Anvil Creek (Alaska) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anvil Creek
Picking blueberries by Anvil Creek. Mining activity can be seen along it in the distance (ca. 1901)
Location of the mouth of Anvil Creek in Alaska
Country	United States
State	Alaska
District	Nome Census Area
Physical characteristics
Main source	64°35′43″N 165°20′59″W / 64.59528°N 165.34972°W / 64.59528; -165.34972
River mouth	Little Creek 13 feet (4.0 m) 64°31′17″N 165°28′17″W / 64.52139°N 165.47139°W / 64.52139; -165.47139
Length	7 miles (11 km)

Anvil Creek is a stream located in Alaska, a large state in the United States. It flows near the town of Nome, Alaska. This creek became very famous because of a huge gold discovery. In 1898, three men from Sweden found gold here. This exciting discovery quickly led to a massive "gold rush," bringing thousands of people to Nome in the spring of 1899, all hoping to find their own fortune.

The Great Gold Discovery

The gold found at Anvil Creek was from a type of mining called placer mining. This means miners looked for gold in loose sand and gravel. The gold was often found in riverbeds or old streambeds.

One of Alaska's Richest Gold Sites

The gold found at Anvil Creek was one of the first big discoveries in Alaska. The Anvil Creek Gold Discovery Site was incredibly rich. In its first five years, it produced over $5 million worth of gold! That's a huge amount of money, especially back then.

This amazing gold find helped start the famous Nome gold rush. Many other mining areas grew up nearby, including Nome Beach and the Snake River. All this mining activity led to the official establishment of Nome as a town. By 1965, much of the original mining site had returned to its natural state.

Challenges and Disputes

After the gold was found, some people tried to challenge the claims of the three Swedish discoverers. They argued that because the men were not U.S. citizens, they shouldn't be allowed to own the mining claims.

Legal Troubles and Famous Figures

This led to a big legal battle. It even involved some important government officials and judges, like Alexander McKenzie and Arthur H. Noyes. They were accused of trying to unfairly take control of the valuable gold claims. This was a complicated time, with many people trying to get a piece of the gold.

Anvil Creek Today

Today, the Teller Road crosses Anvil Creek about a mile below the original discovery site. The area around the creek is now home to wind turbines. These tall structures use wind to create electricity.

There were other gold mining spots near the creek too. One was an alluvial placer gold mine in Nekula Gulch, which is a small valley that feeds into Anvil Creek. Another nearby mine was called the Caribou Bill mine. Geologists have also identified an Anvil Creek fault, which is a break in the Earth's crust.