Page 91 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

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Abandoned snow-covered Mat-Su Valley barn near Bodenburg Butte
j Musk Ox Farm k Wasilla the Dorothy Page Museum,
named for the woman who
8 miles (13 km) N of Palmer at 12850 45 miles (72 km) N of Anchorage.
E Archie Rd, Mile 50, Glenn Hwy. Map Map B1. * 5,500. £ @ from founded the Iditarod Trail Sled
C1. Tel 745-4151. Open May–Sep: Anchorage. n Mat-Su Convention Dog Race (see p43) with
10am–6pm daily; Oct–Apr: by appt. and Visitors Bureau, Tel 746-5000. musher Joe Redington.
& 8 = ∑ muskoxfarm.org ∑ cityofwasilla.com The Museum of Alaska
Transportation and Industry,
The Musk Ox Farm is home Home to former governor formerly the Air Progress
to the only domestic herd Sarah Palin, Wasilla is a long Museum of Anchorage,
of musk oxen in the world. strip of unfocused develop- was renamed and shifted to
Hunted to extinction in Alaska ment along the Parks Highway. Palmer after a fire. When it
in the 19th century, they were The town was founded in 1917 outgrew that site in 1992, it
reintroduced from Greenland and began to grow when the moved to its present home
in the 1930s. Musk oxen now Parks Highway was completed west of Wasilla. In addi tion
inhabit Nunivak Island, the in the 1970s, eventually to a large gallery and exhibit
Seward Peninsula, and the becoming the commercial hall, the museum has an out-
North Slope of Alaska. center of the Mat-Su Borough. door collection that includes
Anthropologist John Teal Although not the prettiest umiaks (skin boats), railway
started the farm in Fairbanks Alaskan town, Wasilla does memo rabilia, and vintage
in 1964. Now located in Palmer, have several worth while steam engines, air craft,
the farm gathers qiviut, the attractions. Most of these and vehicles.
fine underwool of the musk sights are clus tered north of Situated near the former
ox, and distributes it to Native the rail road station, off the Iditarod restart site, the Knik
women. They spin and knit the highway at the Old Wasilla Museum and Musher’s Hall
qiviut into soft, warm garments Townsite Park. The park of Fame is located in an old
using patterns and motifs includes historic homes, the roadhouse. Visitors can see
unique to their vil lages. The original Wasilla School, an old objects from the now-defunct
farm is open to the public barn and blacksmith shop, a town of Knik, as well as Iditarod
and runs short tours. reconstructed bathhouse, and exhi bits such as race trophies,
char coal drawings of past win-
ners, and a presentation on
famous Alaskan mushers.
E Museum of Alaska
Transport and Industry
5 miles (8 km) W of Wasilla at
3800 W. Museum Drive. Tel 376-
1211. Open May–Sep: 10am–5pm
daily. & ∑ museumofalaska.org
E Knik Museum and
Musher’s Hall of Fame
Mile 13.9, Knik Rd. Tel 376-2005.
Open Jun–Aug: noon–6pm
Bull musk oxen facing off on a snowy plain daily. &

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