Alyeska The Great Land

Our next stop was in Palmer, Ak, just north of Anchorage. In the mid 1930’s the US Government decided to establish a community of farmers in the area to supply fresh vegetables for the residents. They offered farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota forty acres a new house and barn. They would provide all the transportation and finance the $3000 cost. Many of the original houses and barns are still in use, they were all built by the CCC during the depression. ( learn more http://explorenorth.com/library/yafeatures/bl-matanuska.htm )
We also visited a Muskox farm, in the late 1800’s they were hunted to extinction and were reintroduced in the 1930’s. They can only survive in the colder climates. They comb the under layer of fur that sheds in the spring, this is spun into a yarn that is called Qiviut. This is warmest yarn known, it sells for over $400 dollars a pound. Most of the animals at the farm were very friendly.
We also went out to an old gold mine that is now a state park. Some of the buildings have been restored but most are falling down.