Talkeetna Museum

In the last posting I mentioned that Talkeetna's museum featured information about Mt. McKinley and the people who have climbed it over the past one-hundred years. Talkeetna is 124 miles from the entrance to Denali Park. The town has evolved over the years into being the place where mountain climbers prepare for their trips up Denali mountain. This is where they "jump off". And I am sure that providing those climbers with their needed supplies was the business of Nagley's Store,  pictured above. The store has everything literally from soup to nuts. It has been the main store for Talkeetna through the past century up until the present. Another business establishment which has served hikers, bikers, miners and tourists over the years is the Roadhouse Restaurant and Bakery. From the time it opened it has always provided good down-home cooking. We may yet check out if that is true before we leave here Monday for Denali Park.

One other detail which I should clarify is the correct name of the tallest mountain in North America. Alaska calls the mountain by its Native Indian name of Denali,  the United States calls it Mt.Mckinley. I have one more historical building to show before I close here. That building is now part of the museum in Talkeetna. It served the community as a school until 1971. Through the years it also served as a church. Fifteen teachers have taught in this building. Their living quarters were upstairs, and in the lower half of the school was one big classroom. The first class was taught here in 1919.