Camp 27, Matanuska Branch, A.E.C. Railway, Looking South
AEC G290 P.S. Hunt. Verso: Alaska Railroad - Matanuska Branch, King [buildings in winter, clearcut area in foreground]
AEC G290 P.S. Hunt. Verso: Alaska Railroad - Matanuska Branch, King [buildings in winter, clearcut area in 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.