Welcome to Mat-Su Valley - Keep Trees

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AQP Publishing, Inc. 

8537 Corbin Dr. 

Anchorage, AK 99507 

(907) 562-9300 

Fax: (907) 562-9311 

Toll Free: (866) 562-9300 

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Publisher - Robert R. Ulin 

Editor - Cheryl Chapman 

Graphic Designer - Denise Martin 

Advertising Sales - David Gates 

Special thanks to our contributors for 

letters, images and information 

Alaska State Fair 

City of Palmer 

City of Wasilla 

Matanuska-Susitna Borough 

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District 

Mat-Su Home Builders 

Tricia Barnett, CyberLynx 

Sandra Spencer, ANP 

Photos: Shonti Elder, Glen Kerr, 

Denise Martin, Justin Ritter 

State of Alaska 

Office of the Governor 

Department of Commerce 

Department of Fish & Game 

Department of Labor 

U.S. Census Bureau 

U.S. Department of Labor 

Valley Board of Realtors 

Wasilla Chamber of Commerce 

T A B L E OF C O N T E N T S 

Welcome to Alaska ..................14 

Getting Here ...........................19 

Welcome to Mat-Su ..................24 

Maps ................................32-38 

Employment & Economy ...........41 

Housing & Real Estate ..............43 

Education & Academics ............49 

Health Care ............................54 

Community & Recreation ...........61 

Surrounding Area ....................67 

Advertiser Index ......................69 

MAT-SU Relocation Guide 1

Photo: Shonti Elder 



offiCe of the mayor 

231 West Evergreen Avenue 

Palmer, Alaska 99645 

Phone (907) 745-3271 • Fax (907) 745-0930 

www.cityofpalmer.org 

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the City of Palmer, “Alaska at its best.” I believe the quality 

of life in Palmer ranks the highest in Southcentral Alaska. We are pleased that you have chosen to 

consider our city as a place to live and do business. 

Planned and built to establish agriculture in Alaska, Palmer retains the feeling of a small Midwest 

town, but one surrounded by spectacular mountains. The presence of family farms and commercial 

growers still contributes significantly to the economy of the area and provides Palmer residents 

with locally grown foods throughout the seasons. 

Our compact, walkable historic downtown creates the perfect environment for festivals and events. 

When visiting the Mat-Su Valley, make note of the many events held throughout the year in 

Palmer. Check dates to attend the Alaska State Fair in August, Colony Days in June, Colony 

Christmas in December and our Friday Fling Market every Friday from May through August. 

Palmer is the seat of the Mat-Su Borough and home to a State of Alaska District Court. Along with 

the numerous borough, state and federal offices, many young professionals are establishing their 

offices here. Additionally, several high-tech firms are based out of Palmer. 

During this summer of 2012, the city is alive with projects. Construction is in progress at Palmer 

High and Middle Schools with facility upgrades and installation of an artificial turf field and two 

new running tracks. Expansion continues at the MTA Events Center, providing additional seating 

inside and opening the new soccer fields outside. The City of Palmer continues construction on the 

largest public utility system in the Mat-Su Valley. Next year we will complete a citywide upgrade 

to the entire water system and finish a multiphase water and sewer infrastructure project that 

serves Mat-Su Regional Hospital, the University of Alaska Mat-Su campus and private development 

sites. The Glenn Highway four-lane project begins this year, which will reduce driving time 

to the Anchorage area from an already-easy 40 minute commute. 

As mayor, I invite you to invest in Palmer’s bright future. Today, our community is alive with 

growth. We want you to be a part of it. I hope this Guide helps you as you relocate your home or 

establish your business in Alaska’s most livable city. 

Visit our website for the most up-to-date information on the City of Palmer at www.palmerak.org. 

Cordially, 

Mayor DeLena Johnson 

City of Palmer

VERNE E. RUPRIGHT 

MAYOR 

CITY OF WASILLA 

290 E. Herning Ave. 

Wasilla, AK 99654-7091 

Phone: (907) 373-9055 

Fax: (907) 373-9096 

Welcome to Wasilla, a progressive community that offers the best of Alaska! A thriving crossroads with a 

robust and growing economy, this rapidly developing city is at the heart of a dynamic and vibrant region. 

The City of Wasilla’s elected officials are committed to providing the highest level of public service to 

our residents. 

Wasilla is at the core of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and is the economic hub of “the Valley.” We are 

located approximately 45 miles from Anchorage on the Parks Highway and are along the railroad transportation 

corridor linking Southcentral Alaska to Interior Alaska. 

Retail services include national retailers such as Walmart, Target, Safeway, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Fred 

Meyer and Sportman’s Warehouse. There is a wide variety of American and ethnic foods, and you can stay 

at our fine hotels or campgrounds. We have acquired additional property to build a new library and Informational 

Complex as well as 89 acres of additional park land. We also have a brand new Native medical 

center due to be completed in the summer of 2012. 

Wasilla is surrounded by mountains from the Talkeetna, Chugach and Alaska ranges and nestled between 

Wasilla and Lucille lakes. In Wasilla, our tourism and recreational services are important aspects of our 

community. Every year, thousands of visitors vacation in our area. Flight services (general aviation, air 

taxis, air cargo) and aircraft support are available at Wasilla’s public general aviation airport with its 

3,500-foot runway, lease lots, and T-hangars. 

The City’s newest facility, a 102,000-square-foot Multi-Use Complex, has four primary activity areas: an 

NHL-size ice arena, an indoor artificial turf court, a running/walking track, and three community meeting 

rooms. Wasilla has numerous parks and playgrounds for recreation and organized sports activities. There 

are also trails for hiking and biking. The Wasilla area also provides many other recreational opportunities, 

including hunting or viewing wildlife, riding snowmachines, playing golf, boating, and fishing. Great lake 

fishing can be found at Lake Lucille and Wasilla Lake, both of which are part of the Stillwater Fishing 

Capital of Alaska. 

We are expanding our infrastructure to meet the needs of our current and future businesses and residents. 

We have eliminated city property taxes, and encourage private-sector development while creating incentives 

for families and businesses to locate in our community. 

If you would like more information about our city, please visit us at www.cityofwasilla.com, and we thank 

you for your interest! 

Sincerely, 

Mayor Verne E. Rupright

Wasilla Photo: Denise Martin 

8 MAT-SU Relocation Guide


Welcome to the Valley, Our little slice of heaven! 

If you are reading this guide, you may be ready to relocate to the Mat-Su Valley and we 

would love to have you! The Valley offers so many things: wildlife, glaciers, hiking, biking, 

boating, rafting, flying, ice skating, four-wheeling, snow-machining, snowshoeing, skiing, jet 

boating, fishing, hunting … and on and on and on! The scenery, the fresh air and clear water 

attract people from all over the world. We are blessed to live in these stunningly beautiful 

surroundings year round – with each season bringing its own unique, colors, temperatures, 

smells and tastes! 

But it also brings opportunity! The Mat-Su Valley has diverse employment prospects, what 

with a large growing medical campus and another under construction. Teachers, police 

officers, fire fighters, retail sales people, construction workers – these are just a few of the 

jobs that the Mat-Su offers. “Help Wanted” signs are as common as a colorful winter aurora 

borealis light show! We have a growing population that keeps things moving quickly here, 

and homes are a vital part of this growth. 

Whatever your taste in a home, log or traditional, the Valley offers it at an affordable price! 

But there is another real estate market here too – vacation homes: Cabins, lake houses and 

property that fronts fish-filled creeks and streams, ready for you to drop in a line and take 

advantage of the bounty that is Alaska. 

So welcome! Welcome home to Alaska! Welcome home to The Mat-Su Valley! We look 

forward to being your neighbors, your colleagues, and your friends. 

Sincerely, 

Cora L. Carleson, president 

Valley Board of REALTORS 

valleybd@mtaonline.net 

(907) 376-5080 

RE/MAX Dynamic of the Valley – Wasilla 

corasproperties@gmail.com 

(907) 631-5100


609 S. Knik Goose Bay Road, Suite G 

Wasilla, AK 99654 

Phone: (907) 376-2666 

Fax: (907) 376-2667 

matsuhomebuilders.org 

Welcome to the Matanuska-Susitna Valley! 

The Mat-Su Home Builders Association Inc. welcomes you to your new life in the Mat-Su 

Valley. You will find this is a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. We have highquality 

schools, services and employment opportunities; the best part is, they are all located in one 

of the friendliest places in the state. Continuing to grow with the community, we are in our 36th 

year of operation, and we are pleased to provide quality, affordable housing for the residents of 

Wasilla, Palmer, Houston, Big Lake and other surrounding communities. 

How do we make a difference in our area? We do this through construction, repair and renovation, 

and beautification projects; our association takes pride in building and remodeling homes as a part 

of our Home Builders Care Program. 

We are also partners with several organizations guaranteeing the education of our children and 

future workforce. In addition, our association has recently begun supporting an organization 

called “My House,” donating several hundred pounds of food to support local, homeless youth. 

The leadership of the Mat-Su Home Builders Association Inc. is optimistic because of the bright 

future we see for our Valley and for our State. If you are looking for safe, affordable housing in 

the Mat-Su Valley, make sure you visit our website at www.matsuhomebuilders.org, or call our 

office during regular business hours at (907) 376-2666. We can help you find a licensed builder, 

real estate agent and more! 

Respectfully, 

Robert Milby 

Milby Construction Services Inc. 

President, Mat-Su Home Builders Association Inc.

Welcome to the 49th State 

A laska 

offers as much familiarity 

— cities, villages, stores, streets, vehicles 

— as it does strangeness: breathtaking 

(yet deadly) wilderness and weather, 

10,000-year-old Alaska Native customs 

and traditions, a boom-and-bust history, 

honey buckets, and days as long in 

summer as nights are in winter. It’s a 

land of rugged individuals with a do-ityourself 

mentality. 

Like the original inhabitants and 

later the Russians who sold the land 

to the Americans, visitors still hear 

and feel that “Call of the Wild.” And 

the state’s motto, “North to the Future,” 

promises the potential of endless 

opportunities — economic, cultural, 

natural and recreational. 

The state might prove near-inaccessible 

by road though by air, Seattle’s a 

mere 3 ½-hour flight away. That distance 

adds to the allure of solitude, adventure 

and otherworldliness. 

14 14 MAT-SU Relocation Relocation Guide 

Guide 

Despite the remoteness, jobs are 

plentiful, increasing steadily — with a few 

downward bumps — since statehood in 

1959. Housing, education and healthcare 

are modern, progressive and 

family-oriented. 

Landscape 

Alaska is known for its mountains, 

glaciers, rivers, forests, tundra, wildlife and 

wilderness. The National Parks system 

has designated millions of acres as parks, 

preserves, wild rivers, monuments and 

historic sites. In fact, the state boasts 

seven of the 10 largest national parks in 

the country: Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of 

the Arctic, Denali, Katmai, Glacier Bay, 

Lake Clark and Kobuk Valley. A complete 

list can be found at www.nps.gov/akso/ 

parks/Index.cfm. 

Fourteen separate mountain ranges 

divide the state into four major riverdrainage 

systems. The Brooks Range 

runs east and west, separating the 

Interior from the northernmost Arctic. The 

Wrangell Mountains help make Wrangell- 

St. Elias National Park and Preserve in 

Southeast the largest in the U.S. And 

the Alaska Range, crowned by Denali, or 

Mount McKinley, the highest point in North 

America, adds spectacle and royalty to 

Denali National Park and Preserve. 

The state also features the nation’s 

two largest national forests: Tongass in 

Southeast at nearly 17 million acres is 

one of last intact and pristine temperate 

rainforests; and Chugach in Southcentral, 

at more than 5 million acres, has been 

enjoyed as a colossal backyard with 

great recreational choices for more than 

a century. 

Great expanses of tundra, muskegs — 

boggy wetlands — and labyrinths of rivers 

and lakes lace through the landscape, 

limiting off-road travel on the ground but 

creating an intriguing puzzle when viewed 

from a plane. 

Photo: Denise Martin

Alaska Trivia 

49th State: Granted statehood 

January 3, 1959 

Landmass: 570,641 square miles, 

the largest 

Highest Point: 20,320 feet, Mount 

McKinely, highest point in 

North America 

Lowest Point: Sea Level 

Coastline: 44,000 Miles 

Rivers: More than 3,000 

Lakes: More than 3 Million 

Capitol: Juneau 

Flower: Forget-Me-Not 

Tree: Sitka Spruce 

Fossil: Woolly Mammoth 

Insect: Four-Spot Skimmer 

Dragonfly 

Bird: Willow Ptarmigan 

Fish: King Salmon 

Land Mammal: Moose 

Marine Mammal: Bowhead Whale 

Sport: Dog Mushing 

Big Alaska 

Welcome to Alaska 

The state covers 570,641 square miles. That’s 

roughly one-third the size of the 48 continental states 

combined, or 441 times the size of Rhode Island and 

2.2 times the size of Texas. 

As far as water, the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Alaska, 

Bering Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea and the Arctic 

Ocean lap more than 44,000 miles of shoreline. Alaska 

has some of the wildest and most pristine sounds, 

bays, rivers and lakes in the world. 

Talk about privacy and solitude: The population 

density averages slightly more than one person per 

square mile. And most outdoor recreation is within 

walking distance or a short drive, if not just out the 

back door. 



16 MAT-SU Relocation Guide 

Wildlife 

Alaskans share the state with more 

than 40 species of land mammals, more 

than 30 species of marine mammals, 

more than 40 different kinds of fish 

and 493 species of birds, plus a host 

of marine invertebrates and some frogs 

and toads but no snakes or reptiles. 

Sometimes the wildlife can feel too cozy 

and familiar, such as when a moose 

wanders across an icy road in front of 

your car, or a grizzly confronts a jogger 

on a hiking trail. 

Hunting and Fishing 

The Mat-Su Valley sits in the middle 

of a sportsman’s paradise. 

Hunters pursue black bear, brown/ 

grizzly bear, caribou, mountain goat, 

moose, Dall sheep, deer, wolves, 

snowshoe hare, ptarmigan, grouse, 

ducks, geese, brant, snipe and sandhill 

cranes. Trapping is also allowed for 

some species. 

Rivers, streams and lakes — some 

year round — abound with salmon, 

steelhead, rainbow trout, Arctic char, 

Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling, burbot, 

northern pike and other finfish. Halibut 

entice saltwater anglers. 

Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Find details on regulations, seasons, 

limits, trapping, hunter safety education 

and restrictions at the Alaska Department 

of Fish and Game website, www.adfg. 

state.ak.us.

Alaska History 

Alaska is young. In 2009, residents 

celebrated 50 years of statehood. Long 

before that time — 20,000 to 6,000 years 

ago — many indigenous folks migrated 

from Asia across the frozen Bering Sea 

just as receding glaciers uncovered boreal 

tundra, and forests began to take root. 

Those first inhabitants fared better 

against the harsh climate and conditions 

than they did after the Russians and 

Americans showed up in the 18th century. 

Despite conflicts and cultural impacts, 

Alaska Natives — those who survived — 

persisted and adapted. 

In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William 

H. Seward purchased the territory from 

Russia for $7.2 million, less than 2 cents 

per acre. View the cancelled check used 

for the purchase online at the National 

Archives, www.ourdocuments.gov. 

The gold rush in the late 19th century 

further upset the status quo. World War 

II prompted more arrivals because of the 

state’s strategic location and better access 

with a road through Canada to the Lower 

48. Since then, the military has maintained 

a strong presence. A wealth of natural 

resources eventually induced Congress to 

admit the territory into the Union. Discovery 

of oil a decade later on state-owned North 

Slope lands seconded that decision. As 

the lumber and fishing industries have 

declined, oil continues to line state coffers, 

though production has been dropping. 

Alaska 2011 Populations 

Alaska’s population is 722,190 

Five Largest Boroughs 

Municipality of Anchorage ...... 296,197 

Fairbanks North Star Borough ... 97,615 

Matanuska-Susitna Borough ..... 91,697 

Kenai Peninsula Borough .......... 56,369 

Juneau City & Borough ............. 32,290 

Ten largest communities 

Anchorage ...............................296,197 

Fairbanks ..................................30,547 

Juneau ......................................32,290 

Sitka ............................................8,985 

Wasilla ........................................8,064 

Kenai ...........................................7,110 

Kodiak .........................................6,312 

Bethel ..........................................6,228 

Palmer ........................................6,087 

Homer .........................................5,051 

Barrow ...................................... 4,309 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 

Alaska is young, 

both as a state and 

geographically. 

After the dinosaurs 

were gone, glaciers 

covered the land 

and an estimated 

100,000 of them are 

still here. 


Government 

Supported mostly by oil revenue, the 

state government operates much as state 

governments in the Lower 48, with a House 

of Representatives and Senate, judiciary 

and governor. The Statehood Act created 

a mid-level government — a borough — 

encompassing cities, towns or villages and 

the state. Boroughs resemble counties 

except for law enforcement, which is either 

by local police or state troopers. 

Sixteen organized and one unorganized 

borough cover more than 

390 communities. Anchorage, Juneau 

and Sitka are unified home-rule 

boroughs, which consolidate all the 

local governments. The Municipality of 

Anchorage, for example, merged the 

Greater Anchorage Area Borough with the 

City of Anchorage and such communities 

as Eagle River and Girdwood. 

The remaining boroughs are either 

non-unified home-rule or second class, 

with a regional government that complements 

city governments within borough 

boundaries. 

The sole unorganized borough 

comprises more than half the state’s 

land mass with 13 percent of the state’s 



population divided into 11 federal census 

areas. This borough is neither a political 

subdivision nor a municipal corporation 

but it delivers federal funds and state 

services with the help of local officials. In 

1991 and 1992, state officials divided the 

borough into 19 smaller boroughs, but 

none have organized or incorporated. 

The biggest influence on the evolution 

of present-day government 

occurred in 1971 when President 

Richard Nixon signed the Alaska Native 

Claims Settlement Act. Basically, 

Native Alaskans gave up decadesold 

land claims in return for 44 million 

acres of land and $962 million. The 

settlement compensated Natives for 

the collaborative use of their lands and 

opened the way for all Alaskans to profit 

from oil exploration and production, one 

of the state’s largest natural resources. 

ANCSA divided the land and money 

among 200 villages and 12 Native-owned 

regional corporations plus a 13th made up 

of Natives living outside the state. Today 

more than 246 federally recognized tribal 

governments supervise the land. 

The settlement and the eventual oil 

revenues plus federal funds eliminated a 

statewide sales tax or personal income 

tax, except for a local sales tax in a handful 

of communities, villages or boroughs. 

To learn more about the state’s 

government, boroughs, communities and 

villages, visit www.alaska.gov. 



Photo: Denise Martin 

SUMMER 

SPRING 

Seasons 

FALL 

WINTER 

Summer offers endless daylight, shirtsleeve 

weather and plenty of time to grow 

vegetables, berries and flowers, or hike, 

bike, kayak, canoe, camp, fish and otherwise 

explore and enjoy the great outdoors. 

Though bitterly cold, winter comes in 

a close second in popularity among residents. 

Sports and outdoor activities range 

from the extreme to moderate: sledding 

with dogs, toboggans or snowmachines, 

skiing, snowboarding, skating, snowshoeing 

or ice climbing. During the long, dark 

nights, the Northern Lights dance across 

the starlit sky. Indoor activities include 

hockey, basketball and volleyball. 

A few clear days above 50 degrees 

signal spring, and shortly thereafter 

the budding trees explode into a green 

sheen of leaves in a matter of days. All 

sorts of colorful flowers muscle up from 

the defrosting ground. Just blink, and this 

season’s gone. 

Similar to spring’s brief reign, fall 

flashes with orange, red and amber 

colors, and then the crisp, cool days 

succumb to wind and snow.

By Air 

Flying is the mode of choice for most visitors, and it’s 

far better for travelers or movers with limited travel time 

than a long road trip. Hundreds of flights land and take off 

daily from Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, 

many of them direct flights from cities all over the world. 

By Sea 

Barge and ferry offer alternatives to land and air, especially 

from the West Coast. Several shipping companies handle 

household goods from West Coast ports, with connections by 

rail or truck from inland cities. You may ship some household 

goods and vehicles via Alaska’s Marine Highway ferries, which 

serve ports in Southeast, with some routes to Southcentral. 

The Marine Highway inland-water and ocean-going ferries 

also connect to Seattle. For most of the year, Seattle-boarding 

passengers can travel as far north as Haines and Skagway in 

the southeastern Panhandle. From there, Anchorage is about 

a 700-mile drive by way of a corner of western Canada and the 

Alaska Highway. From June through September, a ferry docks 

at Whittier, a 90-minute drive from the state’s largest city. 

The ferries offer passage for vehicles and people, although 

cabins need to be reserved many weeks or months in advance. 

Pets remain in the vehicles, except during stops or specific 

times. 

Ferry passengers view the same scenery as the more than 1 

million cruise ship tourists every summer, but the similarities end 

Photo: Len Sullivan 

Getting Here 

there. Most ferries feature public showers, a lounge, vending 

machines, cafeterias and dining rooms. But wise travelers 

bring coolers full of food and beverages, blankets, pillows, 

towels, their own entertainment — and a camera to snap shots 

of whales, puffins, other marine life, calving glaciers and the 

rugged coastline. 

To make reservations and find schedules, fares and other 

information, visit www.alaska.gov/ferry 

. 


Getting Here 

By Ground 

First, find a map, a big road map 

that includes Alaska, Canada and the 

northern border states of the Lower 

48. Next, head north-by-northwest 

toward Canada. Washington, Idaho, 

Montana and points east have dozens 

of border crossings. Whether starting 

from Chicago or Seattle, allow plenty 

of time for a long, slow, scenic drive. 

Canada is big and most of the roads 

are small two-lane affairs, sometimes 

only gravel. 

But getting to Alaska is half the fun. 

No matter which way you approach the 

state, you will be on a journey lined with 

the splendors of nature. If you come in 

the winter, beware of changing weather 

patterns and the ferocious snowstorms 

that strand unprepared travelers every 

year. An atlas and current road maps 

for the states, provinces and territories 

you will be traveling through are items 

you’ll want to have on hand to plan 

your trip and make the journey to your 

new home. 


Alaska Highway 

Once you get to Canada, make your 

way to the Alaska Highway, which starts 

in Dawson Creek in the northern part of 

British Columbia. Stay on the “Alcan,” as 

many northerners call it, until you get 

to Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory, and 

cross the border into Alaska. Keep 

going until you get to Tok, where you’ll 

turn south and arrive in the Mat-Su 

Valley a few hours later. 

Plan for all road trip contingencies 

and be sure your vehicle is in top 

working condition. If you load up your 

vehicle with a lot of weight, you may 

need to upgrade your shock absorbers 

before the trip. Have extra oil, a couple 

of spare tires, extra belts and lots of gas 

money. You’ll find a gas station about 

every hour or so along most of the way. 

It’s usually a good idea to stop when 

you are at about half a tank to take a 

break from driving and fill up instead of 

waiting until you are running on empty. 

The price of gas in Canada, which is 

dispensed in liters, can be well over 

$4 a gallon in certain areas. There are 

3.785 liters to one U.S. gallon. 

If it’s not winter when you are 

traveling, you could take camping 

gear and coolers and make a real 

adventure out of the move. If it is winter, 

you’ll most likely want to get a room at 

night and have a warm meal prepared. 

Be sure to pack heavy winter gear in 

case of car trouble so you don’t freeze. 

Summer or winter, regardless of the 

route you take, be sure to take along 

plenty of snacks and beverages to 

consume while you are on the road. 

Don’t forget your camera and be sure 

to take music, as there may be long 

stretches without radio reception. If 

you’re bringing children or pets, have 

plenty to keep them occupied – it’s a 

long journey. 

Cassiar Highway 

If you head west from Prince George, 

B.C., to New Hazelton, B. C., you will find 

yourself at the beginning of the Cassiar 

Highway. This is an alternate route that 

hooks up with the Alaska Highway near 

Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. The road 

has advantages and disadvantages over 

the Alaska Highway. For one thing, it’s 

not as upgraded or as well-paved as the 

Alcan. On the plus side, you are deeper

into the backcountry of British Columbia 

and see more wild rivers, canyons, 

glaciers, lakes and pristine wilderness. 

You’ll shave 150 miles off your route, 

but be careful, as gas stations and other 

amenities are few and far between. 

You’ll need to fill up when you can. 

Some services are closed in the winter 

months, so if you want to take this route 

you should plan carefully and find out 

where you’ll be able to get fuel along this 

stretch of 450 miles – before you head 

out. Once you get to Watson Lake you’ll 

be back on the Alaska Highway. Travel 

west to Beaver Creek, cross into Alaska 

and drive through to Tok. Then head 

south to arrive in the Mat-Su Valley. 

Whether you come by air, sea or 

land, when you move to Alaska, it will 

be an unforgettable journey across 

some of the most magnificent scenery 

in North America. 

Alaska Driving 

Driver’s License 

& Vehicle Registration 

Alaska law requires that you obtain 

an Alaska driver’s license within 90 days 

of arrival, and you must register your 

vehicles with the state within 60 days 

of arrival. To obtain an Alaska driver’s 

license, you will have to provide your 

Social Security number and surrender 

your out-of-state driver’s license. 

Registration of your vehicles will 

require proof of ownership in the form of 

a title and registration documents from 

the state where you previously lived, 

along with proof of insurance. 

Alaska law requires vehicle owners 

to maintain liability insurance for the 

following minimum amounts: $50,000 for 

bodily injury or death of any one person, 

$100,000 for bodily injury or death for 

any accident, and $25,000 for property 

damage. 

Summer Roads 

There is more traffic in the summer, 

so drive defensively and look out for 

people on motorcycles and bicycles 

because they may be hard to see. 

Drive with lights on at all times of the 

year — other drivers can see you better. 

On some roads, such as the Seward 

Highway, driving with lights is mandatory. 

When it rains, slow down; the roads will 

be slippery. Also, summer is the season 

for road construction in Alaska. Watch 

out for workers on the road and pay 

attention to heavy equipment and signs; 

fines double in construction zones. 

Winter Roads 

Winter driving in Alaska can be a real 

challenge. The most important safety tip 

is SLOW DOWN. Roads get 

icy, and speed is the greatest 

contributor to the hundreds 

of accidents on Alaska roads 

every winter. It would seem 

logical that it takes longer to 

stop on icy roads, but many 

drivers apparently have to 

learn all over again every 

year how to drive on snow 

and ice. 

Front-wheel drive and fourwheel-drive 

vehicles coupled 

with studded snow tires go 

a long way to reduce white- 

Getting Here 

knuckle fever. Extra weight centered 

on the rear axle helps with maneuverability; 

sandbags or bags of kitty litter 

used for weight can also provide 

extra traction when sprinkled on ice. 

Emergency supplies including 

blankets, flares and food are important 

to keep in your vehicle in case of 

delays due to breakdowns, weather 

or accidents. It will take longer to get 

where you are going on winter roads, 

so plan accordingly. 


Getting Here 

People who’ve never driven on ice 

and snow will need to learn how to drive 

all over again when winter hits. Snow 

and ice greatly reduce tire traction – 

your vehicle will go a lot farther before 

it stops, whether you have four-wheel 

drive or not. 

When you brush off the snow and 

scrape off the ice on your windshield, 

take the time to clean off the headlights 

and taillights and rear and side windows 

too. In winter, especially with the longer 

hours of darkness in Alaska, clear 

vision and visibility in every direction 

may help prevent an accident. 

Putting your 

move together 

Once you’ve decided to make the 

move to Alaska and have chosen your 

mode and route of travel, the next thing 

to do is select a moving company for 

your household goods and other items. 

Choose the company in your area that 

you are most comfortable with and 


remember that the lowest 

price is not always the 

best deal. 

Ideally, you want a 

company with a national 

network and a good reputation. 

You want one company 

that can pack up your house 

and arrange for delivery of 

your goods — intact — to 

your new home in Alaska. 

Researching online will help 

you find information, but 

some phone and legwork 

will be necessary to pick the 

right mover. Get references 

and check them out. 

Decide if you want the 

movers to pack or not. It 

does cost more if you don’t 

do it yourself, but if you 

hire professional movers they should 

be able to do a good job and save you 

a lot of time and labor. If you decide 

to pack yourself, it’s a good idea to 

allow twice as much time to complete 

everything as you think you will need. 

When the movers deliver your 

belongings, check the shipment carefully 

and completely for damaged or missing 

items. Write down anything awry, preferably 

in the presence of the moving 

crew, and have them verify your findings. 

If you have to seek compensation for 

damages from the moving company, this 

written record will be essential. Be sure 

to inventory everything before the move, 

so you will have a list to verify against 

when your belongings arrive. 

Canada 

U.S. citizens must have a passport 

(or equivalent travel document) to enter 

Canada by land, sea or air and to get 

back into the U.S. 

Identification such as a passport, 

birth certificate, etc., for each child 

traveling with you is needed. Children 

of divorced parents will also need legal 

custody documents. Written permission 

from parents or guardians is needed for 

children who are traveling with adults 

who are not their parents or guardians. 

Companion animals will need proof 

of a current health certificate to enter 

Canada with you. Check the Canada 

Border Services Agency website at www. 

cbsa-asfc.gc.ca for more information 

about requirements for pets. 

Money will need to be converted from 

U.S. currency into Canadian currency at 

a bank near the border, on one side or the 

other. You will usually get a better rate if

you make your exchange at a bank. Most 

major U.S. credit cards are accepted for 

payment in Canada, and you won’t have 

to worry about the conversion rate. You 

should still take a good amount of cash 

in case you end up stopping somewhere 

that doesn’t accept credit cards. 

U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection 

U.S. and Canadian Citizens 

– Single Document Option 

One of the following documents 

should be presented to prove both identity 

and citizenship. 

• U.S. or Canadian Passport 

• U.S. Passport Card* 

• Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, 

• SENTRI, or FAST)* 

• State or Provincial-Issued Enhanced 

• Driver’s License (when available – this 

• secure driver’s license will denote 

• identity and citizenship)* 

• Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)* 

• U.S. Military Identification with Military 

• Travel Orders 

• U.S. Merchant Mariner Document 

• Native American Tribal Photo Identifica- 

• tion Card 

• Form I-872 American Indian Card 

• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Card 

* Frequent Land Border Crossers – To 

expedite processing into the United 

States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

recommends using one of the 

above asterisked documents. 


– Two-Document Option 

All U.S. and Canadian citizens who 

do not have one of the documents from 

the preceding list must present both an 

identification and citizenship document 

from each of the lists below. 

Identification Documents* 

• Driver’s license or identification card 

• issued by a federal, state, provincial, 

• county, territory or municipal authority 

• U.S. or Canadian military identification 

• card 

* All identification documents must have a 

• photo, name, and date of birth. 

Citizenship Documents 

• U.S., or Canadian birth certificate issued 

• by a federal, state, provincial, county, 

• territory, or municipal authority 

• U.S. Consular report of birth abroad 

• U.S. Certificate of Naturalization 

• U.S. certificate of citizenship 

Getting Here 

• U.S. Citizen Identification Card 

• Canadian Citizenship Card 

• Canadian certificate of citizenship 

• without photo 


– Procedures for Children 

U.S. and Canadian-citizen children 

ages 18 and under will be expected 

to present a birth certificate issued by 

a federal, state, provincial, county, or 

municipal authority. 

Know Your Destination – Country 

Document Requirements 

It is strongly recommended that all 

travelers leaving the U.S. verify the specific 

documentary requirements for their 

destination country. This information 

is available through www.travel.state. 

gov, or by consulting with the embassy 

of the country you are visiting. 

Travelers are encouraged to visit 

www.cbp.gov for updates on travel 

information. 


Welcome to Mat-Su 

The Matanuska and the Susitna river deltas created 

rich farmland that enticed early homesteaders. These days 

the fastest-growing area in the state offers a comfortably 

mixed lifestyle with urban amenities and rural solitude and an 

alternative to Anchorage, 35 miles to the south. 

As the population center of the Matanuska-Susitna 

Borough, the Mat-Su Valley or “Mat-Su” or “The Valley,” as 

locals refer to it, encompasses more than 25,000 square miles 

of rolling lowlands, mountains, lakes, rivers and streams, 

mostly uninhabited. It’s an exciting playground for any 

number of outdoor activities and adventures in the heart of 

Southcentral Alaska. 


Mountains and water surround the area — the Alaska Range 

to the northwest, the Chugach Mountains to the southeast and 

the Talkeetna and Clearwater Ranges in the interior, with Upper 

Cook Inlet and Knik Arm on the southern border. 

Glaciers and wetlands also abound: Susitna Flats, Goose 

Bay and Palmer Hay Flats state game refuges and Willow 

Mountain State Critical Habitat Area. The borough stretches 

nearly to Mount McKinley and includes parts of Denali and 

Chugach state parks, Denali National Park and Preserve and 

Chugach National Forest. 

Historic sites help define the recent history of a land inhabited 

by Alaska Native Athabascans, primarily Dena’ina and Ahtna, 

for thousands of years. Other sites include Independence Mine 

State Historical Park, parts of the Iditarod National Historic Trail 

and 27 properties on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The second class borough incorporated in 1964 with an 

elected mayor and assembly. The borough manager acts as 

chief administrator. Appointed advisory committees include 

the planning commission, platting board and transportation 

advisory board. 

King’s Lake, Wasilla Photo: Denise Martin

Incorporated cities are Houston, 

Palmer and Wasilla. Other communities 

are unincorporated and operate locally 

through 23 community councils. The 

core population centers on or within 

Palmer and Wasilla, with the rest spread 

among the unincorporated communities 

or in remote spots. 

Areawide responsibilities include 

assessing and collecting taxes, 

education, planning and zoning, 

parks and recreation, ports, harbors 

and wharves, ambulance service, 

transportation systems, air pollution 

control, day care facilities and historic 

preservation. 

The borough, directed by voters, 

oversees fireworks, motor vehicles and 

operators, snow vehicles, solid waste, 

libraries, septic tank disposal, economic 

development, limited health and social 

services, natural gas, electric and local 

road improvement, animal control and 

water pollution control. 

It’s one of the fastest-growing areas 

in Alaska, and the nation: The 1960s 

population of 5,000 more than tripled 

by 1980 to 17,816, jumped to 39,683 in 

1990 and by 2011 had soared to more 

than 91,700 people, all living and playing 

In the Mat-Su Valley. 

But more than half of that population 

lives within 100 square miles between, in 

and around Palmer and Wasilla — “the 

Valley,” the heartland or settled areas of 

the Matanuska and Susitna river deltas. 


That fertile delta soil also produces 

much of the state’s potatoes, carrots, 

cabbage, lettuce and other vegetables 

as well as some milk, oats, hay and 

greenhouse flowers, herbs, vegetables 

and other starter plants. Blueberries, 

raspberries and other berries are 

abundant as well. And don’t forget the 

Matanuska Creamery for fresh dairy 

products. 



By Alaska standards, the Mat-Su 

climate is generally moderate, midway 

between the Interior’s extreme cold 

and heat and the milder coastal marine 

climate of Anchorage. Average January 

temperatures range from 6 degrees F to 

14 degrees above zero. In contrast, July 

averages range from a low of 47 degrees 

to a high of 67 degrees. Rain in the 

summer averages 12 inches, with more 

than 4 feet of snow in the winter. These 

conditions vary greatly from community 

to community. Seventy-five to 100 mph 

winds, for example, frequently rage 

through Palmer. 

For more information about the Mat- 

Su Valley, visit www.matsugov.us. 


Friday Fling Market in Palmer Photo: Denise Martin

Basic Services 

Emergency Services 

Dial 911 

All emergencies in core area 

Matanuska Electric Association 

(907) 761-9300 Palmer 

(907) 376-7237 Wasilla 

www.mea.coop 

Enstar Natural Gas 

(907) 376-7979 Wasilla 

www.enstarnaturalgas.com 

Matanuska Telephone Association 

(907) 745-3211 

www.mta-telco.com 

Water & Wastewater 

(907) 745-3271 Palmer City Hall 

(907) 373-9010 Wasilla Public Works Dept. 

Refuse 

Alaska Waste 

(907) 376-2158 

www.alaskawaste.net 

Raven Refuse 

(907) 892-5005 

(907) 376-1700 recycle 

www.ravenrefuse.com 

Ready Recycles 

(907) 745-4224 

www.readyrecycles.com 

Valley Community for Recycling Solutions 

(907) 745-5544 

www.valleyrecycling.org 

Driver’s License 

& Vehicle Registration 

Mat-Su DMV 

1800 Glenn Highway, Suite 1, Palmer 

(907) 745-2185 

www.state.ak.us/dmv/ 

Police 

(907) 745-2131 (State Troopers) 

(907) 745-4811 Palmer 

(907) 352-5401 Wasilla 

Alaska State Troopers 

MATCOM Dispatch Center 

(907) 352-5401 

(907) 745-2131 Palmer 

(907) 269-5511 Anchorage 

www.dps.state.ak.us/ast/ 

Local Government 


(907) 745-4801 Palmer 

www.matsugov.us 

Mat-Su Voter Registration 

(907) 373-8952 

www.elections.alaska.gov 

Mat Su State Legislative Info Office 

(907) 376-3704 


Houston 

(907) 892-6869 

www.houstonak.com 

Palmer 

(907) 745-3271 


Wasilla 

(907) 373-9090 

www.cityofwasilla.com 

Newspapers 

Anchorage Daily News 

– Mat-Su Office 

(907) 352-6700 

www.adn.com 

Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman 

(907) 352-2250 

www.frontiersman.com 

Talkeetna Good Times 

(907) 733-8463 

www.talkeetnanews.com 

Public Transportation 

Mat-Su Community Transit 

(907) 864-5000 

www.matsutransit.com 


Communities 

The state’s Department of Commerce, 

Community and Economic 

Development, Division of Community & 

Regional Affairs maintains a database 

for each community in Alaska. These 

profiles include community location, 

population, taxes, climate, history, 

culture, demographics, utilities, schools, 

health care, economy, transportation 

and major contacts. Here’s a little of this 

information for each community in the 

Mat-Su. To learn more about a specific 

one, go to the Alaska Community 

Databases Community Information 

Summaries at www.dced.state.ak.us/ 

dca/commdb/CF_CIS.htm. 

Photo: Glen Kerr 


N 

NORTHERN & REMOTE 


The George Parks Highway and 

the Little Susitna River run through this 

second class city 18 miles north of Wasilla 

and 57 road miles north of Anchorage. 

The Alaska Railroad closely parallels 

the Parks Highway here and is easily 

accessible; runways for small aircraft 

are available in several handy spots. In 

2011, the population of this community – 

named after Sam Houston of Tennessee 

and Texas fame – was 1,945. It’s also a 

great place to buy fireworks. 

A quick history: 

• Herning Trail, now Willow Creek 

Sled Trail, became the main haul road for 

the Willow Creek Mining District. 

• An Alaska Railroad blueprint map 

listed Houston Siding in 1917; several 

coal mines were developed during the 

next two years. 

• The Janios & Athens coal mine built 

a railroad spur to ship coal to Anchorage 

and the LaTouche Mining Co. in Prince 

William Sound. 

• In the mid-1920s, the Heaven 

brothers operated a mink farm at mile 

59.6. 

• In 1953-1954, gravel roads and 

power lines extended west of Wasilla 

encouraged rapid development. 

• The city incorporated in 1996. 

• In June that same year, the Miller’s 

Reach wildfire destroyed more than 

37,500 acres in the Houston and Big 

Lake area, including 344 buildings and 

homes valued at $60.3 million. 

Houston is a popular fishing and 

recreation center for the Little Susitna 

River and area lakes. Popular recreation 

sites include Bonnie Lake, Finger Lake 

and Long Lake, Little Su Campground, 

Birch Lake and Loon Lake. 

The Pike Derby is held during the 

winter months, and Founder’s Day, 

a community celebration, boasts live 

entertainment, vendors for food and 

various wares, activities for kids and a 

fireworks display. Trails for hiking and 

ATVs crisscross much of Houston and 

lead toward the Hatcher Pass Recreation 

area or to the trail systems along the Big 

Su River from Big Lake to Willow. During 

the winter, the trails are popular with 

dog sledders and snowmachiners. In 

summer, a water trail in the Nancy Lakes 

region gets heavy use. 

The Mid-Valley Seniors, the Homesteaders 

Community Center, Susitna 

Rotary, Houston Lions and the Houston 

Chamber of Commerce are just a few of 

the community organizations.

Most Houston residents work in the 

Wasilla/Palmer area; some commute to 

Anchorage or the North Slope. In 2010, 

one resident held a commercial fishing 

permit. Elementary students attend Big 

Lake and Willow schools, and Houston 

High and Middle School serve students 

from the surrounding area. 

Sixty percent of residents have 

individual wells, septic tanks and indoor 

plumbing. The rest haul water or use 

honey buckets and outhouses. The 

school has its own well water system. 

The nearest landfill is in Palmer, and the 

Matanuska Electric Association provides 

electricity. 

For a community calendar of city and 

surrounding events and current issues, 

visit http://houstonak.com. 

Petersville 

With only five residents, this hamlet 

on Petersville Road, 20 miles west 

of Trapper Creek at Mile 115 of the 

Parks Highway, serves as a gateway 

to Denali State Park, Peters Creek and 

the Deshka River. 


• For thousands of years Dena’ina 

Athabascans hunted in the area. 

• Explorers discovered gold on 

Cache Creek and upper Peters Creek 

in 1905. 

• In 1917, the Alaska Road Commission 

paved a freight trail from 

Talkeetna. Travelers crossed the 

Susitna River by ferry during summer 

and over ice in winter. The new road 

also brought a district post office. 

• By 1921, 24 mining operations 

dotted the Yentna Mining District, most 

with large-scale hydraulic plants. World 

War II shut down nearly all mining 

operations. 

• Federal homesteading began in 

1948 and continued through the 1960s. 

• In the late 1970s, many of the idle 

mines reopened. 

Though on the Alaska road system, 

Petersville is remote. Individual 

generators provide electricity; students 

attend school at Trapper Creek. Those 

with seasonal homes haul water and 

use outhouses, although most yearround 

residents have individual wells, 

septic tanks and indoor plumbing. The 

nearest medical care is in Talkeetna, 

with support as needed from the 

Trapper Creek Ambulance Service. A 

nearby airstrip serves small aircraft. 

The Petersville lifestyle revolves 

mostly around subsistence and 

sporting activities. Some residents 

are retired. Those who are employed 

work in a variety of industries such 

as education, transportation and 

construction. A lodge and several bed 

and breakfasts call the area home. 

Skwentna 

Since they’re off the road system on 

the south bank of the Skwentna River 

at its junction with Eight Mile Creek, 

visiting the 30 or so folks in Skwentna 

requires a plane in summer and a 

snowmachine or dog sled in winter. 


• For centuries, Dena’ina Athabascans 

hunted and fished along the 

Skwentna and Yentna Rivers. 

• An Alaska Road Commission 

crew blazed a trail from Seward to 

Nome through Old Skwentna from the 

Susitna River to Rainy Pass in 1908. 

Roadhouses popped up along the trail to 

serve gold-seekers stampeding for the 

Innoko Mining District, Including the Old 

Skwentna Roadhouse, whose landmark 

ruins mark the crossing of the Skwentna 

River on the Iditarod Trail. Prospectors, 

trappers and Alaska Natives often used 

sled dogs to haul goods over the trail. 

• Homesteaders Max and Belle 

Shellabarger started a guide service in 

1923, and later a weather station and a 

flying service. 

• A post office was opened in 1937. 

• Engineering and construction 

giant Morrison-Knudsen built an airstrip 

in 1908, and in 1950, the U.S. Army set 

up a radar station at Skwentna and a 

recreation camp 15 miles away at Shell 

Lake. 

• State land disposals increased 

settlement in the 1960s. 

Susitna 

About 17 folks live In this off-theroad-system 

community, 30 air miles 

northwest of Anchorage at the foot of 

Mount Susitna. “Susitna” includes the 

valley, the river, a historic Alaska Native 

site and the settlement on the Susitna 

River’s west bank. 

A brief history: 

• In 1881, a U.S. census taker, Ivan 

Petroff, recorded the “Sushetno” as a 

group of 146 Kenai Indians living “on 

and up the Sushetno River.” 

• In 1890, the Census noted 27 

houses and 142 people in “Sushitna,” 

eventually referred to as on the east 

bank of the river. 

• The village was later referred to as 

a Tanaina Athabascan settlement. 

• A post office served the area from 

1906 to 1943. 

Talkeetna 

At the junction of the Talkeetna, 

Chulitna and Susitna rivers, the 

community is as well-known as a 

popular send-off spot for Denali (Mount 

McKinley) climbers and flightseeing 

as for its colorful oddball characters, 

artists, crafters, loners and tellers of 

well-worn tales. The Dena’ina word 

Talkeetna means “river of plenty.” 

Many of the locals claim their town 

was the model for the fictional and 

quirky Cicely, Alaska, in the television 

series “Northern Exposure.” 

With the easiest access to Denali’s 

south face and the main camp, the 

community has evolved into an 

aviation and supply base for climbers. 

Several air taxis transport mountain 

climbers and offer flightseeing trips. 

Stories of numerous hair-raising feats 

of flight usually feature bush pilots like 


Communities 



Trapper Creek Museum Photo: Glen Kerr 

Don Sheldon and Cliff Hudson, who 

pioneered glacier landings. 

Summer events include an Open Air 

Alaskan Artisans Market on weekends, 

a Fiber Arts Show, and a three-day 

musical romp in the wilderness, the 

Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival. Winter 

festivals feature a Mountain Mother 

contest, a parade and the Wilderness 

Woman competition and Bachelor 

Auction & Ball. 


• The Alaska Commercial Company 

opened a post in 1896 for the state’s first 

mining and trading center accessed only 

by river. 

• The Alaska Railroad connected in 

the early 1900s. 

• Gold prospectors thronged to 

the Susitna River area and, by 1910, 

a riverboat steamer station supplied 

miners and trappers in the Cache Creek, 

Iron Creek and Broad Creek districts. 

• In 1915, the Alaska Engineering 

Commission chose Talkeetna for 

its headquarters to build the Alaska 

Railroad, and population peaked near 

1,000. 

• World War I and completion of the 

railroad in 1919 reduced the population 

dramatically. At last count, it was 896. 


• In 1964, the Talkeetna Spur 

Road and Parks Highway connected 

the quirky village with the Alaska road 

system, about 100 driving miles from 

Anchorage. 

• In April 1993, the town made the 

National Register of Historic Places, 

and several buildings are historical 

landmarks, including Nagley’s General 

Store, the Fairview Inn and the Talkeetna 

Roadhouse. 

Trapper Creek 

Trapper Creek sits at the junction 

of the Petersville Road and mile 115 of 

the Parks Highway. The 499 residents 

can thank the prospectors who traveled 

up the Susitna River in 1906 to 

Susitna Station and then overland past 

Trapper Creek to Cache Creek for their 

community’s existence. 


• In 1920, the Alaska Road 

Commission started building a wagon 

road to Cache Creek from Talkeetna. 

• Federal homesteading began in 

1948. 

• In 1959, the “Fifty-Niners,” a 

group of settlers from Detroit, Mich., 

moved to Talkeetna and then proved 

up homesteads in Trapper Creek. They 

lived in trailers and tents before building 

log cabins. 

• The Parks Highway opened as far 

as Trapper Creek in 1967. 

Willow 

Some 2,156 people live between 

mile 60 and 81 of the Parks Highway, 

north of Houston. As with most other 

Mat-Su communities, the discovery 

of gold in 1897 kick-started Willow’s 

future. Willow’s present distinction 

is chiefly as the possible future state 

capital and as the restart-line of the 

Iditarod Sled Dog Race 

The old supply lines ran by boat to 

Knik and then 26 miles by trail northwest 

to Cottonwood Creek, and across Bald 

Mountain to Willow Creek. 

Willow’s western boundary is 

the Susitna River. The town is also 

reachable by road through scenic 

Hatcher Pass in summer. The winter 

sled trail crossed the present line of 

the Alaska Railroad at Houston, then 

continued up the west end of Bald 

Mountain for 30 miles. Skiers, hunters, 

backpackers and snowmachiners still 

use the Double Ender Sled Trail. The 

dog-sledders next headed east along 

Willow Creek on a trail that became 

Hatcher Pass Road. Dog teams and 

pack horses also passed through on 

the Talkeetna Trail. 

Later, cabins at Nancy Lake, Willow 

and points north housed freighters 

and mail carriers. This route was the 

forerunner of the Parks Highway. 

Surveyors, construction crews, homesteaders 

and other settlers flocked 

to Willow during construction of the 

Alaska Railroad. 


• The railroad built a station house 

in 1920. 

• During World War II, the government 

built a radar warning station and 

airfield. 

• The Trail’s End Lodge became a 

post office in 1948. 

• By 1954, Willow Creek was 

Alaska’s largest gold mining district, with 

production approaching $18 million. 

• Completion of the George Parks 

Highway in 1972, land disposals and 

subdivided homesteads fueled growth. 

• In 1976, voters chose Willow as the 

site for the new state capital, but in 1982 

they refused to authorize any money for 

the project.

Wasilla 

W 

WESTERN 

By now, who hasn’t heard of 

Wasilla, Alaska? In 2008, former mayor 

and then-Alaska governor Sarah Palin 

became a vice-presidential candidate 

and put the 8,064-population, two-lake 

bedroom town on the national and 

international map. The funky roadside 

attraction spread along the Parks 

Highway — that no one outside Alaska 

had ever heard of — will never be the 

same. 

The fourth-largest city in the state 

sits between Wasilla and Lucille lakes 

and the Matanuska and Susitna valleys, 

a 60-minute drive north of Anchorage. 

Like Palmer, Wasilla boasts a thriving 

economy close to the urban amenities 

of Anchorage, yet rural in lifestyle. 

A diverse market for jobs includes 

tourism, agriculture, wood, steel and 

concrete products. Even so, about a 

third of the workforce commutes to 

Anchorage, leading to the increasingly 

crowded four or more lanes on the 

Glenn Highway. 

For more information, visit www. 

cityofwasilla.com 



• Respected Dena’ina Chief Wasilla, 

also known as Chief Vasili, provided the 

city’s name. Other sources claim the 

chief derived his name from the Russian 

language, and that “Vasili” is a variation 

of the Russian “William.” 

• In the Dena’ina Athabascan 

dialect, “Wasilla” means “breath of air.” 

• In 1917, the town site started at 

the intersection of the Carle Wagon 

Road, now Wasilla-Fishhook Road, and 

the newly constructed Alaska Railroad. 

• The city served as a supply base 

for gold and coal mining through World 

War II. 

Communities 

• Colony homesteaders settled in 

the area in the 1930s. 

• In the early ’70s, the George 

Parks Highway connected to the Glenn, 

which afforded a quick commute to 

Anchorage. 

• About 177 residents own commercial 

fishing permits. 

Big Lake 

On the shore of Big Lake, 13 

miles southwest of Wasilla, adjacent 

to Houston and Knik-Fairview, 

the community of the same name 

encompasses 131.9 square miles of 

land and 12.9 square miles of water. 


• Around 1899, the Boston and 

Klondike Company plowed the first sled 

trail to the Talkeetna Mountains from Knik 

via Big Lake. 

• Homesteaders in 1929 and after 

World War II settled the area. Supplies 

arrived from the Pittman railroad station 

over a rugged 11-mile trail. 

• By 1959, several lodges and 

several children’s camps operated on 

the lake, surrounded by at least 300 

cottages and camps. 

• New roads, electricity and lakefront 

lots in the 1960s and 1970s 

spurred growth. 

• Population as of 2011: 3,399. 


Wasilla Street Index 

Street Name Grid Location 

Adele Cir .......................I - 5 

Adson Rd .................... D - 9 

Agate Ln .....................G - 1 

Airway Cir ................... E - 4 

Alder Ln ...................... H - 8 

Anaheim Dr ..................J - 2 

Anderson Rd ............... E - 9 

Armor Ct .......................I - 3 

Arnold Palmer St ........ C - 3 

Ashford Blvd ............... D - 2 

Aspen Av .................... F - 3 

Athea St ......................G - 8 

August Cir ................... H - 5 

Aviation Av .................. A - 6 

B Nelson Dr ................ C - 4 

Bailey Av ..................... D - 6 

Balsam Cir .................. E - 3 

Bank Cir ...................... D - 9 

Bay View Dr ................G - 8 

Beacon St ................... B - 6 

Beanie St .................... F - 1 

Beaver St .................... E - 6 

Bell Cir ..........................I - 9 

Ben Hogan Av ............. C - 3 

Bertha Ln ....................G - 6 

Bettina Wy .................. A - 6 

Betts Dr .........................I - 4 

Birch View Dr ...............J - 3 

Blind Nick Dr ...............G - 3 

Bluff Vista Rd .............. F - 9 

Bogad Rd ....................G - 4 

Boundary St ................G - 5 

Brianne Ln ...................J - 4 

Briar Dr ....................... E - 4 

Broadview Av ................I - 6 

Buckeye Ln ................. E - 2 

Buford Pl ..................... E - 5 

Cache Dr .................... E - 3 

Caliph ln ......................G - 8 

Candywine Rd ..............I - 8 

Carpenter Cir .............. F - 3 

Carr St ........................ H - 7 

Carr-Smith St .............. H - 7 

Carson St .....................J - 6 

Catalina Dr ....................I - 2 

Cataract St .................. D - 9 

Centaur Av .................. F - 5 

Center Pt Dr ................ F - 6 

Centime Way .............. F - 5 

Centurian Pl ................ E - 2 

Century Dr .................. F - 6 

Challenge Cir .............. F - 2 

Chapman Dr .................I - 9 

Chattaroy Cir ..............G - 2 

Check St ..................... F - 6 

Chickaloon Rd ............ H - 2 

Chilligan Dr .................G - 7 

Choke Cherry St ......... D - 9 

Church Rd .................. C - 1 

Cindy Cir ..................... E - 4 

Clapp Rd ..................... B - 8 

Clinton Cir ................... E - 3 

Coleen Ann St ..............J - 8 

Commercial Dr ............ E - 4 

Copper Creek Rd ........ H - 2 

Corkey St .................... D - 6 

Cottel Lp .......................I - 4 

Cotten Dr ......................I - 7 

Cottonwood Creek Dr D - 9 

County Fields Dr ..........J - 3 

Courtland Cir .............. H - 6 

Cove St ....................... F - 5 

Coyote Cir ...................G - 1 

Craig Stadler Lp .......... C - 3 

Creekside Ln .............G - 6 

Creekside Dr ...............G - 6 

Creste Foris St ............G - 2 

Crestwood Av ............. F - 2 

Crusey St ....................G - 4 

Cut Leaf Birch St ........ D - 8 

Dan St .........................G - 8 

Danna Av .................... F - 4 

Danny’s Av ....................I - 6 

Davis Rd ......................J - 8 

Day Rd ........................ B - 3 

Debra Cir .................... F - 1 

Dellwood St ................G - 3 

Denali St .....................G - 5 

Deskas St ................... D - 5 

Discovery Dr ............... E - 3 

Donna Cir ...................G - 8 

Dorothea Dr ................ D - 2 

Douglas Dr .................. F - 2 

Duane Dr .................... H - 5 

E Spuce Av ................. F - 2 

Eagle Vista Cir ............ F - 9 

Easy St ....................... F - 5 

Eden Ct .......................G - 7 

Edlund Rd ................... F - 9 

Elderberry Dr ................I - 4 

Elkhorn Dr ................... F - 4 

Elsinor Av .................... H - 3 

Endeavor St ................ E - 7 

Enter Pl ....................... F - 6 

Enterprise St ............... H - 6 

Escondido Av ...............J - 2 

Fairview Lp ..................J - 8 


Fallbrooks Av ................I - 2 

Fallen Leaf Cr ............. F - 6 

Falls St ........................ D - 9 

Fanciful Pl ................... E - 2 

Fern St ........................ F - 7 

Financial Dr ................ H - 5 

Finch Rd ..................... B - 3 

Flag Cir ....................... F - 3 

Foggy Dr ..................... E - 5 

Foothills Blvd .............. A - 8 

Foothills Cir ................. F - 4 

Forest Av .................... F - 2 

Forest St ..................... F - 5 

Foundary Way ........... H - 6 

Gail Dr ........................ E - 1 

Galway Av ................... F - 6 

Gambit Dr ................... E - 4 

George Parks Hwy .....G - 4 

Gislason Dr ...................I - 9 

Glacier Rd ................... E - 2 

Glen Cir ...................... F - 3 

Glenkerry Dr ............... D - 2 

Glenwood Ave ............G - 6 

Godfrey Dr ...................J - 9 

Goldendale Dr ............G - 3 

Gordon Cir .................. F - 2 

Gordon Ct ................... F - 1 

Graybark Dr ................ F - 4 

Groshan Lp ................. H - 7 

Gwene Ln ................... E - 1 

Hallea Ln ................... E - 5 

Harvest Ln .................. D - 8 

Hastings Dr ................. E - 7 

Helen Ln ..................... H - 3 

Heritage Dr ................. F - 2 

Hermon Rd ...................I - 5 

Herning Av .................. F - 4 

Hiro Dr .........................J - 5 

Hjellen Dr .................... F - 5 

Hoka Hay Cir ..............G - 3 

Holiday Dr ................... E - 3 

Holland Av ..................G - 9 

Home Cir ....................D - 7 

Horvath Dr ................. G - 5 

Howling Wolf Ln .......... F - 1 

Hurd Cir ....................... I - 4 

Hygrade ...................... F - 7 

Iliamna Bay ................ G - 1 

Iliamna Dr .................. G - 1 

Iliamna St ................... G - 5 

Indian Hill Cir Cir ........ G - 2 

Indian Joe Cir ............ G - 3 

Industrial Dr ................H - 5 

Island St ...................... F - 6 

Itasca Cir ....................D - 7 

Jack Nicklaus Dr .........C - 3 

Jack Pine St ................D - 9 

James T Av .................C - 7 

Jenks Dr ...................... I - 9 

Jessica Brooke Cir ...... I - 4 

Jude Dr ........................ I - 6 

Julia Cir .......................E - 4 

June Bug Av ...............D - 1 

Kalli Cir ....................... F - 3 

Kanabec Dr .................D - 7 

Kara Cr ....................... F - 4 

Kate S Dr ..................... I - 7 

Kelton Cir ....................H - 1 

Kerttula Ct ...................B - 9 

Kery Ln .......................D - 2 

Kimberly St .................D - 4 

Knik - Goose Bay Rd .. F - 7 

Knik St ........................ F - 5 

Kodiak Dr ....................H - 2 

Koyuk Cir ................... G - 7 

Lacy Lp ...................... G - 2 

Lake Lucille Dr ............D - 5 

Lake St ....................... F - 5 

Lakeshore Av ............. G - 4 

Lakeside Dr ................ A - 5 

Lakeview Av ................ F - 6 

Lakewood Dr ..............D - 8 

Lamont Wy .................B - 3 

Lang St ...................... G - 4 

Larry Wadkins Pl.........C - 4 

Lavrene Av ..................D - 1 

Leatherleaf Lp .............H - 3 

Lee St ........................ G - 9 

Lee Trevino Av ............C - 4 

Leota St ...................... F - 8 

Lobo St .......................D - 6 

Lone Club Dr ..............E - 4 

Loren Cir ..................... F - 1 

Lucille St ..................... F - 3 

Lucus Rd ....................E - 3 

Mac Rd .......................C - 8 

Machen Rd .................B - 4 

Mack Dr ......................C - 5 

Main St ....................... F - 4 

Makato Ct ...................C - 8 

Mananaen St ..............C - 3 

Maney Dr ....................H - 5 

Maradee Cir ................H - 7 

Mariann’s Pl ................. I - 5 

Mary Red Cir ..............H - 7 

McCallister Dr .............C - 4 

McKee Ln .................. G - 3 

McKinley Dr ................. I - 3 

McKinley St ................ G - 5 

McMillian Ct ................B - 4 

Don’t Feed Wild Animals 

Alaska Statute 5 AAC 92.230 – Feeding of Game 

No one is allowed to intentionally feed a moose, deer, elk, 

bear, wolf, coyote, fox or wolverine (except under terms of a 

permit issued by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game), or 

negligently leave out human food, animal food or garbage that 

would attract any of these animals. Violations carry a $310 fine. In 

April 2010, for example, Fish and Game fined a man who lived in a 

remote Mat-Su cabin $20,000 for his ongoing bear-feeding. 

To avoid a ticket or bear encounters, put trash cans out the 

morning they’ll be picked up, not the night before. During spring 

and summer, keep pet food as well as birdseed and feeders out 

of the reach of bears. In nature, bears feed on salmon, 

moose and berries, not kibble or pizza crusts. 

Under statute 5 AAC 84-5 AAC 92, however, food can 

be used as bait to trap furbearers or to hunt black bears. 

Bears share space with humans in both the Mat-Su 

and the Anchorage bowl. In March 2012, between 250 to 

350 black bears and 65 brown bears were living in the 

Anchorage area, said wildlife biologist Jessy Coltrane, 

Alaska Department of Fish & Game. The Mat-Su population 

exceeds those numbers by many hundreds. 

In mid-May 2012, a grizzly defending a moose kill 

jumped and mauled an attorney in the woods less than a 

half-mile from his Eagle River home. 

In June 2012, a homeowner on Anchorage’s Hillside 

shot and killed a young grizzly who apparently had killed, 

partially eaten and cached the family’s elderly llama, Ande, 

a popular visitor at children’s birthday parties. 

In general, a bear can be shot and killed in defense 

of life and property, but in those cases, the bear must be 

salvaged and turned over to the Alaska Department of 

Fish and Game. For regular hunting seasons, game limits 

and other restrictions for the various Game Management 

Areas, check with the Alaska Department of Fish and 

Game: www.adfg.state.ak.us.

McMillian Dr ...................B - 3 

McNeese Pky ................. I - 8 

Meander St ....................D - 9 

Melanie Av .....................D - 3 

Michelle Ln ................... G - 9 

Middle Ridge Av .............B - 8 

Mikey Cir ......................... I - 6 

Millsite Rd ......................C - 6 

Minnetonka Dr ...............D - 8 

Mint Dr ........................... F - 7 

Mission Hills Dr ..............C - 4 

Moraine Cir ....................D - 2 

Morrie Cir ....................... F - 3 

Mt Village Dr ................... I - 5 

Mtn Ash St .....................D - 9 

Muffin St ........................ A - 3 

Mulchatna Dr ................. F - 1 

Murray Dr ....................... A - 9 

Mystery Av .....................D - 3 

N Shore Dr .....................H - 3 

N Star Cir ...................... G - 2 

Naomi Av ....................... J - 5 

Neil Cir ...........................H - 6 

Nelson Av ...................... F - 4 

Nicola Av ........................D - 5 

Nugget Av ......................E - 3 

Odsather Cir ................... I - 3 

Old Knik Rd ...................B - 9 

Old Matanuska Rd ......... J - 7 

Paddy Pl ........................ A - 6 

Park Av ......................... G - 5 

Patagonia St ..................D - 4 

Patricia Av ......................E - 4 

Patsy St ......................... F - 2 

Patty Dr ........................H - 10 

Paulson Av ..................... F - 4 

Pearl Rd .........................E - 1 

Peck St ......................... G - 2 

Perin Dr ........................ G - 8 

Peterson Bay Ct ............B - 8 

Phainopepla Cir .............H - 7 

Piker Dr .......................... A - 3 

Pinecone Cir .................. F - 3 

Pinehurst Cir ..................E - 4 

Pinion Dr ........................ F - 3 

Pinnacle Ct ....................D - 8 

Pioneer Dr ..................... F - 5 

Pioneer Peak Dr ............H - 3 

Pipestone Dr ..................D - 7 

Ponderosa Lp ................E - 3 

Pulman Dr ..................... G - 3 

Quiet Cir ......................... I - 5 

Quincy Cir ...................... F - 6 

Railroad Av ................... G - 5 

Rapid St .........................D - 9 

Rattan Dr ....................... A - 9 

Ravenswood Lp ............ G - 7 

Ray Floyds Pl ................C - 4 

Recluse Cir ....................D - 3 

Red Birch Dr .................. A - 9 

Redwig Cir .....................D - 7 

Redwood Ln ................... I - 5 

Regine Av ..................... G - 8 

Rian Ave ......................... I - 8 

Ridgewood Dr ................C - 2 

Riffle St ..........................D - 9 

Riley Av .......................... F - 6 

Rivulet St .......................D - 9 

Roberts St ..................... G - 5 

Robin Dr ........................E - 4 

Robinette St ...................D - 1 

Roca Rd ......................... A - 4 

Rockside Rd ..................E - 2 

Rosemary Pl .................. A - 5 

Rosewood Cir ............... G - 2 

Roy Rd ........................... F - 2 

Ruth Dr .......................... J - 5 

Ruth St ........................... F - 8 

Saindon Ct .....................B - 8 

Saindon St .....................B - 9 

Sakai St .........................C - 8 

Sam Snead Lp ...............C - 3 

Sands Dr ........................E - 1 

Sassy Av ........................ A - 3 

Schanchle Dr ................ I - 10 

Scotty Cr ........................ J - 6 

Selina Ln ........................E - 5 

Selma St ........................B - 5 

Seneca Av .................... G - 4 

Seward Meridian Pkwy .. J - 4 

Sheridan Cir ...................E - 9 

Sherwood Cir ................. F - 4 

Silver Fox Ln .................. F - 2 

Singer Ct ........................B - 4 

Sitka Spruce St ..............D - 9 

Skwentna Bay ............... G - 1 

Smalley Cir ....................B - 4 

Snohomish Av ............... G - 2 

Snowbird Ln ................... F - 7 

Snowflake Cir ................E - 3 

Snowhill Av ................... G - 3 

Snowshoe Ln .................H - 1 

Somaret Cir ...............E - 4 

Southview Dr .................. I - 6 

Southway St ..................D - 4 

Spawning Lp ..................D - 8 

Spruce Dr ...................... J - 4 

St John Ct ..................... G - 8 

Stacy St ......................... A - 4 

Stanley Rd .....................B - 3 

Stony Brook St ...............D - 8 

Stormy Cir ......................E - 2 

Story Book St .................D - 9 

Suburban Dr ..................D - 8 

Success Av ....................D - 4 

Sulatna Bay .................. G - 2 

Sun Mtn Av .................... I - 6 

Sunny Hill Cir ................ G - 2 

Susitna Av ..................... G - 5 

Susitna Av ..................... G - 5 

Susitna Bay .................. G - 1 

Susitna Dr ..................... G - 2 

Suzanne St .................... A - 4 

Swanson Av ................... F - 4 

Swathmore Cir ...............D - 8 

Talkeetna St .................. G - 5 

Tammy Ln ...................... A - 3 

Tanana Dr ...................H - 3 

Teds Pl ...........................H - 8 

Terrell Dr ........................ J - 1 

Thomas St .................... G - 6 

Tigger Dr ........................ A - 3 

Tiller Av ..........................D - 1 

Tillicum Av......................D - 6 

Tom Watson Pl...............C - 3 

Tommy Moe Dr .............. F - 4 

Top of the World Cir .......C - 9 

Totem Rd .......................H - 2 

Trail Cir .......................... F - 2 

Treeland St ....................B - 8 

Trent Cir .......................... I - 4 

Trisha Wy....................... A - 6 

Tulip Cir .........................C - 2 

Tundra Rose Dr .............B - 7 

Turk Cir ..........................E - 4 

Tuscarora Dr ..................E - 7 

Twarr Av ........................ G - 9 

Tweed Ct .......................B - 4 

Tyee Dr ......................... G - 7 

Upper Rd .......................D - 5 

USA Cir ......................... G - 4 

Valley Lp Rd ..................H - 7 

Valley Lp ........................H - 7 

Vaunda Av......................D - 4 

Via Tranquilla Dr ............H - 1 

Vicaryous St ..................B - 8 

Villa Cir ......................... G - 3 

Village Dr S ....................H - 1 

Vincent Cir ..................... F - 3 

Vixen Cir ........................ F - 7 

Vos Cir ...........................B - 4 

Voss Dr ..........................B - 3 

Wahrer Cir ..................... J - 6 

Wampam Cir ................. G - 3 

Wasair Dr .......................E - 4 

Wasilla St ...................... G - 5 

Weber Dr .......................E - 4 

Weeping Birch St ...........E - 9 

Westcove Dr ................. G - 4 

Westglen Cir ................. G - 3 

Westmoreland Dr ........... J - 2 

Westpoint Dr ................. G - 4 

Whirlpool Cir .................D - 9 

Wilder Av .......................E - 2 

Wildomer Dr .................... I - 2 

Williwaw Way .................H - 3 

Willow Ln ....................... J - 5 

Willow St ........................ F - 5 

Winter Av .......................E - 3 

Wintergreen Dr ..............C - 4 

Wispering Woods Dr ....... I - 5 

Woodcrest Dr ................ G - 6 

Woodcrest Dr .................H - 6 

Wren St ..........................B - 3 

Yakima St ..................... G - 4 

Yenlo St ........................ G - 4 

Youngtree Cir .................B - 3 

Youngtree Dr.................C – 4 

Zak Cir ............................ I - 5 


2 

55 

54 

1 

Woody 

Lake 

Lucille Creek 

Big Lake 

15 

Ogard St 

53 

6 5 

14 

13 

Birch St 

52 

12 

King Arthur Dr 

Knik-Goose Bay Rd 


51 

Murphy’s Blu f Rd 

4 3 2 

11 

10 

50 

9 

49 

8 


48 

7 

Settlers Bay Dr 

Bernie Cir 

Stacey St 

47 

6 

Sunrise Rd 

Lucille Creek 

5 

Cottonwood Creek 

46 

Laurie Ave 

4 

45 

Cottonwood Creek 

Bruchell 

High 

School 

Mystery Ave 

3 

44 

Ballfields 

2 

Twindly Bridge 

Charter School 

Tanaina 

Elementary 

School 

43 

Iditarod 

Elementary 

Iditapark 


Schrock Rd 

1 

Main St 

1 

Wasilla 

High School 

42 

2 

Bridal Path Dr 

1 

Wasilla 

Middle School 

Mat-Su 

Central School 

16 

41 

Sunny Me 

WA 

3 

E W Ervin St

adow Ave 

Career & Tech 

High School 

Mat-Su Day School 

2 

40 

Vic Vic Way Way 

15 

4 

Tamarack Ave 

Shaw Elementary 

3 

Meridian Pl 

Meridian 

Meridian Lp Lp 

14 

39 

5 

Dr Dr 

Shoreline 

Shoreline 

Dr Dr Fair Fair 

County 

County 

4 

6 

Nelson Rd 

Machetanz 

Elementary 

School 

Greentree St 

Birchtree 


Nelson Rd 

SILLA 

13 

38 

7 

8 

37 

12 

Fronteras Spanish 

Immersion Charter 

School 

11 

36 

Loberg 

Lake 

Hatcher Pass 

35 

Rabbit Slough Rd 

Greenforest Dr 

1 

Larkspur 

Hill Cir 

4 

10 

Trunk Rd Under Constructuion 

36 

5 

Trunk Rd 

5 

4 

Bogard Rd Extension 

Valley Pathways School 

PALMER 

37 

9 

3 

6 2 

1 

8 

Hanks Cir 

John Henry Cir 

Hilda Rose Cir 

PALMER 

38 

39 

7 

40 

49 

41 

51 

50 

52 

Swanson 

Elementary 

School 

Sherrod 

Elementary 

School 

Academy 


17 

Bodenburg 

Loop 

Sullivan Ave 

MAT-SU Relocation Guide 35 

16 

15 

14 

10 

13 

11 

12 

Alaska Raceway Park


Knik-Fairview 

Some 15,588 rugged individuals call 

the 69.8 square miles of land and 1.2 

square miles of water on the northwest 

bank of the Knik Arm home. Formerly a 

Russian Orthodox mission and George 

Palmer’s trading post, the community — 

south of Wasilla, Big Lake and Meadow 

Lakes off Knik-Goose Bay and Fairview 

Loop roads — owes its existence to 

the discovery of Alaska gold in the late 

19th century. 


• The 1880 U.S. Census listed the 

primary village as “Kinik.” 

• During the 1880s, George 

Palmer’s Store thrived off the local fur 

trade. 

• In 1908, gold prospectors and 

supplies headed for the Interior disembarked 

here. 

• The Iditarod Trail enabled mail 

and gold dog-team transport to and 

from Nome to meet the boat at Knik. 

• Between 1913 and 1915, the 

town was home to 500 people during 

the summer and 1,000 during the winter 

and had four docks, two general stores, 

two hotels, a saloon, a drug store, a 

pair of physicians, a barber shop and 

a grade school. More Dena’ina lived in 

Knik than white settlers and miners. 

• When the Alaska Railroad bypassed 

Knik in 1915, residents relocated 

to Anchorage and Wasilla. 

• The Matanuska Colony established 

six farms along Fairview Road in 

1935. 



• Construction of the Knik-Goose 

Bay Road in 1960 destroyed most of the 

historic docks and commercial district. 

Lakes 

Like its name, the area east of 

Wasilla off the Glenn Highway boasts 

a slew of lakes, which explains why 

Dena’ina Athabascans christened it 

“Benteh,” meaning “among lakes.” 


• By 1915, workers from the Willow 

Creek Mining District had homesteaded 

most of the land around Finger and 

Cottonwood lakes. 

• Until the early 1930s, W.J. Bogard 

owned the largest flock of sheep in 

the Valley and pushed for what would 

become Bogard Road. 

• In 1935, Matanuska Colonists 

established the four farms of Camp 

4 on the north side of Palmer-Wasilla 

Highway. 

• The early 1980s marked a decade 

of rapid growth. 

• Population as of 2011: 8,612. 

Meadow Lakes 

The area’s 7,918 residents access 

the 67 square miles of land and 3 square 

miles of water via the Pittman, Church 

or Schrock roads off the George Parks 

Highway, which opened in 1971. 


• Since 1906, the Carle Wagon 

Road, which later became Wasilla- 

Fishhook Road, traversed the area 

from Knik to the gold mines in the 

Willow Creek Mining District. 

• In 1917, the Alaska Railroad, at 

Mile 166.5, built Pittman and added a 

water station three years later. 

• World War II vets homesteaded the 

area and the U.S. Department of Natural 

Resources sparked further growth in the 

mid-1960s. 

PoInt MacKenzie 

If some planners have their way, 

a multi-billion-dollar bridge will span 

Cook Inlet from Anchorage to Point 

MacKenzie, and land values will 

skyrocket. Until then, the 632 residents 

enjoy a relatively reclusive lifestyle. 


• The Dena’ina Athabascan territory 

is named for the Rt. Hon. James Stuart 

MacKenzie, a Scottish member of 

Parliament in the late 1700s.. 

• Ships bound for Knik frequently 

unloaded at Point MacKenzie due to 

adverse weather or tides. 

• In 1915, C.W. Dietzel had a 

homestead and built docks and a 

cannery near Goose Bay. 

• When the Alaska Railroad 

bypassed Knik two years later, residents 

essentially abandoned the area. 

• In 1958 construction on a Nike- 

Hercules Missile Site at Goose Bay 

created new homesteading. The site no 

longer operates. 

Tanaina 

In 1971, the George Parks Highway 

opened access to this area north of 

Wasilla between Meadow Lakes and 

Fishhook. More than 8,400 people 

now live in the former transportation 

corridor from Knik to the gold mines in 

Willow Creek. 


• Homesteaders settled the area 

after World War II, and a Department of 

Natural Resources land disposal brought 

further growth in the mid-1960s. 

• The Mountaineering Club of Alaska 

honored the local Tanaina (Dena’ina) 

Athabascans in 1966 by naming nearby 

Tanaina Peak after them.

Palmer 

EASTERN 

During the Great Depression, the Federal Emergency 

Relief Administration, one of the many New Deal relief 

agencies created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 

invited 203 families, mostly from Michigan, Wisconsin and 

Minnesota, to join the Matanuska Valley Colony as a farming 

experiment on the land that is now Palmer. Although the 

failure rate was high, many of their descendants still live in 

the Mat-Su Valley. 

These days the city’s 6,087 residents celebrate those 

agricultural accomplishments each summer during Colony 

Days. And, since 1951, the annual Alaska State Fair on 

the south side of town exhibits award-winning fruits and 

vegetables grown by descendants of the early colonists. 

The home-rule city and Mat-Su Borough seat rests in 


E 

Communities 

the center of the lush farmlands of the Matanuska Valley, 

42 miles northeast of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway. 

Athabascans — the Ahtna and Dena’ina — lived in the 

region for centuries prior to George Palmer’s arrival in 

1875. The trader established a post on the Matanuska River 

in 1890, which became a railway siding in 1916. 

The local economy comprises a mix of retail and other 

services, city, borough, state and federal government, 

MAT-SU MAT-SU Relocation Guide 37


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Eves Dr 

Rib Rd 

Verde Dr 

Turtle 

Dr 

7 

8 

9 

10 

Wondra Dr 

Monte Vista Dr 

Verde 

Cir 

France Rd 

Helen Dr 

Basin St 

Terrilou Ct 

Kangaroo 

Ct 

A B C D E F G H I J 

Short Rib Rd 

Bogard Rd Ext. 

Valborg 

Cir 

Quail Ave 

Alberhill 

Dr 

Local 302 Rd 

Esty Dr 

Natasha 

Rd 

Drift Ln 

W Auklet Ave 

Chalet Dr 

Valley Crest Dr 

Beylund Loop 

Beylund Cir 

Beaver Ave 

Badger Ave 

Hemmer Rd 

Penny Ln 

Rush 

Arctic Ave 

Cir 


Scott Rd 

Palmer - Wasilla Hwy 

Irwin Loop 

Irwin Rd 

Woodstock 

Dr 

Joan of Arc 

Josselin Ln 

Esty Dr 

Hidden 

Ranch Loop 

Pat-Mar 

Cir 

Blunk St 

Helen Dr 

Moore Rd 

Soccer 

Fields 

Oscar St 

Lloyde St 

Irene St 

GloriaSt 

Anna St 

Felton St 

Felton 

St 

Felicia St 

W Arctic Ave 

Felton St 

Montgomery 

Way 

Ellen St 

Fern Ave 

Granville St 

Esty Cir 

Edinborough Dr 

Josh Dr 

Quick 

Silver Cir 

Jepson 

Cir 

Glacier View Ave 

Glenn Hwy 

Dolphin Ave 

Alaska 

State 

Caribou Ave 

Fairgrounds 

Rebarchek Rd 

1st St 

2nd St 

3rd St 

Industrial 

Way 

Commercial Dr 

Inner Springer 

Loop 

Crowther Rd 

Eklutna St 

Steel Loop 

Cope-Industrial Way 

Popes Rd 

Curricabark 

Rd 

Outer Springer Loop 

Palmer 

Golf Course 

Lepak Ave 

Lawalter Rd 

Stapleton Ave 

Veda Dr 

Cooper 

Rd 

2012 

A B C D E F G H I J 

Palmer Street Index 

Street Name Grid Location 

Airport Rd ................................................H-4 

Alberhill Dr ...............................................B-4 

Anna St ....................................................C-3 

Arctic Ave .................................................C-4 

Basin St ...................................................A-4 

Beylund Cir ..............................................C-2 

Beylund Lp ..............................................C-2 

Birch Ave ..............................................E,F-3 

Blueberry Ave .......................................E,F-3 

Blunk St ...................................................B-9 

Bonanza St .............................................. F-6 

Cedar Ave ................................................E-4 

Chalet Dr .................................................B-3 

Chugach St .............................................. F-5 

City Cir ..................................................... F-8 

Commercial Dr .........................................E-7 

Cooper Rd .............................................. I-10 

Cope-Industrial Way ............................... G-6 

Cottonwood Ave ............................... E,F,G-3 

Crowther Rd ..........................................E-10 

Curricabark Rd ....................................... G-9 

Dahlia Ave ........................................ E-4/F-4 

Daron Dr ..................................................D-5 

De Land St ................................................ I-8 

Denali St ............................................... F-1,3 

Dogwood Ave .......................................E,F-4 

Drift Ln .....................................................A-8 

Edinborough Dr .......................................D-3 

Eklutna St ............................................ G-6,9 

Ellen St ....................................................D-5 

Elmwood Ave ................................... E-5,F-4 

Esty Cir ....................................................D-6 

Esty Dr .............................................. A-7/B-6 

Evergreen Ave ..................................E-5/G-4 

Eves Dr ....................................................A-2 

Falcon Ct ................................................. F-1 

Felicia St ..................................................C-5 

Daron Dr 

W Beaver Ave 

W Auklet Ave 

Bonanza St 

Chugach St 

Bonanza 

St 

Cobb St 

Bailey St Bailey St 

Alaska St 

Alaska St 

Bonanza St 

Chugach St 

Dogwood Ave 

Dahila Ave 

Blueberry Ave 

Birch Ave 

Cottonwood Ave 

Cedar Ave 

Evergreen Ave 

Elmwood Ave 

Fireweed Ave 

Fern Ave 

Ronda Way 

Inner 

Springer 

Loop 

Bonanza St 

Colony Way 

Valley Way 

Denali St 

Valley Way 

Denali St 

Cottonwood 

Blueberry Ave 

Birch Ave 

Dogwood Ave 

Dahlia Ave 

Elmwood Ave 

Fireweed Ave 

Fern Ave 

Geranium Ave 

Rempel Ave 

Eklutna St 

Gulkana Ct 

Falcon Ct 

N Eklutna 

Ave Gulkana St 

E Auklet Ave 

Eagle St 

Golden Key Ln 

E Dolphin Ave 

E Caribou Ave 

E Eklutna Ave 

E Beaver Ave 

Hatcher St 

Cottonwood Ave 

Gulkana St 

Independence 

St 

Thuma 

St 

Airport Rd 

Evergreen Ave 

Yukon St 

Lynn 

Camille Rose Ct Martin Dr 

Melissa Rose Cir 

Sitka Rose Dr 

Outer Outer Springer Loop 

Springer 

Loop City Cir 

Felton St ...........................................C-7/D-4 

Fern Ave ........................................... D,E,F-5 

Fireweed Ave .......................................E,F-5 

France Rd ................................................A-5 

Geranium Ave ......................................... F-5 

Glacier View Ave......................................E-6 

Glenn Hwy ...............................................D-7 

Gloria St ..................................................C-3 

Gulkana Ct .............................................. G-1 

Gulkana St ............................................. G-4 

Gulkana St .............................................. G-2 

Helen Dr ........................................... A-6/C-7 

Hemmer Rd .............................................B-4 

Industrial Way ..........................................E-6 

Inner Springer Lp ..................................E-8,9 

Irene St ...................................................C-3 

Irwin Lp ....................................................C-4 

Irwin Rd ...................................................C-6 

Jepson Cir ...............................................E-3 

Joan of Arc ...............................................B-6 

E Arctic Ave 

Palmer Airport 

Josh Dr ....................................................D-3 

Josselin Ln ...............................................B-6 

Kangaroo Ct .........................................A-7 

Lawalter Rd .............................................. I-9 

Lepak Ave ................................................H-8 

Lloyde St .................................................C-3 

Local 302 Rd ...........................................B-4 

Lynn Martin Dr ........................................ G-7 

Matanuska River ...................................... J-8 

Monte Vista Dr .........................................A-3 

Moore Rd .................................................C-8 

Natasha Rd .............................................B-7 

Old Glenn Hwy ......................................... I-3 

Oscar St ..................................................C-3 

Outer Springer Lp ..........................F,G-8/H-9 

Palmer-Wasilla Hwy.................................D-4 

Palmer Airport ..........................................H-4 

Pat-Mar Cir ..............................................B-7 

Popes Rd ................................................ G-8 

Quail Ave .................................................A-4 

Quick Silver Cir ........................................E-3 

Palmer 

Alaska 

De Land 

St 

Old Glenn Hwy 

Matanuska River 

Twig Cir 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

Ranch Lp .................................................B-7 

Rebarchek Rd ........................................D-10 

Rempel Ave ............................................ F-5 

Rib Rd ......................................................A-1 

Ronda Way ..............................................E-5 

Short Rib Rd ............................................B-2 

Stapleton Ave ........................................A-10 

Steel Lp .................................................. G-8 

Terrilou Ct ................................................A-4 

Thuma St ................................................ G-7 

Turtle Dr ...................................................A-7 

Twig Cir .................................................... J-8 

Valborg Cir ..............................................A-8 

Valley Crest Dr .........................................A-9 

Valley Way ........................................... F-2,4 

Veda Dr ..................................................E-10 

Verde Cir ..................................................A-3 

Verde Dr ..................................................A-4 

Wondra Dr ...............................................A-2 

Woodstock Dr ..........................................B-5 

Yukon St ................................................ G-5

plus some light manufacturing. Many 

residents of both Palmer and Wasilla 

commute to Anchorage for work, which 

explains the weekday rush-hour traffic 

on the Glenn and Parks highways. 

The lower cost of land and homes, 

not to mention liberal zoning laws, 

if any, also boosts the area’s rapid 

growth. And don’t forget all that 

recreation — hiking, climbing, skiing, 

snowmachining, fishing and hunting 

— often just a step out the back door. 

Popular sites include Hatcher Pass, 

the Crevasse-Moraine Trails, Kepler 

Lake, Bonnie Lake, Finger Lake and 

Long Lake. 

As borough seat, Palmer is the 

headquarters for the Mat-Su Borough 

School District, second-largest in the 

state after Anchorage. More than 17,350 

students attend 44 schools, ranging in 

enrollment from 12 to more than 1,200. 

The schools include 20 elementary, five 

middle, six high, four K-12, six charter 

and three alternative education. The 

borough’s largest employer, the district 

has 2,200 staff members — more than 

half of them teachers. 

Matanuska-Susitna College is an 

extension of the University of Alaska 

Anchorage, with nearly 2,000 students 

per semester, The 950-acre site on 

Trunk Road, about halfway between 

Palmer and Wasilla, houses most of 

the educational activities in a modern 

102,676-square-foot facility. Other 

University of Alaska programs include 

an Agricultural and Forestry Experiment 

Station, the Matanuska Research Experiment 

Farm and the Palmer Research & 

Extension Center. 

Last but not least, some 73 musk 

ox live on a 75-acre farm and supply 

underwool, “qiviut,” to Alaska Native 

women from rural villages. These 

knitters create incredibly soft and warm 

garments — scarves and stoles, hats, 

smokerings and headbands — each 

year for an Anchorage cooperative. 

For details about events, history, 

government, current issues and more 

information, visit www.cityofpalmer.org/ 

Butte 

South of Palmer, scattered along 

Miles 9 through 16 of the Old Glenn 

Highway, is the community of Butte, 

known by locals as “The Butte.” East 

of the Matanuska River and west of the 

old Knik River bridge, this community of 

3,274 lies at the foot of Bodenburg Butte, 

a knob of rock classified geo-logically 

as “igneous intrusive” and covered by 

wind-blown soil plus bald spots left by 

the retreating Knik Glacier. 

At 880 feet above sea level, Bodenburg 

Butte is a favorite hike for residents 

and visitors who want a great view of 

the surrounding flats bordered by more 

substantial mountains like Pioneer Peak 

and the Talkeetna Range. 

A large Dena’ina village called 

Hutnaynut’l or “burnt over” existed in 

the Bodenburg area in earlier years. 

The first farm was established in 1917 

by John Bodenburg, who drove his 

herd of cattle across the Matanuska 

River to get to his homestead. 

In 1935, Matanuska colonists 

settled 25 tracts around Camp 10 

along Bodenburg Loop Road. Others 

followed after World War II and worked 

in sawmills between 1940 and 1970. 

Today, Butte boasts a race-car track, 

roadside kiosks, plenty of abandoned 

autos, gardens, a reindeer farm, an 

access road to nearby Lazy Mountain 

and a collection of self-proclaimed 

sourdoughs and entrepreneurs. 

Chickaloon 

About 80 miles north of Anchorage 

just off the Glenn Highway and nestled 

in the Talkeetna Mountains is the community 

of Chickaloon, a former and 

present Athabascan village and home 

of 270 Alaska Natives and non-Natives. 

Chickaloon territory has the two major 

tributaries to the Matanuska River — the 

Chickaloon River and the Kings River, 

Chickaloon’s south boundary. 

Chickaloon’s midway position 

between the Interior and the Cook 

Inlet coast made it a trading center 

for copper, sheep and goats from the 

north, and salmon, beluga and fur seals 

from the south for Ahtna and Dena’ina 

peoples. The climate is also midway 

between the extremes of the Interior 

and the milder coastal south. 


• Chickaloon was once a primary 

fishing camp of Chickaloon Village. The 

Chickaloon River was named after Chief 

Chiklu, the last Dena’ina chief in this area. 

Communities 

• Nay’dini’aa Na’ is the Ahtna name 

for the original settlement of Chickaloon 

Village on the north bank above the 

mouth of the Chickaloon River. 

• An 1898 army exploration party 

discovered a vein of high-quality coal 

near the Chickaloon River, but it was 

hard to reach. 

• When the Alaska Railroad was 

built, a spur line to the Chickaloon 

coal fields created a boom from 1915 

to 1922, which had a negative impact 

on Chickaloon Village, especially to its 

once-valued fishing camp. 

• By 1925, coal development halted 

and the land reverted to public domain 

and was opened to homesteaders by 

1958. 

The Chickaloon Native Village – a 

federally recognized Alaska Native 

tribe – is located in the community. 

Fishing, hunting, gathering and trading 

are important activities for both 

Athabascan and non-Native residents. 

Local businesses provide some jobs 

for community residents and serve the 

needs of residents and visitors. 



Gateway 

With 5,680 residents, Gateway is 

one of those fast-growing Valley spots 

slightly removed from Palmer, Wasilla 

and everything between. Finding this 

village means taking the Trunk Road or 

Palmer-Wasilla Highway. As in other 

Valley communities, homesteaders set- 

tled here in the 1930s and basically 

farmed and developed natural 

resources. These days, low housing 

costs, a semi-rural lifestyle and a 45minute 

commute to Anchorage attract 

many folks. 

Knik River 

In the shadow of looming Pioneer 

Peak, Knik River, population 760 in 

2011, thrives along the Old Glenn 

Highway and Knik River Road, about 

30 miles from Anchorage. At the 

southern edge of the Mat-Su Borough, 

this hamlet borders the south side of 

the Knik River, which flows into the 

Knik Arm of Cook Inlet. 

The two-lane Old Glenn Highway 

serves as a scenic drive and sole 

access to Knik River and Butte. Like 

many other small communities in 

Mat-Su, residents work in Anchorage, 

Palmer or Wasilla and live a semi-rural 

and sometimes subsistence lifestyle. 

Lake Louise 

Lake Louise, a community in a state 

recreation area, is known chiefly for 


boating and fishing — lake trout and 

grayling — so most homes around 

the lake are seasonal, with outhouses, 

hauled water and generators for 

electricity. The shoreline boasts lodges 

with amenities, campgrounds and 

permanent dwellings for the 51 yearround 

residents. Cross-country skiing, 

ice fishing and snowmachining are 

popular winter activities. 

The community is on the western 

border of the Mat-Su Borough, 20 miles 

up the Lake Louise Road from its junction 

with the Glenn Highway at about Mile 

160, so that Glennallen, at slightly less 

than 50 miles away, is really the nearest 

source of supplies, emergency response 

and medical care. Lake Louise is a true 

Interior community, with extremes of heat 

in summer, cold in winter. 


• Lake Louise is a local name first 

reported by Capt. E. F. Glenn of the 

USGS in 1889. 

• During the 1940s, the area 

was homesteaded through BLM land 

disposals and later state land sales. 

• It is on the western edge of historic 

Copper River Ahtna Athabascan territory. 

The Ahtna were semi-nomadic and 

traded furs with the Dena’ina of Upper 

Cook Inlet. 

Lazy Mountain 

The 1,471 residents live at the base 

of the eponymous 3,720-foot Lazy 

Mountain, three miles east of Palmer 

off the Old Glenn Highway. Clark- 

Wolverine Road provides access to 

Lazy Mountain Recreation Area for 

die-hard hikers willing to tackle a steep 

and strenuous 2.5-mile trail. 


• Around 1900, “Palmer’s Upper 

House,” a boat-accessible trading post, 

was on the east side of the Matanuska 

River, just upriver from today’s Matanuska 

River Bridge on the Old Glenn Highway. 

• George Palmer’s store catered to 

Dena’ina Athabascans who traded with 

the Ahtna from Copper River. 

• In 1915, homesteaders followed 

railroad jobs. 

Sutton-Alpine 

Sutton-Alpine covers 20 miles 

between Milepost 52 and 72 of the 

Glenn Highway, 11 miles northeast of 

Palmer. Alpine Historical Park, an openair 

museum, features relics and historic 

buildings from the coal washery. Local 

stores, lodges, restaurant, library, 

post office and school support the 

1,492 residents, many of whom work 

in Palmer, Wasilla, Anchorage or the 

nearby Palmer Correctional Center. 


• Ahtna and Dena’ina Athabascans 

lived here for centuries. During the Russian 

fur trading era, Ahtna transported pelts 

from the Dena’ina along the Matanuska 

River to Copper Fort in the east. 

• Around 1918, the Alaska Railroad 

used the area as a coal export station 

from Chickaloon Mine. 

• The Sutton Coal Washery operated 

from 1920 to 1922. 

• From 1941 to 1945, Sutton served 

as base camp during construction of 

the Glenn Highway. The post office 

opened in 1948. 

• Coal from the privately owned 

Evan Jones mine, Jonesville and Eska 

mines fueled the Sutton and Palmer 

economies until 1968, when the military 

bases in Anchorage converted to oil. 

• During the 1980s, several large 

subdivisions fueled growth.

Employment & Economy 

Alaska’s economy has fared well 

when compared with national economic 

trends, and the Mat-Su Borough is the fastest-growing region 

of the state, due largely to its proximity to Anchorage. 

In April 2012, the Valley workforce approached 43,000, 

and more than 39,200 of those were heading to work every 

day, according to the Alaska Department of Labor and 

Workforce Development, Research and Analysis Section. A 

good many commute to Anchorage or to the North Slope. 

Average monthly unemployment within the Borough was 8.6 

percent. For those who would rather stay put, the Mat-Su 

offers a wide range of employment and business development 

opportunities without the daily drive to the city. 

Where the jobs are 

According to Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce 

Development, local and state government (including public 

school systems and the health care industry) accounts for 

31.7 percent of jobs In the borough, followed in descending 

order by trade, transportation and utilities; construction; 

self-employment; leisure and hospitality, professional and 

business services; and natural resources and mining. 

Retail Trade 

Providing goods for some 89,000 people has spawned 

a wealth of retail jobs, and gone are the days when Valley 

residents had to shop mostly in Anchorage. The Mat-Su has 

almost every type of retail shop, from niche-market specialty 

stores to large department stores such as Target, Fred Meyer, 

Walmart, Lowe’s and Home Depot. 

Local Government 

Palmer, Wasilla and Houston each have city employees as 

well as Mat-Su Borough offices. All of these local governments 

have experienced steady growth and provided residents with 

additional local services and jobs, most of which pay aboveaverage 

wages. 

Health Care and Social Assistance 

As with retail shopping, Mat-Su residents no longer 

need to leave the Valley for health care. Hospitals, medical 

centers and clinics and an influx of health care providers 

have accompanied the population explosion, and as a result, 

health care jobs have increased rapidly. 

Accommodations and Food Services 

Tourism and recreation services are always expanding 

and many of these jobs fall under Accommodations and 

Food Services. Tens of thousands of vacationing Alaskans 

and many of the state’s nearly 2 million tourists pass through 

the Mat-Su each year. Tourism provides many employment 

and business opportunities. 

Construction 

Construction continues steady in commercial, public 

and industrial sectors, though new residential projects have 

slowed in the near-term. But construction still plays a major 

role in the economy. 


Employment & Economy 

Additionally, a $250 million, 1,536- 

inmate prison is scheduled for occupancy 

in 2012. The Goose Creek 

Correctional Center is a 435,000-squarefoot 

facility on 330 acres nine miles from 

Port MacKenzie. The largest building 

construction project in state history, the 

prison is expected to have provided 

roughly 600 construction jobs and 

about 350 correctional jobs by the time 

it’s completed. 

Industrial Development 

Industrial activities include steel 

fabrication, agriculture, gravel extraction, 

manufacturing of both concrete 

and wood products and distribution 

of building materials. Residential 

and commercial markets continue 

to support the construction industry, 

and increasing development at Port 

MacKenzie is also becoming a factor. 

Booming Economy 

For the last few years almost all 

sectors have enjoyed stable or improving 

economic conditions, including 

in Anchorage, where many Valley 

residents commute for work. Though 

construction has slowed, it continues 

to be a strength, from infrastructure 

to residential to commercial buildings, 

and the demand for skilled, qualified 

workers exceeds the supply. 

Economic Forecasts 

Mining and logging, including the 

oil and gas industries, will be growth 

categories in at least the immediate 

future, according to the Alaska 

Department of Labor and Workforce 

Development. Information industries 

also should be healthy, as should 

education, leisure and hospitality. 

Health care, a dynamic and growing 

industry, will continue to outpace most 

others with a projected growth rate 

of more than 8 percent in 2012, and 

health care professionals will continue 

to be in demand. 

Job Search 

The Alaska Job Service Mat-Su 

Office at 877 Commercial Drive in 

Wasilla offers many tools for job 

seekers, from job listings to counseling 

to training opportunities, and other 

resources are available on the Internet 


for online job searches. The local 

chambers of commerce websites 

contain a wealth of community 

and business information, and the 

classified sections of area newspapers 

also have job leads that frequently 

link to websites from individual 

companies. City, borough and state 

websites also post job listings, and 

the Better Business Bureau can be 

helpful in providing information about 

a company’s reputation. 

Resources 

Visit the following websites for valuable information and resources to 

help with your transition into the local economy. 

Alaska Department of Commerce, 

Community & Economic Development 

www.commerce.state.ak.us 

Alaska Grown 

www.alaskagrown.org 

Alaska Job Center 

www.jobs.alaska.gov 

Alaska Division of Economic Development 

www.dced.state.ak.us/ded/ 

Anchorage Daily News 

www.adn.com 

Better Business Bureau 

www.alaska.bbb.org 

Big Lake Chamber of Commerce 

www.biglakechamber.org 

Buy Alaska 

www.buyalaska.com 

City of Houston 

www.houstonak.com 



City of Wasilla 


Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce 

www.palmerchamber.org 

Business Climate 

It’s important to find work or selfemployment 

before relocating, even 

though the Mat-Su is very attractive 

to those interested in developing or 

moving a business, pursuing entrepre- 

neurial opportunities or becoming selfemployed. 

The borough and the cities 

within it encourage business development 

and can offer assistance and economic 

incentives to encourage commercial 

activities in the area. 

Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce 

www.wasillachamber.org 

Institute of Social & Economic Research 

www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu 

Made In Alaska Program 

www.madeinalaska.org 

Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman 

www.frontiersman.com 


www.matsugov.us/ 

Matanuska-Susitna School District 

www.matsuk12.us/ 

Small Business Development Center 

www.aksbdc.org/ 

State Department of Labor and Workforce 

Development 

www.labor.state.ak.us 

Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce 

www.talkeetnachamber.org 

U.S. Small Business Administration 

Alaska District Office 

www.sbaonline.sba.gov/ak/ 

Willow Chamber of Commerce 

www.willowchamber.org

Housing & Real Estate 

Once you decide to move 

to the Valley, the next big decision is 

where to live. Housing is plentiful, with 

a variety of offerings that will get you 

out of the city and into the country. 

Home prices in May 2012, according 

to the Alaska MLS, ranged from $22,000 

for a 316-square-foot cabin on five 

acres off the Parks Highway (no bath, 

no bedroom, no garage or carport, 

trail access only, as-is) to $1.9 million 

for a six-bedroom, four-bath lakefront 

home in Wasilla with in-floor heating 

and airplane access on 3.3 acres. 

The Alaska Department of Labor and 

Workforce Development reports the 

average sale price for a single-family 

home in the Mat-Su was $228,000 as 

of 2011, considerably less than the 

average $325,900 cost of an Anchorage 

home. Mat-Su condominiums averaged 

$182,000, more than $30,000 less than 

in Anchorage. 

With so many different communities, 

neighborhoods and styles of homes to 

choose from, house hunting can be a 

real adventure. Take a drive through 

the Mat-Su, find an area you like, and 

see what’s for sale. 

You can find single-family homes, 

townhouses, condos, new construction, 

resale homes, properties with Cook Inlet 

views, mountain properties, cabins in 

the woods, even historical residences, 

and real estate allowing horses, dog 

teams, farms and entrepreneurial ventures. 

Many come with acreage and 

are on the shores of lakes, or next to 

rivers and creeks. Real estate agents 

will help find the right home in the right 

price range – close to work or schools 

or leisure. 



Buying a Home 

Buying a home is always an investment. Some 

new subdivisions are under construction, if you’re 

after a new home, but many existing homes are for 

sale as well, from fixer-uppers to those in immaculate 

condition. The Mat-Su housing market has a full range 

of options, and if you want something created just for 

you, local architects and builders are experienced in 

dealing with Alaska’s extreme conditions. 

Pick up some real estate magazines showing 

properties for sale. They are usually free and organized 

by area or by selling agents. Peruse the listings, check 

out the homes, then drive around and see what the 

areas are like. 

Another way is to go online. Hundreds of properties 

are listed on the Alaska Multiple Listing Service website. 

Many local real estate agents and homebuilders have 

their own sites as well. 

44 MAT-SU Relocation Guide

Home Loan Application 

4 Photo ID, such as a driver’s license 

4 Social Security numbers 

4 Residence addresses for the past two 

years 

4 Names and addresses of your 

employers during the past two years 

4 Your gross monthly salary 

4 Recent statements with names, 

addresses, account numbers and 

balances on all checking, savings, 

investment, pension and retirement 

accounts 

4 Recent statements with names, 

addresses, account numbers, balances 

and monthly payments on all open loans 

and credit cards 

4 Addresses and loan information of all 

real estate owned 

4 Estimated value of furniture and 

personal property 

4 W2s for the past two years and 

paycheck stubs 

4 Copies of all court decrees affecting 

financial status, i.e., divorce, child support 

documents, etc. 

4 Verification of any child support 

payments 

VA or military programs 

4 DD 214, if a Veteran 

4 Form 22, if National Guard 

4 DD 1747 – Off-Base Housing 

Authorization, if active duty 

4 Certificate of Eligibility, if active duty 

Self-Employed Individuals 

4 Personal tax returns for the past 

three years 

4 Current income statement 

4 Balance sheet 


Checklist 

All Borrowers 

4 Explanation of any irregularities on your 

credit report 




Credit Report 

For any home-loan application, the mortgage company 

will order a credit report, so it may be good to get a free 

report in advance to determine your credit status and make 

sure the report contains no erroneous information. 

To order your free annual report from one or all of 

the national consumer reporting companies, visit www. 

annual-creditreport.com, call toll free (877) 322-8228, or 

download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual 

Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For more 

information, visit www.ftc.gov/credit.

Renting 

Renting a home or apartment 

allows time to learn more about the 

area before investing in a home. 

From densely populated multi-family 

apartment buildings to secluded 

single-family homes, there are plenty 

Rental Tips 

Before signing a lease: 

•How much advance notice is 

required before moving? 

• What are the security-deposit refund 

restrictions? 

• What is the owner’s obligation for 

repairs and maintenance? 

• What are the yard duty, snow 

removal and clean-up requirements? 

• Are there stipulations regarding 

subleasing, pets or the number of 

people allowed? 

• Which utilities and services will the 

owner pay? 

• Ask the manager to write and initial 

of rentals available. Rent for an 

apartment averaged $804 a month in 

the Matanuska Valley In 2011, with 

single-family homes being higher, 

an average of $1,269. Rental prices 

are generally less expensive than in 

nearby Anchorage, where the average 

is $1,045 for an apartment. 

all oral agreements, changes and 

additions to the lease before you 

sign it, and be sure to keep a copy 

for reference. 

After you sign a lease: 

• Know who will manage the rental, 

where the rent is to be sent 

and who to call for repairs and 

maintenance 

• Make a checklist of the condition of 

the rental unit and any furnishings 

before moving in. Sign it, have the 

apartment manager sign it, and 

keep a dated copy. This will come 

in handy when you move out. 




Housing Resources 

Alaska Association of Realtors 

www.alaskarealtors.com 

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation 

www.ahfc.us 

Alaska Multiple Listing Service 

www.alaskarealestate.com 


Alaska State Home Builders Association 

www.buildersofalaska.com 

Fannie Mae 

www.fanniemae.com 

Freddie Mac 

www.freddiemac.com/states 

Mat-Su Home Builders 

www.matsuhomebuilders.com 

National Association of Realtors 

www.realtor.com 

Valley Board of Realtors 

www.matsurealtors.com 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

www.va.gov

Education & Academics 

Education is a priority across Alaska. Over 90 

percent of the Mat-Su Borough population age 25 and 

older are high school graduates and 20.8 percent hold 

a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to U.S. Census 

statistics on educational attainment. 

Postsecondary 

Valley residents have several postsecondary educational 

opportunities. Matanuska-Susitna College, an extension of the 

University of Alaska Anchorage, is midway between Palmer 

and Wasilla on Trunk Road. Each semester, almost 2,000 

students attend the 950-acre college, which offers a general 

program for the first two years of college courses leading to the 

Associate of Arts degree. The curriculum also includes several 

associate degrees in the arts and applied science, vocational 

programs with certificates and continuing education courses 

for lifelong learners. 

Other opportunities for postsecondary education include: 

•–Wayland Baptist University in Wasilla, where students 

can apply and register for classes in Wasilla or Anchorage. 

•–Alaska Operating Engineers/Employers Training Trust 

in Palmer, which trains students for careers involving heavy 

equipment, construction and mining. The trust has the only 

indoor year-round heavy equipment training arena in Alaska 

•–Northern Industrial Training in Palmer, which offers 

career training in industrial fields, among them oil and gas, 

truck driving, heavy equipment and welding. 

•–Alaska Job Corps Vocational Training Center in Palmer. 

•–The National Outdoor Leadership School, which teaches 

mountaineering. 

Students can commute to Anchorage and attend classes at the 

University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Pacific University, Wayland 

Baptist University, Career Academy and Charter College, or at 

more than a dozen private, vocational and technical centers and 

training facilities. 

To find out if the school you choose to attend is accredited, 

authorized or qualified as exempt by the Alaska Commission on 

Postsecondary Education visit http://akadvantage.alaska.gov, 

click on “Programs and Services” in the box on the left, then scroll 

down on the new screen to “Institutional Organization” on the right 

and click on “Review schools authorized to operate or exempt from 

the authorization process in Alaska.” 

K-12 

Photos: Denise Martin 

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District operates 44 

public schools serving more than 17,350 students in grades K-12. 



With approximately 2,200 staff members 

and teachers, the district is the borough’s 

largest employer. About 70 percent of all 

the money in the district’s budget goes to 

classroom instruction which, along with 

the dedicated teachers, small studentteacher 

ratios, progressive curricula and 

active parental involvement, helps meet 

the stated goal of the school board: “To 

prepare students for success.” 

Homeschooling is popular with many 

Alaska families, including in the Mat-Su, 

and the district accommodates those as 

well. Its Mat-Su Central School at 600 E. 

Railroad Ave., Suite No. 6, Wasilla, originally 

was set up in 1972 to serve students in 

remote areas, but now principally supports 

home-based alternative education programs. 

This support includes access 

to experienced teachers and academic 

advisors, workshops, field trips, individual 

lesson plans and tutoring. Go to www. 

matsucentral.org for more information, or 

call (907) 352-7450. 

Alaska’s homeschool rules are flexible, 

reflecting the realities of rugged terrain 

and harsh climate. Five alternatives: 

homeschools operated by parents or 

guardians; certified private tutors; a state- 


approved distance-learning curriculum; 

an “equal but alternative experience” 

approved by a school board; and 

qualification as a religious or private 

school. Several private programs have 

sprung up in response to the homeschool 

demand. 

High school students can take advantage 

of Career Pathways, a comprehensive 

four-year plan tailored to each 

student’s needs. This option links 

academic instruction to the workplace, 

Home schooling 

making high school instruction more 

immediately relevant. Pathways groups 

careers with similar characteristics, and 

it is flexible — students can explore 

more than one career pathway for entry 

into the workforce or additional training 

or apprenticeship opportunities. The 

highly successful program has become 

a model for other schools in the state. 

Courses focus on: 

• Agriculture and Natural Resources 

• Arts and Communications 

• Business and Management 

• Health Services 

• Human Services 

• Industrial and Engineering. 

The Mat-Su Career and Technical 

High School, which opened in the fall of 

2007, applies the district’s Career Pathways 

program in a hands-on way. The 

nontraditional learning centers teach 

academics in the context of careers and 

are designed to integrate complementary 

subjects. Culinary Arts, for instance, 

merges with Hospitality and Tourism; 

Health Education encompasses the 

categories of Certified Nurse Assistant, 

Phlebotomy Tech, Pharmacology Tech and 

biology/chemistry, pre-med/pre-nursing. 

Many Alaska parents have found that home schooling’s flexibility is a significant help 

to them in developing their children’s individual strengths. For example, with support 

from a certified teacher, parents can select a specific curriculum to meet a student’s 

needs, interests and desires while providing challenges that steadily increase abilities 

and confidence. Students can move at an accelerated pace in areas of strength or 

more deliberately, at their own rates, in weaker areas while improving those skills. For 

students who excel in most areas in a public school setting, home schooling can give 

them the challenges that they are not receiving. The home school educational day can 

be designed for great depth and breadth while incorporating real-life learning. 

Home schooling offers other advantages as well, including more time for actual 

education over a day or week. Schooling at home can be more concentrated and 

thus be more efficient than instruction in a traditional school, freeing more time for 

additional activities that support the student’s education. Home schooling can also 

allow for more family time to build social skills along with pleasant memories: Homeschool 

learning can take place at any time, in any place. 

In home schooling, parents are the main mentors and sources of guidance for 

a child. For special cases where a child may have fallen victim to school bullies or 

have health issues or a family situation that may require an extended absence, home 

schooling offers a way to continue learning within a flexible schedule that works 

around temporary obstacles that would preclude students from doing their best within 

the traditional school setting. 

Studies have shown that home-schooled students do well when it comes to 

college preparation. In general, home-schooled students have performed equal to or 

better than public-schooled students on SAT assessments. 

Home schooling such as the CyberLynx Correspondence Program, a statewide 

component of the Nenana City School District, is a viable, important alternative within 

today’s educational spectrum. For many families, the public school systems have not 

met the academic needs of their children, and more and more are taking this vital 

charge into their own hands with resources like CyberLynx. 

Tricia Barnett, educator, CyberLynx

Educational Opportunities 

Mat-Su Borough School District 

501 N. Gulkana St., Palmer 

www.matsuk12.us 

(907) 746-9200 

To view individual web pages for each school, visit 

www.matsuk12.us and choose the school name 

from the drop-down list at the top of the page. 

Elementary Schools 

Big Lake Elementary 

3808 S. Big Lake Road 

Big Lake, AK 99652 

(907) 892-6019 

Butte Elementary 

4006 S. Butte Road 

Palmer, AK 99645 

(907) 745-4871 

Cottonwood Creek Elementary 

800 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy. 


(907) 376-7577 

Finger Lake Elementary 

5981 Eek Street, 


(907) 373-3242 

Goose Bay Elementary (Grades K-2) 

6400 W. Hollywood Blvd. 


(907) 352-6400 

Iditarod Elementary 

801 N. Wasilla Fishhook Road 


(907) 352-9100 

Knik Elementary (Grades 3-5) 

6350 W. Hollywood Blvd. 


(907) 352-0300 

Larson Elementary 

2722 E. Seldon Road 


(907) 352-2300 

Machetanz Elementary 

4961 E. Nelson Road 


(907) 864-2300 

Meadow Lakes Elementary 

1741 N. Pittman Road 


(907) 352-6100 

Pioneer Peak Elementary 

1959 N. Trunk Road 


(907) 861-5700 

Shaw Elementary 

3750 Paradise Lane 


(907) 352-0500 

Sherrod Elementary 

561 N. Gulkana 


(907) 761-4100 

Snowshoe Elementary 

2001 W. Fairview Loop Road 


(907) 352-9500 

Sutton Elementary 

11672 N. Wright Way 

Sutton, AK 99674 

(907) 745-6150 

Swanson Elementary 

609 N. Gulkana St. 


(907) 745-3227 

Talkeetna Elementary 

13798 E. Veterans Way 

Talkeetna, AK 99676 

(907) 733-2252 

Tanaina Elementary 

2550 Lucille St. 


(907) 352-9400 

Edcuation & Academics 

Trapper Creek Elementary 

6742 E. Petersville Road 

Trapper Creek, AK 99683 

(907) 733-2298 

Willow Elementary 

31706 Parks Hwy. 

Willow, AK 99688 

(907) 495-6236 

Junior & Middle Schools 

Colony Middle School 

9250 Colony Schools Drive 


(907) 761-1500 

Houston Middle School 

12801 W. Hawk Lane 

Houston, AK 99694 

(907) 892-9500 

Palmer Jr. Middle School 

1159 S. Chugach 


(907) 761-4300 

Teeland Middle School 

2788 N. Seward-Meridian Pkwy. 


(907) 352-7500 

Wasilla Middle School 

650 Bogard Road 


(907) 352-5300 

Continued next page 



High Schools 

Colony High School 

9550 E. Colony Schools Drive 


(907) 861-5500 

Houston High School 

12501 W. Hawk Lane 

Houston, AK 99694 

(907) 892-9400 

Mat-Su Career & Technical High School 

2472 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy. 


(907) 352-0400 

Palmer High School 

1170 W. Arctic Ave. 


(907) 746-8400 

Susitna Valley Junior/Senior High School 

42728 S. Parks Highway 


(907) 733-9300 


Wasilla High School 

701 E. Bogard Road 


(907) 352-8200 

K-12 Schools 

Beryozova Russian Language School 

501 N. Gulkana St. 


(907) 495-2500 

Glacier View (K-12) 

65975 S. Wolverine Circle 


(907) 745-5122 

Mat-Su Day School 

3901 E. Bogard Road 


(907) 376-0459 

Mat-Su Central School 

600 E. Railroad Ave., Suite 6 


(907) 352-7450 

Charter Schools 

The Academy 

801 E. Arctic 


(907) 746-2358 

American Charter Academy 

7362 Parks Highway, #725 


(907) 352-0150 

Birchtree Charter School 

7107 E. Palmer Wasilla Highway 


(907) 745-1831 

Fronteras Spanish Immersion 

7010 E. Bogard 


(907) 745-2223 

Midnight Sun 

7275 W. Midnight Sun Circle 


(907) 357-6786

Twindly Bridge Charter School 

141 E. Seldon Road, Suite C 


(907) 376-6680 

Alternative Schools 

Burchell High School 

1775 W. Parks Highway 


(907) 864-2600 

Mat-Su Secondary School 

581 S. Outer Springer Loop 


(907) 761-7238 

Valley Pathways 

1150 N. France Road 


(907) 761-4650 

Libraries 

Students and lifelong learners 

have seven libraries in the Matanuska-Susitna 

Borough to draw knowledge 

from and to enjoy. Each library 

plays a role in building a sense of 

community while providing access 

to resources to meet Its educational, 

professional, intellectual, cultural 

and recreational needs. 

Each library’s hours can vary. 

Check the website or call before 

you go. 

Matanuska-Susitna 

Library Network 

www.matsulibraries.org 

(907) 376-5913 

E-mail: library@ci.wasilla.ak.us 

Mat-Su Libraries 

Big Lake Public Library 

3140 S. Big Lake Road 

Big Lake, AK 99652 

(907) 892-6475 

BigLake.Library@matsugov.us 

Palmer Public Library 

655 S. Valley Way 


(907) 745-4690 

Postsecondary Education & Training 

Alaska Job Corps Center 

800 E. Lynn Martin Drive 


www.alaskajobcorps.com 

(800) 733-5627 

(907) 861-8800 

Alaska Operating Engineers/Employers 

Training Trust 

5400 N. Cunningham Road 


www.aoeett.org 

(907) 746-3117 

Charter College Wasilla 



www.chartercollege.edu/locations/ 

wasilla-ak 

(907) 352-1000 

Sutton Public Library 

11301 N. Chickaloon Way 


(907) 745-4467 

Sutton.Library@matsugov.us 

Talkeetna Public Library 

Mile 13.5 Talkeetna Spur Road 


(907) 733-2359 

Talkeetna.Library@matsugov.us 

Trapper Creek Public Library 

8901 E. Devonshire Drive 

Mile 114 Parks Highway 

Trapper Creek, AK 99683 

(907) 733-1546 

TrapperCreek.Library@matsugov.us 

Wasilla Public Library 

391 N. Main St. 


(907) 376-5913 

library@ci.wasilla.ak.us 

Edcuation & Academics 

Matanuska-Susitna College (UAA) 

8295 E. College Drive 


www.matsu.alaska.edu 

(907) 745-9774 

National Outdoor Leadership School 

Mile 1 Farm Loop Road 


www.nols.edu/courses/locations/alaska/ 

(907) 745-4047 

Northern Industrial Training 

1740 N. Terrilou Court 


www.nitalaska.com 

(907) 357-6400 

Wayland Baptist University 

1590 E. Financial Drive 


www.wbu.edu/ak 

(907) 373-4828 

Willow Public Library 

Mile 69.7 Parks Highway 


(907) 495-7323 

Willow.Library@matsugov.us Wasilla and Palmer Public Libaries Photos: Denise Martin 


Health Care in the Valley 

A healthy lifestyle coupled with regular health care 

boosts your enjoyment of work, travel and leisure. The Valley 

offers a full range of health care services, and Anchorage, with 

its expanded options, is less than an hour away. 

Records 

Bring your family medical records; your new physician 

needs to know your medical history. A few weeks before 

moving, visit all your health care providers and request copies 

of health care records for every household member. If you have 

already located providers in Alaska, you can sign a release to 

have the records sent directly to them. 

Children 

If you have children, bring their immunization records with 

you. No child can register for classes in the Matanuska-Susitna 

Borough School District without proof of immunizations. 

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, 

hepatitis A and hepatitis B immunizations are required. Diphtheriatetanus 

(DT) must be current within the last 10 years. 

Preschoolers must be immunized against Haemophilus 

influenza type b (Hib), and either have a varicella vaccination or 

a history of varicella (chicken pox). 

Medications 

If you are taking prescription drugs for any existing or 

recurring conditions, ask your physician for extra medication 


before you leave for Alaska. Scheduling appointments with 

a new provider to obtain prescriptions, while also dealing 

with moving, could be difficult, and having a supply of extra 

medication is a good precaution. Pharmacies are plentiful in 

Wasilla and many are open seven days a week. 

Insurance 

While on your way to Alaska, make certain that you have 

quick access to health insurance cards, phone numbers and 

claims forms needed to obtain health care. There are no HMOs in 

Alaska, so find out provisions for treatment if you belong to one. 

Many health insurance plans require you to use preferred or 

network providers. Before leaving, find out about your coverage 

both while traveling and after you arrive.

Traveling Tips 

For most people, moving to Alaska 

is a relatively lengthy journey. As 

such, a little prior planning for health 

care issues can pay big dividends. 

Don’t forget a good first aid kit – www. 

redcross.org has a complete list 

of what to include. After arriving in 

Alaska, continue to carry it with you in 

your vehicle at all times. It never hurts 

to be prepared. 

Pets 

Don’t forget the family pets. Be sure 

to bring veterinarian records for them 

as well. With so many sled dog teams 

and horses in the area, Wasilla has no 

shortage of veterinarians. You will have 

no problem finding one. 

•••• 

The Mat-Su medical community 

is growing to keep pace with the 

population boom. Walk-in urgent-care 

clinics are sprinkled throughout the 

area. Nearly every health care discipline 

is represented in private practice. 

Mat-Su residents have five hospitals, 

all with extended campuses 

that include primary care and specialty 

clinics. Three are in Anchorage: Alaska 

Native Medical Center, Alaska Regional 

Hospital and Providence Alaska Medical 

Center. Mat-Su Regional Medical Center 

is a relatively new facility that replaced 

Valley Hospital. Providence Hospital’s 

Matanuska Health Services, which 

opened in a new location in November 

2010, has a Behavioral Medicine Group, 

general health care services and a 

Laboratory Patient Service Center. 

Both facilities are located off the Parks 

Highway between Wasilla and Palmer, 

minutes away from the majority of 

borough residents. 





Mat-Su Health Care Providers 

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center 

2500 S. Woodworth Loop 


(907) 861-6000 

www.matsuregional.com 

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center 

opened in 2006 on 30 acres at the 

intersection of the Parks and Glenn 

highways between Palmer and Wasilla. 

The hospital has 74 beds in private 

rooms; five operating rooms; an 

emergency department with specialized 

beds for trauma, cardiac, orthopedic, 

pediatric, gynecologic and opthalmologic 

needs; a full complement of 

diagnostic imaging equipment; a medical 

and surgical wing; a cardiovascular 

department with a cardiac catheterization 

lab; and 660 employees. A fast-track 

emergency unit separates patients with 

minor conditions from those who need 

immediate attention. 

The new hospital coaxed many 

physicians and specialists to the Valley, 

with more joining the established, 

growing medical community each year. 

At least 101 physicians have active staff 

privileges at the hospital and practice a 

wide range of specialties. 

The Mat-Su Regional Medical Office 

Building next to the hospital was the first 

addition to the medical campus and 

houses more than a dozen physicians, a 

surgery center and a radiation oncology 

wing, and a new Women’s Imaging 

Center is scheduled to open in the fall 

of 2012. 

In addition, the satellite Mat-Su 

Regional Medical Plaza extends Medical 

Center services to Eagle River. 

Providence Matanuska 

Health Care 



(907) 761-5900 – health care 

(907) 761-5800 – behavioral health 

(907) 761-5890 – laboratory services 

Providence’s facilities on Woodworth 

Loop in Palmer combine its previous 

Valley services at one location. The 

new building offers behavioral health, 

laboratory services and family medicine. 

Providence Family Medicine services 

include preventive care, maternity 

care, pediatrics, acute and chronic

disease treatments, physician services 

and an onsite lab. The Providence 

Behavioral Medicine Group offers care 

for anxiety and mood disorders as well 

as depression, bipolar illness, posttraumatic 

stress disorder and other 

conditions. Laboratory services include 

phlebotomy and courier pickup from local 

providers for specimen processing. 

Imaging Associates 

of Providence 



(800) 945-9392 / (907) 746-4646 

www.imagingak.com 

Imaging Associates, created by Alaska 

Radiology Associates in partnership with 

Providence Health & Services, is next door 

to Providence Matanuska Health Care. 

Services include Alaska’s first 3T MRI, as 

well as 1.5T short and ultra-short bore and 

open machines for larger or claustrophobic 

patients; CT and PET scans, digital 

mammography; ultrasounds; bone 

density scans; women’s imaging 

services; follicular studies; X-rays; vein 

treatment; and nuclear medicine. All 

images are read by board-certified 

Providence radiologists, and ample 

parking is part of the partnership’s goal 

of providing a comfortable, friendly 

atmosphere. 

Mat-Su Health Services 

1363 W. Spruce Ave. 


(907) 376-2411 

astein@matsuhealth.org 

www.msnsak.org 

Mat-Su Health Services, a nonprofit 

health and behavioral clinic, offers a 

wide range of outpatient health care 

to Valley residents. The medical side 

includes family medicine, acute and 

urgent care, preventive treatment, 

immunizations and health maintenance. 

The behavioral health side offers 

crisis intervention 24 hours a day, 

psychosocial rehabilitative services, 

assistance with substance use or 

abuse, help with traumatic brain injury, 

and other counseling resources aimed 

at improving mental health for families 

and individuals alike. 




Sunshine Community 

Health Center 

24091 Long Lake Road 


(907) 495-4100 

Mile 4.4 Talkeetna Spur Road 


(907) 733-2273 

www.sunshineclinic.org 

This Willow arm of these nonprofit 

community health centers, which serve 


the Upper Susitna Valley, moved in 

April to a new 7,000-square-foot clinic. 

Sunshine’s two locations, in Willow 

and Talkeetna, provide comprehensive 

primary and dental health care in addition 

to behavioral services, among them 

mental health, substance abuse and 

domestic violence counseling. 

Valley Native Primary 

Care Center 

1830 E. Parks Hwy., Suite A134 


(907) 352-6000 

www.southcentralfoundation.com 

Southcentral Foundation offers 

basic medical care for eligible families 

at the Valley Native Primary Care Center 

in Wasilla. Other services include a 

limited pharmacy, a lab, radiology and 

immunizations. 

Mat-Su Public Health Center / 

South Central Region 

3223 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy, Suite 3 


(907) 352-6600 

The nonprofit Mat-Su Public Health 

Center provides services to rural and 

low income, uninsured or underinsured 

individuals including immunizations, 

family planning, home visits, prenatal 

monitoring, well-child exams and health 

education. There are satellite clinics in 

Palmer, Big Lake, Willow, Talkeetna, 

Trapper Creek, Sutton and Glennallen. 

Alaska Veterans & 

Pioneers Home 

250 E. Fireweed Avenue 


(907) 745-4242 

Licensed as an assisted living facility, 

the Alaska Veterans & Pioneers Home 

can serve 79 residents requiring levels 

of care from complete independence 

to those with chronic but stable health 

care conditions. Seventy-five percent of 

the beds are designated for veterans; 25 

percent are available for non-veterans. 

General Practitioners –––––––– 

All Seasons Family Health Care 

5461 Mayflower #4 


www.allseasonsfhc.com 

Frontier Family Medicine 

645 N. Jessica Brooke Circle, Suite E 


(907) 373-3940 

www.frontierfamilymed.com 

Palmer Family Medicine 

634 S. Bailey St., Suite 104 


(907) 746-2345 

palmerfamilymedicine.com 

Valley Women’s Health Care 

425 E. Dahlia Ave., Suite J 


(907) 745-8379 

Summit Family Practice 

440A W. Evergreen Ave. 


(907) 746-3366 

www.summitfamily.com 

Urgent Care at Lake Lucille 

185 E. Parks Highway 


(907) 373-4200

In-Home Care –––––––––––––– 

Comfort Keepers 

(907) 745-3000 

www.comfortkeepers.com 

Dental ––––––––––––––––––– 

Alaska Premier Dental Group 

935 Westpoint Drive, Suite 202 


(907) 373-5930 

www.smilealaska.com 

Aurora Dental Care 

4501 E. Snider Drive 


(907) 376-8400 

www.auroradentalak.com 

Pioneer Peak Dental Center 

223 S. Alaska St. 


(907) 745-6818 

www.padendds.com 

Chiropractic Care ––––––––––– 

Thomas J. DeSalvo, DC, Inc. 

Elizabeth Keeter, DC, LLC 

1701 N. Seward Meridian Parkway 


(907) 357-7463 

Palmer Chiropractic Clinic 

440 W. Evergreen Ave. 


(907) 745-0776 

www.palmerchiroak.com 

Physical Therapy ––––––––––– 

Wasilla Physical Therapy 

3750 E. Country Field Circle 


(907) 376-7334 

www.akpt.net 

Holistic Care/Other ––––––––– 

Alaska Center for Acupuncture 

642 S. Alaska St. 


(907) 745-8688 

www.alaskaacupuncture.com 

All About Herbs (two locations) 

1901 Hemmer Road 


907-745-8387 



(907) 376-8327 

allaboutherbs.com 


Mat-Su Skin Deep 

Thermal Imaging 



(907) 376- 8327 

(907) 745-8387 

www.matsuskindeep.com 

Continued next page 




Pet Services ––––––––––––––– 

Wasilla Veterinary Clinic 

2750 E. Parks Highway 


(907) 376-3993 

www.wasillavet.com 

Palmer Veterinary Clinic 

Mile 39.5 Glenn Highway 

P.O. Box 3329 


(907) 745-3219 

www.palmervetclinic.com 

Why Choose a Nurse 

Practitioner (NP)? 

Since nurse practitioners first 

became involved with health care 

— University of Colorado, 1965 — 

their numbers have increased to the 

point that they now are engaged 

in much of the primary care in this 

country. 

Nurse practitioners are registered 

nurses with advanced training and 

education that blend nursing and 

medical services in a comprehensive 

approach to illness. They provide 

primary care to individuals, families or 

groups of people, much like a family 

physician. Their goals are to promote 

health and prevent disease, to 

return a patient or family to optimum 

health. NPs can diagnose and treat 

acute or chronic illnesses; prescribe 

medications, nutrition therapy and 

counseling; manage care; order 

lab and diagnostic tests; and make 

appropriate referrals. They serve 

as primary care providers in your 

communities. 

Years of cost analysis show 

that NPs provide primary care 

more economically, according to 

the American Academy of Nurse 

Practitioners, which reviewed four 

decades of evaluation and research. 

The data consistently showed that 

NPs supply care of equal or better 

quality at a lower cost than comparable 

services from others. 

Nurse practitioners can provide 

readily available lifelong care to various 

populations and groups. Though 

NPs generally are trained in primary 

care, many have specialized in areas 

like internal medicine, dermatology, 

cardiology, orthopedics, psychology 

and gynecology. 

Some work independently and 

some work with physicians in practices 

and hospitals on behalf of individuals 

and families. With the increased 

demand for primary care providers 

nationwide and the rising costs of 

health care, nurse practitioners lead 

in offering services where they are 

needed most. 

— Sandy Spencer, ANP

Community & Recreation 

Theater and Entertainment 

Amphitheater 

Wasilla has an amphitheater in Iditarod Park, or Iditapark, 

near the city center for musical and thespian activities throughout 

the summer. Visit the special events sections at the city website 

for more information. 


Cabin Fever Reliever Concerts 

The Raven Hall stage on the Alaska State Fairgrounds in 

Palmer is the place to go for plenty of top-name concerts. Hot 

Chelle Rae, Five Finger Death Punch, STYX, Jo Dee Messina 

and the Avett Brothers are a few for 2012, and the Fairgrounds 

offers other events year-round, including horse shows, the 

Mighty Matanuska Brewfest, the annual Metal Detecting 

Hunt put on by the Alaska Treasure Seekers Society, and the 

sprawling Holiday Bazaar. 

www.alaskastatefair.org 

Palmer Arts Council 

The Palmer Arts Council aims to “nurture, encourage, 

sponsor and support the free expression of ideas in the 

Valley through the arts.” For information about this dedicated 

organization’s activities for all ages, including summer 

programs for young people, music, community murals, theater 

and fine arts, visit its website. 

www.palmerartscouncil.org 

Valley Performing Arts 

For more than 36 years, Valley 

Performing Arts has presented 

and promoted community theater 

with more than half a dozen 

productions from September 

through May each year at the 

Machetanz Theatre in Wasilla. 

www.valleyperformingarts.org 

Annual Events 

and Attractions 

Tesoro Iron Dog 

The Tesoro Iron Dog is the 

world’s longest, toughest snow- 


machine race. It starts at the 

Islander Lodge on Long Island in Big Lake, goes to Nome and 

finishes at Fairbanks, covering close to 2,000 miles at speeds up 

to 100 miles per hour in temperatures as cold as 60 below zero. 

The race is held each year in early February, with the Trail Class 

and Pro Class races starting two days apart. Teams of two endure 

sub-zero temperatures, blinding snowstorms and treacherous 

terrain in a test of athletic endurance and mechanical skill to 

reach the finish line. 

www.irondog.org 

Iditarod Sled Dog Race 

The historic Iditarod is a tribute to Alaska’s past in what 

has been called the “Last Great Race on Earth.” The route 

crosses some of the roughest and most beautiful terrain in 

the state — 1,150 miles of jagged mountain ranges, frozen 

rivers, dense forests and miles of windswept pack ice along 

the coast — in a race lasting 10 to 17 days. Add to that 

temperatures far below zero, winds and blowing snow that 

can cause a complete loss of visibility, long hours of darkness 

and treacherous climbs, and you have the Iditarod. After a 

ceremonial Saturday start in Anchorage, the race restarts 

Sunday in Wasilla or Willow, depending on snowfall. 

www.iditarod.com 

Musk Ox Farm 

No petting or feeding allowed, 

but you can view these unusual 

animals in the spring and summer at 

the Musk Ox Farm north of Palmer 

at Mile 50 of the Glenn Highway. The 

soft underwool, “qiviut,” is harvested 

once a year and supplied to Alaska 

Natives throughout the state by 

Oomingmak, a knitting cooperative, 

to make wonderfully warm hats, 

scarves and other products. 

www.muskoxfarm.org 

Reindeer Farm 

Find the Reindeer Farm southeast 

of Palmer on Bodenburg 

Loop Road off the Old Glenn 

Highway. Children and adults can feed and pet the reindeer 

from May through September. 

www.reindeerfarm.com 

Farmers Market 

Every Wednesday in June through mid-September from 

11 a.m. to 6 p.m., local farmers and crafters sell their products 

behind the Wasilla Public Library. 

www.alaskagrown.org 



Friday Flings 

Palmer’s open-air market features 

Alaska-grown produce and plants, 

local arts and crafts, live music and 

entertainment from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

from mid-May to mid-August each Friday 

at the Pavilion in downtown Palmer. 


Palmer Colony Days 

This festival honors the settlers 

who founded a farming colony in 1935 

and features a parade, colony family 

reception, arts and crafts fair, children’s 


games and contests, horse-drawn wagon 

rides, 5K and 10K races, shopping cart 

races, a nurseryman’s market and much 

more. Friday through Sunday, the second 

weekend in June. 


4th of July 

Wasilla sponsors an Independence 

Day Festival with a parade, many floats 

and local celebrities. The parade begins 

at the Valley Performing Arts Center 

parking lot adjacent to Tommy Moe Drive 

and goes through town. Afterward, chow 

down at Iditarod Park at a family picnic 

and barbecue. 


Alaska Central Railroad 

Take the kids for a ride on this 1-inchto-1-foot-scale 

railroad in Wasilla for more 

than a mile through the woods every 

other week on Saturday and Sunday 

from mid-May through mid-September. 

Check out the website for dates, times, 

cost and directions. 

http://alaskalivesteam.org 


Alaska Railroad 

Enjoy a scenic adventure on the 

Alaska Railroad. The train stops at the 

historic railroad depot in Wasilla, while 

en route to locations such as Talkeetna 

and Denali. 

www.alaskarailroad.com 

Governor’s Picnic 

Join the Valley community in Palmer 

at the annual Governor’s Picnic in Raven 

Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds on 

Aug. 10. 

www.gov.state.ak.us 

Moose on Parade 

Artists, local shops and anybody 

else who wants to enter create plywood 

cutouts of moose from 2 feet tall to full 

size and decorate them for auction after 

the moose participate in the July Fourth 

Parade. They’re on display around 

Talkeetna for about a month before that. 

Proceeds go to the Talkeetna Historical 

Society, the Chamber of Commerce and 

the Denali Arts Council’s Artist Guild. 

The VFW’s Moose Dropping Raffle takes 

place after the parade, and the traditional 

Moose Dropping Softball Tourney is the 

second week in July. 

www.talkeetnahistoricalsociety.org 

Fireweed Festival 

Visit Trapper Creek every July for local 

artisans selling and displaying their work, 

food vendors, live music, a children’s art 

activity tent and an art show at the Trapper 

Creek Community Center Park. 


Alaska State Fair 

The Alaska State Fair in Palmer 

boasts record-setting giant vegetables

Alaska State Fair, Palmer Photo: Denise Martin 

and beautiful flower gardens. Each fall 

— this year Aug. 23 through Sept. 3 — 

the fair sets the stage for the state’s last 

blast of summer. Since 1936, Alaskans 

have enjoyed marveling over amazing 

mammoth vegetables (think a 1,287-pound 

pumpkin, a 127-pound green cabbage) 

along with farm animals and all the usual 

state fair exhibits, vendors, carnival rides, 

entertainment and games. 

www.alaskastatefair.org 

Mat-Su Holiday Marketplace 

The first weekend in November, Mat- 

Su residents head to the Curtis Menard 

Memorial Sports Center outside Wasilla 

for this Christmas bazaar. It’s a holiday 

shopping extravaganza with free parking 

and more than 110 vendors selling oneof-a-kind 

gifts. 

Talkeetna Winterfest 

Talkeetna celebrates Winterfest the 

entire month of December, starting with the 

world-famous Talkeetna Bachelor Auction. 

Ladies can bid for their very own Talkeetna 

bachelor (some restrictions apply) in the 

raucous annual fundraiser on Dec. 1 that 

benefits the community at large. Then 

come the Bachelor Ball and the all-night 

Bachelor Breakfast. The weekend really 

begins, though, with a holiday parade 

the night of Nov. 30 with Santa and Mrs. 

Claus and a procession of snowplows as 

big as dinosaurs. Warm up with the chili 

contest, join in the Wilderness Woman 

competition and sing carols at the Town 

Tree Lighting at Village Park Pavillion 

before the auction kicks off. 


Colony Christmas 

The old-fashioned Colony Christmas 

in downtown Palmer Dec. 7 

through Dec. 9 features craft vendors, 

an arts and crafts fair, horse and 

reindeer sleigh rides, reindeer petting, 

photos with Santa and fireworks. 

On Sunday, the Colony Christmas 

Triathlon includes a 15K bike race, a 

5K run and a 500-meter swim. 


Recreation 

Bird Watching 

Alaska has 493 naturally occurring 

bird species in 64 families and 20 

orders, according to the six-member 

committee that compiles and updates 

the list every year for the University of 

Alaska Museum in Fairbanks. Twenty- 

five more species have been reported 

but these sightings are unsubstanti- 

ated. For a complete list visit the 

University of Alaska Museum’s website. 

www.uaf.edumuseum/birdproducts/ 

checklist.pdf 

www.ebird.org/ak 


The Great 

Outdoors 

Arm yourself with bear spray, bug 

dope, maps, a camera, a cell phone 

(though it may not work) and information 

before venturing into the great 

outdoors — where nature runs wild. 

And always, always tell someone 

where you’re going and what time 

you’ll be back. 

Alaska Department of Fish & Game 

www.adfg.state.ak.us/ 

Alaska Division of Parks 

& Outdoor Recreation 

www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/ 

Alaska Mountain Safety Center 

www.alaskaavalanche.com/ 

Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Bureau of Land Management 

www.blm.gov/ak/ 

Matanuska-Sustina Borough 

www.matsugov.us 

National Park Service 

www.nps.gov/aplic/ 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

http://alaska.fws.gov/ 

USDA Forest Service 

www.fs.fed.us/r10/ 

Alaska Volcano Observatory 

www.avo.alaska.edu 

Alaska Earthquake 

Information Center 

www.aeic.alaska.edu 



Boating 

The rivers, lakes and streams 

in the Valley offer excellent boating. 

Check out the Knik Canoers and 

Kayakers at 

www.kck.org 

Outdoor Safety 

Visit the North America Outdoor Institute 

in Wasilla for outdoor safety education 

and training at www.naoiak.org. 

Museums & 

Cultural Centers 

Dorothy Page Museum & Historic Town Site 

www.cityofwasilla.com/museum/ 

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Museum 

www.iditarod.com 

Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry 

www.museumofalaska.org 

Nay’dina’aa Na’ Tribal Cultural Center 

www.chickaloon.org 

Palmer Museum of History & Art 

www.palmermuseum.org 

Talkeetna Historical Society Museum 

www.talkeetnahistoricalsociety.org 

Wax Museum of the North 

(907) 733-2710 

Main Street, Talkeetna 


Geocaching 

Grab your GPS, go online for 

coordinates and waypoints and head 

out on an adventure to find hidden 

Museums Alaska 

Statewide museum association 

www.museumsalaska.org 

Registered Historic Sites 

Mat-Su has 27 properties on the 

National Register of Historic Places 


geocaches. Don’t forget to take 

something along to leave behind on 

your trek. 

www.geocachealaska.org 

Golf Courses (18 Hole, Par 72) 

Palmer Golf Course 

1000 Lepak Ave. 


(907) 745-4653 

www.palmergolfcourse.com 

Settlers Bay Golf Course 

Mile 8 Knik-Goose Bay Road 


(907) 376-5466 

www.settlersbay.com 

Hiking, Biking Trails and Parks 

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough 

maintains more than 2,000 miles 

of mapped trails for hiking, biking, 

horseback riding and four-wheeling in 

the summer and for winter sports, and 

there are more unmapped trails in remote 

areas. Dozens of parks, campgrounds 

and recreation sites are operated by 

that are culturally and historically 

significant to the nation and windows 

to the past. 

www.nationalregisterofhistoric 

places.com/ak/matanuskasusitna/state.html

the borough, city and state as well. 

www.matsugov.us/RecServices 

ww.dnr.state.ak.us/parks 

www.vmbah.org 

Many books detail Alaska hikes, with 

authors ranging from Alaskans such as 

Bill Sherwonit to international publishers 

like Lonely Planet and Falcon Guides. 

Local bookstores usually carry a good 

selection, so do some sporting goods 

stores, and www.Alaska.com/books 

posts lists. 

For an excellent overview with helpful 

links, go to www.alaskahikesearch.com/ 

education.htm. 

In the Grandstand 

Speedways 

Capitol Speedway 

Local racers zoom around the oval 

dirt track in Willow at Mile 75.5 Parks 

Highway through the summer. 

www.capitolspeedway.org 

North Star Speedway 

NASCAR-style racing on summer 

weekends at 2151 Jensen Road off the 

Parks Highway between Palmer and 

Wasilla. 

www.northstarspeedway.com 

Baseball 

Catch the Mat-Su Miners at Hermon 

Brothers Field in Palmer from June 

through August. Six teams make up the 

Alaska Baseball League, which is one 

of the premier wooden-bat collegiate 

summer leagues in North America. 

www.matsuminers.org 

Alaska Geographic partners with the 

U.S. Geological Survey to operate a map 

shop in Glenn Olds Hall, 4210 University 

Drive, on the Alaska Pacific University 

campus in Anchorage. 

www.alaskageographic.org 

Horseback Riding 

The Valley has an active equestrian 

community. Visit the Alaska Horse 

Journal website at www.alaskahorse 

journal.com 

Mountaineering 

The Mountaineering Club of Alaska 

sponsors year-round outdoor activities 

and teaches mountaineering skills and 

climbing safety. 

www.mtnclubak.org. 

Ski and Snowboard 

Anyone who loves skiing or snowboarding 

is in the right place. Big Lake 

offers the best water skiing. Hatcher Pass 

ities of the Mat-Su Borough. An online 

search will yield websites, schedules, 

locations and contact information. 

Mat-Su Youth Football Association 

(MYFA) 

www.myfa.net 

Mat-Su Amateur Hockey 

Association (MAHA) 

www.matsuhockey.com 

Youth Sports Organizations 

Organized youth sports organiza- 

tions are active in nearly all commun- Menard Sports Center, Wasilla Photo: Denise Martin 


is a favorite for backcountry skiers and 

boarders, and many trails afford fantastic 

opportunities for cross-country skiers. If 

you need a ski lift, try Hilltop Ski Area in 

Anchorage, an hour down the road, or 

Alyeska Resort at Girdwood, less than two 

hours away. 

www.alyeskaresort.com 

www/hilltopskiarea.org 

Snowmachining 

When the snow falls and the rivers 

freeze, the Valley becomes a thousands-ofsquare-miles 

snowmachiner’s playground. 

Matanuska Soccer Club 

www.matanuskasoccerclub.org 

Palmer Little League 

eteamz.active.com/palmerlittleleague 

Palmer Amateur Hockey Association 

(907) 745-6420 

Valley Youth BasketballAssociation 

www.vybb.com 



Places of Worship 


MAT SU VALLEY 

Big Lake 

Big Lake Baptist.................... 892-6646 

Faith Bible Fellowship................ 892-8545 

Independent Baptist Church........... 892-7327 

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church ... 892-6492 

Seventh-day Adventist Church......... 892-6794 

Valley Open Bible Fellowship .......... 892-4253 

Valley Sovereign Grace 

Baptist Assembly.................. 892-1892 

West Valley Family Church of 

the Nazarene ..................... 892-0573 


Schrock Road Community Church ..... 373-8481 

Palmer 

Bodenburg Butte Baptist Church ....... 745-6389 

Christ First United Methodist Church .... 745-3109 

Church of Jesus Christ of 

Latter-day Saints .................. 745-8003 

Church of the Covenant .............. 746-2907 

Crossroads Community Church........ 745-6701 

Family Christian Center .............. 745-6033 

Farm Loop Christian Center ........... 745-4851 

First United Pentecostal Church ........ 745-8859 

Gateway Christian Fellowship ......... 745-9001 

Glacierview Alliance Church . . . . . . . . . . 746-2740 

Glacier View Bible Church ............ 746-5872 

Gospel Outreach Christian Center ...... 376-3784 

Immanuel Baptist Church............. 745-0610 

InterAct Ministries Inc. ............... 745-3124 

Lazy Mountain Bible Church .......... 745-2611 

Manna Independent Baptist Church . . . . . 745-3898 

Matanuska Assembly of God.......... 745-2540 

New Beginning Christian Church ....... 745-1807 

New Beginnings Ministries............ 745-6262 

Palmer Christian Church ............. 745-7330 

Palmer Church of God ............... 745-3022 

Palmer Church of the Nazarene ........ 746-0252 

Palmer Highway Church of God........ 745-4213 

Palmer Seventh-day Adventist Church ... 745-2260 


Palmer United Methodist Church ........745-3109 

Palmer Victory Fellowship .............745-5045 

Pioneer Christian Fellowship ...........373-3615 

Pioneer Peak Baptist Church ...........745-7307 

Salvation Army Church & Food Bank .....745-7079 

Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church 

of Palmer.........................745-5530 

Spring Creek Bible Church .............746-5854 

St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church.....745-3526 

St. Herman Orthodox Mission ..........775-5290 

St. John Lutheran Church .............745-3338 

St. Michael’s Catholic Church ..........745-3229 

Sutton Baptist Fellowship..............745-6782 

Trinity Lutheran Church ...............745-0726 

United Methodist Fellowship .......... 745-0399 

United Protestant Presbyterian Church....745-3822 

Valley Baptist Tabernacle ..............745-4719 

Valley Church of Christ ...............745-3011 

Valley Harvest Church ................745-5673 

Victory Bible Camp ..................745-4203 

Sutton 

Hope Christian Church of Sutton ........745-6782 

Talkeetna 

Covenant Bible Church ...............733-2482 

Montana Creek Baptist Mission .........733-2591 

St. Bernard’s Catholic Church ..........733-2424 

Sunshine Seventh-day Adventist Church ...733-2358 

Talkeetna Assembly of God ............733-2419 

Trapper Creek 

St. Philip’s Catholic Church ............733-1211 

Wasilla 

52 Days Ministries...................376-5200 

Abundant Life Church ................376-5475 

Alaska District Youth Ministries .........376-3770 

Apostolic Worship Center .............357-4818 

Birch Harbor Baptist Church ...........376-0226 

Blessed Theodore Romzha Byzantine 

Catholic Church....................277-6731 

Bodenburg Butte Baptist Church ...... 745-6389 

Christ First United Methodist Church ...376-3109 

Church of Christ at Wasilla...........373-5773 


Latter-day Saints .................376-4575 

Church on the Rock Wasilla..........373-7910 

Cottonwood Shores Baptist Church ....373-2164 

Cross Country Church..............715-8761 

Fairview Loop Baptist Church ........373-7729 

Faith Chapel Pentecostal Church 

of God ........................373-6164 

First Baptist Church of Wasilla ........376-4668 

First Church of Christ, Scientist .......373-6470 

First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla....376-5053 

Christ First United Methodist Church ... 376-3109 

Frontier Christian Ministries ..........373-2588 

Glad Tidings Full Gospel Church ......376-2302 

Good Shepherd Lutheran 

Church ELCA....................376-3522 

Gospel Outreach Christian Center .....376-3784 

Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church...373-1536 

Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla..357-4229 

King of Kings Evangelica 

Lutheran Church .................376-7771 

Kings Chapel - Alaska ..............357-2065 

Lamb of God Lutheran Church........357-8077 

Mat-Su Evangelical Covenant Church ..373-2322 

Mid Valley Christian Center ..........376-6445 

New Life Covenant Church ..........373-5475 

New Life Presbyterian Church ........373-1536 

North Bear Street Community Church ..373-2164 

Pilgrim’s Baptist Church ............373-3454 

Pioneer Christian Fellowship .........373-3615 

Sacred Heart Catholic Church ........376-5087 

Schrock Road Community Church.....373-8481 

Settlers Bay Community Church ......373-2293 

Slavic Evangelical Church Nadezhda ...373-5488 

St. David’s Episcopal Church.........373-0625 

St. Herman Orthodox Mission Church . . 775-5290 

St. Lazarus Russian Orthodox Church ..357-9693 

Sunny Knik Chapel.................376-8777 

Unity Church of the Valley ...........761-3776 

Valley Faith Church ................376-2712 

Valley Church of Christ .............745-3011 

Wasilla Assembly of God............376-5732 

Wasilla Bible Church ...............376-2176 

Wasilla Christian Church ............376-5576 

Wasilla Community Church of God ....376-1565 

Wasilla Lake Church of the Nazarene ...376-5439 

Wasilla Seventh-day Adventist Church..373-2152 

Worldwide Church of God ...........376-0824 

Word of Faith Assembly............. 373-3601 

YES for Christ .................... 373-6373 

Willow 

Bruin Park Missionary Baptist Church ..495-5905 


Latter-day Saints .................495-5089 

Christ Centered Community Church....495-3777 

First Baptist Church of Willow ........495-6852 

Hidden Hills Baptist Church . . . . . . . . . . 495-4445 

Kashwitna Community Church........495-7201 

New Life Christian Center............495-6482 

St. Christopher Catholic Church.......495-4500 

Willow United Methodist Church ......495-6638

Bridge over Byers Lake; Photo: Glen Kerr 

N 

NorTH 

Several small communities and 

abundant opportunities for fun lie north 

and beyond – lakes, rivers, trails, parks 

and recreation areas – for year-round 

adventure. 

www.alaskavisit.com 

Hatcher Pass 

Hatcher Pass Road, accessible 

from Palmer or Wasilla, ascends to the 

Hatcher Pass/Independence Mine State 

Historical Park. Established in 1980, 

Surrounding Area 

the 760-acre park features two historic 

gold mining sites that were active from 

1909 to 1924, and again from 1937 to 

1941. Trails, campsites, scenic views 

and abundant wild blueberries make 

this spot popular in the summer, and 

for snow sports in the winter. 

www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/ 

wwww.dnr.alaska/gov/parks/units/ 

indmine.htm 

Nancy Lake 

Just beyond Big Lake on the Parks 

Highway, Nancy Lake State Recreation 

Area is yet another paradise for Alaskans. 

www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks 

www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/ 

nancylk/nancylk.htm 

Denali State Park 

On the northern edge of the borough, 

the 325,240-acre Denali State 

Park offers intense recreational experiences 

– from established campgrounds 

to raw wilderness. 

www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks 

www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/ 

denali1.htm 

Denali National Park 

Mount McKinley (Denali) — the 

crown jewel of North America — looms 

just across the borough boundary along 

the Parks Highway in the 6 million acres 

of wilderness of Denali National Park. 

www.nps.gov/dena 

Fairbanks 

Half a day’s drive north is Alaska’s 

golden heart along the banks of the 

Chena River. Sprouting from the gold 

rushes of the early 20th century, this 

multi-faceted community makes a good 

getaway in summer or winter. 

www.fairbankschamber.org 

S 

SoUTH 

While mountains and rivers abound 

in the Valley, the ocean elements — 

Prince William Sound, Resurrection Bay, 

Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay — are all 

destinations worth exploring. Adventures 

include: glaciers spilling into the sea, 

tidal pools, marine mammals, sea birds, 

saltwater fishing, kayaking, cruises and 

unlimited daylight. 


www.travelalaska.com 

Anchorage 

Alaska’s largest city is less than an 

hour away with its city-life amenities. It’s 

also a gateway to the Seward Highway 

and access to the oceanic wonders of 

Southcentral and the Kenai Peninsula. 

www.anchorage.net 

Girdwood 

World-class downhill skiing at Alyeska 

Resort is about 90 minutes away. This 


Surrounding Area 

Alyeska Resort in Girdwood; Photo: Justin Ritter 

folksy mountain town is the Aspen of Alaska and is evolving into 

a year-round resort. 

www.girdwoodchamber.com 

Whittier 

Whittier is the western portal to Prince William Sound, about 

two hours south. This tiny and rainy hamlet has enormous 

potential but is only accessible by rail or a drive through North 

America’s longest shared tunnel. 

www.whittieralaskachamber.org 

Seward 

Four hours south at the head of Resurrection Bay, this picturesque 

town is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and the 

home of the Alaska Sealife Center. Quaint shops and eateries 

line the downtown area. 

www.sewardak.org 

Kenai Peninsula 

This weekend destination overflows with volcanoes, glaciers, 

wildlife, rivers, lakes, fishing, rafting, wilderness and adventure. 

And puffins. Lots of puffins. 

www.kenaipeninsula.org 


Homer 

Drive south to the end of the road where the land stops 

and the sea begins. This sea-chantey town abounds with artists, 

galleries and plenty of scenery. And eagles. 

www.homeralaska.org 

E 

EAST 

The first community over the Borough line is Glennallen, 

where the road splits toward Canada or to Copper Center, the 

McCarthy Road and Valdez. 


www.alaskatravel.com/alaska/glennallen.html 

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 

Enter the park through Copper Center, south of Glennallen, 

or Slana, northeast of Glennallen. The Nabesna Road through 

Slana affords access to wilderness and river adventures. Trek, 

fish, camp, view and explore several of the highest peaks in 

North America. 

The Copper Center route heads into the heart of the 

park through Chitina via the McCarthy Road, with lodges 

and campgrounds along the way. A must visit is Kennicott, a 

National Historic Landmark, where a copper mine operated 

from 1906 to 1938. The road ends at the Kennicott River at a 

footbridge to McCarthy. 

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest 

in the U.S. Along with Glacier Bay National Park at the southern 

reaches, and Canada’s Kluane National Park Reserve and 

Tatshenshini-Alsek National Park, it has been designated a 

World Heritage Site. Mountain ranges, glaciers, rivers, high 

peaks and wilderness make Wrangell-St. Elias a weekend or 

longer diversion. 

www.nps.gov/wrst 

Valdez 

About a six-hour drive away is an area rich in history and 

adventure, a fishing paradise in summer and unmatched 

extreme skiing in winter. It also marks the end of the trans- 

Alaska pipeline, where huge double-hulled tankers wait to be 

filled with the North Slope’s black gold. 

www.valdezalaska.org 

WEST 

W 

Most of these remote areas and villages are only accessible 

by air, water or trails, but well worth visiting.

Advertiser Index 

Advance Look ...................... www.advancelookak.com . .............8 

Alaska Diversified Properties .. www.alaskadiversifiedproperties.com . ............46 

Alaska Goldstar Plumbing ................................................44 

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation ............... www.ahfc.us . ............47 

Alaska Midnite Scents ................... www.akmsonline.com . ............11 

Alaska Premier Dental Group ............. www.smilealaska.com . ............55 

Alaska Premier Real Estate ..... www.alaskapremierrealestate.com . ............46 

Alaska TLC Kennels ................. www.alaskatlckennels.com . ............11 

All About Herbs ...................... www.allaboutherbs.com . ............56 

All Seasons Family Health Care ......... www.allseasonsfhc.com . ............58 

Anchorage Share-A-Ride ........ www.peoplemover.org/sharearide . ............21 

Apex Towing. ..........................................................11 

Arctic Devco, Inc. / The Ranch ......... www.theranchalaska.com .............45 

Aurora Dental Care ......................................................9 

Aurora Dental Care .....................................................16 

Aurora Hair Studio .......................................................9 

Auto Body Concepts .....................................................9 

Benefits Consulting Services ...............................................8 

Big Bear RV Park .......................... www.bigbearrv.net . ............27 

Black Lake Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.blacklakebuildings.com . ............11 

Bricks 4 Kidz .......................... www.bricks4kidz.com . ............52 

Chepo’s Mexican Restaurant. .............................................11 

City of Wasilla. ......................... www.cityofwasilla.com . .............7 

Cook Inlet Lending Center. ........... www.cookinlethousing.org . .............8 

CyberLynx .............................. www.cyberlynx.org . ............51 

Dent Dude, The .........................................................8 

Dollar Plus .............................................................9 

Double Eagle Real Estate .................................................9 

Dr. Thomas DeSalvo & Dr. Elizabeth Keeter ..................................59 

Edmonds’ Import Auto. .............. www.autorepairwasilla.com . ............17 

First National Bank Alaska-Wasilla. ........... www.fnbalaska.com . .inside front cover 

Frontier Family Medicine .................................................60 

GCI ......................................... www.gci.com . ............23 

Grand View Inn & Suites ................ www.grandviewak.com . ............25 

Hacienda Mexican Food & Bar ............................................62 

Hall Quality Homes ................. www.hallqualityhomes.com . ............47 

Happy Camper RV Service & Repair. ........................................9 

Illuminations Child Care. ..................................................9 

Imaging Associates of Providence .......... www.imagingak.com . ............57 

Insurance Store, The ....................................................52 

JFK Auto LLC ..................... www.jfkauto@mtaonline.net . ............11 

Kash’s Carpet Bargains ..................................................43 

King Asian Buffet ........................................................8 

Kustom Kitchen & Design ...... www.kustomkitchendesigninc.com . .............9 

Matanuska Electric Association. ...........................................26 

Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union ......... www.mvfcu.coop . ............20 

Mat-Su College ....................... www.matsu.alaska.edu . ............50 

Mat-Su Regional Medical. ....... www.matsuregional.com/surgery . .....back cover 

Nordstrom Family Dental. ..... www.nordstromfamilydentalak.com . ............11 

Palmer Family Medicine. ......... www.palmerfamilymedicine.com . ............60 

Peak Inn Motel ....................... www.peakinnalaska.com . .............8 

Pridgen Cleaning Service ................................................48 

RE/MAX Dynamic of the Valley ............................................44 

Real Time II ......................... www.realtimewasilla.com . ............11 

Rising Star Child Care. ..................................................52 

Schwabenhof ..........................................................25 

Spenard Builders Supply. ................. www.sbsalaska.com . ............46 

Summit Family Practice LLC ............. www.summitfamily.com . ............56 

T&J Gravel Products ....................................................48 

Urgent Care at Lake Lucille ...............................................55 

Valley Car Rental .......................................................39 

Valley Moving & Storage ....... www.valleymovingandstorage.com . ............22 

Wasilla Physical Therapy ........................ www.akpt.net . ............59 

Wasilla Veterinary Clinic. ................... www.wasillavet.com . ............55 

Windy Corner ........................... www.windycorner.us . ............15 

Wolf Eye Center ...................... www.wolfeyecenter.com . .inside back cover

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