North Pole Alaska

Alaska’s Version of the North Pole

Bon Davis homesteaded the area in 1944. Dahl and Gaske Development Company later bought the Davis homestead, subdivided it, and named it North Pole. They hoped to attract a toy manufacturer that would advertise products as being made in North Pole. The Santa Claus House was subsequently developed by Con Miller and his family. North Pole is renowned as the “home of Santa Claus.” Letters from children all over the world are mailed to North Pole at Christmas each year. Its biggest attraction is a gift shop named Santa Claus House, the modern-day incarnation of a trading post established in the town’s early days. The Santa Claus House is known for the world’s largest fiberglass statue of Santa Claus outside.

The City of North Pole website.

The city is a summertime attraction for tourists visiting nearby Fairbanks and, due to its location on the Richardson Highway, those traveling to and from the Alaska Highway and Valdez. North Pole is home to two oil refineries, the town’s major industry aside from tourism. The larger refinery, operated by Flint Hills Resources, is a major source of jet fuel for Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Tanker car traffic on the Alaska Railroad, entering and leaving the refinery, frequently bisects the city.

Location:

North Pole is located 14 miles southeast of Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway.

Access:

The Richardson Highway

Accommodations:

One hotel (12 rooms), 2 restaurants.