Growing Up In An Alaskan Village
Alaskan Village in the City
by Michael Hankins
The serenity of living in a rural Alaskan village is something I’d love to experience. It seems a subsistence lifestyle has distinct advantages. Hunting and fishing to stay alive makes a person stronger both physically and mentally. Clean water and air untainted by pesticides and smog can only be healthy. One of Webster’s several definitions for village is: “A self-contained district or community within a town or city, regarded as having features characteristic of village life.” For a tad over four years I lived in such a place within the city. Village residents habituated as close as thirteen feet from one another. We made weekly trips outside the village confines for food. Recreational play and sporting events were held in the street. The place I refer to is rarely mentioned these days. A problematic stigma still exists for many people having lived there. In 1966, before leaving Texas for Alaska, dad informed us we’d be moving to a village. At twelve years of age I didn’t know the true meaning of such. I envisioned living like my childhood heroes Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett in a log cabin. Dad stretched things a bit. He’d secured a space at Alaskan Village Trailer Court in Anchorage, Alaska. That’s where we were to park our 10 x 55 foot mobile home.




If you enjoyed "Alaskan Village in the City" check out "Hope, Alaska - Memories of Mining, Camping and Reviving One's Spirit."
20 comments
Enjoyed the read of my old stomping grounds. We lived in space #339 from the summer of ’74 to the spring of 1980! Best years of my life! Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. And I agree, best tasting water… EVER!
I think we lived here—Debarr rings bell in memory. I attended Williwaw elementary. I also remember a nearby library where I walked to for Girl Scout meetings. Also, a tore up racetrack where we played all day and night. Worst whipping I ever had was forgetting to come home one summer night when it was still daylight at 11:30pm.
GlennCaren Park 2221 Muldoon Rd., ‘75 – ’79. Good, clean, well maintained and managed park. If you could scratch up the money to get into a trailer, you were putting at least a little money into sending your kid to college rather than the apartment landlord’s kids. In those days if you took care of them a trailer would hold its value or maybe even appreciate a little in a good park; beat Hell out of apartment rent.
My family moved to Alaska and Lived in the trailer park in 1963. I believe our space was 126, facing the creek. Lots of memories from that creek. My dad Bill Waldo helped clear the land and put in the roads across the creek for the expansion. Thanks for sharing .
I lived in the Alaskan village from 1971 to 1972 then we moved to Birchwood.
I lived in Idle Wheels on Tudor RD. 10X55 trailer I can relate
Lived in Alaskan Village Trailer Park from 1965 to 1969 when we moved to Eagle River. I believe we were sp #109. thanks for this memory.
Moved in Summer of 68 and then on base in 71. Some good times and learned a lot living in a Florida built trailer in Ak village.
I lived in the trailer park in space 521 from 83 until we were forced out when it closed in May of 2002. Zamarello was an ass, and just wanted money w/o investing back in, but I was it wasn’t completely crime ridden. There were a few abandoned trailers which became our playground in addition to the streets, but still plenty of us where decent folks. ;0)
Thanks for sharing and yes my family was in the Air Force and we lived in a similar community as in like the pictures as seen in this blog.
Remember, we had to always be aware of bears when going outside as a kid and those days of no sun or total daylight every 6 months of the year was something else.
It was such a fun place growing up at as a kid with so many memories of sledding, ice skating on frozen 3-4 ft shallow mini lakes, created by the mountain’s runoff of melted water that might be only about 60 yards in diameter.
Fishing was great, it was all just great.
Alaska……….
one of the most amazing places to live in the world, that life happened to have giving me the blessings to live in.
Indeed Alaska is the final frontier of America.
Thanks for sharing YOUR story as well.
I lived off of Richardson Hwy from 1970-1975. Best years of my life and I wish I had never left but I also hear that things have changed for the worse from friends who have visited in recent yrs. I guess it’s true, you can never go home.
Great article! Never been to Alaska, but would love to visit there.
We live there from 1968 to 1972 when we moved to Chugiak. Thanks for the memories.
I lived in Alaskan Village from 1971 to 1973. You brought back so many memories. I ended up moving over to another trailer park on the other side of town Diamond Estates off of Diamond Boulevard and Jewel Lake Road I ended up going to June mirrors Junior High and diamond high school those were the best times of my life I live I moved up there and 1969 and I left in 1979 I was 16 years old when I left and I’m 54 now and I think of those memories those great memories and the Beautiful mountains that surrounded Anchorage and I’ve always wanted to go back and I never have thank you so much for bringing back memories and the best times of my life thank you. When I moved up there then there was no freeways I think the biggest road was Minnesota Boulevard and Northern Lights Boulevard I believe it was those were such good times I think that’s going to be on my bucket list to go back up there but I heard it was crime ridden now. What a shame beautiful beautiful city beautiful state thank you
I really enjoyed this article. It bought back so many memories. The military shipped our “home” from Colorado to Anchorage in 1966. We lived in the Alaskan Village from 1966 to 1970 and our daughter attended the Montessori School on Muldoon Road while my husband and I worked at Elmendorg AFB.
Our lot was on the corner with the creek across the front. The trailer court was clean and neat because the manager had a yearly clean-up. Those who didn’t keep the lots neat were evicted. We had good neighbors and felt safe. At that time people helped each other and looked out for each other.
I have several pictures of our trailer there.
Thanks for the article!
Anchorage was so much cooler in the 60s and 70s. Real Alaskans actually lived there. I felt privileged to live up on Government Hill, but I had friends from trailer parks.
Great storytelling
Thank you for sharing your story. Wife and I moved to Alaska in 1984, and found a place in Alaskan Village. Raised 2 wonderful kids, and called it home for 10 years. We remember the big star up on the ski hill for Christmas. The skiers skiing down on Valentine’s Day with red torches. Oh yea, getting under my trailer to unthaw pipes and helping others in need. Moose coming up to our eat on our flower baskets and plants. Basketball , and teaching the kids to ride their 1st bikes in the road. Fortunately, we did sell before all hell ( Pete) broke loose. We moved to Wasilla until 1997. We loved Alaska and the friends we left behind. We’ve been back once and hope to return soon. We believe our space was 272 ? Wonderful memories, no regrets.
Thanks for writing this. I grew up in Anchorage in 60s-70s, but never in Alaskan Village, though I knew it well.
The term “trailer trash” didn’t exist back then, but there was certainly a disdain for some parks.
Good article.
Lived inAnchirage for 11 years. Enjoyed reading!