Sullivan Roadhouse ~ Delta Junction, Alaska History
The terminus of the historic 1,422 mile Alaska (or Alcan) Highway lies at the heart of Delta Junction, Alaska. At that junction, travelers headed north to Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright or Eielson Air Force Base will find the Sullivan Roadhouse - the oldest original roadhouse still standing in Interior Alaska.
Following the lure of the Klondike gold rush to Alaska in the 1890's, Jack Sullivan and Florence Hamburg joined thousands of others on the long, arduous trek north with dreams of strikng it rich. It was in Nome, Alaska that they met and were married in 1900 before moving to Fairbanks and finally establishing a home and roadhouse on the newly cut Valdez to Fairbanks trail system in 1905.
Beginning in 1902, General Wilds P. Richardson was commissioned to clear a trail between the deep water Port of Valdez and the Interior city of Fairbanks. The 380-mile trip through the mountainous terrain often took up to two weeks to complete by open-air stagecoach. As such, roadhouses were located approximately every twenty-five miles (considered a days journey) and were a welcome sight to travelers hoping to find a warm meal and a place to rest. According to history, "Ma" Sullivan was a consummate hostess and the big, comfortable roadhouse was among the nicest stops on the trail.
Fate dealt the Sullivan's a blow in 1906 when the Alaska Roads Commission moved the Donnelly-Washburn Cut-off, a winter short-cut, 4.5 miles east in an effort to bypass some of the steeper mountain grades on the trail. Undeterred, Jack and Florence moved the roadhouse log-by-log back to the trail and rebuilt and improved the building. Improvements made to the main trail in 1917 to make it passable by automobile and the abandonment of the Donnelly-Washburn Cut-off in 1921 was the beginning of the end for the Sullivan Roadhouse. In 1922 Jack and Florence packed a few personal belongings and said good-bye to their home before moving to Fairbanks. The abandoned Roadhouse became a forgotten relic, left to return to the earth from which it came.
Left almost completely furnished, the former Sullivan Roadhouse found itself, some 20 years later, on the edge of the Oklahoma Bombing Range on the grounds of the newly developed Fort Greely US Army Base. Used by troops as temporary shelter, the building was maintained and protected from wildfires for almost 30 years. Thanks to improvements made by the Sullivans in the 1906 move and continuing care by the US Army, the building survived long after the vast majority of other Valdez to Fairbanks Trail roadhouses collapsed.
In the early 1970's the US Army sent a young soldier to clean up the site of the Sullivan Roadhouse. His orders were to bulldoze the artifacts left in and around the buildings by the Sullivans into a hole and cover them with dirt. Fortunately for future generations, the young soldier understood the historical value of the items and couldn't bring himself to bury them. Defying a direct order, he secretly gathered and hauled the items out and hid them in his barn.
In 1996, one of the last acts of the Army Legacy Fund, a Congressional Historical Preservation program, was to move the Sullivan Roadhouse from what appeared to be its final resting place in the Alaskan wilderness to a new home in Delta Junction, Alaska. Once moved, the building was then gifted to the city of Delta Junction, who renovated the building with hopes of turning it into a museum. Once complete, the building was ready to be opened to the public, but sadly, there were very few items original to the old building. That is until a local benefactor, who has chosen to remain anonymous, stepped forward to tell the tale of a disobeyed order and a treasure trove of original artifacts.
Thanks to the actions of that young man, future generations will have the opportunity to tour the Sullivan Roadhouse to catch a glimpse of what life was like for those early pioneers. The Roadhouse is located behind the Visitors Center at the intersection of the Alaska Highway and the Richardson Highway and is open 7 days a week from Memorial Day to Mid September. The next time you find yourself passing through Delta or with a free afternoon, stop by and visit Sullivan's Roadhouse in beautiful Delta Junction, Alaska.
Neat Localism post there Jesse...
Helping YOU help others live THEIR American Dream...
Wonderful history lesson about an area I would love to visit. . . . in the summertime.
Alaskan history is comparatively "recent" compared to some of the historical sites in my area from the 1600s. However, the uniqueness of the area is fascinating.
Now this is one tour I would love to take! Great job with this Jesse!
Jesse, I have had Alaska on my bucket list for some time. I love the story, and what a good thing that young soldier understood what he was looking at when asked to demolish the artifacts.
Congrats on the star, it is a well written post for sure!
Oh Jesse This was awesome to read about. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the star
I always learn something when I read your posts, Jesse! I love the history of Alaska and how most of it is still unspoiled! Great picture - I could spend ALL day exploring that building!
I too could spend all day in that building! I love the 'old' way of life - - but only with the internet! You are such a great photographer. I actually have a friend from Alaska arriving in the next few weeks. Will let you know if he survives.
Jesse...
This story is amazing beyond words. And to think that the original items were preserved is a wonderful reminder that sometimes, you have to do what you think is right!
What a great story, Jesse. Hey, isn't it funny how when you're a kid, 1905 seems like such a looooonnnnngggg time ago but today it's like, hey, that was just our last century. Pretty recent. Your perception of time and history changes.
So cool, so cool! I just love reading your localism stuff Jesse. I WILL make it up there one day!
Now this looks like a spot I could hang out for a little while, I have always been a fan of museums when I get the chance to visit them.
Jesse I love to read about the history of Alaska. I'm sorry I missed this area while visiting Fairbanks.
Jesse, love. It's always a pleasure to see you and Kathy on my blog roll, but it's a double pleasure to see you on the front page as a feature!! This is a very interesting story and I'm glad to know it. Good job!
one of these days I hope to spend a couple of weeks in Alaska !!!!
Jesse I just love the timber in this building. Awesome photos.
Thanks, Michael... I like the new tagline, btw.
Lenn - It is very recent. My family came to these shores (US) in the late 1680's... I grew up in a home that is far older than the state I now call home. :) Btw, anytime you're ready to venture north, just let us know.
Kris - Thanks! Come on up and we'll go for a visit.
Andrea - This is one case where a disobeyed order was a good thing.
Paddy - Thanks... glad you stopped by!
Leesa - We spent a good two hours walking around... there's an exhibit I'll have to write about soon. :)
Susie - LOL Agreed. There are some modern conveniences I'm happy to have!
Richard - That the original items were available is just amazing, isn't it?
Elizabeth - Time does have a way of altering our perceptions, that's for sure.
Colleen - There will be a bottle of wine and two tour guides when you do!
JL - As a society, it's always good to know where we came from. After all if we don't learn from history, we'll just repeat the mistakes, huh?
Rebecca - Next time, then? :)
Susan Darlin' - And I'm equally happy to see your smiling face too!
Michael - A couple of weeks is enough to leave you wanting more! haha
Gary - The logs have been beautifully restored... it really looks spectacular in person.
Jesse, that is a fabulous story! Thank you so much for sharing this history. With all the twists and turns, it could be a Hallmark movie!
This post is FEATURED in the group Architecturally Interesting.
Nice post and really informative.. have you done one on the Car Museum in Fairbanks.. I guess we are having an event for RPAC there this year for convention... Sandy siad it was fabulous! she had no idea! I am looking forward to convention in Fairbanks this year!
Thanks for the invite, Maria! I'm looking forward to seeing what posts show up in the group.
Debra - I haven't been by Dennis' museum in a while. He does have a pretty special collection of vintage cars in there. It's just off College Road so it will be easy to see when you're up here.
Hi Jesse, Such a wonderful history of the Road House. Thank goodness for the disobeying soldier and for all who endeavor to preserve the past - they are true treasures for our future,
I love your local history! Very good information and shows that you know your area and the pertinent information every consumer wants to know about the area they are purchasing real estate/
Hi Jesse! You know I love your history and your intriguing area! Your photos are exceptional as well!
Congrats on that little gold star--well deserved!
Jesse,
WOW! This looks like a great place to spend a day or two...
Ann