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Brief History
The first
permanent residents of Soldotna were World War II Veterans,
given a 90-day preference over non-veterans in selecting and
filing for homestead property in 1947. That same year, the
Sterling Highway right-of-way was bulldozed from Cooper
Landing to Kenai. Soldotna was selected as the site for the
Sterling Highway Bridge crossing the Kenai River.
The
opening of the Sterling Highway provided a link to the outside
world. The highway opened up the region to more homesteading
and brought visiting sportsmen to the area for the first time.
Soldotna’s first post office opened in 1949, with stores and a
community center following shortly thereafter.
In 1957,
oil was discovered in the Swanson River region, bringing new
development to the Kenai Peninsula. In 1960, Soldotna incorporated as a
fourth class city with a population of 332. The first Mayor of
Soldotna was Don Wilson. A new post office and airport were
constructed in 1962. With the approval of first class city
status in 1967, Soldotna borrowed the funds necessary to
establish a $2.3 million water and sewer system.
During the growth years of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Soldotna
established itself as a service center for the Borough, the
site for Central Peninsula General Hospital, the Kenai
Peninsula College, the Alaska State Trooper Headquarters, the
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and the administrative
headquarters for the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Soldotna has
become an important administrative hub for the Central
Kenai Peninsula.
Our Community
The City of Soldotna -
"Caring for the River and Each Other"
Soldotna -- Where the Kenai River flows through a vital
community which provides a safe, friendly home; where citizens
take pride and responsibility for their extraordinary quality of
life; visitors feel welcome and aspire to return.
Soldotna is one of the few places in the United States where the
epic saga of Western expansion, homesteading, land clearing,
road building, civic growth, and development have occurred
within the lifetime of most long-term residents. The parents of many
of the Soldotna civic leaders homesteaded here after World War
II, helped construct the Sterling Highway and the bridge over
the Kenai River, and actively participated in the growth and
development of the community.
Soldotna's seasonal population varies widely,
expanding during the summer season to accommodate various
recreation activities
and tourists. In fact, on busy summer weekends, the entire
population of the Kenai Peninsula Borough can more than double,
as Anchorage-area residents descend to the Kenai for
fishing and other outdoor activities. |
