Chugiak-Eagle River is rich
in history and the pioneering spirit This history was compiled and
published by Jack White Real Estate in 1993 as part of the company's celebration
of 40 years of real estate service to the community. The following
time line highlights just some of the milestones that have made our community
a vibrant, thriving place to live, work, and raise our families.
The Eagle River , Peters Creek, and Eklutna Lake areas were the hunting areas of the Athabascan Natives from the Eklutna and Matanuska villages. They hunted sheep, goat, and moose in the mountains. Fish were caught in the latter part of May in surrounding rivers. The first known records of the villages are in the 1910 census. The families were traced back to 1896 (goldrush days) by the Traditional Tribal Office of Eklutna village.
1919 Eagle River open to entry. Railroad in place and in use along Knik Arm. Eagle River John, a red-headed Finlander, credited for being first non-native settler. He was a moonshiner who went back and forth to Anchorage by skiff to sell his illegal whiskey.
1924 John, Slim, and Elsie Siebenthaler are the first persons to file and prove up on a homestead in the Chugiak-Eagle River Area. Frank and Fina Siebenthaler enter claim for 158 acres a few miles to the west of their relative's claim and operate a mink farm.
1926 First post office in the Chugiak-Eagle River area opens in Eklutna. Elmer T. Smith appointed Postmaster.
1934-35 Wooden bridges are built across Knik and Eagle Rivers. A one lane highway is built. It's dubbed "The Awfullest Road"; by many people. But Melva Pippel, Palmer colonist and later Eagle River homesteader, called the road "the most interesting thing that ever happened in South Central Alaska." The Palmer Highway was "...a little narrow road, a one-car road with turnouts," Melva said. But when it opened, "You never saw so many happy people."
1934 Ken Laughlin files on 160 acres adjoining Siebenthaler's homestead to the east. Laughlin opens what might be called first fast-food service in Chugiak-Eagle River, selling hot dogs and hamburgers to highway crews.
1935 Lars Nyberg files on a 160 acre homestead south of Laughlin's about a mile and a half from the Alaska railroad.
1938 Jack Cobol files for 160 acres between Nyberg's cabin and the Eagle River bridge.
1939 By Presidential proclamation, the federal government withdraws land for a military reservation.
1941 Both Siebenthaler homesteads withdrawn by executive order.
1943 Glenn Briggs sees Eagle River as "a good place to park the pigs"; and purchases Cobol's homestead.
1944 Dale Briggs leaves Kansas to join his brother Glenn in the operation of the hog farm.
1945 Reese Iatro files on 130 acres of land north of Peters Creek which includes all of Mirror Lake and starts a goose farm. Cloyce and Justine Parks stake the first five-acre farm south of Peters Creek. The Parks open the Chugiak Coffee Shop in 1947.
1946 Paul Swanson builds his homestead from discarded lumber. Except for the roof, which cost the Swansons $60, they scrounged all the materials to build their first house. Year's later, the Swansons sold their first home for $42,000. The Chugiak Post Office opens at Moosehorn with Marie McDowell as the first Postmaster. Arthur and Eleanor Braendel stake 154.6 acres. Their friends, Frank and Brinks, stake 160 acres.
1947-48 Six Chugiak families use surplus battlefield wire and hand-cranked telephones to build a telephone system that links their homes.
1950 Matanuska Electric Association extends its lines to Eagle River. Power means an end to scrubbing clothes on washboards, hauling water, lighting gas-powered irons. It also means an end to warm summers without refrigeration and cold winters with no furnaces or indoor plumbing.
1951 First school opens in Chugiak. The building is designed for 45 students. When classes begin, 66 children enroll. The multi-purpose room is turned into an additional classroom.
1953 The foundation and well are dug for Tip's Bar on the Glenn Highway in Eagle River. There is only one other building in sight. (this item was not in the original publication)
1955
Construction begins on a quarter-million
dollar shopping center at Mile 14.5 on the Glenn Highway. The Anchorage
Daily News calls the center "one of the most modern and complete in Alaska."
According to the 1960 census report, Eagle River's population is listed
as 130, Chugiak's as 51 and Birchwood's as 534. Another 50 residents.
