Southcentral Community: Sutton
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Sutton-Alpine, formerly Sutton, was founded around 1918 as a station on the Matanuska Branch of the Alaska Railroad for coal export purposes. The railroad went through Sutton to the Chickaloon Mine. The Sutton Coal Washery operated from 1920 to 1922. Sutton was also the base camp for construction of the Glenn Highway from 1941 to 1945. Coal mining operations ceased in 1968.
A town with a rich coal-mining heritage, Sutton offers roadside services and activities for visitors including fishing, fossil hunting, rafting, horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking. The Alpine Historical Park is an outdoor museum featuring the concrete ruins of the coal washery from the 1920s.
Nearby Coyote Lake Recreation Area and Seventeen Mile Lake are popular spots for visitors. Locally grown produce is available at a farmers market during the summer.
Details
Photo By: Frank Flavin
A day hike in the Mat-Su Valley
Population: 1,265
Location: Sutton-Alpine is between Milepost 52 and 72 of the Glenn Highway, 11 miles northeast of Palmer in the Mat-Su Valley.
Access: By road by Chickaloon Way and Jonesville Road off the Glenn Highway, 11 miles northeast of Palmer.
Accommodations: Several lodges, most services.
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