Badger, Alaska, is close to the ghost town of Chena -- once a thriving place in the early 20th century.
Back in the day, Badger boasted several hundred inhabitants
Badger, Alaska, is close to the ghost town of Chena -- once a thriving place in the early 20th century.
Back in the day, Badger boasted several hundred inhabitants. However, in just a short space of time, the number of people living in town had dropped significantly. Peaking to 400 in 1907, the town's population kept falling over the years until there were only 20 inhabitants living in the locale in 1920. Now the former town is included as a quiet, if not lonely, suburb of Fairbanks.
Badger, Alaska, itself, is pretty thriving, considering its population is almost 20,000, according to the last reports in the 2010 U.S. Census. The community is situated in close proximity to the center of the state, and is one of the census designated places (CDPs) that form the North Star County borough of metro Fairbanks.
Comprised of just over 65 square miles, Badger has almost 300 inhabitants residing in each square mile. Therefore, people apparently don't mind congregating close together in the snowy enclave. Of course, being close to one another also serves to keep everyone warm - never something to scoff at wherever you are at in Alaska.
Badger's CDP status means that is isn't incorporated like villages, towns, and cities. If it was incorporated though, Badger would easily be considered a city. However, the former suburb is not likely to take on the role anytime soon. Because of Badger's close proximity to Fairbanks, becoming a city might present too much of a conflict. After all, people like to live peacefully up north.
If you are looking for a condo for rent or Badger rental properties, you can search for apartments online and find rental houses as well as, say, a 1 bedroom apartment in a duplex. Nice properties abound in Badger, and, as a bonus, the landlord even pays the heat for some of the residences - a premium amenity when you are searching for a place to stay in the cold parts of Alaska.
Badger is just one of the CDPs created from the outlying areas and suburbs that surround the Fairbanks area. Some of these locales include such rural-friendly places as Two Rivers, Chena Ridge, and Moose Creek. Therefore, Badger can be considered a neighborhood in and of itself. Because of its rural nature and because it was once considered a suburb, Badger is not represented by different communities. Yes, there is a north, south, east, and west side. But Badger has not taken on the sophisticated air that often results in divvying up locations into separate neighborhoods.
Well-maintained and neat are apt descriptions for many rental units in Badger. Heated arctic entrances in some of the units permit extra room for the removal of coat and boots. Plus, many of the residences feature additional space in the living area for a big-screen TV as well an oversized couch. Units frequently include large walk-in closets, mini blinds, and shelves for linens in the bath.
If you live in an apartment complex, you will usually have access to a nicely kept communal area. You may also find extra roomy garage stalls (about a foot across and 30 feet deep), for storing both adults and kids' sporting and recreational equipment. Washer and dryer hookups are the norm as are kitchen appliances, such as a microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator. Happily, you don't have to shoot a bear and cook it over a rustic fireplace.
Badger Weather
When it comes to the weather -- well, unless if you've lived a good part of your life in a cave, you probably have figured out that Badger is pretty snowy and cold for most of the year. However, the good news is that the area hasn't ever suffered from any tornado damage or been the victim of an inadvertent mudslide.
Earthquakes!
However, that being, said, Badger has experienced about 66 earthquakes since the late 1930s. The earthquake, in fact, that generated the most ground-shaking tremors occurred in 1937, and hovered around 7.0 on the Richter scale. The most recent quakes occurred in the late '60s. So, Badger hasn't seen a major temblor in a while.
The area is also close to a volcano, situated adjacent to Buzzard Creek. However, this piece of rock hasn't been active since caveman days. As a result, you probably can find some glaciers that exhibit more activity than the volcano near Buzzard Creek.
Popular Eateries
Popular eateries close to Badger include the Pump House Restaurant and Saloon, Los Amigos, and the Ichiban Noodle Restaurant. If your tastes are more provincial, you can always stop in at the Alaska Burger Cabin for a hot dog or burger and fries. All the restaurants are located in Fairbanks.
