The Independence Mines is an abandoned gold mine in the Talkeetna Mountains, near the top of Hatcher Pass in the U.S. state of Alaska.
The mine is in the Talkeetna Mountains and is located in the Fishhook Creek ,about 40 km north of Wasilla and about 60 km north of Anchorage.
At the end of the 19th century, gold was discovered in central Alaska and the news of this attracted tens of thousands of people to this country who hoped to get rich, thereby marking the gold rush period of Alaska.
As part of the transformation of the place into a historical site, some of the buildings were preserved and turned into a museum that presents information and equipment from the period when the mine was active. In addition, the entrance to the mine tunnel and part of the railway that transported the mined material from the depths of the mine to the processing facilities were restored.
Toady the Independence Mines consists one of the most famous “abandoned places” in Alaska and eventually turned out to be suitable for visits, and in general, a tourist site within the national park ,Visitors can explore the area on hiking trails. The area is also popular for outdoor activities all year round , for summer overlanding, backpacking, and berry picking. In winter, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, and sledding.
Access : Coordinates: 61.7903, -149.28467 /
Highlights :
- In 1980, the areas and buildings near the mine were donated to the state of Alaska, which declared the place a national park ,The Independence Mine State Historic Park.
- The buildings associated with the mine were declared a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places of the United States.
Go next : The towns : Trapper Creek, Talkeetna, Wasilla, Palmer, Sutton, and Chickaloon / Willow , a small village on the George Parks Highway / Hatcher Pass , a mountain pass through the southwest part of the Talkeetna Mountains.
