Fundraising for the future!

Independence Mine State Historical Park (IMSHP) is a cherished cultural and historical treasure in Alaska, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Unfortunately, the park’s buildings and pedestrian bridges are facing serious threats due to weather damage, lack of funding, and vandalism. These issues put the future of this landmark at risk, making immediate restoration efforts crucial.

Restoring IMSHP is vital not only to protect its rich history but also to ensure it remains a safe and inviting destination for visitors. While much of the preservation work is already underway thanks to funding from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, critical repairs are still needed to maintain the site’s historical integrity and enhance security for both the park and its visitors.

Your support is essential to help complete these efforts. By donating, you can be a part of preserving this iconic piece of Alaska’s heritage for generations to come. Every contribution, large or small, plays a vital role in keeping IMSHP alive and thriving. Help us protect this cultural gem and ensure its legacy endures.

Priority Projects
Why is it necessary? Structural integrity of the buildings and pedestrian bridges are at risk. Weather,
lack of funds, and susceptibility to vandalism make our need to complete the restoration work urgent.

DOORS AND WINDOWS
Window protection $258,750
Door Replacement $322,000
TOTAL $580,750

EXTERIOR PAINT
Mess Hall $187,450
4-Plex Apartment Building $106,950
Commissary $127,650
School House $146,050
Assay Office $102,350
TOTAL $670,450

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES
Replacement of 5 pedestrian bridges $745,200

Previous Work

Construction is underway at Independence Mine State Historical Park! You might have noticed Independence Mine State Historical Park has been getting some much needed attention recently. Crews began working on repairing and painting some of the most visible and used buildings in the complex in July 2024. This work is part of a multi-year rehabilitation project funded by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust that provides critical preservation work on four structures at IMSHP: the Mine Manager’s House, Bunkhouse #1 & #2, and the Mess Hall.

In 2022, the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation (MSTPF) received a $1.3 million dollar grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to partner with the Department of Natural Resources – Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR). Grant funding is being managed by the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation with oversight from the State Historic Preservation Office. Independence Mine State Historical Park Rehabilitation is being supported in part by the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

The focus of this project’s work is to repair exterior building degradation. Work includes repairing and repainting exterior siding, preserving and reinforcing windows and exterior doors, as well as improvements to foundation maintenance, and roof reconstruction of the Mine Manager’s house. Project work will improve security and increase protection of the buildings and artifacts that make IMSHP the historically significant site that it is today. The majority of the rehabilitation work will be completed in 2024.

Independence Mine State Historical Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Therefore, any work done on the buildings has to adhere to strict guidelines; ensuring the buildings keep the same look and feel of the period of significance for the mine. Thus, much research and attention goes into each aspect of the rehabilitation work. Take the color and type of paint used on the exterior siding of the buildings, for example. The State Historic Preservation Office has worked diligently sorting through historical records, and analyzing paint samples and reports. These samples were used to determine what paint to use in this project. Some buildings had over 14 layers of paint to analyze!

Today, Independence Mine State Historical Park (IMSHP) remains an iconic piece of Alaska mining history as well as a highly popular recreation site for Alaskans and visitors alike. In recent years, Independence Mine State Historical Park has seen hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

This project provides necessary improvements to the most visible and used buildings in the complex, and preserves a much loved cultural and natural resource for generations to come.