Alpine Historical Park: A peek into coal mining history

From a distance, the Alpine Historical Park looks like a quiet little place with a few benches in the cool shade of birch trees. But those visitors who take the time to pull off the Glenn Highway for a closer look will stumble upon a fascinating world of hardworking coal miners and a booming Sutton.

Located at Mile 61.5 Glenn Hwy. in Sutton, the historical park is framed by the Talkeetna Mountains in one direction and the Matanuska River and Chugach Mountains in the other. From anywhere within the well-manicured, six-acre park, the view is stunning. Benches around the grounds provide a chance to take in this view, and a place for a picnic lunch for those who want to stay longer.

But it is within the buildings and historical ruins that people will discover the best the park has to offer. The main structure, a large green building, was originally the Chickaloon Bunkhouse, built around 1917 by the Navy to facilitate coal mining in the area. Inside this nearly 100-year-old structure, visitors will find photographs and text documenting the rich history of the area, including that of coal miners, Athabascan Indians and workers building the Glenn Highway.

Two groups of Athabascan Indians, the Ahtna and Tanaina, or Dena'ina, have lived in the Sutton and Chickaloon area for hundreds of years. Their history of trapping, hunting and fishing in the area, as well as their trading during the Russian fur period, is depicted in displays in the main building. Members of these Native groups still live in the area and work with the historical society to help interpret their culture and history.

The spirit house of Ahtna Indian John Goodlataw, who was born in 1870 and died in 1935, is located at the park. A sign posted at the site describes how spirit house is a combination of traditional Native beliefs and the Russian Orthodox religion. According to Native tradition, a person must be buried with their head upriver and a blanket placed over the grave to help keep them warm.

In keeping with the Athabascan traditions of the area, the Chickaloon Tribe is also working to construct a traditional Athabascan home at the park for visitors to see.

Perhaps a larger theme at the park, however, is the coal boom era of the early 1900s. In 1904, the Alaska Central Railroad began laying tracks through Sutton with plans to run the steam engines on Matanuska coal.

In 1920, the U.S. Navy began developing the Wishbone Hill Coal Mining District. This development included the construction of a coal washery on the railroad line. The foundation ruins of this massive structure can still be seen on the park grounds. The washery cleaned the coal mined in the Chickaloon and Eska mines. In 1925, the Navy determined the coal was deficient and shut down activities, leaving Chickaloon an almost instant ghost town, according to information at the park.

The privately owned Evan Jones Mine continued the coal industry in Sutton until 1968, when it too shut down.

This coal history can be seen in other areas of the park as well, including numerous pieces of machinery on display outdoors. There is also the Lucas House, which served as officers' quarters for the Navy until 1922.

In a nearby building, visitors can tour the "Old Timers Hall of Fame," where local residents will recognize many names and faces. The people featured in the display are those who, in one way or another, were a part of the coal mining history, people like Vivian Jones Teeland, Leo Kammermeyer, Dan Contini, Marlin "Nick" Grasser and James "Lightening" Dolfi. Plaques beneath each photograph describe how the person contributed to the history of the area.

With all this to see and take in, along with the original Sutton Post Office, gardens, a play area for children and picnic tables, visitors may want to plan more than just a brief stop at the park.

The Alpine Historical Park is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, Memorial Day weekend through the end of September.

Entry to the park is free. Managed by the private, nonprofit Alpine Historical Society, the park depends on donations and grants. Within the park, visitors will find donation boxes where they can show their support. The park itself is not staffed, but caretakers live on the grounds.