History
Chickaloon sits in the Talkeetna Mountains
about 75 miles Northeast of Anchorage, Alaska. Originally
named for the Chickaloon River, which itself was named
after the Athebascan Chief Chiklu, Chickaloon
began
as small native village in the early 1900’s.
Beginning in 1914 the U.S. Navy sponsored a thriving community
in this area.
The town of Chickaloon had homes, a schoolhouse, stores,
a power plant, dormitories, a mess hall, and most important of
all, large
deposits of coal. The Navy wanted to develop the coal mines
to produce fuel for its ships. The coal, although of a high
quality, was not readily accessible until the Alaska Railroad was
brought
into the area. The first shipment of Chickaloon coal reached
Anchorage in 1917. In 1919, more than 4,000 tons of coal
were mined by Chickaloon's 35 employees. Unfortunately,
or fortunately if you live here, the coal mining and the town
itself would not last more than a few years. The
discovery of cheap and more efficient oil in California convinced
the Navy to abandon coal-burning ships altogether. Within
a few years the town buildings were dismantled and hauled away
to Palmer
and Anchorage, most of the non-natives left the area and the
town/village of Chickaloon reverted back to its beginnings. Today Chickaloon is a quiet, close-knit community of approximately
250. Many descendants of the original Athebascan natives live
and work here along with others who have chosen a simpler, more
peaceful way of life.
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