elcome to For More Information W Milepost 275 Richardson Highway P.O. Box 318 Communication Delta Junction, AK 99737 Imagine sending an email or text message and 907-451-2695 waiting one year for it to reach its intended www.alaskastateparks.org audience and receive a response—in 1900 that is Rika’s Roadhouse Café & Gifts how long it took the U.S. Army in interior Open Daily from 10:00am to 4pm, to communicate with their headquarters in May 15 to Labor Day Washington, D.C. To speed up communications, Seasonal Phone: 907-895-4201 the U.S. Army built the Washington to Alaska Cell: 507-884-9103 Military Cable and Telegraph System (WAMCATS) ig elta [email protected] B D in 1903. The telegraph station at Big Delta was State Historical Park named McCarty Station after the owner of the trading post.

Soldiers were stationed every 20 to 40 miles along the line and endured lonely and harsh conditions. Their assignment was, perhaps, more tolerable at McCarty Station because of its location on the —supplies arrived here fi rst and were Rika Wallen and Marnie Washburn outside the barn, sometime in the early 1920s then distributed to other stations. Harold Washburn Collection, Delta Historical Society The U.S. Army allowed civilians to use the telegraph, which provided vital communication for settlers, miners, and travelers. Big Delta remained an importantmpop rtannt cocommunicationmmuniccatation ststationattioion when radio andnd tthenhen tettelephoneselephhones rreplacedepplacec d the WAMCATS.SS.

Oxen at Big Delta Harold Washburn Collection, Delta Historical Society A construction team embarking Big Delta State Historical Park is in the National from McCarty Station Register of Historic Places. The Delta Historical Societyty UAF Archives, Edward R. McFarland ika’s oadhouse Photographs, UAF-1974-130-73 R R maintains historical displays throughout the park. The “Grizzly Gang” UAF Archives, Edward R. McFarland Photographs, UAF-1974-130-78 Alaska State Parks Roadhouse & Homestead In 1904, entrepreneur Ben Bennett built a trading roadhouse and homestead, a river post and roadhouse near this Native winter camp to Aand road, a telegraph and radio— provide travelers, miners, and trappers with supplies when interwoven, these threads create and shelter. Bennett soon sold his holding to Daniel a rich and colorful tapestry at Big Delta McCarty and it became known as the McCarty State Historical Park. Big Delta has been Trading Post. Fourteen non-Native people lived signifi cant in the development of interior around the trading post by 1906. Alaska for over 100 years.

McCarty Trading Post John Hajdukovich Ted Lowell Collection, Delta Hotorical Society John Hajdukovich, from Yugoslavia, arrived at Big Delta in 1906 to rior to European exploration and seek his fortune in the nearby gold-rich hills. Hajdukovich acquired the Psettlement, Athabascans traveled trading post and roadhouse in 1909 and had a new roadhouse built. here during fall to benefi t from the By 1913, the roadhouse was the center of activity for miners, traders, Tanana River’s chum salmon runs. They freighters, military personnel, hunters, and trappers. Hajdukovich lived overwintered and left for their summer and worked in this area for almost sixty years. He died in 1965 at age 86. camps in spring. When U.S. Army explorers passed through here in the late 1800s, it was during summer—they Rika Wallen reported seeing Native dwellings, but no In 1917, John Hajdukovich occupants. hired Swedish-born Rika Wallen to run his business. She bought the roadhouse in 1923 for “$10.00 and other considerations.” Rika’s Roadhouse was open year- round, catering to travelers in summer and locals in winter. Rika raised livestock and grew vegetables and fruits, which allowed her to serve fresh produce, eggs, milk, and meat. Rika ran the roadhouse until the mid- View of roadhouse from river bank 1940s; she died in 1969 and Harold Washburn Collection, Delta Historical Society John Hajdukovich Rika Wallen is buried on the grounds. John Hajdukovich Collection, Photo Courtesy of Ted Lowell, Delta Delta Historical Society Hotorical Society g n i ) d l s m n i e t f u u o i g i e t b a G s t r a

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– — — Society Historical on, Delta Ɵ —————Transportation————– —————Communication———— —Roadhouses and Homesteading— Legend Interpretation Features Pipeline Doc Cripe and his dogs, Big Delta Collec Washburn Harold TTransportationransportation Timeline 1800s—Native Athabaskan winter camp After gold was discovered near Fairbanks in 1903, 1896—Klondike gold discovery prospectors traveled to the discovery using a series of Native trails later named the Valdez to 11902—902—Army Lieutenant William “Billy” Mitchell explores for telegraph line Fairbanks Trail. The Alaska Road Commission (ARC) improved the route to a 10-foot-wide dog 1903—Fairbanks gold discovery team and packhorse trail and then to a summer 11903—903—WAMCATS begins operating wagon road. The ARC also installed a ferry at Big 11903—903—Prospectors travel on local trails from Delta to allow travelers safe passage across the Valdez to Fairbanks Tanana River. 11904—904—Ben Bennett builds trading post and roadhouse Model T with banner “Fairbanks, Chitina, Valdez! or Bust” Even with improvements, traveling through the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, Crary Henderson Collection, B62.1A.83 11905—905—Daniel McCarty purchases trading post region was challenging. During winter, travelers 11905—905—Alaska Road Commission establishes Valdez experienced cold temperatures, deep snow, to Fairbanks Trail and installs ferry blizzards, and avalanches; during summer, Richardson Highway 11906—906—John Hajdukovich arrives at Big Delta marshy terrain, raging rivers, forest fi res, and 11907—907—WAMCATS McCarty Station opens relentless bugs. Many travelers turned around 11909—909—Hajdukovich acquires trading post before reaching Fairbanks—some experienced 1913—Gold discovery at Chisana hypothermia, frostbite, and even death. 11913—913—First automobile over trail ARC road improvements eventually allowed for 11913—913—Hajdukovich has new roadhouse built automobiles. By 1926, the trip from Valdez to 11914—914—ARC outbuilding constructed Fairbanks could be accomplished in two days. 11917—917—Rika Wallen arrives at Big Delta The road—Alaska’s fi rst highway—was named the McCarty/Grundler Station 11925—925—WAMCATS McCarty Station closes National Archives, 111-SC-91657 Still Pictures Richardson Highway to honor the fi rst head of the 11926—926—Radio replaces telegraph ARC, Wilds P. Richardson. 11926—926—Wallen adds new wing on roadhouse 11927—927—Trail designated and becomes Richardson In the 1940s, realignment of the Richardson Highway Highway to meet the new high-truss steel bridge 11935—935—McCarty Station turned over to ARC bypassed Rika’s Roadhouse rendering the ferry 11937—937—ARC installs scales at ferry crossing obsolete. With the completion of the Alcan Highway, the population of Big Delta moved 11938—938—Army builds airfi eld at Big Delta to the junction of the Alcan and Richardson 11942—942—Army constructs Alcan Highway highways, signaling the end of an era. 11943—943—High-truss steel bridge built across Tanana River, Richardson Highway realigned—ferry is rendered obsolete 11965—965—John Hajdukovich dies 11969—969—Rika Wallen dies 1976—Rika’s Roadhouse listed in National Register The 97th Regiment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, comprised of 400 black soldiers, constructed the northern of Historic Places segment of the Alcan Highway. They camped at Big Delta December 1942 through April 1943 while repairing the 1991—Big Delta Historic District listed in National wooden bridge. Register of Historic Places Courtesy of William Griggs

Ferry at Big Delta, circa 1910-1920 Museum of History & Industry, #SHS 17416