Northern Commercial Company - Fairbanks AK
N 64° 50.615 W 147° 43.331
6W E 465745 N 7191217
This historical marker preserves the history of the Northern Commercial Company, which played a huge role in opening the interior of Alaska to settlement from its foothold in Fairbanks
Waymark Code: WM16WPG
Location: Alaska, United States
Date Posted: 10/19/2022
Views: 1
This historical marker is located along First Avenue in downtown Fairbanks, near the Key Bank Building across from the Cheana River.
The marker reads as follows:
"HISTORIC FAIRBANKS
NORTHERN COMMERCIAL COMPANY
The flag of the Northern Commercial Company - a white and red banner initialed NC Co - was once as well known to Alaskans as the state flag is today.
For many years the main store of the company did business from the Fairbanks waterfront. The story of the merchant empire of the company is closely connected with the opening of Alaska.
Following the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, Alaskan traders purchased Russian interests in Alaska. The Alaska Commercial Company soon dominated trade in Alaska. In 1880 it had stations along the Yukon River at Anvik, Russian Mission, Andreafsky, Kotlik, Shageluk, Nulato, and Fort Yukon. In 1891, the North American Trading and Transportation Company (NAT&T) began to challenge the Alaska Commercial Company’s pre-eminence. After the boom, the Alaska Commercial Company reorganized as the Northern Commercial Company. In 1903 the organization purchased E. T. Barnette’s trading post in Fairbanks and built its flagship store along the Chena River. In 1922 the company was taken over by Volney Richmond, former clerk for the old Alaska Commercial Company and manager of the Fairbanks store.
For many years the Fairbanks store generated electricity for Fairbanks, operated a machinery store, sold automobiles, washing machines, dry goods of all sorts, and prospecting and mining supplies, and ran riverboats and stagecoach lines. It delivered mail to residents of Interior Alaska and even dabbled in telecommunications when it sponsored WLAY of Fairbanks, Alaska’s first commercial news and entertainment radio station in 1922. The Fairbanks store remained the city’s foremost department store until the early 1970s.
[photo caption] Right: By the 1930s the NC Company had modernized its storefront with plate glass windows. Visible in the background are the twin stacks of the NC power plant.
[photo caption] Below left: The view west on First Avenue shows the N.C. Co. store and post office in 1906.
[photo caption] Below right: In 1917 the N.C. stage line departs with a group of hardy travelers."
Marker Name: The Northern Commercial Company
Marker Type: City
Addtional Information:
This triangular kiosk holds three marker, only 2 of which were visible on our visit.
Date Dedicated / Placed: unknown
Marker Number: n/a
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Visit Instructions:
Preferred would be to post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Alaska history please include that in your log.