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Fairbanks Alaska Cruise Tour Shore Excursion
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska is known as the gateway to Alaska’s vast Interior and expansive Arctic. Located near where the Tanana and Chena Rivers meet, the town was originally founded in the early 1900’s as a trading post serving stern-wheeler riverboats and early gold prospectors. The town still plays an important supply role in Alaska due to its proximity to the Arctic region and North Slope oil fields.
In 1902, word of the gold in creeks around Fairbanks started a stampede. Felix Pedro is credited with that discovery. It was only the first explosion in a long history of booms and busts in Fairbanks. Gold-seekers poured in and threw up homes and businesses. By 1905, gold production had risen to $6,000,000 a year. Fairbanks had electricity and sewer service, a power plant, a three-story skyscraper, saloons, stores, and police and fire protection.
The construction of the Richardson Highway in 1911, the Alaska Railroad in 1923, and the use of riverboats along the Tanana River established Fairbanks as a commercial center for interior Alaska. Today Fairbanks, Alaska, is a popular tourist destination offering a mix of its gold-rush era mystique, as well as the unparalleled natural beauty of Mount McKinley and the Alaskan countryside.
The "Golden Heart" city of Fairbanks offers a wide selection of tours and activities. One of the most popular is a cruise aboard the Riverboat Discovery on the Chena River. The town also has an excellent museum at the University, and a number of tours exploring Fairbanks' gold mining history. A city tour or visit to Pioneer Park is always a great choice. With its northern location, Fairbanks is a great starting point for tours across the Arctic Circle and to the Prudhoe Bay oil fields.
