A tradition of hospitality lingers in the lodges that have accommodated travelers for decades.
By Mary Taylor
April 2023
Our family lived in Alaska in the early 1950s, and we drove the Alaska Highway when returning to the lower 48. Because of that experience, seeing the old highway lodges that served us and other travelers back in the early years of that rough, Army-built road always brings back fond memories.
The Sourdough Lodge once greeted weary travelers along the Richardson Highway before it was destroyed by fire.
Travelers in those days had to plan where to get gasoline, food, and secure lodging for the night. No one had cellphones or the ability to “Google” search for services along the highway, so they needed a guide like The Milepost to plan their stops. Starting in 1949, when it was first published, The Milepost was the ultimate resource for available services (and sometimes warning of upcoming dangers) along the then-1,600-mile, 7-year-old road.
A number of hardy pioneer types built the lodges that offered those necessities and frequently provided mechanical repairs to cars that came limping in. Meals were served family style; diners sat at a long table and ate with anyone else who happened to make the same stop.
Today, one of the pleasures of driving the Alaska Highway and another major thoroughfare, the Richardson Highway, is having a chance to see the history of the roads as portrayed through those old lodges. Some still exist and continue to furnish meals and rooms; others have been repurposed. Many of these old-timers are long abandoned, though. Their hulking remains only hint at the bright spot they provided the tired traveler driving that long, lonely highway.
“Used To Be” Roadhouses
Fire has been a dominant force in Alaska. Many of the old roadhouses were either destroyed or rebuilt as a result of such blazes. Examples are the Sourdough Lodge and the Paxson Lodge.
The Sourdough Lodge in Gakona was built between 1903 and 1905 along the Valdez Trail — now the Richardson Highway — and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978. It operated until 1992, when it was consumed by fire. In 1994, the historical designation was withdrawn.
The Paxson Lodge began as an outpost along the same trail from Valdez to the town of Eagle, at Milepost 185 of the Richardson Highway near the intersection of the current Denali Highway. It burned in the 1920s and was rebuilt. In the 1950s, it suffered another fire. By 2013, the roadhouse had deteriorated to the extent that the gas pumps no longer worked and only the café was operational, so it was closed.
Rika’s Roadhouse flourished for decades before falling into disrepair.
Roadhouses That Remain
If you travel to Alaska soon, you’ll have a chance to visit a few of the roadhouses that have endured. Some are now museums, some offer rooms and meals that still are served family style, and some are solely restaurants now.
The old roadhouses that are currently museums include Rika’s Roadhouse, north of Delta Junction, and Sullivan’s Roadhouse, in the heart of town.
Now restored, Rika’s Roadhouse is part of Big Delta State Historical Park.
Rika’s Roadhouse is now part of Big Delta State Historical Park on the Richardson Highway. Built around 1904, it began as a roadhouse and was known as McCarty’s, named for its owner at the time. In 1909, John Hajdukovich purchased the property and constructed a larger roadhouse. Rika Wallen was hired around 1917 or 1918 and became roadhouse manager. Eventually, she gained ownership and added a new wing, which included a liquor store, storage, and a post office. She operated the roadhouse through the 1940s, according to some sources. The roadhouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 1984, the structure was restored with a new foundation and reuse of some of its original lumber. Today known as Rika’s Landing Roadhouse, the property includes a gift shop and a café; RV camping is available in the park.
The original Sullivan Roadhouse faltered when road changes took away its customers.
The Sullivan Roadhouse was built by John and Florence Sullivan in 1905 along a cutoff of the Valdez-Fairbanks Trail. They ran it until 1922, after the Alaska Road Commission stopped maintaining the cutoff. It originally consisted of five buildings. Only the main structure has survived, and in 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1997, the original building was moved and reconstructed on a location near the visitor center in Delta Junction. Currently operated by the Delta Junction Chamber of Commerce as the Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum, it is said to be the oldest original roadhouse left in the interior of Alaska.
Also in Delta Junction are the ruins of the old Black Rapids Roadhouse, built in 1904 along the old Valdez-Fairbanks Trail, which eventually became the Richardson Highway. The building has deteriorated considerably, but the owners have built an attractive new inn, The Lodge at Black Rapids, which offers rooms and a restaurant. They have begun restoring the original roadhouse building, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Black Rapids Roadhouse fell on hard times but is being restored.
Among the replaced roadhouses is Copper Center Lodge, which existed in various forms and names from 1896 to 2012. Current owners Tom and Kim Huddleston operated the lodge from 2002 to 2012, until an early-morning fire left it in ruins. They planned on rebuilding and had framed two floors before finances and time ran out. The Huddlestons now operate the adjacent Old Town Copper Center Inn and Restaurant. Rooms and excellent meals are still available. The inn is in the community of Copper Center, just off the Richardson Highway, about a third of the way from Valdez to Delta Junction.
The popular Talkeetna Roadhouse, located off the Parks Highway in Talkeetna, was constructed in 1917. Today it offers rooms, cabins, and a great restaurant that serves meals family style. The restaurant is popular, so be prepared to wait.
Old Town Copper Center Inn replaced the Copper Center Lodge.
The former Kantishna Roadhouse, built in 1918, has been replaced by a modern lodge on the same property and is now part of Denali National Park. The new, upscale lodge is located 90 miles into the park. It can be reached only by air for the 2023 season, however; the road remains closed for repairs because of an August 2021 landslide on Denali Park Road.
Another operational historic roadhouse is the rustic Gakona Lodge and Trading Post on Tok Cutoff Highway in the town of Gakona. Originally constructed in 1904 by Jim Doyle, the lodge changed hands several times. In 1929, a larger structure was erected and serves as the current lodge, along with three cabins. Trapper’s Den Tavern was added in 1962, and the Carriage House Restaurant is open seasonally. As with several other former roadhouses, the Gakona is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Take The Challenge
Alaska offers enough varied adventures and an untold diversity of landscapes to satisfy most visitors. But some of the richest understanding of the fabulous state can be gleaned when you explore its history. Immerse yourself in the lifestyle of the early-1900s Alaskans by visiting or staying in one of the remaining historical roadhouses. Why not try it?
If you are exploring Alaska in your own RV, you can find nearby campgrounds. Or, take a day off from camping and treat yourself to a night in one of these lodges. If nothing else, enjoy a meal in their café or restaurant.
Across The Miles
For decades, The Milepost has helped countless travelers navigate the North. This comprehensive guide provides mile-by-mile descriptions of highways and byways throughout Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, and Yukon — more than 15,000 miles in total. Updated annually, the 600-page-plus guide covers far-ranging topics. Among them: trip planning, road conditions, international border crossings, RV parks and campgrounds, fishing, ferries, wildlife viewing, fuel stops, restaurants, tourist attractions, trip itineraries, etc. The guide is available in print and digital editions. Visit www.themilepost.com to learn more.
Richardson Highway Campgrounds
Tonsina River Lodge
Mile 79
www.tonsinariverlodge.com
(907) 822-3000
Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site
Mile 79.5
https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/squircksrs.htm
(907) 822-5932
King For A Day Campground & Charters
Mile 100.5
https://www.akcharters.com
(907) 822-3092
Dry Creek State Recreation Site
Mile 117.5
https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/drycreeksrs.htm
(907) 205-0766
Sourdough Creek BLM Campground
Mile 147.5
www.blm.gov/visit/sourdough-creek-campground
(907) 822-3217
Meier’s Lake Roadhouse
Mile 170
www.mlroadhouse.com
(907) 822-3151
Paxson Lake BLM Campground
Mile 175
(907) 822-3217
www.blm.gov/visit/paxson-lake-campground
Delta State Recreation Site
Mile 267
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/deltasrs.htm
(907) 269-8700
Big Delta State Historical Park
Mile 274.5 Richardson Highway
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/bigdeltashp.htm
(907) 269-8700
Alaska Roadhouses
Rika’s Roadhouse Café & Gifts
Mile 274.5 Richardson Highway
Big Delta State Historical Park, Delta Junction
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/deltajct/bigdelta.htm
(907) 347-3801
Sullivan Roadhouse Historical Museum
Mile 266 Richardson Highway
Delta Junction
www.deltachamber.org/sullivanroadhouse.html
(907) 895-5068
The Lodge at Black Rapids
Mile 227.4 Richardson Highway
Delta Junction
www.lodgeatblackrapids.com
(907) 388-8391
Kantishna Roadhouse
Mile Marker 92
Denali National Park
Doyon Tourism Inc.
www.kantishnaroadhouse.com
(907) 374-3041
Old Town Copper Center Inn & Restaurant
Mile 101 Old Richardson Highway on Loop Road
Copper Center
www.oldtowncoppercenter.com
(907) 822-3245
Gakona Lodge and Trading Post
Mile 2 Tok Cutoff Highway
Gakona
www.gakonalodge.com
(907) 822-3482
Talkeetna Roadhouse
13550 E. Main St.
Talkeetna
www.talkeetnaroadhouse.com
(907) 733-1351