Fairbanks is not a large town, but it certainly feels very spread out. The local Army base, Fort Wainright, takes up a huge amount of land and over 18,000 soldiers, dependents, and civil service employees call it home. The entire population of the Fairbanks North Star Borough (similar to a county in other states) is just over 100,600 people. An Air Force Base about 23 miles south of town is responsible for another 6900 people. The two bases account for 25% of the total population.
Many of the top tourist attractions are located close to downtown. We stopped by the visitors center, near Griffin Park, to get information about things to do. They have movies playing on a big screen all day, but we only watched one about the Northern Lights. Just outside the building, an antler arch was waiting for a picture. Various people donated antlers to make the arched entrance to the park.
Strolling down the sidewalk through the park along the Chena river, we came across several interesting spots. First up was a World War II memorial called the Lend-Lease Monument. From 1942-1945, over 300 Russian pilots flew the American Lend-Lease planes over the Bering Strait and east to Russia.
We followed the paved path and finally ended up at Golden Heart Plaza, in the middle of downtown. There were a few homeless people sitting around, but the fountain took center stage.
The Yukon Quest Headquarters building faced the fountain. This is home of the lesser known dog mushing race that I had never heard about in Texas. It is a 1000 mile race from Fairbanks to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. This building is also a stop on one of the riverboat tours.
The streets were lined with specialty shops and restaurants. We bought a few souvenirs and had to take a picture in front of Soapy Smith’s Restaurant. We first learned about Soapy way back in Skagway. He was a shady character from the gold rush days.
After depositing some of our money in several cute stores, we drove a few blocks to Pioneer Park, a 44 acre city park. This park opened in 1967, so this year marks the 50th anniversary. It has a bit of a theme park feel to it, but it is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike.
Points of interest inside the park include an air museum, railroad, historic train car, miniature golf, railroad museum, wooden ship, and a large playground for kids. I think it is more suitable for families with kids, but we didn’t get bored, and there were many inexpensive concessions available along with picnic tables.
The Crooked Creek & Whiskey Island Railroad circles the park twice with a guide on board who talks about all the areas in the park. An adult ticket was only $2 and all of the kids loved it. By the time we got on the train it started sprinkling, but we rode it anyway.
At the railroad depot, you can see the original 1899 TVRR Engine No. 1, the oldest working steam locomotive in Alaska and still operated on occasion by volunteers.
Each relocated log house had a plaque, listing the original address and what family or families lived in it. Most of them are now gift shops or eateries.
The largest exhibit is the SS Nenana, a sternwheeler that carried passengers and cargo on the Chena River from 1933 to 1954. At 230 feet long, it is the second-longest wooden-hulled ship still in existence. The inside of the lower level has been turned into a museum.
It’s funny that we see signposts everywhere. Fairbanks is our farthest point from home (well, drivable while towing RVs) and the sign says 3065 miles to Dallas. Soon we are starting the drive back south because it is already snowing in high elevations here.
