Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The following student research related to scenes in this film was provided in 2026 by a University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate within the Honors College:
Drawn by warmth, generations of people have flocked to Alaska's Circle Hot Springs, located in interior Alaska about 130 miles northeast of Fairbanks, or about 35 miles southwest of the town of Circle which is located on the Yukon River.
Scenes from the late 1940s/early 1950s show the now-closed Arctic Circle Hot Springs resort, and include images of automobiles, gardens, and small wood cabins.
According to the State of Alaska, Circle Hot Springs was first recorded by William Greats in 1893, but it had been known and used by indigenous Athabascan inhabitants long before. The land was bought as a homestead in 1909, and the hotel first opened in 1930. These clips, likely filmed in summer, show the garden, which was irrigated by the warm water and known for producing large and varied vegetables.
The site closed in 2002 and was shown for sale on Craigslist in 2016. During its time in operation, many people reported ghost sightings and other paranormal activity.
These scenes remind us that this land has been used and enjoyed by many people for hundreds, and thousands, of years.
Source & Format
Color, silent, 16mm film
Glen H. Starn Alaska Trucking Collection (AAF-360)
Alaska Film Archives
Repository
The Alaska Film Archives is a unit of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives Department, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contact
If you have additional information or can help further identify what’s seen here, we welcome your insights. Please contact us using the information in the “About” section.
Support the Alaska Film Archives
The Alaska Film Archives appreciates your support. Donations of any amount help us preserve and share Alaska’s audiovisual history. Visit the “About” section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help. Thank you!
The following student research related to scenes in this film was provided in 2026 by a University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate within the Honors College:
Drawn by warmth, generations of people have flocked to Alaska's Circle Hot Springs, located in interior Alaska about 130 miles northeast of Fairbanks, or about 35 miles southwest of the town of Circle which is located on the Yukon River.
Scenes from the late 1940s/early 1950s show the now-closed Arctic Circle Hot Springs resort, and include images of automobiles, gardens, and small wood cabins.
According to the State of Alaska, Circle Hot Springs was first recorded by William Greats in 1893, but it had been known and used by indigenous Athabascan inhabitants long before. The land was bought as a homestead in 1909, and the hotel first opened in 1930. These clips, likely filmed in summer, show the garden, which was irrigated by the warm water and known for producing large and varied vegetables.
The site closed in 2002 and was shown for sale on Craigslist in 2016. During its time in operation, many people reported ghost sightings and other paranormal activity.
These scenes remind us that this land has been used and enjoyed by many people for hundreds, and thousands, of years.
Source & Format
Color, silent, 16mm film
Glen H. Starn Alaska Trucking Collection (AAF-360)
Alaska Film Archives
Repository
The Alaska Film Archives is a unit of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives Department, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contact
If you have additional information or can help further identify what’s seen here, we welcome your insights. Please contact us using the information in the “About” section.
Support the Alaska Film Archives
The Alaska Film Archives appreciates your support. Donations of any amount help us preserve and share Alaska’s audiovisual history. Visit the “About” section of our YouTube channel to learn how you can help. Thank you!
