Woodchopper Roadhouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Woodchopper Roadhouse
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 Location in Alaska
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| Location | About 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Woodchopper Creek |
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| Nearest city | Circle, Alaska |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | c. 1910 |
| MPS | Yukon River Lifeways TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001201 |
| Added to NRHP | July 20, 1987 |
The Woodchopper Roadhouse is a very old and important building in Alaska. It sits right by the famous Yukon River. Built around 1910, this historic place once served as a hotel and even a post office for travelers.
You can find the Woodchopper Roadhouse inside the beautiful Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. Because it's such a special part of history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it's recognized as a place worth protecting for future generations.
What is the Woodchopper Roadhouse?
The Woodchopper Roadhouse is a two-story building made from large logs. These logs are about 10-inch (250 mm) thick. They were peeled but not smoothed, giving the building a rustic, natural look. The building itself is about 23-by-32-foot (7.0 m × 9.8 m) in size.
A Special Stop on the Yukon
This roadhouse is known as the biggest and oldest log building along the Yukon River. It sits exactly halfway between the towns of Eagle and Circle. This made it a perfect resting spot for people traveling long distances.
How Travelers Used the Roadhouse
In the winter, people like the Biedermans from Ed Biederman Fish Camp used the roadhouse. They would stop there while delivering mail by dog sled across the frozen Yukon River. Imagine how cold and tiring that journey must have been!
During the summer, the Woodchopper Roadhouse was also a popular stop for steamboats. These boats carried people and goods up and down the river. The roadhouse offered a place for passengers to rest and resupply before continuing their journey. It was a vital hub for travel and communication in early 20th-century Alaska.
