels” scattered throughout downtown provide both air intake and exhaust. The snorkels are built high enough to vent steam above vehicles, preventing ice fog from developing at windshield level.The vent pipes used to be kind of an eyesore until they became canvases for a project calledPaint the Pipes, a community-driven project that aims to add color and vibrancy to the city's infrastructure. The project involves painting the many pipes that run throughout the city, transforming them into works of art. The project began when a group of volunteers painted the pipes near the downtown area. Since then, the initiative has grown and expanded to other areas of the city, with more and more people getting involved each year.Continue along the river
The Time Capsule & Carillion Clock Tower
On your right, you will see our local time capsule, and on your left is the Carillion Clock Tower. If you look back the way you came, when standing in front of the clock, you'll see a building in the background. That building is the Rabinowitz Courthouse, where you can also find a shining work of art installed on the wall called "Arctic Sonata" by artist Keith Appel, adding a bright splash of color to a white winter day.Now, let's talk about the 33-foot-high Carillion Clock Tower, which was donated to the city by the Fairbanks Rotary Club in 1990. It commemorates the Rotary's first fifty years of service to Fairbanks. The clock chimes and plays music at least every 15 minutes, with a repertoire of many different songs that can be programmed to play throughout the day. However, this clock has had a lot of issues over the last three decades. Originally, it was wired to a building that used to stand where the Rabinowitz courthouse is now.In the beginning, the music and Westminster chimes could be programmed from that building. However, earthquakes severed the connection even before the destruction of the old building. Then, it was reworked to be programmed remotely. Frustratingly, it turned out that every car auto-starter would trigger the clock, in addition to police radios! Eventually, John Benevento, known as Benny to his friends, changed it to be programmed on-site. He managed it until his passing in June of 2020.The time capsule was created in 1987 during the construction of the Golden Heart Park. It is scheduled to be opened in 2059, the 100th anniversary of Alaska's statehood. The capsule contains nearly 200 items of memorabilia from the year 1984 that typify the lives led by Fairbanks residents during the period of the 25th Anniversary of Alaska Statehood. Constructed entirely of portions of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline and set in concrete nearly three feet into the ground, it weighs approximately 200 pounds.From here, you will continue to the statue in the center of the plaza, which is our next stop.
Stop 7: Golden Heart Plaza
Golden Heart Park and the Statue, “The Unknown First Family” The idea of this downtown plaza stemmed from a celebration of the silver anniversary of Alaska’s statehood in 1984. Construction was completed in 1987. Year round the plaza plays a central role in any downtown Fairbanks celebration.The park features a statue called "The Unknown First Family" by Malcolm Alexander, which honors the first people who settled Alaska and the interior region, with faces that conceal any sign of race or ethnic origin, honoring all. At the opening, the artist stated it as: "Portraying the family of all mankind, the family of Fairbanks, and the nuclear family, let this statue symbolize, for families present and future, the pride and dignity of this great land." The sculpture was paid for entirely by private and corporate donations.Walk toward the river. You will see a marker here recoding the flood level that the Chena river reached in August of 1967.FAIRBANKS FLOOD of 1967In the summer of 1967, heavy rains in Fairbanks caused one of the worst disasters in the history of Alaska. 50 years later the National Weather Service partnered with other agencies to create and install interpretive displays and high water marks throughout the city in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of this major event.Fairbanks and the interior region have had a long history of flooding during unseasonably heavy rains or spring break-up. Despite their experience, nothing prepared Fairbanks residents for the devastating flood that occurred in August of 1967. Between August 8th and 15th, Fairbanks received 6.15 inches of rain, more than half the total annual precipitation. The entire city was under water. Only surrounding high areas such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus were spared. The Cushman St. Bridge was entirely under water and many buildings saw eight feet of water and silt inside before the waters began to recede. Thankfully due to the large numbers of boats and rescue equipment available from the military installations, loss of life was kept very low with only three reported deaths. Over 6,500 people were evacuated to the university campus. The city sustained over $84 million dollars in damage. In response to this devastating event, a multi-million dollar Chena Flood Control Project was constructed to divert flood waters away from the city. .Now look across the river at the steepled white church.Immaculate Conception Catholic ChurchThis is Fairbanks' first Catholic Church, built in 1904 by Father Francis Monroe It was originally located at First and Dunkle Streets on the other side of the river. In the winter of 1911, volunteers jacked the church off its foundation and used horses to pull it across the frozen Chena River to a new location closer to St. Joseph's Hospital, which is now Denali State Bank. During a 1914 renovation, the church roof was raised, a vestibule, and bell tower were added as well as the addition of a new two story rectory on one side of the church. When visiting the church, note the tin-covered walls and ceiling, the handsome wood wainscoting, and the beautiful stained-glass windows. The church has changed little over the years and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Immaculate Conception is still an active congregation. Continue walking past the statue you're headed for the log cabin just past the park on your left.
Stop 8: Barnette's Landing & Milepost Circle
The log cabin, constructed of white spruce cut in the Rosie Creek area, was built in 1958-59 to commemorate Alaska statehood. Early residents used sod extensively as a roofing material because it was available, free, and provided good insulation.Formerly the home of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the cabin now houses the Yukon Quest Information Center and Gift Cache. This shop used to be found at Pioneer Park and moved to its new location at the beginning of 2009 after the FCVB relocated to the Morris Thompson Visitor’s Center.Now walk to the fence by the river behind the far edge of the cabin. Welcome the to birthplace of Fairbanks and Barnette Landing. Hang out and enjoy the view while I tell you the story of Fairbanks accidental beginnings!The location of Fairbanks is based on an error in judgment and a few lucky breaks.Captain E.T. Barnette's goal in 1901 was to set up a trading post in Tanacross, where the Tanana River crossed the Valdez-Eagle trail. But on the way, he wrecked his own boat and was stranded at the village of St. Michael on the west coast of Alaska. He persuaded the Charles Adams, Captain of the steamer “Lavelle Young,” to take him up the Tanana River.“Adams checked with more experienced river men who felt it unlikely the Lavelle Young could get beyond Chena Slough. After negotiating a $6000 shipping fee with Barnette, Adams wisely inserted a provision in their contract stating that if the boat got beyond the mouth of the Chena but couldn’t go further, Barnette and party would get off wherever that spot was.When the Tanana river became too shallow to continue, Barnette convinced the Captain to try going up the Chena, saying that he believed there was a way around.The Captain reluctantly agreed, but told him that if they got stuck, even once, he would unload him and his $20,000 worth of goods right at that spot (because it would be too dangerous to try to go back down the river with a heavily loaded boat as they could get hung up on a sandbar). Barnette agreed.When, about seven miles up the Chena, the water became too shallow, the Captain unceremoniously and forcibly dumped Barnette, his wife, business partner, and their 3 hired hands off on a high bank of the Chena River with all of their supplies. It was August of 1901. The Captain offer them passage, but Barnette refused, choosing to stay with his hired hands and build a shelter for his goods. The “Lavelle Young” left them there while Barnette’s wife, reported, was sobbing on the bank.THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE THEY WERE LEFT!Barnette was working on a way to move his goods to Tanacross, when he was gifted with another option as two prospectors appeared out of the wilderness.Felix Pedro and Tom Gilmore, miners in the hills north of town, saw the smoke from the “LaVelle Young” and walked toward it. Meeting the miners and learning that there were other prospectors in the area persuaded Captain Barnette to set up a trading post where he was until he could move his goods to Tanacross.Felix and Tom got a “grubstake” from Barnette, basically given the food they needed on a promise that they would pay for it when they struck gold. They went back out in search of it…Barnette never did move his trading post to Tanacross and this new settlement became Fairbanks, named in honor of Charles Fairbanks, a Republican senator from Indiana. It was named Fairbanks after Barnette meet with Judge Wickersham later that year who agreed to promote the new city if it was named after his friend and mentor.Wickersham made good on his promise, moving the Federal Court to the fledgling town.Barnette, in the meantime, stirred up a lot of trouble. He sold his tradingpost. He sent people out and about stating that Fairbanks was the new Yukon and that they had discovered gold there. People flocked to town, but there was no gold (yet) and the trading post was out of goods, thus began a winter of starvation, People left town as quickly as they had come, but then Felix did discover a big gold strike in 1902, bringing people back!Barnette started a bank. Became a prominent business man in town until it was discovered that he had some shady dealings in his past. True or not, his reputation was ruined by the allegations. It was said that he embezzled from the bank and was run out of town without a trial. Fairbanks‘ founder and benefactor, left town in disgrace.____________________________________________MORE ON Felix Pedro: 1898 found Felix trying to reach Circle City when he became lost and was soon nearly out of food. It was then that he stumbled across the richest gold-bearing creek he had ever seen.He and his partner marked the find and continued on to Circle City. He needed to earn money for supplies. He searched for years, but never found his way back to his great gold river, naming it “Lost Creek.”Three years later, he and Tom Gilmore were in the hills near present day Fairbanks, still searching for gold. On August 26, 1901, out of provisions and exhausted, they began the 165 mile walk back to Circle City. From the top of a hill, Pedro and his partner saw the smoke from the LaVelle Young, and headed toward the steamboat, hoping the men on board had extra food to sell.Felix Pedro struck gold on July 22, 1902, in a creek 12 miles north of E. T. Barnette's Trading Post.A little side note: The “Lavelle Young” riverboat sank in about 1930. The Pioneers of Alaska organization felt that the history of the Lavelle Young was too important to leave it to rest in a watery grave. They rescued the wheelhouse, restored it, and today it is on display at Pioneer Park here in Fairbanks.Continue walking now. on the other side of these bushes, you'll see an obelisk. this is the final milepost marker of the Alaska-Canada Highway, built in 8 months by the Army corps of engineers during World War Two. Just beyond the milepost marker, you'll see the bridge of flags.BRIDGE OF FLAGS symbolizes Fairbanksan’s strong belief in freedom of opportunity, historic origins of residents and individual lifestyles. The 50 state flags are typically flown and are changed periodically to highlight historic community events. Continuning along this street, Please crossover both bridges when it is safe to do so. Our next stop is on the other side of these two bridges, but still here along the riverbank.
Cushman Street "Bridge of Flags"
This is the Cushman Street Bridge, a true Fairbanks landmark.In the early 1900’s, The first bridges here were made of wood—built with frontier optimism. They were no match for the chena’s mighty spring break-up when the rushing ice would crush them like toothpicks, leaving Fairbanks split in two until a new one could be built.That changed in 1917, when the first permanent steel-truss bridge was constructed.Today’s modern version, completed in 2015, feature a sleek design and color-changing LED lights that glow like northern lights at night. And if you look up, you’ll see a row of flags representing the United States, Canada, and Alaska—symbols of Fairbanks’ position at the crossroads of the Arctic and the international north.During the early days, locals would gather here in the dead of winter to watch sled dog teams take off down the frozen Chena, turning the river into a racetrack. And during Prohibition? Let’s just say this quiet stretch of water may have carried more than a few ‘liquid goods’ beneath the bridge.Please be safe as you cross this busy road as we continue our riverwalk.
Stop 12: Key Bank of Alaska
We will be continuing along the river, so you will need to cross over the second bridge when it is safe to do so. But allow me to point out the large beige building on the other side of first avenue. It is now Keybank of Alaska. The current building may have been completed in 1982, but the history of the bank on this lot goes back to the early 1900s. It was here that “Square Sam” Bonnifield – a miner turned gambler turned banker who was given his nickname because he had been an honest gambler in Circle City – built the First National Bank of Fairbanks in 1905. Bought by Barnette in 1909 and subsequently run by his partner, R.C. Wood, the First National Bank of Fairbanks survived the 1911 banking fiasco that caused Barnette to flee from Fairbanks in the middle of the night. In 1952, First National Bank had a time and temperature sign installed that became one of the most photographed signs in Fairbanks, especially when the temperatures drop to the negative 30's and 40's. First National was the oldest national bank in the state before becoming Key Bank of Alaska in 1989. If you have not yet crossed the second bridge, please do so now. Our next stop is along the river about a block up.
Bathhouse/Oddfellow Hall/Golden North Rebekah Lodge
Built in 1907 and owned by Cora Madole, a fortune teller from Dawson City, this building served as the First Avenue Bathhouse until 1910 when the pipes froze and burst. Mrs. Madole’s daughter-in-law, Clara Rust, helped her operate the bathhouse and is the subject of Jo Anne Wold’s book This Old House. The front first floor housed “Doc” Overgaard’s clinic, and the front second floor served as Mr. Madole’s apartment. The bathhouse was located in the rear of the building.Shortly after the bathhouse closed, the Oddfellows purchased the building. Felix Pedro, whose gold discovery in 1902 precipitated the Tanana Valley gold rush, was a member of this organization. The Odd Fellows is a fraternal organization that started in 18th century England as a union of sorts, with workers protecting each other. Fraternal and sororal organizations were welcomed in Alaska in the early days and were the center of social life.In 1963, the Golden North Rebekah Lodge purchased the building and has maintained the hall continuously since then. The building retains its original appearance and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Built in 1907 and owned by Cora Madole, a fortune teller from Dawson City, this building served as the First Avenue Bathhouse until 1910 when the pipes froze and burst. Mrs. Madole’s daughter-in-law, Clara Rust, helped her operate the bathhouse and is the subject of Jo Anne Wold’s book This Old House.The front first floor housed “Doc” Overgaard’s clinic, while the front second floor served as Mr. Madole’s apartment. The bathhouse was located in the rear of the building. Shortly after the bathhouse closed, the Odd Fellows purchased the building. Felix Pedro, whose gold discovery in 1902 precipitated the Tanana Valley gold rush, was a member of this organization.The Odd Fellows is a fraternal organization that started in 18th century England as a union of sorts, with workers protecting each other. Fraternal and sororal organizations were welcomed in Alaska in the early days and were the center of social life. The Golden North Rebekah Lodge, a women's branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, bought the building in 1963. They faithfully preserved its original appearance for over 90 years. The general duties of the members of this unit were,“ To live peaceably, do good unto all, as we have opportunity and especially to obey the Golden Rule, Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.” Due to declining membership the Rebekah Lodge closed it’s doors in 2007. Since the closure it has served as a museum and an antique store, keeping history alive with memories and memorabilia. The building is recognized as a historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Keep walking down the riverwalk.
George C Thomas Library
From 1906 to 1908, Fairbanks’ first library was a screened-off section in St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. When Philadelphia banker George C. Thomas read an appeal for more reading material in a church publication, he donated $4,000 toward a new building and $3,000 toward the operation of the library and smoking room. He thought that the miners should know the joy of reading while smoking a 10 cent cigar. Consequently, a library building was constructed in 1909 on the corner of First Avenue and Cowles Street and named after its benefactor, a man who never traveled to Alaska. In its first year of operation, the library circulated over 10,700 books. The library was the site of a meeting between Judge Wickersham and Athabaskan Indian chiefs to discuss Native land issues and is recognized as the site of the first native land claims meeting. In July, 1942, the Episcopal Church turned the building over to the city of Fairbanks, which continued to operate the library until 1981 when the new Noel Wien Library opened. The building ownership reverted back to the church and was later sold. It is listed on the National Register of Historical Sites.
R.C. Wood House
The R.C. Wood house at 927 First Avenue is one of the oldest homes remaining in Fairbanks. Banker R.C. Wood built it in 1908, and, although more recent owners added onto the house, it has been well maintained. It is an example of an early frame, rather than log, home.July 23, 1923, was an important day in Fairbanks. At 10 a.m. President Warren G. Harding, the first chief executive to visit the territory, addressed a crowd at Weeks Field, in celebration of the completion of the Alaska Railroad. It was to be decades later before another sitting president visited Alaska.Harding also spoke at the Masonic Temple on First Avenue, and allegedly ate dinner at the R.C. Wood home down the street. Weeks Field is gone now, replaced by the Arctic Bowl building and the Fairview Manor Apartments, but the temple and the Wood house remain, as well as assorted other historic buildings.
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
Tanana Chiefs on river
coop ! on 2nd & 3rd
Barnette Landing Beautification Project
You are heading in the right direction! As you look at the decorative fences along the riverbanks, see if you can find the little people in the carvings looking back at you. These designs are a part of the riverside beautification project that celebrates the landing of E.T. Barnette on the south bank of the Chena River on August 26, 1901. Festival Fairbanks Inc., a local community and service organization, has undertaken this extensive project. Continue walking along the water. Our next stop is just passed Wickersham Street.
Former Site of Fairbanks Masonic Temple
The flag pole that you see across the street to your left marks where the Masonic temple used to sit. The roof of the 112 year old building collapsed under the weight of snow in 2018. declared a hazard, the city tore the rest down the next day. Fraternal organizations played an important role in Fairbanks’ formative years as they do today. Formed in 1904, the Tanana Masonic Club was one of the first. The original one-story structure, built in 1906 by the Tanana Commercial Company, was purchased by the Masons in 1908. E.T. Barnette’s original trading post was once located on this lot. The front of the simply designed building had bay windows. The rest of the building was sheathed in tin. Over the years, the Masons built the rear addition and added a second story for lodge rooms and the Main Hall. Continuing to rent out the first floor as a store, they built a basement under the building in 1913. In 1916, the Eclectic Renaissance revival style facade was added, providing a perfect backdrop for President Harding when he addressed Fairbanksans from the steps of the building in 1923. Continue walking along the waterfront.
