Before the construction of the Alaska Highway, the establishment of military bases and Alaska joining the Union as the 49th state, Fairbanks was a bustling mining town in the middle of the largest territories in the United States. Felix Pedro, an Italian immigrant, is credited with the initial discovery of gold in 1902. As luck would have it, Captain E.T. Barnette's goal of building a trading post on the banks of the Chena River coincided with key gold strikes north of town. Subsequently, Fairbanks was incorporated by a 75% majority vote in 1903.
One hundred years later, the small boomtown has a diversified economy, with oil, gas, gold and coal mining, military, tourism and the University of Alaska as key components. Fairbanks continues in its role as the services hub and gateway to Alaska's Interior and Arctic. With a population of close to 32,000, Fairbanks' citizenry swells to 82,000 when including the surrounding Fairbanks North Star Borough.
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By 1905, Fairbanks had a power plant, electricity and sewer service, a school, police, and fire protection, a hospital and a three-story skyscraper. 1969 marked the oil lease sale, adding $900 million to the state's coffers, and the construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline became a reality. Mary Pedro, wife of Felix Pedro, the Italian immigrant who first discovered gold in the area, is buried in the Clay Street Cemetery. This along with other historic sites is featured in the Fairbanks Self-Guided Downtown Walking Tour. |
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"I moved to Alaska 29 years ago, and planned to stay one year; you’ll hear that a lot in Fairbanks. The magic of Alaska, the warmth of its people, and a strong sense of community all combine to spin a web around those touched by the arctic I love to relax with gardening—and Fairbanks has the perfect conditions. We have 24 hours of daylight during the summer—that almost equals three days of sun every day. So a three-month gardening season can really pay off, and it doesn’t take half the year to do it! I find myself gathering a salad or walking in the garden at midnight and thinking it’s normal. Fairbanks is a hard place to leave; you’d be crazy to leave in summer with the warmth and energy of the constant daylight. And you don’t want to miss the northern lights as the crisp fall air hits. Winter brings the comfort of friends reunited after a full-out summer. And the hillsides suddenly turn green on a day in spring, and it begins again."
