Fairbanks in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)

Steam Operated Shovel

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 18, 2024

1. Steam Operated Shovel Marker

Inscription.

This machine has a colorful past. It helped to build the Panama Canal, worked in Hawaii, and dug sections of Davidson Ditch; the Alaskan "Water Pipeline".

Davidson Ditch brought water from Chatanika to float and operate the huge hydraulic gold dredges in the interior of Alaska.

Erected by Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Man-Made Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.

Location. 64° 50.321′ N, 147° 46.555′ W. Marker is in Fairbanks, Alaska, in Fairbanks North Star Borough. It can be reached from Airport Way. Marker is in the Alaska Salmon Bake area of Pioneer Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2300 Airport Way, Fairbanks AK 99701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Alaska Railroad Corridor,

in the Athabascan Region,

and in Interior Alaska.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Russian Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Alaska's First Pipeline (here, next to this marker); Placer Drill (here, next to this marker); Citizen's Mill (1909-1915) (a few steps from this marker); Model Dredge (a few steps from this marker); Stamp Milling (a few steps from this marker); Pioneering Prospectors (a few steps from this marker); The Arduous Work of Prospecting in Alaska

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(a few steps from this marker); Some of the First Men to Prospect the Fairbanks District Mining Claims (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fairbanks.

Also see . . . The Davidson Ditch (UAF Geophysical Institute). (Submitted on September 24, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Steam Operated Shovel and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 18, 2024

2. Steam Operated Shovel and Marker

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 18, 2024

3. Steam Operated Shovel Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 151 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 24, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.