Page 116 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

JCT. RICHARDSON HWY 4 SOUTH TO
PAXSON & HWY 2 NORTH TO FAIRBANKS

Delta Junction
Location: The “End of the Alaska Highway” at
the junction of Richardson Hwy 4 and Alaska
Hwy 2. Population: 958. Visitor Information
Center: Seasonal mid-May through mid-
September; Phone: (907) 895-5063); Chamber
of Commerce: PO Box 987, Delta Junction, AK
99737; Phone (907) 895-5068; Website: www.
deltachamber.org; Email: deltacc@deltachamber.
org.

The Lodge at Black Rapids
Location: Mile 227.4 on Richardson Hwy
#4; 38 miles south of Delta Junction.

The Lodge at Black Rapids is a unique Alaskan
property that combines accessibility with unspoiled
wilderness in the heart of the Alaska Range.
PLEASE SEE AD ON PAGE 134

Giant Santa Claus Stature outside the famous Santa Clause House North Pole
North Pole, Alaska Location: On Richardson Hwy 2, 10 miles
southeast of Fairbanks. Population: 2200.
PO Box 359, Tok, AK 99780; Phone (907) 883- being ferried to Russia. It remains a base for summer The city serves as a hub to approximately
5667; Website: www.alaskacenters.gov/tok. firefighters and stock car races. 12,000 people in the surrounding area. North
There are 15 miles of paved bike trails running Pole Community Chamber of Commerce
Tok had its beginnings as a camp for the Alaska parallel to the highways and many nature trails Visitor Information Cabin located at 2250
Road Commission during the construction of the that offer the opportunity to observe local wildlife. Mistletoe Drive (intersection of Mission Road
Alcan and Glenn Highways between 1942 and 1946. Additional recreational opportunities to explore and Richardson Hwy) is open Memorial Day
In 1946 Tok was designated a presidential townsite include gold panning, the Alaskan theme park, through Labor Day; Phone: (907) 488-2242;
and in that same year the Alcan was opened to miniature golf, salmon bakes and excellent fishing in Mailing address: PO Box 55071, North Pole, AK
civilians and a post office and roadhouse were opened the area’s extensive river and lake systems. 99705; find them on Facebook at facebook.com/
in the community. The first school was started in The Tok area is known for rainbow trout, arctic NorthPoleChamber;Website: northpolechamber.
1947 in a room in the Alaska Road Commission grayling, northern pike and burbot. Consider flying us
building. out with a local air taxi for a real wilderness fishing
Don’t miss the Mainstreet Visitors Center for more experience. This unique community located in the beautiful
great trip planning tips and information. Visitors The entire Upper Tanana Valley is important Tanana Valley is the gateway city to the state’s vast
are also welcome to join the town’s friendly senior waterfowl nesting habitat and a main migration interior. North Pole is just 10 easy miles south of
citizens at the Tok Community Center for lunch. corridor for birds each spring and fall. Trumpeter Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway and 140 miles
Milepost 1324 leads to the Tanacross Native Swans, the “royalty” of local waterfowl, can be south of the Arctic Circle.
Village and the Tanacross Airport. The village is the seen nesting in the ponds near the Alaska Highway Moderate rainfall, dry air and nearly 22 hours of
site where the Eagle Trail crossed the Tanana River, between Tanacross and Moon Lake. There is a daylight on the longest day of the year characterize
once plied by sternwheelers. The large paved airstrip handy highway turnout for viwing swans and other North Pole in the summer months. Frequent Aurora
was constructed during WWII to handle aircraft waterfowl.
Borealis displays are seen in the winter. Whatever the
season, visitors will find this small and friendly town
a delight to visit with a full complement of services,
including shopping, dining and many exciting events
during the year.
In 1944, the area now known as North Pole
was homesteaded by Bon Davis. Later, the Davis
homestead was purchased and subdivided by a
development company and it was named North Pole
in hopes of attracting the toy industry to manufacture
articles made in “North Pole.” While this endeavor
failed to blossom, North Pole has continued to grow as
the city where the spirit of Christmas lives year round.
Streets bear holiday names such as Santa Claus Lane,
Snowman Lane, Holiday Road and Kris Kringle Drive.
City street lights are decorated in candy cane
motifs and many buildings are painted with Christmas
colors and designs. Santa Claus House, a gift shop
and “home” to Santa serves as an official landmark.
Live reindeer and Santa himself are available for
photographs year-round and each year the community
starts the holiday season with candle and tree lighting
ceremonies. Letters from Santa Claus bearing the
North Pole postmark may be mailed anywhere in the
world.

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