Official State of Alaska Vacation and Travel Information

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Nenana

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The largest town between Denali National Park and Fairbanks is Nenana (pop. 479), located at Mile 305 of the George Parks Highway, overlooking the confluence of the Nenana and Tanana Rivers. But for visitors and Alaskans alike this community is famous for the Nenana Ice Classic, an eminently Alaskan game of chance in which participants guess when the ice will break up on the Nenana River to win a jackpot that occasionally tops $300,000.

The discovery of gold in Fairbanks spurred mining activity in the area and by 1903 a trading post and roadhouse was built at present-day Nenana. But the town really came into its own when it was chosen as the base for building the northern portion of the Alaska Railroad in 1916. The following year the first Nenana Ice Classic was staged by surveyors for the Alaska Railroad crews and soon the construction camp was a boomtown. Nenana made history on July 5, 1923, when President Warren G. Harding arrived to hammer in the golden spike on the north side of the 700-foot steel bridge over the Tanana River.

In preparation for the president's arrival, the Nenana train station was built in 1923 along A Street, and then extensively restored in 1988 and now on the National Register of Historical Sites. It's an impressive building and includes the Alaska State Railroad Museum, which houses railroad memorabilia and local artifacts. East of the train station, a monument commemorates when President Harding drove in the gold spike marking the completion of the Alaska Railroad.

An equally interesting building is the Nenana Visitor Center, a log cabin with a sod roof that is planted with colorful flowers during the summer. Outside the visitor center is the Taku Chief river tug, which once pushed barges along the Tanana River. Fish wheels located on the Tanana River in summer intrigue many visitors. These traditional traps scoop salmon out of the water as they swim upstream to spawn.

Nenana

Nenana is located 65 miles south of Fairbanks along the George Parks Highway and is accessible by road, scheduled bus service and air taxi service.

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Nenana

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Attractions

Alaska State Railroad Museum +

The Alaska State Railroad Museum is housed in the baggage room of Nenana train depot that was built in 1923 and today is listed on the National Register of Historical Sites. Inside the museum is railroad memorabilia along displays ranging bear traps and ice tongs to old entry books for the Ice Classic. on local artifacts ranging from ice tongs to animal traps.
Alfred Starr Nenana Cultural Center +

The Alfred Starr Nenana Cultural Center focuses on the culture and lifestyle of the Athabaskans along with local history of Nenana. Exhibits cover Native Alaskan beadwork, Yukon 800 riverboat racing, dog mushing and the Nenana Ice Classic. A gift shop is stocked with local Native crafts.
Historic St Marks Episcopal Church +

Historic St Mark's Episcopal Church dates from 1905 and inside features beautiful handcrafted items including an altar dressing made from bleached moosehide with traditional Athabascan beadwork.
Nenana Ice Classic +

The Nenana Ice Classic began in 1917 when Alaska Railroad surveyors pooled $800 and bet on when the ice would disintegrate on the frozen Tanana River. Today the gambling contest is still being held only the stakes are higher with a jackpot usually exceeding $300,000. A tripod is set up after the Tanana freezes and in the spring any surge of ice will dislodge it, the exact time of the occurrence determining the winner. Ice Classic tickets are on sale throughout Alaska from February 1 to April 5 and during the summer in Nenana.
Taku Chief river tug +

Located near the Nenana Vistors Center is the Taku Chief river tug, which once pushed barges along the Tanana River.