Willow History
Willow extends about 30 miles in the Mat-Su Borough, approximately
a 90-minute drive along the George Parks Highway (Hwy 3) north
of Anchorage, and west of Wasilla. It is located between miles
60 and 80.7 at approximately 61° 44' north latitude, 150°
02' west longitude (Sec. 08, T019N, R004W, Seward Meridian) within
the Palmer Recording District. It encompasses 14 square miles
of land and 1 square mile of water.
Willow's first inhabitants
were Dena'ina Indians (Athabascan Natives), many still remaining
in the area. The community got its start when gold was discovered
on Willow Creek in 1897. Robert Hatcher was the first to stake
a claim. Soon twelve hard rock mines were operating in the Willow
Creek drainage; Independence, Lucky Shot, Gold Chord and Archangel
to name a few. Miner's supplies were brought in by boat to Knik,
the established trading center. From there, a 26-mile summer trail
went northwest, up Cottonwood Creek, and across Bald Mountain
to Willow Creek. The winter sled trail went north, crossing the
present line of the Alaska Railroad at Houston, and up the west
end of Bald Mountain for 30 miles. Line cabins, to accommodate
the freighters and mail carriers, were built on Nancy Lake (this
route was the forerunner for the present George Parks Highway).
This trail, dubbed the "Double Ender Sled Trail" (from
times when the snow was so deep that double-ender sleds with dog
teams and horses wearing wooden snowshoes were needed to get through)
is still used today by skiers, hunters, backpackers and snowmobile
enthusiasts. The sleds then followed a trail along Willow Creek
in an easterly direction, now Hatcher Pass Road. The Talkeetna
Trail also passed through Willow and was used by dog teams and
pack horses.
The Alaska railroad
(built from 1903-1923) gave further life to gold mining, and soon
the area was full of miners, trappers, and homesteaders (who hand-cleared
their land in order to grow vegetables or run minx farms). The
Susitna Route of the Alaska Railroad from Talkeetna to Anchorage
was completed in 1923 with section crews stationed approximately
every 8 miles in camps with names such as Houston, Willow, Kashwitna
& Caswell. It wasn't until 1912 that road maintenance in the
Mat-Su Valley began, with Willow's only maintained during summer.
During World War ll, the Army built the Alaska-Canada Highway
(Alcan) which linked Alaska to the lower 48. It bought land from
early homesteaders and built an airstrip and radar warning station
in Willow to provide defense against possible Japanese invasion.
After World War ll, many of these former soldiers started homesteading
in the Susitna Valley. The Trail's End Lodge was built in 1947;
it subsequently became a post office in 1948. By 1954, Willow
Creek was Alaska's largest gold mining district, with total production
approaching $18,000,000 per year.
When Alaska received
official Statehood in 1958, the first construction phase of the
Anchorage-Fairbanks Highway began, linking Willow with Fairbanks
and all points north. Willow's first primary civic election took
place in 1960, with voters walking an average of five miles to
cast their votes. In1961 the first Willow Winter Carnival was
organized as a social respite from the long and lonely winters.
It is now held every January; ten days of lively fun, featuring
uniquely Alaskan games, crafts and activities that attract visitors
from all over the world. Land disposals, homestead subdivisions,
and completion of the George Parks Highway in 1972 fueled continued
growth in the area. Willow is recognized worldwide as the Recreation
Capital of Alaska, often hosting the restart of the famous Iditarod
Sled-dog due to poor weather conditions (Willow always has enough
snow).
In 1972 Willow was
selected in a plebiscite as the new location of the state capital.
However, funding to enable the capital move was defeated in the
1982 election.
Willow has a thriving
population of 2300 residents committed to the continued growth
of their community. It features a health clinic, doctor's office,
school, credit union, convenience stores, service station, fuel
oil supplier, towing service, several bed and breakfast providers,
air service, river boat tours, post office, community center,
commercial buildings and several churches. Our summers are warm
and enjoyable with superb views of Mt. McKinley. Denali National
Park is an easy five hour drive away. Our winters are generally
more enjoyable than other towns in the Mat-Su region, as we do
not suffer the stinging winds of the Matanuska Valley. Willow
has fantastic vantage points from which you can get truly breathtaking
views of the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). Visitors consider
us truly Alaskan - off-the-beaten-track - yet within a short drive
to larger centers with cinemas, hospitals and department stores.
Information
courtesy of the Willow Chamber of Commerce
SCHWAGER
HAUS BED & BREAKFAST
Your host Herb & Tina Schwager
12461 Gilead Way
Willow, Alaska 99688
Call
us at
907-495-1283 / 907-715-7391
email: alaskalife@schwagerhaus.com
