Chena Hot Springs, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chena Hot Springs, Alaska
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Populated Place
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Chena Hot Springs, Alaska, 2016
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 Chena Hot Springs, Alaska
Location in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Fairbanks North Star |
| Elevation | 1,158 ft (353 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99712
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| Area code | 907 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1400199 |
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Chena Hot Springs is a special resort area in Alaska, United States. It is about 56.5 miles northeast of Fairbanks. This place is famous for its natural hot springs. People visit to relax in the warm, mineral-rich water.
The resort is also a leader in using alternative energy. It has Alaska's first power plant that uses low-temperature geothermal energy. This means it uses heat from the Earth to make electricity. Chena Hot Springs is also working on projects that use hydrogen and vegetable oil for fuel. They even grow vegetables in greenhouses with help from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contents
History of Chena Hot Springs
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Chena Hot Springs was started over 100 years ago. Two brothers, Robert and Thomas Swan, were gold miners. In 1905, Robert was in pain from rheumatism. He needed a place to feel better.
The brothers decided to find the hot springs. It took them more than a month to reach the springs. They traveled through the tough landscape of Interior Alaska. By 1911, they had built twelve small cabins. These cabins were for visitors. This is how Chena Hot Springs became a resort. Scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture even came to test the water.
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Weather and the Northern Lights
Chena Hot Springs is located at 65 degrees North and 146 degrees West. The average temperature for the year is about -4.9 degrees Celsius (23.2 degrees Fahrenheit). July is the warmest month, reaching about 20.4 degrees Celsius (68.7 degrees Fahrenheit). January is the coldest, dropping to about -31.2 degrees Celsius (-24.2 degrees Fahrenheit).
The area gets about 357 millimeters (14 inches) of rain each year. It also gets a lot of snow, about 161.8 centimeters (63.7 inches) annually.
One amazing thing about Chena Hot Springs is that you can often see the Aurora borealis. This is also known as the Northern Lights. It's especially visible around March.
Aurora Ice Museum
The Aurora Ice Museum is a very cool place at the hot springs resort. It is made entirely of ice! The museum is open all year round. Inside, you can see amazing ice sculptures. Some of these sculptures include igloos, a huge chess set, and knights on horseback ready for a joust.
How Chena Hot Springs Makes Power
Chena Hot Springs Resort uses two special power plants. These plants use geothermal energy to make electricity. They were the first of their kind in Alaska.
Since July 2006, the resort has used these plants for most of its power. Before, they used diesel generators. Now, the diesel generators are only used as a backup. This change has greatly lowered the cost of electricity. It went from 30 cents per kilowatt-hour to just 5 cents.
DC-6 Airplane on Display
There is a large Douglas DC-6A airplane on display at Chena Hot Springs. Its name is "Good Grief." This plane flew for 62 years! On October 2, 2016, it made its very last flight. It flew from Anchorage to Chena Hot Springs. Now, it rests there for visitors to see.
See also
In Spanish: Chena Hot Springs para niños
