|
Discover Places to Go and Things to Do
|
|
Wasilla, AK
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wasilla is a city in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 5,470. The 2005 estimate gives the city a population of 8,471, making it the largest city in the borough.
GeographyWasilla is located at (61.581732, -149.452539).
The town has a total area of about 12.4 square miles (32.2 km²). 11.7 square miles (30.4 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it is water. The total area is 6% water.
Wasilla is located midway between the Matanuska Valley and the Susitna Valley, on the George Parks Highway. It lies between Wasilla Lake and Lake Lucille, 43 highway miles (69 km) northeast of Anchorage, about one hour's drive, and about 10 miles (16 km) west of Palmer. About one third of the people of Wasilla commute to work into Anchorage every day.
ClimateJanuary temperatures range from 4°F to 29°F; July temperatures vary from 47°F to 78°F. The average annual precipitation is 17 inches, with 50 inches of snowfall.
GeographyWasilla is located at (61.581732, -149.452539).
The town has a total area of about 12.4 square miles (32.2 km²). 11.7 square miles (30.4 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it is water. The total area is 6% water.
Wasilla is located midway between the Matanuska Valley and the Susitna Valley, on the George Parks Highway. It lies between Wasilla Lake and Lake Lucille, 43 highway miles (69 km) northeast of Anchorage, about one hour's drive, and about 10 miles (16 km) west of Palmer. About one third of the people of Wasilla commute to work into Anchorage every day.
ClimateJanuary temperatures range from 4°F to 29°F; July temperatures vary from 47°F to 78°F. The average annual precipitation is 17 inches, with 50 inches of snowfall.
DescriptionApproximately 35 percent of the Wasilla workforce commutes to Anchorage, Alaska. The local economy is diverse, and residents are employed in a variety of city, borough, state, federal, retail and professional service positions. Tourism, agriculture, wood products, steel, and concrete products are part of the economy. One hundred twenty area residents hold commercial fishing permits. Wasilla is home to the Iditarod Trail Committee.
The George Parks Highway, Glenn Highway and other roads connect the city to Anchorage, the remainder of the state and Canada. The Alaska Railroad serves Wasilla. A town airport, with a paved 3,700-foot (1,130 m) airstrip, provides scheduled commuter and air taxi services. Floatplanes land at Wasilla Lake, Jacobsen Lake and Lake Lucille. There are 10 additional private airstrips in the vicinity.
HistoryThe history of Wasilla begins with the history of Knik, the first boom town in the Mat-Su Valley, which by 1915 boasted a population of 500. The town served the early fur trappers and miners working the gold fields at Cache Creek and Willow Creek.
Wasilla was established in 1917 with the construction of the Alaska Railroad. Wasilla’s proximity to the gold fields and railroad service lured Knik residents to relocate in the new town-—some of them even dragging their homes and businesses with them. In a few short years, Knik became a ghost town. The current townsite was established in 1917 at the intersection of the Knik-Willow mining trail and the newly constructed Alaska Railroad. It was a supply base for gold, notably at Hatcher Pass, and coal mining in the region through World War II.
The town of Wasilla was incorporated in 1974.
In 1994 a statewide ballot initiative to move the capital of Alaska to Wasilla was defeated by about 116,000 to 96,000.
In January 2006 a new hospital, Mat-su Regional Medical Center, opened. It is the second largest hospital in the entire state, situated outside the city limits, halfway between Wasilla and its twin city of Palmer.
Culture
Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry was established to give a home to the Transportation and Industrial remnants
and tell the stories of the people and machines that opened Alaska to exploration and growth.
Notable residentsVic Kohring, a Wasilla legislator who was tried in the wide ranging federal VECO corruption probe, and found guilty of bribery, conspiracy, and attempted extortion. He gained notoriety for his lack of verifiable residency, sleeping in his legislative office, and wearing a bulletproof vest. Kohring typically won his elections by a 2-1 margin.Sarah Palin, a former mayor of Wasilla, won the 2006 Republican primary race for governor of Alaska, defeating incumbent Frank Murkowski. She won the governorship, defeating the Democratic candidate Tony Knowles, and independent candidate Andrew Halcro. She became the first female governor and youngest governor in the history of the state.Katie Hurley, is a living hero of Alaska history. In her youth, she served as Chief Clerk to the Alaska Constitutional Convention of 1955. She also served as an assistant to Alaska’s first Governor at Statehood-William A. Egan. Later in life, Hurley served on the Matanuska-Susitna School Board and on many other projects. In 2004, Hurley received an Alaska Governor's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities from the Alaska Humanities Forum. The award was delivered by former Governor, Frank H. Murkowski.Portugal. The Man, an American indie three-piece band consisting of John Gourley on guitar and vocals, Zach Carothers on bass and vocals, and Jason Sechrist on drums.April Flowers, female porn star and adult model, grew up in Wasilla.NameThe Dena'ina (Tanaina) Indians called the area Benteh, meaning 'among the lakes'. Wasilla is surrounded by many lakes including Lake Lucille and Wasilla Lake.
Wasilla was named after a respected local Dena'ina Indian, Chief Wasilla. In the Dena'ina language, "Wasilla" is said to mean 'breath of air'. Other sources claim the chief derived his name from the Russian language and that 'Vasili' is a variation of the Russian name 'William'.
Wasilla backwards spells out "All I Saw", which some fallaciously believe is the reason for the name.
External links City of Wasilla
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tags:
aviation, cars, museum, railroad, transportation
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
By NorthAmericanAdventures
10 days
By going with a group of 4, the main expense will be the flight because you'll be able to split the cost of the car rental & hotels, plus take turns driving the highways & byways of Alaska. Bring lots of film! Better yet, bring a video camera to capture the laughter ("There's a moose behind me? Waddya mean, FREEZE?!")
|
|
|
By Editor's Choice
14 days
This road trip offers scenic highways and features two national parks: Denali & the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. You'll be visiting big cities like Anchorage & Fairbanks, but the emphasis on this trip is...fantastic views & abundant wildlife. Bring lots of extra film for this trip!
|
|
|
|
|
Add to
My Places
Plan Your Visit
