The History of Anderson

Anderson lies on a spur road which spans 6 miles west off the George Parks Highway, 76 miles southwest of Fairbanks and 285 miles north of Anchorage. Clear Air Force Station is located within the City boundaries. It lies at approximately 64° 25' N Latitude, 149° 15' W Longitude (Sec. 05, T007S, R008W, Fairbanks Meridian). The community is located in the Nenana Recording District. The area encompasses 47 sq. miles of land and 0 sq. miles of water.

The city is named for Arthur Anderson, one of several homesteaders who originally settled in the area in the late 1950s. In 1959, Mr. Anderson subdivided his 80-acre homestead into 1/4 acre lots for sale. Most of these lots were purchased by civilian workers from Clear Air Force Station, a ballistic missile early warning site, completed in 1961. An elementary school was established in the community in 1961, and Anderson incorporated as a City in 1962. A road was completed between Anderson and Nenana, which allowed easy access to Fairbanks. North, vehicles were ferried across the Tanana River at Nenana until 1968, when a $6 million steel bridge was completed. By 1971, the George Parks Hwy. was constructed, which enabled road access to Anchorage.


To Community Histories Index Alaska DCCED Community Database Online


History and map graphic used with permission from the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development