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of Fairbanks
Three great rivers of Interior Alaska the Chena, the Yukon, and the Tanana have affected, and continue to affect, the history and development of Fairbanks.
Fairbanks was founded in 1901 when the sternwheeler Lavelle Young ran aground and forced E.T. Barnette ashore on the banks of the Chena River. A footloose fortune hunter, Barnette was looking to establish a trading post further up the Tanana River but shallow waters prohibited him from doing so, so he reluctantly established the Chena River trading post that would later become known as Fairbanks.
A year after Barnette's accidental arrival, prospector Felix Pedro struck gold in the area and started a stampede, the first explosion in Fairbanks history of booms and busts. With those booms and busts, the rivers and sternwheelers provided a mode of transportation for fortune seekers making their way to Fairbanks.
While sternwheelers are no longer used for transportation, due to airplanes and the construction of the Alaskan Highway, they are still available for today's visitor to Fairbanks to see and enjoy. One example is the reconstructed sternwheeler Nenana, which has been placed in dry dock in the historic theme park Alaskaland. This famous craft traveled Alaska's riverways for many years as the seasons permitted, bringing passengers and freight to Fairbanks. Restored to its original condition, the Nenana offers visitors a first-hand look at life as it was in those early years.
The other sternwheeler attraction in Fairbanks is the 156-foot Riverboat Discovery III, which allows the visitor to relive some of this history long ago, rivers and all. The sternwheeler is operated by a pioneering riverboat family, the Binkleys, and is one of the most popular attractions in the Interior. The narrated trip includes a dog sledding demonstration by famed musher Susan Butcher, a visit to an Athabascan fishing village and the muddy merger of the Chena and Tanana Rivers. The sternwheeler departs twice a day, seven days a week, from late May until mid-September.
The rivers also provide opportunities for much of the area's recreation. Visitors can enjoy a pleasant afternoon fishing in the various lakes and rivers accessible by road from Fairbanks. Rafts, boats and canoes are available for rent with or without guides. Fly-in fishing expeditions are also available for those who have a little more time and want a little more adventure. The visitor can stay in his/her own camp, a small cabin or in a comfortable lodge located a few miles from town.
Visitors don't have to be fishing enthusiasts to enjoy the rivers. Guides and outfitters will take sightseers on scenic river trips by canoe, raft or jet boat. For the ultimate thrill, there's whitewater rafting in Denali National Park. And, for those who like to watch, there's the Yukon 800 Marathon Boat Race in June. This grueling riverboat race covers 800 miles on three rivers from Fairbanks to Galena and back, in two days! This is a race not to miss and is made even better by watching it from the deck of one of the local restaurants that overlook the Chena.
In the winter, the rivers are frozen over but that doesn't stop the number of activities that are available. Ice fishing for burbot or grayling is a popular activity and the miles of frozen rivers are a haven for snowmachiners, cross country skiiers, and dog mushers.
For more information of for a free copy of the Fairbanks Visitors Guide, call 1-800-327-5774 or write to the Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau, 550 1st Avenue, Fairbanks, AK 99701. Internet users can contact the Bureau at info@explorefairbanks.com or visit the FCVB web site at www.explorefairbanks.com.
Copyright © Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau. Used here with permission.
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