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110-519: In the early 1950s, LeTourneau, Inc., a heavy-equipment maker based in Longview, Texas , developed the idea of using a diesel-electric transmission to drive multi-wheeled vehicles. Each wheel was driven by a separate electric motor, which gave the vehicles much better traction as the force of the engine was spread across a number of wheels. In general terms these vehicles were similar to the diesel-electric locomotives that were being widely introduced by

220-408: A Native camp about 3,500 years old, with older remains found at deeper levels. From evidence gathered at the site, archaeologists surmise that Native activities in the area were limited to seasonal hunting and fishing as frigid temperatures precluded berry gathering. In addition, archaeological sites on the grounds of nearby Fort Wainwright date back well over 10,000 years. Arrowheads excavated from

330-470: A bachelor's degree or higher. Compared to communities of similar population, Fairbanks' crime rate (violent and property crimes combined) is higher than Alaska's average, which in turn is higher than the U.S. average. Fairbanks is ranked the least safe city in Alaska by neighborhoodscout.com. (only including Fairbanks Police Department) Fairbanks similarly has a rate of rape and sexual assault three times

440-603: A barbershop, which also closed in 1986. The building was ultimately demolished in 1995. In 1942, construction began on the Big Inch pipeline in Longview. From 1943 to 1945, the pipeline transported over 261,000,000 barrels of crude oil to the East Coast . At the time of construction, Big Inch and its smaller twin, Little Inch, comprised the longest petroleum pipeline ever built in the world. Both were integral in supplying

550-499: A comparatively small area on its east that is within Harrison County . At the 2010 census , Longview had a population of 80,455. The median age was 34. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 56.2% non-Hispanic White , 22.6% Black or African American , 0.5% Native American , 1.4% Asian , 9.5% from some other race, and 2.3% from two or more races . About were 18.0% Hispanics or Latinos of any race. In

660-596: A fireplace in every room. Mobberly was located in the junction part of town near the train depot. The hotel was destroyed by fire on June 13, 1965. On May 23, 1894, Bill Dalton and three members of his posse robbed the First National Bank of Longview. Several men died in the resulting gunfight , bandit Jim Wallace along with citizens J. W. McQueen, Charles Learn, and George Buckingham. The robbers escaped with 2,000$ in cash and some unsigned bank notes. The Gregg County Historical Museum holds it's exhibit on

770-418: A household between 2007 and 2011 was $ 55,409. Males had a median income of $ 30,539 versus $ 26,577 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,814. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. The percentage of high school graduates or higher is 88%. 20.4% of the population 25 years and up had

880-923: A junior hockey team in the North American Hockey League, play at the Big Dipper Ice Arena. Prior to the formation of the Ice Dogs, the Fairbanks Gold Kings was formed as a league team by the Teamsters Local 959 in 1974. The team took on a life of its own beyond local league play, and played out of the Big Dipper for many years until moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado and becoming the Colorado Gold Kings in 1998. The Alaska Goldpanners

990-528: A large farm until his death in 1938. Farmers Loop Road and Badger Road, loop roads north and east (respectively) of Fairbanks, were also home to major farming activity. Badger Road is named for Harry Markley Badger, an early resident of Fairbanks who later established a farm along the road and became known as "the Strawberry King". Ballaine and McGrath Roads, side roads of Farmers Loop Road, were also named for prominent local farmers, whose farms were in

1100-562: A larger effort by the federal government during the New Deal and World War II to install major infrastructure in the territory for the first time, fostered an economic and population boom in Fairbanks which extended beyond the end of the war. In the 1940s the Canol pipeline extended north from Whitehorse for a few years. The Haines - Fairbanks 626 mile long 8" petroleum products pipeline

1210-542: A local hotel and visit one or more attractions. Tourism the rest of the year is mostly concentrated around the winter season, centered upon the northern lights , ice carving and winter sports. In addition, other events draw visitors from within Alaska, mostly from the community's trading area throughout Interior Alaska and the North Slope . Attractions include: Fairbanks offers a variety of winter sports, including cross-country skiing and dog mushing. The city hosted

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1320-409: A median income of $ 33,078 versus $ 21,400 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,676. About 13.0% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over. By 2020, the median household income for Longview residents grew to $ 50,019, and monthly housing costs were $ 854. As of 2020's religion census by

1430-403: A negative phase to a positive phase from 1976 onward. See or edit raw graph data . Fairbanks first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated city and as Alaska's largest city. It was incorporated in 1903. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of the city in 2011 was 32,036 people, 11,075 households, and 7,187 families residing in the city. The population density

1540-785: A salvage yard right behind Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska. Despite the years of neglect, the LCC-1 still has its 10 foot tall wheels as well as its generators. In addition to the LCC-1's primary drive unit, there are also ten of its original trailers in the Fort Wainwright yard, which is not far from the site where the VC-22 sits abandoned. Today, the LCC-1 now has a permanent site at the Yukon Transportation Museum in Whitehorse, Yukon. One trailer also resides at

1650-458: A single locomotive and six cars able to haul 150 tons, cross rivers up to 4 feet (1.2 m) deep, cut through snow drifts and operate at temperatures as low as −68 °F (−56 °C). The locomotive provided AC power from 400-hp Cummins NVH-12 engines, powering its own four wheels and the five four-wheeled trailers, forming a 274-foot-long (84 m) train. Since the VC-22 was based almost entirely on existing parts from their 6x6 vehicles, even

1760-475: A snowfall of 147.3 inches (3.74 m), while the least snowy period recorded was from July 1918 to June 1919 with a snowfall of only 12.0 inches (0.30 m). The average first and last dates with a freezing temperature are September 11 and May 14, respectively, allowing an average growing season of 119 days. However, freezes have occurred in June, July, and August; the last light frost is often in early June; and

1870-592: A trading post. The steamboat on which Barnette was a passenger, the Lavelle Young , ran aground while attempting to negotiate shallow water. Barnette, along with his party and supplies, were deposited along the banks of the Chena River 7 miles (11 km) upstream from its confluence with the Tanana River. The sight of smoke from the steamer's engines caught the attention of gold prospectors working in

1980-663: Is Rolin McPhee. Bonds retired January 31, 2022 and Rolin McPhee became the city manager on February 1. With the addition of McPhee as city manager, the city of Longview underwent some restructuring namely adding an assistant city manager, MaryAnn Hagenbucher. Longview is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Bryan Hughes , District 1 , and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Jay Dean , District 7 . The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates

2090-553: Is a summer collegiate / semi-pro baseball team, playing home games at Growden Memorial Park . The park is home to the annual Midnight Sun Game , an annual tradition since 1906, played without artificial lights starting after ten at night on the summer solstice. The city was briefly represented in the Indoor Football League by the Fairbanks Grizzlies . Fairbanks is the starting and ending point for

2200-554: Is also one of the major economic hubs for Northeast Texas alongside Tyler . According to the municipal Fiscal Year 2021–2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report , the top employers in the city were: Longview Public Library operates a main branch, and the Broughton Branch. Longview’s cultural district—a 320-acre (130 ha) area in downtown Longview which includes museums, restaurants, parks, live music, theater, and historic buildings—was designated by

2310-654: Is crossed by many low streams and rivers that flow into the Tanana River. In Fairbanks, the Chena River flows southwest until it empties into the Tanana. Noyes Slough, which heads and foots off the Chena River, creates Garden Island, a district connected to the rest of Fairbanks by bridges and culverted roads. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 32.7 square miles (85 km ); 31.9 square miles (83 km ) of it

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2420-829: Is in the Tanana Valley , straddling the Chena River near its confluence with the Tanana River . The Tanana River marks the city's southern border, and the Tanana Flats, a large area of marsh and bog, is south of the river. Fairbanks is the coldest city in the United States with a population of at least 10,000 people. Monthly mean temperatures range from −8.3 °F (−22.4 °C) in January to 62.9 °F (17.2 °C) in July. In winter, Fairbanks' location in

2530-524: Is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km ) of it (2.48%) is water. The city is extremely far north, close to 16 degrees north of the Pacific border between the U.S. and Canada . It is on roughly the same parallel as the northern Swedish city of Skellefteå and Finnish city of Oulu , just south of the Arctic Circle . Because of this, the white night or "Midnight Sun" phenomenon occurs here around

2640-595: Is politically conservative, with three distinct geographical areas representing different political perspectives. The western part of the city, centered on the University of Alaska Fairbanks , leans toward the Democratic Party. The downtown area and the eastern parts near Fort Wainwright lean slightly toward the Republican Party. The North Pole area farther east is heavily Republican and one of

2750-734: Is served by four school districts. The Gregg County portion of Longview is part of the Tyler-Longview-Lufkin-Nacogdoches designated market area, and the Harrison County portion of Longview is within the Shreveport-Texarkana market. KLGV-LD broadcasts from Longview. East Texas Regional Airport is located south of Longview. The city's public transit system, Longview Transit, runs daily routes, excluding Sundays and holidays. Its fixed routes provide transportation to key districts throughout

2860-538: Is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the population of the city proper at 32,515 and the population of the Fairbanks North Star Borough at 95,655, making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Alaska after Anchorage . The Metropolitan Statistical Area encompasses all of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and is

2970-437: Is −58 °F (−50 °C) on January 18, 1906, and the record warm daily minimum is 76 °F (24 °C) on June 26, 1915; the only other occurrence of a 70 °F (21 °C) daily minimum was June 25, 2013, in the midst of a particularly warm summer. These widely varying temperature extremes are due to three main factors: temperature inversions , daylight, and wind direction. In winter, Fairbanks' low-lying location at

3080-627: The 2014 Arctic Winter Games from March 15–22, 2014. Fairbanks has also held skiing events that include the 2003 Junior Olympic Cross Country Ski Championship and the 2008 and 2009 U.S. Cross Country Distance Nationals. A 50k race called the Sonot Kkaazoot is held annually in Fairbanks, as are the Fairbanks Town Series races and the Chest Medicine Distance Series races. Fairbanks is also home to

3190-628: The Association of Religion Data Archives , Baptists were the largest set of Christians, with Christianity being the predominant religion for Longview's metropolitan area. Altogether, Baptists from the American Baptist Association , Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship , Free Will Baptists , National Baptists , National Missionary Baptists , and Southern Baptists numbered 88,811. Non/inter-denominational Protestants numbered 26,874. Other large Christian communities for

3300-569: The Matanuska Valley Colonization Project and the town of Palmer in 1935. Agricultural activity still occurs today in the Tanana Valley , but mostly to the southeast of Fairbanks in the communities of Salcha and Delta Junction . During the early days of Fairbanks, its vicinity was a major producer of agricultural goods. What is now the northern reaches of South Fairbanks was originally the farm of Paul J. Rickert, who came from nearby Chena in 1904 and operated

3410-498: The Sabine River . According to the 2020 U.S. census , the city had a population of 81,638. Longview is the principal city of the Longview metropolitan statistical area , comprising Gregg, Upshur , and Rusk counties. The population of the metropolitan area as of 2021 census estimates was 287,858. Longview was established in 1870 in what was at the time southern Upshur County; the town incorporated in 1871. After Gregg County

Overland train - Misplaced Pages Continue

3520-519: The Steese Highway . On their own initiative, LeTourneau took the basic VC-22, changed the engine to the 600-hp VT-12, and changed the trailers to side-dumping bins to produce a Side-Dump Train . The six-wheeled locomotive also had its own bin, and could operate independently. Completed in October 1955, the company was still under the moratorium period and could not sell it for earthmoving, and

3630-500: The University of Texas at Tyler 's Longview University Center. The modern-day city of Longview was founded in 1869. In 1870, O.H. Methvin, Sr. sold 100 acres (40 ha) to the Southern Pacific Railroad for one dollar to persuade them to build their line in the direction of land he owned. Later that year, he sold another 100 acres (40 ha) for $ 500 in gold. He hoped the coming of the railroad would increase

3740-482: The Valdez-Eagle Trail was diverted to build a branch trail, giving Fairbanks its first overland connection to the outside world. The resulting Richardson Highway was created in 1910 after Gen. Wilds P. Richardson upgraded it to a wagon road. In the 1920s, it was improved further and made navigable by automobiles, but it was not paved until 1957. Fairbanks' road connections were improved in 1927, when

3850-690: The Yukon Quest , an international 1,000 mile sled dog race that is considered one of the toughest in the world. The race alternates its starting and finishing points each year between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. Hockey is also present in Fairbanks. Two teams include the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks men's team ice hockey, which plays at the Carlson Center , and the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs ,

3960-416: The census of 2000, 73,344 people, 28,363 households, and 19,116 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,341.8 inhabitants per square mile (518.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 70.10% White, 22.11% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander , 4.92% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races; Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.31% of

4070-702: The tundra and snow. First unveiled in June 1954, the Sno-Buggy was sent to Greenland for testing. Alaska Freight Lines of Seattle had contracted with Western Electric to provide 500 tons of equipment to the DEW stations being built in the Alaska sector. Hearing of the VC-12, on 5 January 1955 they signed a contract with LeTourneau for the construction of the VC-22 Sno-Freighter . The contract called for

4180-715: The 161-mile (259 km) Steese Highway connected the city to the Yukon River at the gold-mining community of Circle . In 1942, the Alaska Highway connected the Richardson Highway to the Canadian road system, allowing road travel from the rest of the United States to Fairbanks, which is considered the unofficial end of the highway. Because of World War II, civilian traffic was not permitted on

4290-410: The 28,363 households at the 2000 census , 33.2% had children under 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were not families. About 27.9% of all households were individuals who lived alone, and 10.7% of all households were 65 or older and living alone. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size

4400-470: The 50-foot-high (15 m) Moose Creek Dam in the Chena River and accompanying 8-mile-long (13 km) spillway. The project was designed to prevent a repetition of the 1967 flood by being able to divert water in the Chena upstream from Fairbanks into the Tanana River, thus bypassing the city. After large-scale gold mining began north of Fairbanks, miners wanted to build a railroad from the steamboat docks on

4510-731: The Chena River to the mine sites in the hills north of the city. The result was the Tanana Mines Railroad, which started operations in September 1905, using what had been the first steam locomotive in the Yukon Territory. In 1907, the railroad was reorganized and named the Tanana Valley Railroad . The railroad continued expanding until 1910, when the first gold boom began to falter and the introduction of automobiles into Fairbanks took business away from

Overland train - Misplaced Pages Continue

4620-631: The Fairbanks North Star Borough was 95,655. The racial makeup of the North Star Borough was 68.9% White, 4.1% Black, 7.9% Alaska Native or Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander; 7.6% identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 12.7% identified as two or more races. Of the 11,075 households, 39.9% had children under the age of 18, 47.2% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who

4730-815: The I-20 corridor, bringing passenger rail service to that corridor for the first time since the Texas and Pacific 's unnamed successor to the Louisiana Eagle in the late 1960s. Longview is served by Amtrak, the BNSF Railway , and the Union Pacific Railroad . Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska , United States. Fairbanks

4840-482: The LCC-1 had a single 600-hp engine, the Overland Train had four 1,170-hp Saturn 10MC engines from Solar Turbines , one in the "control car" and three others spread through the train. New power trailers could be added at any point along the train. To further reduce weight, most of the vehicle was built from welded aluminum. Taking corners was a serious problem. If the train made a sharp turn, each trailer after

4950-489: The Longview District Parole Office in Longview. Longview is part of Texas's 1st congressional district , which is currently represented by Republican Nathaniel Moran . Moran was elected after former Republican Louie Gohmert announced he was not seeking reelection in 2022. The city of Longview is home to three institutions of higher learning and two trade (cosmetology) schools: Longview

5060-506: The Longview station serves the Chicago to Los Angeles trains. The return train, Los Angeles to Chicago, stops in Longview on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday. It serves about 20–50 passengers per day. From the station, passengers can connect to Nacogdoches , Lufkin , Houston , and Galveston , as well as Shreveport, Louisiana , by motorcoach. A proposal is in the works for a high-speed rail system from Dallas / Fort Worth to Shreveport along

5170-662: The MSA were Methodists , Pentecostals , Jehovah's Witnesses , and Mormons . Its Catholic Christian community numbered 22,952. Longview is one of several cities in East Texas that serve as a center for the " patent troll " industry, due to a perception that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas is a favorable venue for patent infringement plaintiffs. As such, it

5280-552: The Mark II is the control cab which remains at Yuma Proving Ground Heritage Center, the rest was sold off to a local scrap dealer. The Mark II retains the record for the longest offroad vehicle in the world. Longview, Texas Longview is a city in, and county seat of, Gregg County, Texas , United States. Longview is located in East Texas , where Interstate 20 and U.S. highways 80 and 259 converge just north of

5390-583: The Tanana River. To improve logistics in Fairbanks during construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline , the George Parks Highway was built between Fairbanks and Palmer in 1971. Until 1940, none of Fairbanks' surface streets were paved. The outbreak of World War II interrupted plans to pave most of the city's roads, and a movement toward large-scale paving did not begin until 1953, when the city paved 30 blocks of streets. During

5500-411: The Tanana Valley causes cold air to accumulate in the city and warm air to rise up the hills to the north, and the city experiences one of the biggest temperature inversions on Earth. Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks , the founding campus of the University of Alaska system , established in 1917. Fairbanks International Airport is located three miles (4.8 km) southwest of

5610-559: The Texas Commission on the Arts in 2019. The 29-acre (12 ha) Longview Arboretum and Nature Center opened in 2019. Among other centers, the city has a vast trail system that is being connected to create 10 consecutive miles of connected walking/biking trails. According to the 2007 comprehensive annual financial report, the city's various funds had $ 75.9 million in revenues, $ 87.7 million in expenditures, $ 47.6 million in total assets, $ 9.0 million in total liabilities, and $ 12.2 million in cash in investments. The city manager as of 2023

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5720-404: The Tournatrain to produce a 16x16 vehicle with one locomotive and three cars capable of handling a load of 45 tons in total. The control cab was itself articulated into two compartments; a heated driving compartment in front for the crew of three, and a rear section containing the 600-hp diesel engine, generators and fuel tanks. The cab also sported a powered crane on the rear. In spite of starting

5830-512: The US Army Transportation Research and Development Command, or TRADCOM, proposing that the system would be useful for logistics operations in the arctic if equipped with more wheels. TRADCOM offered funding to create the TC-264 Sno-Buggy , which had eight huge 120-inch (3.0 m) rubber tires, arranged in pairs and driven by four motors powered by a single Allison V-1710 engine running on butane . The resulting vehicle has an enormous amount of tire area to vehicle weight, allowing it to float on

5940-510: The United States' war effort in World War II . After World War II, Longview's population grew from 24,502 to 40,050 in 1960, its growth fueled by migration from rural Gregg County and the annexation of Greggton and Spring Hill . Longview is located within Northeast Texas , a subregion of East Texas . North of Kilgore , and is bordered to the west by the city of White Oak . Longview was founded in Gregg County, and has annexed surrounding land as it has grown in population and area, including

6050-399: The University of Alaska Fairbanks site matched similar items found in Asia, providing some of the first evidence that humans arrived in North America via the Bering Strait land bridge in deep antiquity. Captain E. T. Barnette founded Fairbanks in August 1901 while headed to Tanacross (or Tanana Crossing, where the Valdez–Eagle trail crossed the Tanana River ), where he intended to set up

6160-417: The Yukon 800 speedboat race, held annually in June. Alaska State Parks operates the Chena River State Recreation Site , a 29-acre (0.12 km ) park in the middle of Fairbanks with a campground, trails, and a boat launch. Fairbanks is a regional center for most departments of the state of Alaska, though the vast majority of state jobs are based in either Anchorage or Juneau. The majority of Fairbanks

6270-457: The area's residents voted to incorporate Fairbanks as a city. Barnette became the first mayor, and the city flourished during the gold rush. By World War I , the population had plunged, but rose again during the Great Depression as the price of gold increased. During the 1940s and 1950s, the city became a staging area for the construction of military depots during World War II and the Cold War . Fort Wainwright , previously named Ladd Field ,

6380-427: The attackers and the men in the house. Eventually, Jones made a getaway. The white men then began to burn buildings in the black section of the town. The Gregg Hotel opened in 1930, and served oil boom customers. It had various operators as a hotel until 1978, when it was converted to dormitories for use by male students of LeTourneau College . Following the 1984 spring semester, the building sat empty except for

6490-402: The bottom of the Tanana Valley causes cold air to accumulate in and around the city. Warmer air rises to the tops of the hills north of Fairbanks, while the city itself experiences one of the biggest temperature inversions on Earth. Heating through sunlight is limited because of Fairbanks's high-latitude location. At the winter solstice , the center of the sun's disk is less than two degrees over

6600-423: The bush, without the need to prepare a road capable of supporting a traditional truck. A truck would need to have a surface flat and strong enough for its driven wheels, normally four at the rear of the cab, to gain traction needed to climb any grades. With multiple driven wheels, LeTourneau's 6x6 diesel-electrics were an obvious solution, but a single vehicle was too small to justify their purchase costs. The solution

6710-410: The central business district of the city; Fairbanks is the smallest city in the United States with regularly scheduled non-stop international flights . Athabascan peoples have used the area for thousands of years , although there is no known permanent Alaska Native settlement at the site of Fairbanks. An archaeological site excavated on the grounds of the University of Alaska Fairbanks uncovered

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6820-442: The chinook wind, Fairbanks experiences a handful of other unusual meteorological conditions. In summer, dense wildfire smoke accumulates in the Tanana Valley, affecting the weather and causing health concerns. When temperature inversions arise in winter, heavy ice fog often results. Ice fog occurs when air is too cold to absorb additional moisture, such as that released by automobile engines or human breath. Instead of dissipating,

6930-499: The city is a chain of hills that rises gradually until it reaches the White Mountains and the Yukon River . The city's southern border is the Tanana River. South of the river is the Tanana Flats, an area of marsh and bog that stretches for more than 100 miles (160 km) until it rises into the Alaska Range , which is visible from Fairbanks on clear days. To the east and west are low valleys separated by ridges of hills up to 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. The Tanana Valley

7040-433: The city, bending trees still laden with fall leaves. That September was also one of the snowiest on record, as 24 inches (61 cm) fell, compared to the 1991-2020 median of only a trace during the month. November and December are the snowiest months, while in contrast, March and April are not very snowy and are typically very dry months in central Alaska. The snowiest season on record lasted from July 1990 to June 1991 with

7150-556: The city. City of Longview Transit (COLT) provides demand-response transportation services for those who are unable to use the regular Longview Transit fixed-route service. Amtrak passenger rail service is available on the Texas Eagle through a downtown terminal . Longview's Amtrak station is the fifth-busiest in Texas and the fourth-busiest station along the Texas Eagle route. Daily trains between Chicago and San Antonio stop each morning (Chicago–San Antonio) and each evening (San Antonio–Chicago). Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,

7260-436: The event within the bank vault which was robbed, and holds a yearly event to mark the anniversary of the occasion. In the Longview race riot in July 1919, a reporter for The Chicago Defender was in Longview looking into the mysterious death of a black man named Lemuel Walters . An armed white mob attacked a home where the reporter, S.L. Jones, was staying, and attempted to batter their way in. A gunfight began between

7370-514: The first light fall frost is often in late August or early September. The plant hardiness zone is 2 with annual mean minimums below -40. Fairbanks is the coldest city in the United States among cities with a population of at least 10,000 people. Normal monthly mean temperatures range from −8.3 °F (−22.4 °C) in January to 62.9 °F (17.2 °C) in July. On average, temperatures reach −40 °F (−40 °C) and 80 °F (27 °C) on 7.0 and 13 days annually, respectively, and

7480-436: The first would cut inside the previous trailers path, and each trailer would make a larger diameter turn than the previous, and with the length, it was difficult for the driver to estimate how much space would be needed - if it was available. B-trains have a similar but slightly reduced problem and as a result may be restricted from some roads. To avoid an obstacle, an excessively wide turn would be needed. To solve this problem,

7590-447: The front of the Mukluk Land theme park near Tok, Alaska . LCC-1 was so successful that in 1958 the Army contracted for a larger version, the TC-497 Overland Train Mark II . Generally similar to the LCC-1 in concept, the Mark II included a number of features to allow the train to grow to any length. One change was the removal of the Cummins engines and their replacement with gas turbine engines of higher power and lower weight. Whereas

7700-401: The highway until 1948. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a series of roads were built to connect Fairbanks to the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. The Elliott Highway was built in 1957 to connect Fairbanks to Livengood , southern terminus of the Dalton Highway , which ends in Deadhorse on the North Slope. West of the Dalton intersection, the Elliott Highway extends to Manley Hot Springs on

7810-559: The hills to the north, most notably an Italian immigrant named Felice Pedroni (better known as Felix Pedro ) and his partner Tom Gilmore. The two met Barnette where he disembarked and convinced him of the potential of the area. Barnette set up his trading post at the site, still intending to eventually make it to Tanacross. Teams of gold prospectors soon congregated in and around the newly founded Fairbanks; they built drift mines, dredges, and lode mines in addition to panning and sluicing. After some urging by James Wickersham , who later moved

7920-408: The horizon (1.7 degrees) at the local noon (not the time zone noon). Fairbanks experiences 3 hours and 41 minutes of sunlight on December 21 and 22. At the summer solstice, about 182 days later, on June 20 and 21, Fairbanks receives 21 hours and 49 minutes of sunlight. After sunset, twilight is bright enough to allow daytime activities without any electric lights, since the center of

8030-695: The immediate vicinity of their respective namesake roads. Despite early efforts by the Alaska Loyal League , the Tanana Valley Agriculture Association and William Fentress Thompson, the editor-publisher of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner , to encourage food production, agriculture in the area was never able to fully support the population, although it came close in the 1920s. The construction of Ladd Army Airfield starting in 1939, part of

8140-563: The interior to support a crew of six with sleeping quarters, toilets and a galley. It was even equipped with a radar. An additional two power cars and ten cargo cars were built for testing. In total the train now stretched over 570 feet (170 m). On flat ground it could carry 150 tons of cargo at about 20 mph. Range at full load was normally 350 to 400 miles (560 to 640 km), but additional fuel trailers could be added to extend it. Final specifications were completed in 1960, and construction took most of 1961. After preliminary testing, it

8250-514: The last holding a second engine. The new version was completed in February 1954, and supported a maximum payload of 140 tons. During this period the U.S. and Canada were in the process of developing the DEW Line , which was located in areas with no roads, few airbases, and in areas where the sea ice often prevented ships from accessing the sites. On 15 April 1954 the company demonstrated VC-12 to

8360-458: The last winter that failed to reach the former mark was that of 2022–23. Between 1995 and 2008, inclusive, Fairbanks failed to record a temperature of 90 °F or 32 °C. The highest recorded temperature in Fairbanks was 99 °F (37 °C) on July 28, 1919, just a degree cooler than Alaska-wide record high temperature of 100 °F (38 °C), recorded in Fort Yukon . The lowest

8470-403: The late 1950s and the 1960s, the remainder of the city's streets were converted from gravel roads to asphalt surfaces. Few have been repaved since that time; a 2008 survey of city streets indicated the average age of a street in Fairbanks was 31 years. Fairbanks is in the central Tanana Valley , straddling the Chena River near its confluence with the Tanana River . Immediately north of

8580-480: The moratorium ran out, LeTourneau developed a number of new vehicles based on the same drivetrain. These included a number of special-purpose military designs like launchers for the Corporal missile , engineering vehicles that could quickly haul crashed bombers off runways, and even an enormous vehicle intended to pick up beached landing craft . The overland train concept first developed as a way to haul trees out of

8690-547: The national average, and in 2010 was ranked the third most dangerous U.S. city for women with 70 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. Doyon, Limited , an oil services company, is based in Fairbanks. The city of Fairbanks and the greater Fairbanks area is home to a number of attractions and events, which draw visitors from outside of Alaska throughout the year. Summer tourist traffic primarily consists of cruise ship passengers who purchase package tours which include travel to Fairbanks. Many of these tourists spend one or more nights at

8800-568: The northernmost Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States, located 196 miles (315 kilometers) by road (140 mi or 230 km by air) south of the Arctic Circle . In August 1901, E. T. Barnette founded a trading post on the south bank of the Chena River . A gold discovery near the trading post sparked the Fairbanks Gold Rush , and many miners moved to the area. There was a boom in construction, and in November 1903,

8910-436: The population. By the 2020 United States census , Longview's population grew to 81,683. Its racial and ethnic makeup per the 2020 census was 49.73% non-Hispanic white, 23.49% Black or African American, 0.31% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.6% Asian alone, 0.27% some other race, 3.82% multiracial, and 20.75% Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among its population at the 2020 American Community Survey , 52.7% of its population

9020-657: The project before the VC-22, the LCC-1 required much more customization, and was not completed until January 1956. After testing at the factory, it was handed over to the Army in March, and continued testing in snow at the TRADCOM proving grounds in Houghton, Michigan . After acceptance, it was sent to Greenland, and then traveled around the north for some time, making its last cargo run in 1962. The LCC-1 eventually ended up abandoned in

9130-410: The rail line from Fairbanks to connect the city via rail with Delta Junction , about 100 miles (160 km) southeast. As the transportation hub for Interior Alaska, Fairbanks features extensive road, rail, and air connections to the rest of Alaska and outside of Alaska. At Fairbanks' founding, the only way to reach the new city was via steamboat on the Chena River. In 1904, money intended to improve

9240-704: The railroad. Despite these problems, railroad backers envisioned a rail line extending from Fairbanks to Seward on the Gulf of Alaska, home to the Alaska Central Railway . In 1914, the U.S. Congress appropriated $ 35 million for construction of the Alaska Railroad system, but work was delayed by the outbreak of World War I. Three years later, the Alaska Railroad purchased the Tanana Valley Railroad, which had suffered from

9350-399: The railways at the same time, but they replaced the steel wheels with rubber ones. The earliest vehicles using the system were a number of 6x6 graders , wheel tractor-scrapers and other earthmovers. In 1953, R. G. LeTourneau sold the earthmoving portions of the business to Westinghouse , a sale that included a five-year moratorium before LeTourneau could sell into the market again. While

9460-459: The record warm January 1981, Fairbanks' average maximum temperature was 28.7 °F (−1.8 °C) and 15 days that month had high temperatures above freezing. Meanwhile, during a spell of sustained chinook winds from December 4 to 8, 1934, the temperature topped 50 °F (10 °C) for five consecutive days. Unusual for such a cold place, Fairbanks has experienced temperatures of 50 °F (10 °C) or higher in all 12 months. In addition to

9570-479: The season with the highest increase, at 8.1 °F (4.5 °C), while autumn had the smallest, at only 1.5 °F (0.83 °C). However, the mean annual temperature increase from 1976 to 2018 in Fairbanks stood at a more moderate 0.7 °F (0.39 °C); this stepwise temperature change, also observed elsewhere in Alaska, is explained by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation shifting from

9680-493: The season's first accumulating snowfall and first inch of snow fall on October 1 and 11, respectively; the average last inch and last accumulating snowfall are respectively on March 29 and April 15, though there can be snow flurries in May. The snowpack is established by October 18, on average, and remains until April 23. Snow occasionally arrives early and in large amounts. On September 13, 1992, 8 inches (20 cm) of snow fell in

9790-476: The seat of the Third Division court from Eagle to Fairbanks, the settlement was named after Charles W. Fairbanks , a Republican senator from Indiana and later the twenty-sixth vice president of the United States, serving under Theodore Roosevelt during his second term. In these early years of settlement, the Tanana Valley was an important agricultural center for Alaska until the establishment of

9900-447: The summer solstice. Due to its warm summers, Fairbanks is south of the arctic tree line . Fairbanks's climate is classified as a humid continental climate bordering on a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfb bordering on Dfc , Trewartha Dclc bordering on Eclc ), with long, very cold winters and short, warm summers. October through February are the snowiest months, and there is usually additional snow from March to May. On average,

10010-422: The sun's disk is just 1.7 degrees below horizon. During winter, the direction of the wind also causes large temperature swings in Fairbanks. When the wind blows from any direction but the south, average weather ensues. Wind from the south can carry warm, moist air from the Gulf of Alaska, greatly warming temperatures. When coupled with a chinook wind , temperatures well above freezing often result. For example, in

10120-475: The tires, the company was able to deliver it with surprising speed. It was completed on 17 February 1955, painted, and then sent to Alaska on the 21st. The vehicle served well throughout 1955, but in the second season of use a fire consumed the locomotive's power generation section and the remains were pulled out of Canada. When Alaska Freight Lines's contract with Western Electric ran out it was soon left to rot. Today it sits abandoned outside Fairbanks, Alaska near

10230-421: The trailers had steerable wheels that would each turn when they reached the same point on the ground, eliminating the cut in and allowing the train to make much sharper turns. The Mark II had a much larger six-wheeled cab that was over 20 feet (6.1 m) tall and was no longer articulated due to the ability for all the wheels to be steered. The turbine engine was much smaller than the diesel it replaced, allowing

10340-686: The train saw no orders. Impressed with the results of the Sno-Buggy, in late 1954 the Army Transportation Corps asked LeTourneau to combine the features of the Tournatrain and Sno-Buggy into a new vehicle. LeTourneau called the result the YS-1 Army Sno-Train but the Army knew it as the Logistics Cargo Carrier , or LCC-1 . The LCC-1 combined the wheels of the Sno-Buggy with the power system of

10450-636: The value of the rest of his land. Two railroad surveyors coined the name of the town when they stated, "What a long view!" from the porch of Methvin's home. In June 1871, Longview was incorporated as the first town in Gregg County. In 1884, the Mobberly Hotel opened for business servicing railroad travelers and as the center of social gatherings for Longview. The hotel featured cherrywood furniture with carved bed posts, marble-top washstands , linen tablecloths, electric crystal chandeliers, and

10560-595: The wagon roads leading to the gold mining camps, often washed out before a permanent bridge was constructed at Cushman Street in 1917 by the Alaska Road Commission . On August 14, 1967, after record rainfall upstream, the Chena began to surge over its banks, flooding almost the entire town of Fairbanks overnight. This disaster led to the creation of the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project, which built and operates

10670-437: The wartime economic problems. Rail workers built a line extending northwest from Fairbanks, then south to Nenana , where President Warren G. Harding hammered in the ceremonial final spike in 1923. The rail yards of the Tanana Valley Railroad were converted for use by the Alaska Railroad, and Fairbanks became the northern end of the line and its second-largest depot. From 1923 to 2004, the Alaska Railroad's Fairbanks terminal

10780-463: The water freezes into microscopic crystals that are suspended in the air, forming fog. Another one of Fairbanks' unusual occurrences is the prevalence of the aurora borealis , commonly called the northern lights, which are visible on average more than 200 days per year in the vicinity of Fairbanks. The northern lights are not visible in the summer months due to the 24 hour daylight of the midnight sun. Fairbanks also has extremely low seasonal lag ;

10890-514: The year's warmest month is July, which averages only 1.9 °F (1.1 °C) warmer than June. Average daily temperatures begin to fall by late July and more markedly in August, which on average is 4.0 °F (2.2 °C) cooler than June. From 1949 to 2018, Fairbanks's mean annual temperature has risen by 3.9 °F (2.2 °C), a change comparable to the Alaska-wide average; winter was

11000-400: Was 3.06. Among the estimated 31,450 households at the 2020 American Community Survey, the average household size was 2.49; the 19,965 families had an average size of 3.13. Of the households and families estimated, 53.6% were in owner-occupied housing units and 46.4% were renter-occupied. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 33,858, and for a family was $ 42,378. Males had

11110-465: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age of the population was 28 years, with 9.6% under the age of 5, 26.0% under the age of 18, 14.7% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males. The median income for

11220-468: Was 995 inhabitants per square mile (384/km ). There were 12,357 housing units at an average density of 387.9 units per square mile (149.8 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 57.5% White , 7.42% Black or African American , 8.63% Native American or Alaska Native , 4.21% Asian , 0.7% Pacific Islander . In addition, 11% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino , and 9.48% identified as two or more races . The population estimate for

11330-557: Was built east of the city beginning in 1938 and is operated by the U.S. Army . After the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field in 1968, the city became a supply point for the oil field, as well as for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System . With the establishment of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in 1964, the city became borough seat. Tourism is also a factor in Fairbanks' economy. Fairbanks

11440-474: Was constructed during the period 1953–55. The presence of the U.S. military has remained strong in Fairbanks. Ladd became Fort Wainwright in 1960; the post was annexed into Fairbanks city limits during the 1980s. Fairbanks suffered from several floods in its first seven decades, whether from ice jams during spring breakup or heavy rainfall. The first bridge crossing the Chena River, a wooden structure built in 1904 to extend Turner Street northward to connect with

11550-428: Was created in 1873, Longview was voted the county seat. Today, Longview is considered a major hub city for the region, as is the nearby city of Tyler . Companies with significant presence in Longview include Eastman Chemical , Trinity Rail Group , AAON Coil Products , and Komatsu Mining , Dollar General and Old Navy / GAP . Colleges and universities in the area include LeTourneau University , Kilgore College , and

11660-731: Was handed to the Army in February 1962, and shipped to the Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona . In testing under the "Project OTTER", for "Overland Train Terrain Evaluation Research", the vehicle performed well. But in the end the Army gave up on the idea as newer heavy-lift helicopters like the S-64 Skycrane made the train concept outdated. The vehicle remained unused for a time, and was then put up for sale for $ 1.4 million in 1969. All that remains of

11770-414: Was in downtown Fairbanks, just north of the Chena River. In May 2005, the Alaska Railroad opened a new terminal northwest of downtown, and that terminal is in operation today. In summer, the railroad operates tourist trains to and from Fairbanks, and it operates occasional passenger trains throughout the year. The majority of its business through Fairbanks is freight. The railroad is planning an expansion of

11880-408: Was non-Hispanic white, 22.4% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian alone, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 0.1% some other race, 2.7% two or more races, and 20.3% Hispanic of Latino American of any race. The 2020 census and 2020 survey reflected nationwide demographic trends of greater diversification among traditional minority populations. Of

11990-567: Was to turn the 6x6 into an extendable design, using flexible connections to allow any number of driven wheels to be added, as needed. The first of these designs was the VC-12 Tournatrain , which consisted of a power truck with a 500-hp Cummins VT-12 engine, and three 20-ton trailers. Each wheel was powered by a separate electric motor, four to each vehicle, including the locomotive. First tested in February 1953, after several months of testing, an additional four trailers were added, with

12100-568: Was −66 °F (−54 °C) on January 14, 1934 . The warmest calendar year in Fairbanks was 2019, when the average annual temperature was 32.5 °F (0.3 °C), while the coldest was 1956 with an annual mean temperature of 21.3 °F (−5.9 °C). The warmest month has been July 1975 with a monthly mean of 68.4 °F (20.2 °C) and the coldest January 1906 which averaged −36.4 °F (−38.0 °C). Low temperatures below 0 °F or −18 °C have been recorded in every month outside June through September. The record cold daily maximum

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