The History of Slana

Slana stretches along the Nabesna Road, which runs south of the Tok Cutoff at mile 63. It lies at the junction of the Slana and Copper Rivers, 53 miles southwest of Tok. It lies at approximately 62° 42' N Latitude, 143° 57' W Longitude (Sec. 29, T011N, R008E, Copper River Meridian). The community is located in the Chitina Recording District. The area encompasses 17 sq. miles of land and 0 sq. miles of water.

Slana is an Indian village name, derived from the river's name. The Nabesna Mine opened in 1923, which employed 60 people at its height. Over thirty different minerals were extracted from this site, although gold was the primary source of profit. It operated sporadically through the late 1940s. Slana developed rapidly in the 1980s when homesteads were offered for settlement by the federal government.

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