Willow, Alaska
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Willow is a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Matanuska-Susitna Borough (often referred to as the Mat-Su Borough) is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its borough seat is Palmer, and the largest community is the census-designated place of Knik-Fairview. As of the 2020 census ...
in the U.S. state of
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
. Located 26 miles northwest from
Wasilla Wasilla ( Dena'ina: ''Benteh'') is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States, and the fourth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part ...
along the
George Parks Highway The George Parks Highway (numbered Interstate A-4 and signed Alaska Route 3), usually called simply the Parks Highway, runs 323 miles (520 km) from the Glenn Highway 35 miles (56 km) north of Anchorage to Fairbanks in the Alaska In ...
, it is part of the
Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2020 census the population was 2,196, up from 2,102 in 2010.


History

The community got its start in 1897 when miners discovered gold on Willow Creek. Ships and boats brought supplies and equipment up
Cook Inlet Cook Inlet (; Sugpiaq language, Sugpiaq: ''Cungaaciq'') stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding ...
, landing at Knik or
Tyonek Tyonek or Present / New Tyonek ( Dena'ina: ''Qaggeyshlat'' - ″little place between toes") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census the population was 152, down from 171 in ...
. From Knik, a 26-mile summer trail went northwesterly. The trail along Willow Creek heading east became Hatcher Pass Road, currently an adventurous scenic road used during the summer tour season. In 1920, the
Alaska Railroad The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad that operates freight and passenger trains in the state of Alaska. The railroad's mainline runs between Seward, Alaska, Seward on the southern coast and Fairbanks, Alaska, Fairbanks, near the center of ...
built its Willow station house at mile 185.7 along the tracks leading from Seward to Fairbanks.Dictionary of Alaska Place Names During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, a radar warning station and airfield were built near the railroad tracks; a post office was established in 1948.AK DCRA Community Overview By 1954, Willow Creek was Alaska's largest
gold mining Gold mining is the extraction of gold by mining. Historically, mining gold from Alluvium, alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning. The expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface has led to mor ...
district, with a total production approaching 18 million dollars. Around 1970, before construction of the
Parks Highway The George Parks Highway (numbered Interstate A-4 and signed Alaska Route 3), usually called simply the Parks Highway, runs 323 miles (520 km) from the Glenn Highway 35 miles (56 km) north of Anchorage to Fairbanks in the Alaska In ...
, Willow had a population of 78 until land disposals, homestead subdivisions, and completion of the George Parks Highway in 1972 fueled growth in the area.Community Overview In 1976, Alaskans elected to move the state capital from
Juneau Juneau ( ; ), officially the City and Borough of Juneau, is the capital of the U.S. state of Alaska, located along the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle. Juneau was named the capital of Alaska in 1906, when the government of wha ...
to Willow in an effort to improve access for Alaskans while keeping the capital out of Anchorage, the largest city. Landscape architect M. Paul Friedberg created a master plan for the city as part of one such proposal. This fueled interest and land speculation in the area. However, funding to enable the capital move was defeated in the November 1982 election. As a result, Juneau remains the state capital. More than half of the 1,500 cabins around Willow are for seasonal use. Nearly all of the occupied homes in Willow are fully plumbed, using individual on-site
water well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
s,
septic tank A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic through which domestic wastewater (sewage) flows for basic sewage treatment. Settling and anaerobic digestion processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatment ...
s and drain fields. Willow is now the official host of the
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod (), is an annual long-distance sled dog race held in Alaska in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome. Mushers and a team of between 12 and 16 dogs, of which at lea ...
restart. In June 2015, a large wildfire burned thousands of acres of wilderness, numerous structures and forced the closure of the
George Parks Highway The George Parks Highway (numbered Interstate A-4 and signed Alaska Route 3), usually called simply the Parks Highway, runs 323 miles (520 km) from the Glenn Highway 35 miles (56 km) north of Anchorage to Fairbanks in the Alaska In ...
, severing the road link between Anchorage and Fairbanks.


Geography

Willow is located at (61.769345, -149.991065). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the CDP has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (1.16%) is water. By area, it is the largest CDP in the United States.


Climate

Willow has a
subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...
with long and cold winters and mild summers. Whites Crossing is a weather station near Willow, situated at an elevation of 270 ft (82 m).


Demographics

Willow first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Willow Station." It next appeared in 1960 and in every successive census as Willow. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.


2020 census

At the 2020 census, there were 2,196 people, 717 households, and 431 families in the CDP. The population density was , with 2,228 housing units at an average density of .


2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 2,102 people, 893 households, and 572 families residing in the CDP. The population density was , with 1,912 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 1,908 (90.77%) White, 109 (5.19%) Native American, 17 (0.81%) Asian, 2 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 6 (0.29%) from other races, and 60 (2.85%) from two or more races. 27 (1.28%) of the population were Hispanic or Latino. There were 893 households, of which 212 (23.74%) had children under the age of 18 living with them, 487 (54.54%) were married opposite-sex couples living together, 38 (4.26%) had a female householder with no husband present, 62 (6.94%) were unmarried opposite-sex couples, 4 (0.45%) were unmarried same-sex couples, and 321 (35.95%) were non-families. 257 (28.78%) of all households were made up of individuals, and 78 (8.73%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34, and the average family size was 2.86. The population was spread out, with 439 (20.9%) under the age of 18, 126 (6.0%) aged 18 to 24, 442 (21.03%) aged 25 to 44, 786 (37.39%) aged 45 to 64, and 309 (14.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.5 males.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,658 people, 654 households, and 438 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 1,530 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.40%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 3.08% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 3.86% from two or more races. 1.27% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 654 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.2 males. Of residents age 18 and over, there were 119.3 males for every 100 females. The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,906, and the median income for a family was $41,944. Males had a median income of $42,188 versus $29,792 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the CDP was $22,323. About 15.3% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 38.1% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.


State Parks

A few miles north of Willow is the
Alaska State Parks Alaska’s state park system is managed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. The system contains over 120 units spanning 3,427,895 acres, making it far larger than any other state park system i ...
Willow Creek State Recreation Area, a park which features a large campground and access to one of the busiest
salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...
fishing areas in the state. Other area parks include
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area Nancy Lake State Recreation Area is a park near Willow, Alaska, Willow in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough of Alaska. Founded on July 6, 1966, and set aside specifically for recreational use, the park is home to more than a hundred lakes as well a ...
and the Montana Creek State Recreation Site, an park with a campground.Montana Creek SRS
Alaska Department of Natural Resources The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is a department within the government of Alaska in the United States. The department has the mission of responsibly developing Alaska's resources by making them available for maximum use and benefit c ...
One end of the road to
Hatcher Pass Hatcher Pass (3,886 ft or 1,148 m) is a mountain pass through the southwest part of the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska. It is named after Robert Hatcher, a prospector and miner. The nearest cities are Palmer and Wasilla approximately to ...
is in Willow. Willow lake has great Char fishing and a library on its shoreline.


People

Due to its outlying location and access to trails, Willow has become a popular destination for a number of notable dog mushers.
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod (), is an annual long-distance sled dog race held in Alaska in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome. Mushers and a team of between 12 and 16 dogs, of which at lea ...
competitors DeeDee Jonrowe,
Beverly Masek Beverly L. "Bev" Masek (née Jerue) (born September 30, 1963) is an Alaska Native and an American former dog sled racer, and businesswoman. She was a Republican politician who served in the state legislature for several terms. Early life, educ ...
and Iditarod winner
Dallas Seavey Dallas Seavey (born March 4, 1987Deseret NewsDallas Seavey is youngest musher to win Iditarod March 14, 2012. URL last accessed 2012-10-29.) is an American dog musher, and is the only musher to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across the U.S ...
have established their residence and dog kennels in Willow. Masek also represented Willow and the surrounding area in the
Alaska House of Representatives The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of approximately 17,756 people pe ...
from 1995 to 2005.
John Gourley John Baldwin Gourley (born June 12, 1981) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter from Alaska. He is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Portugal. The Man, with the hit song "Feel It Still". Gourley was previously the le ...
, lead singer and guitarist of
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
-winning American rock band "
Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man is an Alaskan rock band from Wasilla, Alaska and based in Portland, Oregon. The group consists of John Baldwin Gourley, Zach Carothers, Kyle O'Quin, Eric Howk and Zoe Manville. Gourley and Carothers met and began playing music t ...
" was born in Willow, Alaska.


References

{{authority control Anchorage metropolitan area Census-designated places in Alaska Census-designated places in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska Mining communities in Alaska Populated places established in 1897