Feel the call of the wild at Knik townsite

“Men, groping in the Arctic darkness, had found a yellow metal, and because steamship and transportation companies were booming the find, thousands of men were rushing into the Northland.”

This excerpt from Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild” describes the lure of gold during the Klondike rush of the late 19th century. Published in 1903, the iconic novel of Alaska continues to inspire the adventurous spirit that has led so many to the Last Frontier. It also is a good description of Knik, the Valley’s original boomtown.

Established in the late 1890s, Knik was the main hub for mining and supply trails leading north. Before the Alaska Railroad route to Wasilla was established in 1917, Knik boasted more than 50 commercial buildings, including George Parks’ mercantile store.

Today, there’s little left to remind a modern Valley there was ever a burgeoning metropolis near the upper Cook Inlet. The centerpiece of a small collection of buildings is the Knik Museum and Mushers Hall of Fame.

Built in 1910 as the original Fulton and Hirshey Pool and Billiard Hall, the building was converted to a museum in 1967 and has been keeping the area’s rich history alive for more than 40 years. This year marks the 100th birthday for the building and the historic Iditarod Trail, which runs right past the museum.

On Sunday, Knik will be a boomtown again, this time the lure of the past — not gold — drawing young and old to Mile 13.9 Knik-Goose Bay Road. The Knik Historical Society is hosting an open house to celebrate the milestone, and it’s an event worth attending.

In keeping with the spirit of the original community, it’s a potluck, so bring a dish to share and enjoy an afternoon picnic while reconnecting with some of the Valley’s deepest roots.

You can learn about The Black Bear, a local prostitute who, gossip of the time said, along with a companion robbed a gold shipment. Or you can help excavate an archaeological site on the grounds. Or perhaps just peruse the history and stories housed in the former pool hall.

Whether you’re a lifelong Alaskan or a newcomer, keeping alive Knik’s legacy to our Valley is important.

Alaska still remains one of America’s rugged, adventurous mysteries. Learn more about Knik and Sunday’s celebration in today’s Valley Life section, page A7, then take a few hours on Sunday to feed your own call of the wild at the old Knik townsite.