Another day in Fairbanks

We started the day by searching some ponds south of town for birds, wrong time of year.  We then proceeded to the Georgeson Botanical Gardens at the agricultural farm of University of Alaska Fairbanks.  Wonderful flowers and research, but funding cuts have limited their work.  They have peony beds to work on varieties that could be produced for the world market in July and August when nowhere else in the world are peonies blooming.

Also from the gardens.



We then visited Pioneer Village, a park where many of the historical buildings from Fairbanks were gathered together.  Most have little shops in them now.  An old train runs all the way around the village, President Harding's train car is there-he drove the golden spike that finished the railway, and an old paddle boat that was dismantled and is still being reconstructed on site. 

Other buildings in the village follow. 

This old hotel was remodeled once before it became a shop in the village.  Most of the rooms upstairs were removed, a balcony remained for viewing the stage that was added below for theater productions. 

We also visited Creamers Bird Sanctuary and walked one of the trails.  Now we know about Alaska's mosquitoes.


Anoter stop was the Cultural and Visitor's center where I watched a production of native dances and music.  They hired native youth from different tribal groups.  It's part of a program to help gain appreciation of other groups' cultures and a way to preserve aspects of those cultures.

A women's group at the center was the recipient of a vintage collection of stone and glass beads from a collector in Idaho.  They are making creations to sell.

Helen