This Page offers links to Alaska information and other State of Alaska Information complements of the Alaska RiverSide House

Kenai Community Information

Fairbanks Convention. & Visitors Bureau

Anchorage Chamber site

Juneau Convention. & Visitors Bureau

Haines Visitors Bureau

Skagway Convention. and Visitors Bureau.

Seldovia Chamber of Commerce

Kenai Peninsula road mileage chart
Soldotna to Kenai...................... 11 miles
Soldotna to Sterling....................14 miles
Soldotna to Copper Landing......47 miles
Soldotna to Seward.....................96 miles
Soldotna to Kasilof.....................14 miles
Soldotna to Clam Gulch.............23 miles
Soldotna to Ninilchik..................40 miles
Soldotna to Anchor Point...........61 miles
Soldotna to Homer.....................77 miles
Soldotna to Anchorage.............149 miles

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ALASKA STATE SYMBOLS

TREE: Sitka Spruce
FISH: King Salmon
GEM: Jade
MINERAL: Gold
SPORT: Dog Mushing
BIRD: Ptarmigan
FLOWER: Forget-me-not
MOTTO: North to the Future
SONG: The Alaska Flag Song
NICKNAME: The Great Land
CAPITAL: Juneau
HIGHEST POINT: Mt.McKinley, 20,320ft.

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STATE FLAG
Eight stars of gold on a field of blue, representing the Big Dipper and the North Star.

ADMITTED TO THE UNION
January 3, 1959 as the 49th State

STATE POPULATION
570,000 (July 1991)

COASTLINE
47,300 miles

LAND AREA
586,412 square miles or about 365,000,000 acres. Alaska is the largest state in the union, about 1/5th the size of the entire Continental United States and more than twice the size of Texas.

WATER AREA
3 million lakes, more than 3,000 rivers

LARGEST CITY - POPULATION
Anchorage, population 250,000 (1995)

LARGEST CITY - AREA
Juneau with 3,108 square miles (largest city in square miles in North America).

OLDEST BUILDING
Erskine House in Kodiak, built by the Russians between 1793 and 1796

EMPLOYMENT
Oil/Gas, Fishing, Tourism and Government are the largest employers in the State.

CROSSING THE BORDER
No passport needed - Canada requires proof of automobile insurance.

GOVERNOR
Tony Knowles

FISHING AND HUNTING LICENSES
Sportfishing fees for non-residents are $10 for a 1-day permit, $15 for a 3-day permit, $30 for a 14-day license and $50 for an annual license. Non-resident hunting license is $85; however, there are additional charges for big game tags. A combination sportfishing and hunting license is $135 annually. For more information, contact: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Licensing: PO Box 3-2000; Juneau, Alaska 99802-2000; (907) 465-2376.

LARGEST STATE PARK IN THE NATION
Wood-Tikchik State Park with 2.5 million acres of wilderness - located in the Bristol Bay area.

WORLD'S LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF BALD EAGLES
Along Chilkat River, just north of Haines. Nearly 4,000 bald eagles gather here in fall and winter months for late salmon runs.

LARGEST FRESH WATER LAKE
Iliamna - 1,150 square miles

HIGHEST/LOWEST TEMPERATURES
Highest: 100 degrees F at Fort Yukon, 1915;
Lowest: -80 degrees F at Prospect Creek Camp, 1971

TYPICAL ALASKAN
According to 1990 census figures, 28.9 years old and male - this compares to 32.3 years for the United States. About 52 percent of Alaskans are male, the highest percentage of any state.

PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME
$23,788 in 1990, 8th highest in the nation.

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$41,408 in 1989 (latest available), second highest in the nation.

LIQUOR LAWS
Alaska's drinking age is 21. It is required that a person have an I.D. on there person to be in the establishment Alcohol is available in liquor stores and bars in many towns. Some villages are "dry" and it is against the law to transport liquor into them, even for personal consumption.

TIME ZONE
Almost all of Alaska is in the Alaska Time Zone, which is one hour earlier than Pacific Time. The western most Aleutian islands and St. Lawrence island are on Hawaii-Aleutian Time, two hours earlier than Pacific Time.

SPEED LIMITS
The speed limit on Canadian portions of the Alaska Highway is 50 miles per hour, and on non-urban Alaska highways, 55 miles per hour. The state has stiff fines and penalties for littering or driving while intoxicated.

HOLIDAYS
In addition to all U.S. holidays, Alaska observes Seward's Day, the last Monday in March, which commemorates the signing of the treaty by which the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867; and Alaska Day, October 18th, the anniversary of the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia.

FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE LOCATION INFORMATION
Banks and money exchanges throughout Canada and Alaska will exchange foreign currencies. Some will charge for the service. Major bank cards and credit cards are widely accepted.

The History of Soldotna Alaska

Soldotna is on the Kenai Peninsula, 150 highway miles south of
Anchorage, at the junction of the Sterling and Kenai Spur Highways. It lies
10 miles inland from Cook Inlet, and borders the Kenai River. It lies at
approximately 60° 29' N Latitude, 151° 03' W Longitude (Sec. 32,
T005N, R010W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the
Kenai Recording District. The area encompasses 7 sq. miles of land and 1
sq. miles of water.

The Peninsula has historically been the home to Kenaitze Indians, and was
developed by non-Natives for its rich resources, including fish, timber and
oil. Soldotna was named for a nearby stream; it is a Russian word meaning
"soldier." Others believe it is derived from an Indian word meaning "stream
fork." The first homesteaders were World War II veterans, given a 90-day
preference over non-veterans in selecting and filing for property in 1947.
That same year, the Sterling Highway right-of-way was constructed from
Cooper Landing to Kenai. Soldotna was the site for the bridge crossing
the Kenai River. A post office opened in 1949, with stores and a
community center shortly thereafter. Soldotna continued to develop
because of its strategic location at the Sterling-Kenai Spur Highway
junction. In 1957, oil was discovered in the Swanson River region, bringing
new growth and development. Soldotna was incorporated as a city in
1960.

Last updated 07/24/2001

* Discounts not available during peak season - July 1st through July 31st of each year