Eagle, Alaska

Founded in 1897 twelve miles from the Canada border on the Yukon River, Eagle had 700 residents the next year, living in small cabins.

By 1899, the U.S. Army had started building Fort Egbert, at the edge of town, to keep order in the wild and wooly mining community.

The town incorporated in 1901, and became the first official city in Interior Alaska.

By 1903, a telegraph line linked the Yukon River to Washington D.C. via the WAMCATS (Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System.)

The Town of Eagle Today

Eagle is a well-preserved historic town, full of old cabins and major historic buildings, in a convenient cluster. Fewer than 200 people live here, but this is a remote and wonderful community with lots of personality.

The Yukon River is front-and-center in the Eagle experience. There are several benches for watching the river roll by.

Take the historic walking tour.

The Yellow Dirt Road: Burning Rubber on the Taylor Highway Note: The highway to Eagle is currently closed.

The Taylor Highway starts 12 miles from Tok at Tetlin Junction. Paved 64 miles to Chicken, it winds over hills and valleys 94 miles to Eagle. Watch for buses with pilot cars.

To get to Dawson, turn at Jack Wade Junction 32 miles past Chicken and drive 13 miles to the Canada border on the Top-of-the-World.

Huge fires here blocked the highway two summers ago and led to a 2005 morel-picking bonanza.