Fairbanks, city (2020 pop. 32,515),
Fairbanks North Star Borough, E central Alaska, on the Chena River near its
confluence with the Tanana; inc. 1903. Fairbanks is the only sizable urban
center in the vast Alaskan interior. Government, mining, tourism, oil
pipeline services, and lumbering are important to its economy. Gold was
discovered there, in an area sparsely inhabited by Athabascan peoples, in
1902; Fairbanks boomed briefly, then grew as the Alaska RR opened the
region. Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base are now central to area
development. Nearby is the Univ. of Alaska. Dogsled racing draws visitors,
and the city has art galleries, theaters, a symphony, museums, and other
cultural institutions.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography
