Pioneer Park

In late 1960/early 1961, the Pioneers of Alaska requested public land from the State of Alaska. The plan for the land was to create a tourist attraction that showed historical Alaska exhibits. The Pioneers of Alaska formed a non-profit Pioneer Memorial Park, Inc.) for the purpose of pursuing the Park project.

In 1965, the Alaska 67 or A-67 committee requested that the park be used for the 100th year celebration of Alaska’s purchase from Russia. A-67 requested federal funding to develop the Pioneer Memorial State Historical Park. A-67 subleased the Park from Pioneer Memorial Park Inc. and the Park was opened as “Alaska 67 Centennial Exposition”. In 1968 Pioneer Memorial Park, Inc. quitclaimed the Park to the State of Alaska. That same day the State quitclaimed the Park to the City of Fairbanks. On May 1, 1968, Mayor Red Boucher of Fairbanks signed a letter to the Prime Minister of Ottawa, Canada, stating, “Alaskaland” is the new name for the 40-acre Exposition resulting from the A-67 Centennial Site in Fairbanks last year.

In July 2002, the park was officially renamed from Alaskaland back to Pioneer Park in order to remove the persona of a “Disneyland” theme park experience.