Town of the Week

Glennallen, Alaska
March 6, 1999

A typical town in Alaska, Glennallen is a small village far off the beaten track, surrounded by uncompromising beauty and vast wilderness. You'll find Glennallen between Fairbanks and Anchorage, near the Wrangell Mountains in the southern part of the state. Just drive to the intersection of the Glenn and Richardson Highways.

The town has no organized form of local government so the 600 residents take turns volunteering for the various community needs, such as running the fire department. The town began as a highway camp during World War II, and received its name from a pair of Army explorers.

Glennallen is just 15 miles from the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve, eleven million acres of remote rugged peaks, glaciers, and wilderness. Glennallen sits in the Copper River Basin north of Valdez, where miners panned for gold a century ago. It's also the home of Glennallen State Park.

Folks here gather at the Rondezvous Cafe to talk of fishing, hunting and the successes of the Panthers, the high school team. They have a 6 bed hospital and a truck stop; our Town of the Week, Glennallen, Alaska.

Sites for Glenallen, Alaska

Bells Travel Guide for Glenallen Alaska
http://www.alaskan.com/bells/glenallen.html

Wrangell - St. Elias National Park Homepage
http://www.nps.gov/wrst