Eagle and the Taylor Road

Construction on the Taylor Hwy began in 1946 and completed to Eagle by late 1953. The road
leading to Eagle is narrow, winding, steep hill and hairpin curves. (So what else is new?) The road is only maintained for 5 months out of the year.

The landscape on Taylor Hwy. is as magnificent and varied as traveling Top of the World Hwy. It was sunny on the drive today.

Figwort Family-Small-Flowered Penstemon,

Alder Creek



The Fortymile National Wild, Scenic and Recreational River, seen in the valley below offers great opportunities for canoeist and kayakers. In 2004 wild fires ravaged much of the area on the way to Eagle; so much so that the Taylor Hwy was closed for a time.

King Solmon Creek & Mining Camp


Interesting there are no places in Eagle that sell alcohol. How do these folks stay warm in the winters. I didn't see a lot of children running around.

Notice the population on the sign suggests there are 180 plus full time folks living in Eagle. This fellow appeared to be part of the welcoming committee as he stood at the edge of town watching down the highway. He is typical of the people we saw in Eagle. Northern Exposure or Men In Trees could have been filmed here. We saw all the characters and building and they even have a very patriotic radio station.

Speed bump alert with a posted speed limit of 15 mph. Imagine!

So, if you ever decide you want to chuck it all and run away to Eagle, Ak. at least you know there is property including homes for sale here.

And who of the heartiest of us wouldn't want to live in Eagle, if not year round at least during the summer. It is so peaceful and relaxing there and the Yukon River would be a wonderful sight to behold every day.

One of the reasons we went to Eagle was because of the little known National Park there. We heard or saw a film somewhere begging people to make the turn to Eagle because the National Park was the least visited of them all. It is the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve and the Preserve Headquarters are in Eagle.




Eagle was initially named Belle Isle and founded in 1880. Initially there was a population of about 30 by 1897. Things changed in 1898 when 1,700 people lived there after the big influx of miners to Dawson City. The miners who moved there were rebelling against the control and tax-collection by the Canadian Mounties.

Another big find in Eagle that we were not aware of until reading literature was finding out about Fort Egbert which the U.S. Government established in 1889.

The building far back on the right was Judge Wickersham's courthouse.

Fields of Dandelions
Fields of Strawberries
Residents, like the fellow below, come into town with huge containers to fill up on fresh water.

The building to the left was the cattle and horse bard utilized when the Fort was in operation. Today it is one of the best museums displaying actual pictures, tools, implements and ways of life as it actually was 150 years ago in Eagle, Alaska. The museum was closed, however, Steve (he works for the Park Service) saw us looking in the front windows and offered to up the museum for us. He took us on a terrific tour of both upstairs and downstairs. We really were able to understand the difficulties of living so far away from the rest of the world. 150 years ago Eagle was probably busier with a variety of people and things to do than today. I think the people who live in Eagle today like it that way just fine.

The cooks and the men to eat the food at the fort.

It looks like the only way out of here is by road, plane or water. I think the plane and roads would be iffy in the winter.

Iceland Poppies

On our way to Chicken we saw the pump by the side of the river. No one was working it then. As we drove to Eagle, we passed by the pump again and the two guys were just starting to "pump" for gold and we told them we would stop on our way back to see what they picked up for the day. The person in the wetsuit, above, works with the pump, taking a long hose with him into the creek, thereby sucking sand, stones, gold, etc from the river bottom. The person in the water needs to stay with the hose and move larger rocks out of the way in order to collect more which will filter through the pump and into the trough where you see him picking up gold pieces that were left after all the heavier stuff fell through. The hand above left shows you what they showed us as the collection for the days work. Pretty nice haul. Father and son work for the mine owners and do this every summer, for at least the past 4 to 5 years. Both love the life.



Besides two large, plump rabbits the only other wild life sighting for the day was that dang white crowned sparrow and this lovely porcupine which strolled across the road, down the embankment and contentedly began eating. Not knowing just how far he could throw a quill, I did not stick around for the perfect picture.






BBFN, Karen & Don