Fairbanks Riverfront

Fairbanks Riverfront. Historic Fairbanks. , The Chena River affected all who lived in its valley. During the warm months fish camps sprang up along its banks. Caribou descended the hills to cross the river on their migration to calving grounds. Moose browsed along its backwaters, and beavers built dams., Life was good along the river. Children in rowboats explored its sloughs. The river teamed with sternwheel riverboats until autumn, when freeze-up again isolated the Interior community. As the river froze, a hush descended over the town; the hooting of riverboat horns was replaced by the call of an occasional dog musher., Spring break-up on the river ended the lull of winter. Each spring the townspeople gathered along the riverbank to watch the ice break. Brought on by melting snow, rising pressure suddenly burst the solid ice; ice floes thundered down the flooding river, sweeping away all in their path. When the swift flood receded, ice remained on the riverbanks and sandbars, melting slowly. The Chena once again became the thoroughfare for travel and commerce., [Photo captions, clockwise from center left, read] , . Logs were floated down the river to supply Fairbanks' booming construction season. The bustling business district and the new Fairbanks Public School building with its prominent cupola can be seen the distance., . Dog sled racing is deeply ingrained in the cultural landscape of the community. In the 1940s, the military community joined townspeople and villagers from remote communities in the excitement and fun of the sport., . The riverfront near Gordon Wear Park has seen many changes and uses over the years. In 1906, the log cabin seen in the foreground belonged to a lumbermill. Behind the log cabin the St. Joseph hospital takes shape (A later addition to the hospital is now known as the Denali State Bank building). A natatorium or swimming pool is under construction nearby., . By the 1940s the site in front of the Catholic church had become a favorite landing spot for float planes. On the opposite side of the river First Avenue teamed with traffic. The distinct roofline of the Empress theater (Co-Op Mall, left center) and the Federal Building (now Courthouse Square, right center) are prominent.