Telling Alaska’s Story : Preserving the history of Independence Mine

HATCHER PASS, Alaska (KTUU) – The buildings of Independence Mine State Historic Park stand as we speak as a reminder of a gold mining operation in Hatcher Go that had its heyday way back.

Independence Mine is a spot the place Alaskans and guests can nonetheless poke contained in the bunk home and different buildings to be taught extra about life at one other time.

“It’s nice that the majority of those buildings are sturdy sufficient to nonetheless be open to the general public, the place they’ll go in and stroll by means of and see the place folks lived and expertise life up right here,” Alaska Division of Pure Sources Historian Amy Hellmich stated.

At its peak in 1941, the mine employed simply over 200 males. That 12 months they extracted gold from the Talkeetna Mountains value greater than $17 million in as we speak’s {dollars}. Nevertheless, World Conflict II disrupted operations, and by 1951 the mine had shut down for good.

In the present day, the Independence Mine State Historic Park and its buildings are listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations. Mat-Su Trails and Parks Superintendent Stuart Leidner stated that correctly caring for the buildings has been a problem, particularly with the big snow load in Hatcher Go, however simply as a lot due to vandalism.

“Vandalism is the primary purpose that the general public doesn’t get to take pleasure in this house till we will get it secured,” Leidner stated.

Leidner added that most of the buildings are closed to entry due to repeated acts of vandalism.

“Largely they’re simply entering into, they’re roaming round, they’re messing issues up, and we’ve had folks set off fireplace extinguishers,” Leidner stated. “It’s simply that sort of malicious vandalism that simply makes our job tougher.”

Leidner stated nobody has been arrested for the vandalism, and the state doesn’t have the cash to make repeated repairs, or to revive the buildings which have extra critical issues, which is why a latest announcement was such welcome information.

On Monday, Helmsley Charitable Belief Trustee Walter Panzirer introduced that the belief had awarded the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Basis $1.3 million for Independence Mine repairs. Panzirer stated the cash will likely be used to rehabilitate 4 of the 16 buildings on the mine.

Hellmich stated the cash will likely be an necessary instrument to assist defend the mine for the longer term.

“I feel we will go searching this place and see that the historical past is being misplaced with the deterioration,” Hellmich stated. “To have the ability to fortify the buildings that we’re specializing in with this grant will preserve them open and obtainable to the general public for a very long time.”

Historic architects and engineers are assessing the constructing’s buildings. A lot of the work is predicted to be completed subsequent summer time.

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