Pike's Landing in College in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)

Cordelia Karshner

First Homesteader in the Tanana

— Cabin 11 —

Cordelia Karshner Marker image. Click for full size.

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

1. Cordelia Karshner Marker

Inscription.
Cordelia Karshner was a well-known seamstress here in Fairbanks who arrived in the Tanana Valley in 1904. She married John F. Karshner of Manley Hot Springs in 1910 and two years after his death in 1913, she made history:

HOT SPRINGS WOMAN GETS CLEAR TITLE TO VALUABLE PROPERTY. "Signed and sealed by the President of the United States, the patent for the homestead of Mrs. Cordelia Karshner arrived in Fairbanks Thursday afternoon in the mail from the States. Mrs. Karshner succeeded in getting the title to the property without great difficulty. In securing the patent at this time, Mrs. Karshner has the distinction of being the first person in the Fourth judicial division to get a patent on a homestead. The Karshner homestead is particularly valuable, in that it contains the hot springs at which F. G. Manley built a beautiful hotel a few years ago. The hotel has since been destroyed by fire. Should Interior Alaska become thickly populated, as it is expected that it will someday, the hot springs will be particularly valuable as a health resort.

The application for the patent and all papers pertaining to it were prepared

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through the office of H. A. Day, while the notice, required by law, was published in the Times."
Fairbanks Daily Times, December 18, 1915

Later, Cordelia moved back to Fairbanks where she lived out the rest of her days until her death in 1933.

Story provided by the Fairbanks Igloos of the Pioneers of Alaska.

Erected by Pike's Waterfront Lodge. (Marker Number 11.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is December 18, 1915.

Location. 64° 49.952′ N, 147° 50.891′ W. Marker is in College, Alaska, in Fairbanks North Star Borough. It is in Pike's Landing. It can be reached from Pikes Landing Road. Marker is on Cabin 11 in the Pike's Waterfront Lodge complex. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1850 Hoselton Road, Fairbanks AK 99709, 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,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

Cordelia Karshner Marker on Cabin 11 image. Click for full size.

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

2. Cordelia Karshner Marker on Cabin 11

the Western World,

and in 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: Laura Foster O'Flanagan (a few steps from this marker); Golden Heart City (a few steps from this marker); Pete and Dick Bucholz (a few steps from this marker); Kitty Hensley (within shouting distance of this marker); Jewatha Brice (within shouting distance of this marker); Mysterious Mr. Raffles (within shouting distance of this marker); Cecil Clegg (within shouting distance of this marker); LeRoy Tozier (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in College.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 3, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 149 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 24, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.