Pioneer Park

Pioneer Park origninally was created as Alaskaland and is located at 2300 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99701. It is open 24 hours a day but most exhibits only run during the summer season due to weather. This park contains historic buildings moved from other sites in Alaska creating a small town within the park one can stroll through and many buildings are open to tour. During the summer season most shops open from 11am to 9pm each day. The 44-acre park was built for the 1967 Centennial Exposition as Alaskaland and in 2001 it was renamed Pioneer Park. An on site gold panning experience is available at one of the shops where they will teach you what its like to pan for gold.

There are three museums located at the park. The first is the Alaska Native Village Museum, which focuses om the Athabascan culture. The Pioneer Air Museum is the history of flight within Alaska and is located in the large domed building. Pioneer Hall of Gold Rush Town and has exhibits about the lives of the Sourdoughs as well as a 45 minute presentation about the gold rush. There is the oldest rail exhibit in Alaska which is the Tanana Valley Railroad Engine #1, built in 1899. A rail car that was ridden in by President Warren G. Harding in 1923 when he came to Alaska to celebrate the completion of the Alaska Railroad has been restored and available to be ridden. Tickets for this attraction must be purchased but are inexpensive. In the center of the park is the Nenana boat that brought supplies, news, employment and transportation along Alaska’s rivers between 1933 and 1952. While tours used to be available, it can currently only be viewed from the outside due to safety issues. Be sure to check out the carosel near the playground area in the center of the park. It dates back to around 1920.

The Park also contains the Farthest North Square and Round Dance Center which welcomes visitors to dance too. Check with the park for a schedule of when events are happening there. Various exhibits of art are displayed at the Civic Center, which is the largest building in the park that also houses a 384 seat theatre. Other places to visit here include Judge Wickersham’s House, Kitty Hensley House and the Original First Presbyterian Church. An old fashioned Salmon Bake is availabe in an outdoor setting during the summer and is well worth the price. It offers salmon, steaks, ribs, deep fried halibut and blueberry cake amongst other things. It is free to park and enter the park but some of the sites require a small payment like the carosel and gold panning among others. Plan to spend at least two hours touring.