WHERE WE ARE

“It’s great to live where we can fish, hunt and run dogs.” —Lawrence

ABOUT TANACROSS

Tanacross is located on the south bank of the Tanana River, 12 miles northwest of Tok, at milepost 1324 of the Alaska Highway. It is a traditional Athabascan village with a subsistence lifestyle.

Residents are Tanah (or Tinneh) Athabascan Indians. Most villagers relocated from Mansfield Village, Kechumstuk, and Last Tetlin in 1912, when Bishop Rowe established St. Timothy’s Episcopal Mission. The village was originally located on the north side of the Tanana River and was called “Tanana Crossing” and is located where the Eagle Trail crossed the Tanana River.

In the mid-1930s, an airfield was built across the river from the village. In 1941, the village gave the military permission to use its airfield as an emergency deployment post during World War II. The airfield was paved in 1942, and temporary camps were established. Thousands of troops were deployed to Tanacross airfield during the war. People of the village served as volunteer scouts and backup support for the army.

After the war, the airfield was closed. In 1972, due to water contamination, the village relocated from the north bank of the Tanana River to the south bank.