Pre 1898

No know Native settlements or camps; land bisected by one road, Chena Road that led from Chena to the gold fields to the north, and one trail that led from Chena Road to Smiths Lake.

1904

Citizens of Fairbanks petition the US Government to establish an experiment station in Fairbanks

Mar 22, 1906

Land surveyed by C.C. Georgeson in 1905 was reserved and set apart for the use of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the purposes of an agricultural experiment station included most of, but not all (1393.97 acres), sections 6,31,1, and 36

1908

First land cleared in North campus area for agricultural experimentation (potato field)

1911

Roads constructed into the north campus area for access to agricultural lands; land cleared near Smith Lake for agricultural experimentation, now the T-field; longest continuously cultivated land in Alaska

Mar 4, 1915

Sections 6, 31, 1 and 36 were granted to the Territory of Alaska as the site of an agricultural college and school of mines except for any land in these sections previously claimed under Homestead Act or other laws, and land not abandoned by the Dept of Agriculture could continue to be used for an experiment station.

May 3, 1917

The Legislature of the Territory of Alaska established the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines (AAC&SM)

Oct 25, 1923

Contract between the Department of Agriculture and Board of Trustees, AAC&SM, that split the land grant sections allowing the experiment station to expand to the entire 2 sections (not just the portion surveyed by Georgeson) of 1 and 36; the easterly sections 6 and 31 were abandoned by the Dept of Agriculture to be used as the AAC&SM. Signed by President Coolidge

Feb 23, 1929

(Federal Register) Benefits of the Hatch Act and Smith-Lever act extended to the Territory of Alaska (this basically provided for a partnership of funding between the territory and the feds for funding of the experiment station and all other benefits of those acts. BUT it wasn’t until 1931 when money was finally appropriated and with a catch:

Feb 23, 1931

Funds appropriated to extend benefits of the Hatch Act and Smith –Lever Act provided that all lands, buildings, etc. now used by the Department of Agriculture experiment stations be turned over to the AAC&SM (I think this means the Territory received the benefits of Hatch in 1929, but $$ were finally appropriated in 1931 with the proviso that everything be turned over to the AAC&SM).

1932

First major recreational trail, portion of Skarland Trail, begun

May 22, 1946

Assistant Secretary of Agriculture turned over to the University of Alaska all experiment station lands

May 25, 1950

Board of regents approved Dr. Terris Moore’s recommendation that an area of 100 yards around Smith Lake be made a park with no cutting of trees permitted (it actually doesn’t say wildlife refuge, but a park.)

1950

Ballaine Lake Research Area established by UAF Geophysical Insitute

mid 1950s through 1960s

9-mile trail, 12-mine trail, Miller Hill trail established

1963

First Equinox marathon

1964

Exotic Tree Plantation contract between USDA Forest Service and UAF; currently maintained by SNRAS (SALRM)

1967

47 acres fenced into the Biological Research Reserve for research by Institute of Arctic Biology

May 16-18 1968

Board of Regents approved establishment of a Boreal Arboretum

1980

Memorandum of Understanding between UAF and Fairbanks North Star Borough to preserve and protect historic trails and connections with other non-campus trails (this is from Skarland trails plan. I haven’t gotten a copy of the MOA yet)

1981

Alaska Department of Fish and Game helps establish shooting range

1994

Synthetic Aperture Radar Antenna (SARII) construction agreement between UAF and NASA

Sept 24, 1997

20-year agreement between US Geological Survey and UAF for College International Geophysical Observatory (CIGO)