Have you ever given thought to what it must be like to be a State Trooper in a region as vast and rugged as Alaska? The Museum will take you back to the time when the Alaska Highway Patrol was formed in 1941. It went through a series of name changes from the Alaska Territorial Police in 1953, to the Alaska State Police in 1959 (following statehood) and finally the Alaska State Troopers in 1967.

The Alaska State Troopers are responsible for both criminal and traffic law enforcement in Alaska. This is because of the remoteness of so many areas of the state and lack of local government.

The Museum tells the story of the Troopers in this unusual, rugged and far-flung jurisdiction of Alaska.

Some of the exhibits you will find at the museum include information on the first serial killer in Alaska. The guys name was Ed Krause who preyed on unattached men in southeast Alaska. He was an army deserter who left his regiment in China and came to Alaska. He even ran for the Territorial Legislature in 1912 as a prominent socialist. He was convicted of murder in 1917. He was also suspected of murdering at least 8 other men between 1912 and 1915. He was sentenced to death by hanging but broke out of jail two days before the scheduled execution. He was killed by a homesteader on Admiralty Island several days after his escape when he arrived there in a stolen skiff.

You will see some of the uniforms that were worn by the police early in their time. You can also see the 1951 Hudson Hornet which has been restored. The Hudson was a fabulous handling car, easy ride, lots of power and perfect for those days when you were sitting in a car for a long time while working. Then of course you can see the patches and insignias from law enforcement agencies from every state. They are arranged so you can find your state’s patches easily.

Think about the technology of today and then compare it to what was used years ago. The antique radios, communications devices, handcuffs and leg irons are on display for you to see.

The Museum is FREE to visit.

Open: 10 – 4 M-F and 12 noon to 4 on Saturdays. Closed the usual holidays and state designated holidays.

Location: 245 West 5th Ave, Anchorage, A
K 99501

Phone: 907-279-5050 or 800-770-5050

Email: contactus@alaskatroopermuseum.com

Alaska Trooper Museum – Anchorage, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

While planning a trip to Alaska one of the things that you will want to make sure you schedule is time to go watch the whales along the coastline of Alaska. There are different times to see the various whales from when they begin their migration from the warm waters of Mexico in February and arriving in Alaska waters in April. There are also various species of whales that can be seen throughout Alaska during the months of May – September. The best way to see them is to take a tour that is specifically structured to show you these magnificent mammals.

If you are interested in seeing the Gray whales you will probably want to be in Ketchikan, Kitka, Kodiak or Seward during the months of April and May. During this time they are moving to the far north Alaska water of the Bering Sea and are usually there by late April. The name for the gray whales comes from its mottled gray body color. They fiercely defended their calves and themselves against whalers, thus earning the nickname “devilfish”. This whale is now known for its curiosity. The gray whale is a baleen whale. The average length for the male gray whale is 39 feet with female being slightly larger. They live for over 40 years.

These entertaining whales can be seen standing on their head in shallow water. They occasionally will raise their heads above the water and check out what is around them. They usually travel alone or in small groups except furing feeding and mating time when they form together in larger groups. These are the whales that breach creating a loud noise and big splash. Certainly something to see. Now, whether they do this to communicate or to free themselves of the of some of the sea lice or barnacles from their skin isn’t truly known.

The Gray Whale is the only baleen whale to be bottom feeders. They eat tub worms, plankton, mollusks and small crustaceans found in the sediment on the bottom of the ocean.

The Beluga whales can be seen along Cook Inlet going south from Anchorage along what is known as Turnagain Arm in the spring through fall months. These whales are able to be viewed year round in the southern Alaska waters of Shelikof Strait between Katmai National park and the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island.

The Beluga whale is still on the Endangered Species List where it was entered in 2008. At the latest count there are only 321 Beluga whales left in the cook inlet, down from 1,300 in 1979.

The famous Humpback Whales can be seen during the summer months in the Barren Islands between Homer and Kodial. June and July are the best months for seeing these enormous whales. Over 500 of them make Southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage their home during the months of summer. So, when you want to see them you will want to plan on lining up a tour during the spring, summer and fall when they are in the cooler waters around Alaska.　

Humpback’s are usually found in groups of four to five but generally travel and feed individually. Humpback whales breech, throwing themselves completely out of the water. You may also see them swimming on their back with both flippers in the air. They are known for tail lobbing, raising its huge fluke out of the water and slapping it on the water surface. Researchers believe this is a form of communication as the slaps can be heard for long distances underwater.

If you are going to be in Alaska’s northern and eastern areas of the Gulf of Alaska in July and August you may be able to see the Blue whales. You will need to take a tour to see them since they are more often seen in open water and rarely near the shoreline.

The Blue whale is the largest of all whales and most notably it is the largest animal on earth today. It can grow to be 110 feet long and weigh in excess of 200 tons. The baby blue whale drinks approximately 100 gallons of its mother’s fat rich milt every day for the first seven months of its life.

They are dark blue in color. They migrate away from Alaska in the winter months to warmer waters off Baja California where they mate and give birth to their young. They are known to live up to 90 years but have an average lifespan expectancy of 35 to 40 years. They are loners and travel most often alone of in small pods of two or three. They are known to often have Fin whales with them. The Fin is the second largest whale species.

You may be able to see the blue whales in the Bering Sea with larger concentrations around the Aleutian Islands. These whales were near extinction but are now making a come back.

Have you heard of the Killer whales? These are the Orca whale and are in the area between early May to early June with some being spotted during the months of June through September. They are usually seen near Seward in the waters of Resurrection Bay.

These are actually a member of the dolphin family. They are the largest, fastest and most powerful members of the dolphin family. They are called killer whales because they are great hunters. These are social animals and live in family-related pods which may have as many as 40 members.

They eat sea lions, fish, squid, seals, penguins, dolphins, porpoises and large whales like the blue whale. Resident pods that live in primarily in one area seem to prefer fish whereas pods that are more transient prefer a variety of marine animals. They are successful hunters because the whole pod participates and works together while hunting.

During the summer months, from June to September, the northern resident whales can generally be seen from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska. They prefer to live in coastal waters in cooler regions.

The orca or killer whale is readily identified. With it’s pointed dorsal fin of up to 6 feet tall and shiny black and white bodies typically sporting a white patch behind the eyes.

There are many Whale watching tours available in Alaska. Depending on where you are going and which ones you are most interested in you will be able to find the right tour operator for your needs.

Whale Watching – Coastline, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

Visit the Past at Bering Land Bridge National Park – Bering, Alaska

When you are interested in learning about the past, say 12,000 calendar years past, you may want to visit Beringia in Alaska.  During the Last Ice Age, the water level of the oceans were about 300 feet lower then they are today.  This provided for a land link that connected Alaska and Asia.  Today Bering Land Bridge National Park covers 2.7 million acres of wilderness preserve on the northern Seward Peninsula.  The park covers mountains, the central sections of the peninsula and the northernmost extension of the continental divide.  It is 100 miles north of Nome, Alaska.

Most archeologists agree that it was across this Bering Land Bridge, also called Beringia, that humans first passed from Asia to populate the Americas. The Preserve’s western boundary lies 42 miles from the Bering Strait and the fishing boundary between the United States and Russia.  The people of these two areas people have common language, traditions and depend on the same environment.

Today Bering Land Bridge National Preserve provides archeologists and paleontologists a chance to explore the past, while the native Inupiat still utilize the land as their ancestors did long ago.  This mix of past and present make for a unique opportunity to do some travel into areas that will provide you with sites that you will not see anyplace else on earth. 

Unless you are familiar with the area it is suggested that you only visit in the company of a guide, whether it is for a day or for a multi-day adventure.  To actually see the sites and understand what you are seeing you will be far better off with the advice and experience of a guide.  To access to the area you will need to go by small plane or small boat in summer; ski plane, snowmobile, or dogsled in winter. Facilities and services in the area are extremely limited.  A guide will be able to make sure you find the facilities and services you need to make your trip far more enjoyable and safe.  Come prepared to experience the wild and unpredictable Alaskan backcountry.

Wilderness travel through the Preserve requires one to be skilled in backcountry travel and camping and to be self reliant. Rescues and pick-ups from remote locations can be delayed for several days due to inclement weather conditions. Those traveling to the Preserve should come prepared for extreme conditions and unexpected delays. Always carry an ample first aid kit, extra food and water, and adequate clothing.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is a small remnant of the land bridge, also known as Beringia, protected for the study of these past cultures and to support the traditional lifestyles its residents present and future.

There is an archeological study going on to discover the origins of those first people in the area.  The Study is being done by Texas A&M.  The group will return to Serpentine Hot Springs to futher investigae the significant, yet complex, archeological site.  They will be spending more time digging deeper to find out more about how the people lived and where they came from to this area.

If you visit Serpentine Hot Springs you may be able to get a space in the bunkhouse but it is on a first come, first serve basis.  The traditional name for Serpentine Hot Springs is Iyat which means "cooking pot."

While you are in the area you will see a diverse landscape.  There is tundra, lakes, rivers, lava fields and mountains.  One of the highest peaks in the Preserve is an unnamed peak at 3379 ft. above sea level in the Bendeleben Mountains on the southern park boundary.

You will be able to get information for your trip from the Nome Office.  The Administrative Office and Visitor Center for Bering Land Bridge National Preserve are located on the First Floor of the Sitnasauk Building on Front Street in Nome, Alaska. Nome is not on the road system so access to the town is primarily through commercial airlines. The Visitor Center has limited exhibits about the Preserve, films, and offers programs year round.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
The Preserve is open year-round. Highest visitation is in June and July; lowest in December, January and February. Serpentine Hot Springs is the most popular site in the park. Space at the Bunkhouse is first-come, first-served.

The preserve is home to raptors, waterfowl, and some rare Asiatic species. You can hike among the huge granite tors which encircle the springs, sightsee, fish, and relax in the warmth of the hot springs. Camping, hiking, backpacking, exploration, nature observation, photography, and coastal boating are among the many possible activities. Winter offers opportunities for snowmobiling, dog sledding, and some cross-country skiing.

You can explore remains of the gold rush era and evidence of ancient Eskimo life. The Preserve and surrounding areas including Native villages, offer opportunities to observe and learn about traditional subsistence lifestyles and historic reindeer herding.

Hunting and fishing are permitted under state regulations; Alaska hunting and fishing licenses are required.

A bit of trivia: Musk Oxen were once extinct on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska and were reintroduced in 1970 and are today thriving on the Peninsula, including Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.  More: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is home to many geological wonders like Devil Lake, the largest maar in the world.  Also: Mammals living in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve include the grizzly bear, musk ox, reindeer, wolf, wolverine, foxes, and smaller species.  More than 170 known species of birds migrate 20,000 miles yearly to Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.  More than 400 species of plants have been listed at the in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Many of them evolved in ancient Beringia and spread into Asia or North America.

Contact:
National Park Service
P.O. Box 220
Nome, AK 99762
By Phone
Visitor Information
(907) 443-2522

Visit the Past at Bering Land Bridge National Park – Bering, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

Situated at 2,200 feet elevation on the divide between the Anaktuvuk and John Rivers in the central Brooks Range sits the last remaining settlement of the Nunamiut Eskimos.  The inland northern Inupiat Eskimo have lived in the area since at least 500 BC.  It sits on a caribou migration route and is one of several departure points for trips into Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve.

Because of the location you can plan on cool and cold weather regardless of the time of year you visit.  In the summer it will get to the 50’s and in January the average temperature is -14 degrees.  There to have extremes recorded from -56 to -91 degrees.  They receive an average of 11 inches of precipitation with an average snowfall of 63 inches per year.

The Nunamuit bands scattered for awhile in 1926-27 when the caribou were not there and due to the influx of western civilization.  In 1938 a number of them returned to the home area and in 1949 resettled the area.  It attracted Nanamuit form many other locations and villagers today have settled into a lifestyle that is more sedentary that the earlier lifestyle.  The City was incorporated in 1959.

The residents continue to depend on caribou and other natural resources for food, clothing and cultural continuity.  Visitors to the area that are going on to the Gates of Arctic National Park cause some disruption to the lifestyle of the people.

In order to respect the rights of the Nanamiut the Park Rangers ask visitors to follow these suggestions while in the area:

Introduce yourself. Be friendly, but respect the privacy of others.
Ask for permission if you wish to photograph local residents or their homes, particularly in the village, but also in the field.
Be sensitive toward the native village culture and lifestyle. Often it will differ from your own, so assume nothing and ask if you do not understand.
Respect any private property that you may encounter in the backcountry and leave it be. This includes structures, camps, traps, and what may often appear as abandoned property.

The village has designated a specific area for overnight camping which is located among the willows along the east side of the runway opposite the town.  Please check at the store, restaurant, community center or ranger station for more information on the requirements for camping here.  It is disrespectful toward the residents to camp within sight of the village so stay inside the designated area.

When you are planning to visit this area you must bring what you need with you.  Being a bush community supplies are limited and sometimes not available at all.

Today, Anaktuvuk Pass is a village of 250 people with regular air service, a village store, and a popular museum that highlights Nunamiut history and culture. Although the village offers only minimal visitor services, the NPS maintains a ranger station there, and visitors to Gates of the Arctic stage trips out of Anaktuvuk Pass when backpacking and floating the John River. Village residents still rely on caribou herds for most of their meat, though they also hunt Dall sheep and harvest trout and grayling, ptarmigan, and waterfowl. The people of Anaktuvuk Pass still trade for food resources from the Arctic coast like meat and blubber from seals and whales.

Nunamiut Village – Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

Taking care of the injured and orphaned wildlife of Alaska is a huge challenge but here, at the Big Game Alaska Wildlife Center, the animals get the care and protection they need.  The Center is situated on 140 acres of Alaska wilderness and was opened to the public in 1993. 

Although it began as a place for the owner to raise buffalo and elk as a hobby in 1984 it grew to be the place that wildlife officials began bringing the orphaned moose for him to care for.  That led to the Wildlife Center that is open today.  ca

You will be able to see the log lodge that was hand built using trees killed by spruce bark beetles.  Nothing goes to waste when it can be used in the Center.  The attention to detail that built the lodge is the type of attention to detail that the Center implements in all of the dealings with people and with animals.

Injured or orphaned animals are regularly brought here for care.  There is a Bald Eagle that suffered a gunshot wound.  He ended up at the Center and gained the name Adonis.  There are Great Horned owls, who suffered the same fate but they are safe at the Center.  There is a black bear that ended up at the Center when his mother was destroyed in Girdwood.  There are moose, deer, black and grizzly bears, bison, musk ox and a variety of game birds all requiring care at the Center.

Did you know that bison are gregarious and live in herds and have poor eyesight and depend on their sense of hearing and smell to survive?  Then there are the moose that have been commercials including the Pep-Boys brake commercial.  The Sitka black0tailed deer are often residents at the Center because they come from the area where logging is active and so the risk of getting run over is huge.  They are smaller than the southern cousins and have antlers similar to the mule deer, forking rather than all points coming from a single main beam.

You can see Elk from the Yukon territory that were sent to the Center for care.  The female elk will abandon her calf if it is born late in the season because it would not survive the cold northern winter.

There are Caribou at the Center too but not because they were orphaned.  If a parent dies the other members of the herd usually take in the calves.  These Caribou were moved to the Center when the islands they lived on became over populated and the threat of starvation required some of the animals to be relocated, some ended up here. The nomads of the north these animals are constantly on the move.  At least 13 different herds have been identified in Alaska.

Musk Oxen are members of the goat family with a thick coat consisting of long (up to 36 inches) guard hairs covering a dense winter coat of harvestable warm fur called Qiviut.  This is considered to be one of the warmest materials in the world. the under wool is combed out in May and used for products sold in the gift shop at the Center.

Location: Portage Glacier, Alaska

Phone: 907-783-2025
 

Big Game Alaska Wildlife Center – Portage Glacier, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

In this pristine area of the state you have the opportunity to catch some of the freshest, best red salmon in the world. Dillingham is on the extreme northern end of Nushagak Bay on the northern edge of Bristol Bay.  You can not only catch great fish in this area but you can also meet some of the 300 residents that hold commercial licenses to fish and see the harbor that serves over 600 boars.  You can even take a tour of the Peter Pan Cannery if you want, during the summer time only.l

The Peter Pan Cannery is one of our Nations oldest operating canneries.  It was established in 1901 and although it has certainly been modernized of the years there are still signs of its history surrounding you while you take your tour.  The tours being in late June and start at 1 pm.

In Dillingham you will see the influences of the Russians and the Yup’ik Eskimos.  The area is 60 percent Alaska Native or part Native who still preserve many of the traditions that make them so interesting.  You will be able to see the Native arts and crafts such as grass basketry, ivory carving, Eskimo dolls and masks. 

You may want to visit the Samuel K. Fox Museum and see some of the traditional and contemporary Alaskan arts, crafts and of course the important artifacts that make the history of the region so enticing.

There are many lodges in the area where you can stay while visiting the area and numerous charters available to take you out to catch the red salmon, grayling and arctic char.

You will also be at the gateway of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Wood-Tikchik State Park and Walrus Island state Game Sanctuary when you are in Dillingham.  The opportunity for so many different things to do and see when you are in Dillingham will keep you busy from the moment you arrive. 

There is also the Western Alaska Sled Dog Race which is held in early March.  If you want to participate in these races you must meet all of the requirements for both the musher and the dogs.  But if you are not going to race you will certainly enjoy watching and cheering for your favorite team. The race begins on the Lilly Pond near downtown Dillingham.  Mushers and their teams can also be watched “on the move” from Waskey Road.  Most fans watch the mushers leave the starting chute, drive to Waskey Road and then return to the Lilly Pond to watch the finishers.

There are also other events that take place in Dillingham that are scattered throughout the year so when ever you choose to visit you will be able to participate in something that will be unique and fun.  How about entering the "Outhouse Race?"  Maybe you want to go to the Bake-Off and see the fish, canned, pickled, smoked, kippered, dried and strips.  Maybe you prefer the jams and jelly, honey, bread or ther things that will make your mouth water.  There are also things like the Biggest Beaver Pelt Contest also in early March. 

You can also enjoy snowmobiling is the area, enter the snowmobile races and test your talents against those that use these machines every day for transportation!
 

Bristol Bay – Dillingham, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

The museum holds a collection of over 1.4 million artifacts and specimens showcasing the history of thousands of years of cultural traditions in the North.  There are 10 disciplines represented.  These consist of archaeology, birds, documentary film, earth sciences, ethnology/history, fine arts, fishes/marine invertebrates, insects, mammals, and plants.  To be able to see them and research them enables researchers to study things such as climate change, genetics, contaminants and other issues facing Alaska and the circumpolar North.  The museum is also the premier repository for artifacts and specimens collected on public lands in Alaska.

One of the exhibits highlights a 2,000 year spectrum of Alaska art, from ancient ivory carvings to contemporary paintings and sculpture.  There is also the state’s largest public display of gold and Blue Babe, a 36,000 year old mummified steppe bison.  There are many exhibits to keep you interested in learning about the history and culture of the state.

In the Gallery of Alaska, the main exhibition area, you will be exposed to the 5 regional galleries representing the major ecological regions of Alaska.  It is thought that the most impressive and popular exhibit is the 8 foot 9 inch brown bear which greets everyone that comes to the museum. 

In the Southeast Gallery holds a series of plate tectonic maps to show the reconstruction of Alaska’s geologic history.  You will also be able to see the king salmon display showing the typical life cycle, from fertilized egg to spawning adult, for all salmon species found in Alaska.  The Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people harvest salmon as well as marine and land animals such as seals, whales, halibut, black bears, ducks, and geese.

There is a display of social and ceremonial clothing worn by the Southeast people which are decorated with trade beads or buttons sewn into clan designs, such as ravens, bears, orca whales, or other animals.  These beautiful pieces of clothing will show you how proud the people were of their heritage and clans.

The Southcentral Gallery shows the history of the Alaska Pipeline as it traverses high coastal mountain ranges on its way fro Prudhoe Bay south to Valdez.  You will be able to see the museum’s 1/3 scale model of the pipeline’s above-ground supports demonstrating the engineering involved in keeping soils frozen when the pipeline and its warm oil crosses the frozen ground.

You will also see the Birds of the Wetlands exhibit which highlights the Copper River Delta.  This are is an important resting and feeding area for several million migratory shorebirds and waterfowl.  Some of these birds are eiders, geese, swans, jaegers, and dunlins.

The Russian influence on Alaska is not ignored at the museum.  There is a display showing the brick tea, samovars, padlocks and brass bells of the Russian-American Company’s early history in Alaska, with their extensive network of trading posts.  The Russian Orthodox missionaries traveled to these outlying areas and established churches and schools.  Today some of these buildings are still the centers of the village life.

Going to the Interior Gallery you will be able to view the video and discover the science, history, and beauty of the northern lights.  This is a wonderful experience to share or just sit and absorb the beauty of this phenomenon.

The Athabaskans are the native people of the Interior of Alaska.  The displays will show you how animals were the primary source of food, clothing, and tools for these people.  You will also see how some of the forest products were used to make many of the useful household utensils.

You probably know that Fairbanks began as a gold-mining town.  There is a display to show small to fist-sized nuggets recovered from streams, as well as gold worked into artistic objects.  This is the largest display of gold nuggets in the state.

The Alaska Highway was built during WWII.  There is a display showing how the 97th Army Corps of Engineers, an all Black regiment, built the Richardson Highway, Tok Cutoff, and the Alcan Highway from Delta to the Canadian border.

In the Western & Arctic Coast Gallery you will see nine species of marine mammals, including polar bears, seals, walrus, and bowhead whales, inhabit this coastal sea-ice environment. Seals were probably the most useful animals in providing many of the day-to-day needs of the coastal Eskimos. The Eskimos have created spectacular ivory carvings since 500 B.C. Prehistoric artworks often had engraved decorative lines and drilled pits inlayed with jet, baleen, or wood.
 
In this gallery, video clips produced by the Alaska Native Heritage Film Center enhance understanding of the exhibit themes by showing whale hunting, dancing and storytelling.

The Dinosaurs of Alaska exhibit emphasizes the Museum’s pioneering techniques used to collect plants and animals that lived on Alaska’s North Slope during the Cretaceous era, 65 million years ago. This Museum now has the largest collection of high-latitude dinosaurs and related vertebrates in the world, including many early mammal and reptilian species.

Enter the Southwest Gallery and you will be brought into the world which includes the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Pribilof Islands, and the Aleutian Islands extending more than 1,000 miles across the North Pacific Ocean. Seabirds by the tens of thousands use the Aleutian Archipelago for nesting in the summer as shown in this exhibit area.

The Southwest gallery shows a splendid collection of some of the world’s finest basketry, which flourished among the Aleuts until about 1919. Despite a decline in the number of Aleut basket makers over the last 40 years, there is now a growing interest in reviving this craft.

The museum has so much to offer that you will want to spend more than a few hours here exploring the history and life of the Alaskan people.  There are educational programs available for you pleasure and knowledge as well as the short and long term exhibits for you to enjoy when you return to the museum.

Location: 907 Yukon Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99775

tel. 907.474.7505
fax. 907.474.5469

Museum Hours
NEW Winter+Spring Hours
Through May 14, 2009
Monday-Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM
Closed Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Extended Summer Hours
May 15 – September 15, 2009
Daily 9 AM – 9 PM

Admission
$10 general admission
$9 senior (60+)                         
$5 youth (7-17)
Free for museum members, UA students with ID and children under 7

How To Get There
The museum is located on the UAF campus in Fairbanks. Follow the signs from any campus entrance to get to the museum. The museum is also accessible by borough bus and taxi. Some hotels may provide shuttle service.

Visitor parking for cars and recreational vehicles is available adjacent to the museum.

University of Alaska Museum of the North – Fairbanks, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

Today, the remains of Alaska’s historic “Gold Rush” period can be seen and experienced at the El Dorado Gold Mine near Fairbanks, Alaska. Here visitors will enjoy a train journey, walking tour, and will actually be able to pan for gold in the same manner that miners used over one hundred years earlier. They will also discover the geological history of the region and even get to see the fossilized remains of some of the area’s ancient native animals – including the famous woolly mammoths.

Near Fairbanks lie the Tanana and Yukon Rivers, and it was along them that supplies and people traveled to the mining camps of the late 1800s. Most journeys began near Seattle, Washington, where steamships and boats headed to the mouth of the Yukon River. After that, freight and people were loaded to sternwheelers that went upriver on the Tanana or Yukon to Alaska’s interior.

Many miners used the Tanana Railroad to take them to their final destinations, and it is along a portion of the old rail bed that today’s visitors enjoy their educational and exciting visit. The rail journey heads inside a permafrost tunnel, where working miners take some time to explain the types of minerals and rocks that traditionally identify a lode of gold. After that the train continues on to the actual miner’s camp, where a pair of working miners demonstrates the science and technique of “placer” mining.

Guests will then have a chance to use the traditional “sluice box” and panning methods relied upon by placer miners of the Gold Rush period. Any gold that visitors find is theirs to keep, and the facility can even melt it into a keepsake piece of jewelry for those who wish.

While the El Dorado Gold Mine was not the only mine in the area, it is the only remaining facility established as an educational destination for visitors to the area. In fact, it was because of the decline in independent mining that the facility was converted by its owners into a living museum, and today it operates from May through September, illustrating one of the state’s most profitable and historic industries.

1975 Discovery Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907-479-6673
866-479-6673

El Dorado Gold Mine – Fairbanks, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

This is very clear at the Baranov Museum in Kodiak. The island where the museum is located is the perfect place to illustrate the rapid changes which took place in the state after it was settled by Russian immigrants in the 1700s. Looking to profit from the area’s sea otter population, the settlers drove the animals nearly to extinction, which brought turmoil between them and the Alutiq natives. This lasted for almost one hundred and fifty years, during which time the settlers built towns around the various ports. It was in Kodiak that the first log building in the state was constructed, and which houses the Baranov Museum today.

The history of the museum does not begin in the current location however. The first Kodiak museum was begun by the Kodiak Historical Society in 1957, with a mission of preserving the history of the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands. It was housed in a World War II Quonset hut, and many area families donated meaningful and historic items. The 1964 earthquake and tsunami devastated many of the coastal homes and towns, and even more donations flooded in from those hoping to preserve their communal heritage from any further disasters.

Only three years later the Society was able to acquire the “Russian American Magazin” which is the state’s oldest building. Extensive restoration was required and today the museum displays hundreds of native artifacts of the Alutiq and Aleutian peoples, art, antiques and goods from the Russian and early American trade periods and a large number of works of Alaskan art from both historic and contemporary periods.

Visitors of all ages will be astounded by the Alutiq baidarka (kayak) constructed in the late 1800s and covered entirely in sea lion skin, or the original spruce log walls of the “Erskine House” (which is the other formal name of the Russian American Magazin). All visitors will get a very good picture of the daily lives of the native peoples prior to the settlement of Russian and American immigrants, as well as the period after settlement. Guests will leave with a better understanding of the roles played by the many industries that developed in the area, including the trapping, fishing and oil trades as well.

101 E Marine Way
Kodiak, AK 99615
(907) 486-5920
 

Baranov Museum – Kodiak, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism

Just outside of Anchorage is the Alaska Museum of Natural History, which has recently begun an extensive expansion project that will eventually see its more than ten thousand artifacts housed in a new twelve thousand square foot facility.

Currently the museum is undergoing rapid expansion, but still maintains its many displays and exhibits dedicated to educating visitors and residents about the unique and historic environments that make up the state of Alaska. They have four permanent diorama displays about the many types of wildlife that inhabit the current environment, as well as space dedicated to the ancient creatures that are no longer in existence.

One of the museums most popular and successful dioramas is the “Broken Mammoth” site display. Constructed with several actual artifacts, as well as those modeled after items from the site, the diorama depicts a bluff which overlooked the Tanana River over eleven thousand years earlier. Early man had been living off the rich animal and plant resources of the region, and while many settled in the valley below, where any remnants or records of their time were quickly erased by the River, the group that camped on the bluff, left behind a remarkable history.

The diorama uses their actual fireplace rocks and hearth stones, and depicts them living a single moment of their day. There are mammoth ivory spear points, and spear throws, remains of the many creatures they used for survival including elk and snowshoe hares, and representative figures of Alaska’s earliest settlers.

In addition to its dioramas and current exhibits, the museum also has several large collections which were donated by patrons and include several rock, mineral and native artifacts collections, animal skeletons and skulls, economic minerals relevant to the Alaskan region and several other unique collections. There are also plans for further development of the humanities collection all ready  in the museum, which currently offers sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, maps and textual selections on display.

 The museum’s founders hope to continually expand the offerings, and to develop even more educational programming which will further benefit the curricula of the schools and universities throughout Alaska.

The museum sees over four thousand visitors each year, and travelers to the region are encouraged to make a visit in order to deepen their understanding and respect for the amazing diversity of the entire state.

201 North Bragaw
Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 274-2400

Alaska Museum of Natural History – Anchorage, Alaska is a post from: Alaska Tourism