ABOUT WASILLA, ALASKA

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Located on the Alaska Railroad main line that runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Wasilla is about 45 miles north of Anchorage. It is situated between the Matanuska and Susitna valleys of southcentral Alaska. Automobile access is via the Parks Highway which, as does the railroad, connects Anchorage and Fairbanks. Over the past several years, it has been one of America's fastest growing cities. With a present population of just over 5,100, it is the largest city in the Mat-Su Borough (Alaska's fastest growing region). Corporate limits total only 13 square miles and next to Palmer, which is the smallest town in the borough, Wasilla is second smallest if one measures only area.

Wasilla is the center of commercial activity in the borough. Retail and shopping outlets abound in several malls and along the shopping strip; several statewide banks have outlets and service branches here, and utility, real estate, insurance and medical service organizations consider Wasilla their home base.

Commercial and industrial activities include steel fabrication, agriculture, concrete products, building materials distribution, millwork and building truss manufacture. Because of the location of several hundred small, private aircraft in the Wasilla-Palmer area, aircraft maintenance has also become a very important service. Of course, catering to the tourist trade is another huge enterprise in Wasilla. There will be found hotels, motels and bed and breakfast operations and in total, over 100 lodging rooms are available in the Greater Wasilla marketing area. A major opportunity for hotel/convention facilities exists in the Greater Wasilla market.

Many dining, recreational and entertainment facilities can be found in the business district and nearby.

Wasilla is nearly enveloped by the mountains of the Talkeetna and Chugach Ranges. The Wasilla plain features gentle rolling hills and flat moraines of glacial outwash materials. Lakes Lucille and Wasilla are prominent, popular, and located within the Wasilla city limits. Consequently both are heavily used in all seasons of the year. They offer water skiing, swimming, fishing and boating. Wintertime activities feature skating, ice boating, ice fishing snowmobiling and ice golf. A number of streams crisscross the area and provide excellent recreational opportunities of their own.

In 1993 the Chamber of Commerce and business community successfully lobbied for passage of a 2% retail sales tax. This tax has funded many of the improvements and infrastructure that make Wasilla one of the State's most progressive and self sufficient communities.

AREA HISTORY

As a "place," Wasilla history dates back only to 1917. At that time, the U.S. Government was offering town lots for sale prior to the construction of the Alaska Railroad, which was soon to come. The townsite was established at the point on the rail line where it would intersect with the Carle Wagon Road, today's Wasilla-Fishhook Road. The old wagon road linked the village of Knik with the Willow Creek Mining District. The fledgling town of Wasilla brought about the decline of Knik, although there is still a small neighborhood at Knik, which is a popular visitor point in the borough for history buffs.

As transportation improved access to and from Anchorage, the Wasilla life style and rural setting gradually influenced others into the "second home" market. The Parks Highway segment into Wasilla was finished in the 1970s and direct commuting to Anchorage became more popular. Consequently, hundreds of workers began the 45-minute drive to Anchorage and back each day and created hundreds of new residents and great demand for new services.  Entrepreneurialism became one of the basic distinguishing traits of Wasilla residents, and helped account for the strength of its Chamber of Commerce and several civic and social organizations

Wasilla incorporated in 1974 as a city of the First Class. It is governed by a six-member city council and an elected Mayor. It has the customary and usual powers of most Alaska towns and levies a property tax for city services such as law enforcement. Other municipal services include street maintenance, parks and recreation; water, sewer and solid waste treatment; airport, library, cemetery, museum, and visitor center; business licensing, and animal control.

State and federal units located in Wasilla are the Alaska Departments of Environmental Conservation, Labor; Divisions of Pubic Assistance, Social Services, and Mat-Su Legislative Information Office. Federal installations are the FAA Wasilla and Veterans Center.

AREA SCHOOLS

Schools are administered borough-wide by the Mat-Su Borough School District, serving 11,855 students. The system includes elementary middle, and junior-senior high schools. Monetary needs are borough financed by collection of property taxes and funding passed through from the State of Alaska. Elementary students attend Iditarod Elementary School at 801 N. Wasilla-Fishhook Road, Tanaina Elementary School at 2250 Lucille, and Snowshoe Elementary School at Mile 7.6 Fairview Loop Road.  Wasilla Middle School is located at 650 E. Bogard Road and the Wasilla High School is at 701 E. Bogard Road, in Wasilla. Mat-Su Alternative School is also located in Wasilla.