Interior Alaska | notorious-bars-of-ak

Gone, but forever notorious:

bars of Interior Alaska

ANDERSON

Dew Drop Inn: 105 B Street (64°20’38”N 149°11’24”W) 1970- 2020. Included in the 1st and 2nd editions.

BIG DELTA

Big D Bar: 5257 (Mile 274.5) Richardson Highway (64°08’49”N 145°49’54”W) 1953 - 2021. Included in the 1st and 2nd editions.

CENTRAL

Arctic Circle Hot Springs Resort: 1933 – 2002. The bar was in a log cabin next door to the three-story hotel. The resort re-opened briefly in 2004. See photos at the Circle District Historical Society web site http://www.cdhs.us/Fset.htm

DELTA JUNCTION

Buffalo Lodge: Mile 266 Richardson Highway, 1948 - 2012

Tom’s Inn: Mile 273 Richardson Highway, 1956 – 1999.

ESTER

Malemute Saloon: Ester Gold Camp, 1958 – 2008. Shows based on the writings of Robert Service were the main attraction. The bar counter top came from Dawson City.

FAIRBANKS

Chena Bar: 701 First Avenue, 1935 - 1946 and 407 Second Avenue, 1953 – 1977

Club Alaskan: 901 Old Steese Highway (64°51’07”N 147°41’20”W) 1960 - 2021. Included in the 1st and 2nd editions.

Crowbar (a.k.a. Club Manchu): 2712 Jesse Street, 1962 - 2024. Included in the 1st and 2nd editions of Notorious Bars of AK.

Comet Club: 208 Gaffney Road, 1957 - 2015. Included in the first edition of Notorious Bars of Alaska.

Cottage Bar: 504 Second Avenue, 1942 - 1950 and 501 Second Avenue, 1951 – 2007. A favorite of millionaire businessman Cap

Lathrop and Irene Sherman, the famous Fairbanks “bag lady.”

Crystal Room: 543 Second Avenue, 1961 - 1966. Night club known for entertainment.

Dreamland: 537 First Avenue, 1944 – 1960. Became the Gold Rush Saloon.

Drop In: 1420 South Cushman Street, 1956 - 2024. Home of El Sombrero 1977 - 2008. Building demolished in 2025.

Fairbanks Bar: 536 (542) Second Avenue, 1935 - 1983. 409 Second Avenue 1983 – 1984. Wildlife trophies on the walls.

Flame Lounge: 507 1/2 Second Avenue, 1948 – 1969 and 540 Second Avenue 1970 - 1983. Notorious 'Two Street' bar during

the pipeline years. Strippers, prostitutes, and all of the usual vices were found in abundance here.

Gold Rush Saloon: 537 First Avenue. 1959 – 1983. and 3399 Peger Road 1983 - 2016. Modeled after the Red Dog Saloon in

Juneau, featuring a rinky-tink piano, free lunch, and Can-Can girls. Moved to Peger Road and became a sports bar.

Hideaway: 731 Second Avenue, 1955 – 2008. One of the first places in Fairbanks to serve Mexican food. Moved to 107

Wickersham Street in 2002 and to 651 Eighth Street in 2004.

Leprechaun Room: 1100 Cushman, 1960 -1964 and 419 Second Avenue, 1965 – 1975.

Nevada Bar: 605 First Avenue, 1934 – 1971. The interior was decorated with photos, news clippings and antiques of early Alaska. Built in 1909, the building was condemned by the Fairbanks City Council. A two-day wake was held and the Governors of Alaska and Nevada both sent letters of condolence.

Northward Lounge: 455 Third Avenue (Third Avenue and Lacey Street) 1952 – 2006. Inside the Northward Apartment

Building, which had a multitude of services.

Pastime Bar: 101 Cushman (First Avenue and Cushman), 1944 - 1983

Pioneer Hotel Bar: 715 First Avenue, 1903 – 1917 and 1933 – 1952. The actual bar was shipped from France to Skagway to

Dawson City in 1898. Destroyed by fire.

Polaris Lounge: First Avenue and Lacey Street, 1953 – 1974 and 416 Second Avenue, 1974 - 1997.

Savoy Bar: 414 1/2 Second Avenue, 1944 – 1968 and 423 Second Avenue, 1968 - 1992. Built in 1906, the original log building

was first located on First Avenue. The building was condemned by the Fairbanks City Council and torn down in 1968.

The bar re-opened across the street at the corner of Second and Lacey.

Tommy’s Elbow Room: 410 Second Avenue, 1947 – 2003. Owned by Tommy Paskvan Jr., the bar was frequented by Native organizer Howard Rock, who worked on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act at a table here.

Washington Saloon: First Avenue and Lacey Street, 1904 – 1917. Owned by Bill McPhee, who had also owned saloons in

Forty Mile and Dawson City, Yukon Territory.

GULKANA

Sourdough Roadhouse: Mile 148 Richardson Highway, 1933 – 1992. Built in 1902, one of the most visited roadhouses in Alaska. Rooms, meals, and liquor could be found here. Destroyed by fire. Re-built in 1994 as a restaurant.

LIVENGOOD

Livengood Inn: 1938 – 1970.

McGRATH

McGuire's Tavern: 101 McGuire Drive (62°57’26”N 155°35’46”W) 1943 - 2019. Included in the 1st and 2nd editions.

MILLER ROADHOUSE

Mile 115 Steese Highway, 1933 – 1970. Built in 1896, an outpost for the gold miners in the area. First time visitors to the bar received a free drink.

NENANA

Corner Bar (aka Chuck’s Corner Bar), Front and A Street, 1951 - 2003

NORTH POLE

Moose Creek Lodge: 3560 Old Richardson Highway (64°42’28”N 147°08’33”W) 1947 - 1970 and 1976 - 2019.

Included in the 1st and 2nd editions.

Refinery Lounge: Sixth and Old Richardson Highway (64°44’57”N 147°21’14”W) 1981 - 2019.

Included in the 1st and 2nd editions.

NORTHWAY

Miller’s Cave: Northway Airport, 1961 – 2012.

RUBY

George Carl’s Saloon, 1900 – 1917.

SALCHA