Camp 27, Matanuska Branch, A.E.C. Railway, Looking North
AEC G291 PS Hunt. Verso: Alaska Railroad - Matanuska Branch, King [tents and buildings in winter, with wood piles, clearcut area in right foreground].
AEC G291 PS Hunt. Verso: Alaska Railroad - Matanuska Branch, King [tents and buildings in winter, with wood piles, clearcut area in right foreground]
The development of the Alaska Railroad had a profound negative impact on Alaska Native Peoples. Although it was intended to connect communities across the state, the construction of the railroad led to an influx of new populations, the destruction of thousands of acres of pristine land, the creation of pollution where there was none, and in some cases, the diversion of waterways that disrupted salmon populations—an essential food source for Alaska Native Peoples. These destructive changes disrupted the Ahtna way of life, and their lasting effects continue to influence the work of the Tribe's Environmental Stewardship Department, which is dedicated to reversing this damage.
The Kings River section of the Alaska Railroad lies within the ancestral homelands of of Nay'dini'aa Na' Kayax (Chickaloon Native Village). Although these lands were never ceded, the Tribe, along with the broader Ahtna community, work collaboratively to ensure these lands are responsibly stewarded and that their history is appropriately acknowledged.