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Current
Population: Location:
Fairbanks is located in the heart of Alaska's
Interior, on the banks of the Chena River in the
Tanana Valley. By air, Fairbanks is 45 minutes from
Anchorage and 3 hours from Seattle. It lies 358
road miles north of Anchorage. It lies at
approximately 64d 50m N Latitude, 147d 43m W
Longitude. (Sec. 10, T001S, R001W, Fairbanks
Meridian.) Fairbanks is located in the
Fairbanks Recording District. The area encompasses
31.9 sq. miles of land and .8 sq. miles of
water. Interior Alaska experiences seasonal
temperature extremes. Winter temperatures average
-12; summer temperatures average 61. Temperatures
have been recorded as low as -78 in midwinter, and
as high as 93 in summer. Average annual
precipitation is 11.3 inches. Ice fog is common
during the winter. Fairbanks experiences 21 hours
of daylight between May 10th and Aug. 2nd each
summer, and less than 4 hours of daylight between
Nov. 18th and Jan. 24th each winter. History:
Koyukon Athabascans have lived in this area for
thousands of years. In 1901, Capt. E.T. Barnette
established a trading post on the Chena River. A
year later, gold was discovered 16 miles north of
the post. The town grew as the Chena steamboat
landing brought many prospectors during the Pedro
Dome gold rush. Fairbanks was named after Indiana
Senator Charles Fairbanks, who later became
vice-president. In 1903, Judge Wikersham moved the
seat of the Third Judicial District from Eagle to
Fairbanks. The population of the area continued to
increase with the addition of the court, government
offices, a jail, a post office, and the Northern
Commercial Company. Barnette was elected as the
first Mayor of the City of Fairbanks in 1903, and
established telephone service, fire protection,
sanitation ordinances, electric lights and steam
heat. He also opened and became President of the
Washington-Alaska Bank. By 1910, the official
population had grown to 3,541, although more than
6,000 miners lived and worked their claims on
creeks north of town. Ladd Field (now Fort
Wainwright) was constructed in 1938. Construction
of the Alcan Highway in the 1940s and the
Trans-Alaska oil pipeline in the 1970s fueled
growth and development. Culture:
Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska. The
community is primarily non-Native, though diverse.
Economy:
As the regional service and supply center for
Interior Alaska, Fairbanks offers a diverse
economy, including city, borough, state and federal
government services, transportation, communication,
manufacturing, financial and regional medical
services. Tourism and mining are also a significant
part of the economy. Including Eielson Air Force
Base and Fort Wainwright personnel, 50% of the
employment is in government services. The
University of Alaska Fairbanks is a major employer.
Approximately 325,000 visitors pass through
Fairbanks each summer. The success of Fort Knox,
operated by Fairbanks Gold Mining, has sparked
aggressive exploration by a number of mining
companies. Fort Knox poured its first gold on
December 20, 1997, and produces 350,000 ounces of
gold per year with 250 permanent employees. 126
residents hold commercial fishing permits.
Facilities:
Fifteen circulating pump stations distribute
treated water throughout the greater Fairbanks
area. A number of schools utilize individual wells.
Sewage treatment occurs through a solids contact
up-flow clarifier. City water, sewer and electric
systems were sold to a private company in 1997. The
Chena power site has four steam turbines fueled by
coal, and one oil-fueled generator. Garbage
collection services are provided by the City for a
fee, and refuse is hauled to the Borough landfill
on South Cushman. The landfill uses compactor/baler
equipment. Fort Wainwright operates its own
landfill. Transportation:
Fairbanks is at the confluence of the Richardson
Hwy., George Parks Hwy., Steese Hwy., and Elliott
Hwy., connecting the Interior to Anchorage, Canada
and the lower 48 states. The Dalton Highway
(formerly the North Slope Haul road) to Prudhoe Bay
begins about 75 miles north of town. Goods are
transported to Fairbanks by truck, air, and the
Alaska Railroad. Regularly scheduled jet flights
are available at the State-owned Fairbanks
International Airport. An 11,800' asphalt runway,
heliport and seaplane landing strip are available.
A public seaplane base is also located on the Chena
River. In addition, there are several
privately-owned airstrips and heliports in the
vicinity. Climate:
Interior Alaska experiences seasonal temperature
extremes. Winter temperatures average -12; summer
temperatures average 61. Temperatures have been
recorded as low as -78 in midwinter, and as high as
93 in summer. Average annual precipitation is 11.3
inches. Ice fog is common during the winter.
Fairbanks experiences 21 hours of daylight between
May 10th and Aug. 2nd each summer, and less than 4
hours of daylight between Nov. 18th and Jan. 24th
each winter. |
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 © 2001-2004 Chugach School District. Website by Sundog Media & Alaska Internet Services |
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Fairbanks