Willow Alaska,Then & Now

Willow Alaska started as a tent city
when gold was discovered on Willow
Creek in 1897.
A 25 mile road was constructed to access
a mine and is what is now Willow Fishook Rd.

The Talkeetna trail was established
going North to Talkeetna which
was the early version of the George Parks
Highway we have today.

The size and scope of the Willow Airport
is from WW2 as an alternate airfield
in case Anchorage came under Japanese
bombardment or invasion.

One old guy here told me when i was in
my mid twenties that he worked on
P-51 mustangs as a mechanic when
he was 18.
He said theyre crap planes liquid cooled
and losed the cooling to enemy fire and the 
carft goes down.But as long as theyre not
under fire the 8 50 caliber guns reign 
down HELL on the enemy.

Ive flown this plane in IL2-Sturmovik 1946
a WW2 flight sim i still enjoy to this day
from the Windows XP era and that mustang
is fast sleek and powerful til the flak cannons
get you....There are 120 flyable planes.
DX9c graphics.

In 1976 Alaskans voted to move the State
Capital to Willow which caused many to 
speculate on land but in 1982 funding 
ran dry to a lost election.

The first post office was established
in 1948 and the original building still
stands on Willow Station road..

Willow is now the Official Restart
for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
which draws thousands of people and
the big open field is a parking lot.
Willow residents and I myself
just take a snowmachine or Sled
as we call it to the restart.

I dont attend anymore....too many people.

Willow has the Winter Carnival
the last weekend of January and the
first weekend of Februaury and many
crafters get booths and I used to sell
my handmade beeswax candles as
a vendor.

Finally The Pie Auction.....Man i used
to buy pies and cakes and clear my
table and just give it away a slice a
person....before Cancer in 2004 took
my pie money...

I will say in 2005 i still had candles to
sell and the cancer survivors came to
my table and each one introduced
themselves,told me their story and
each man shook my hand and said,
Welcome to Willow,I was really
honored and humbled by that day.

Willow come May 12 2024 will have
been my home for 30 years.
Ive come a long way from
Brother Francis and Beans Cafe.

Next summer Im getting out my
slab melters and my final 100 pounds
of beeswax and making candles 
once again,I want a newer car with
lower miles as mine is 30 years old
come the first of the year and yeah,
maybe i will buy a pie again.

Peace BigT