Fairbanks, Alaska Still a Golden-Hearted Town
by Patricia Earnest
There’s gold in Alaska, not only for tourists and serious miners, but also for agents who would like to cash in on the current interest in visiting our 49th State. The demand for travel to Alaska has so escalated that there are now more cruise boats than ever plying its waterways, as well as plentiful access.
Visitors will want to spend time in Fairbanks, known as Alaska’s Golden Heart. Just north of Fairbanks is where gold was first discovered in the area.
Felix Pedro, an Italian immigrant, is credited with being the first man to make a strike in the Fairbanks area. He discovered gold on Pedro Creek, 16.5 miles northeast of Fairbanks on July 22, 1902. After this discovery, gold fever abounded and men and women poured into the “golden” interior of Alaska, where they established camps. In 1903, on the banks of the Chena River, Fairbanks was incorporated as a town.
In the early days, life was rough and getting the gold a challenge. Several methods were used to extract the exotic ore. During the cold winter months, miners would tunnel through the permafrost – the permanently frozen earth underlying the visible ground – until they reached the profitable veins of gold bearing substrata. Other methods included using huge, mechanical dredges that chewed up mountains of gravel and debris, leaving large lakes of the water needed to clean the “findings” and piles of gravel strewn around the landscape. The remains of such an operation can be seen just outside Fairbanks, in Ester, 800-676-6925; www.akvisit.com.
A century later, Fairbanks counts 35,000 folks, fully paved streets and every amenity that people in the “lower 48” or “outside” (which is anywhere but Alaska) could want. Many of the former old log cabins are preserved in 44-acre historic Pioneer Park, just west of downtown, where you can see how the pioneers lived a mere century ago. Call 907-459-1087; www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/Parks&Rec
Dredging for Gold Today
Two companies offer visitors a gold mining experience: The El Dorado Gold Mine, takes visitors on a two-hour ride on a copy of the historic narrow-gauge Tanana Valley Railroad through an old gold mine, into a permafrost tunnel and ends with a placer mining demonstration and chance to mine your own gold. After a short course in gold mining, grab your own "poke" filled with pay dirt right out of a sluice box and try your hand at panning for gold. Everyone finds gold! The trip costs adults $34.95 and children 3-12 $22.95. Call 866-479-6673; e-mail reservations@eldoradogoldmine.com; www.eldoradogoldmine.com Gold Dredge No. 8, takes visitors through a historic gold dredge connected with the Fairbanks Exploration Company. Situated in a National Historic District, after touring the dredge and learning its history and the history of dredging in Alaska, you can pan for gold. A hearty miner’s stew lunch is also available. The full trip with lunch costs $34.75, adults; children 6-12 $17.50.Call 907-457-6058; e-mail KHoward@Holland America.com; www.GoldDredgeNo8.com
Chena Hot Springs, 56 miles north of Fairbanks, is a wonderful daytrip for the family and there are also accommodations if visitors want to stay longer. Packages include a full-day excursion for $99 including a swim, towel and transportation. Call 800-478-4681; www.chenahotsprings.com
Cruising Alaska’s Waterways
Cruises from Vancouver, BC, Seattle, and San Francisco on the West Coast offer onboard comfort and excursions. Some passages are round-trip, while others are one-way and offer several days of sightseeing while in Alaska.
Major cruise lines include Holland America, offering seven-day Inside Passage cruises from Vancouver. Call 800-234-0459; www.hollandamerica.com Norwegian Cruise Lines, call 866-625-1166; www.ncl.com ; and Princess Cruise Lines, offers cruises from San Francisco. Call 800-775-6237; www.princess.com
Accommodations & Getting There
The Bridgewater Hotel (800-526-4916, www.fountainheadhotels.com) is located downtown, with free airport shuttle and guest internet available. The 325-room Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge (800-426-0500; www.princesslodges.com), is located on the banks of Fairbank’s Chena River. The 400-room Westmark Fairbanks (800-544-0970, www.westmarkhotels.com) offers free internet.
Remind clients that they will need a current passport for cruises from Vancouver, BC. Major airlines with connecting flights from major cities include Alaska Airlines 800-654-5669, Continental Airlines 800-231-0856 and Delta Air Lines 800-532-4777.
Call Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-327-5774, www.explorefairbanks.com