Anchorage, Alaska (May 6, 2023) – Preservation Alaska announced their 2024 Eleven Most Endangered Historic Properties on Friday, May 3, to kick off Historic Preservation Month held during May. The annual list was announced on the organization’s Facebook page and will also be posted on their websites. This is the 33rd year that Preservation Alaska has announced the Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties annual list.  

This year, there are 11 properties on the list instead of the usual 10 properties. The organization’s review panel felt that the additional property was warranted. This is only the second time that the list was increased to eleven endangered properties.

The Wolf Creek Boatworks, located on Prince of Wales Island in Southeastern Alaska,  was ranked as the most endangered historic property this year.  The facility was rated the most endangered historic property due to  continuing pressure from the Alaska Mental Trust Authority to log off timber of over 1500 acres of land which includes the demolition of the historic buildings. 

The Wolf Creek Boatworks was caught up in a congressionally approved land allotment of USFS land. The nomination of the facility to the National Register for Historic Places was recently approved by the Alaska Historical Commission. The application is pending being forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).  

The Trust has been offered money and/or a land swap to save the facility to no avail. Another most endangered historic property on this year’s list owned by the Alaska Mental Health Trust is the Hi Yu Stamp Mill located outside of Fairbanks.  Preservation Alaska is hopeful that this historic site can be fully documented before it is gone forever.

There is a national 11 Most Endangered Historic Properties list. That was announced on May 1.  Another Alaska property was listed this year. The Sitka Indian Village was included in this year’s national list and it was included in this year’s Preservation Alaska list. While most properties listed are individual buildings, the Indian Village includes several clan houses and other buildings. The historic Yates Memorial Hospital located in Ketchikan was featured on a previous list.

The 2024 list includes:

#1 – Wolf Creek Boatworks, Prince of Wales Island
#2 – Pilgrim Hot Springs, Nome
#3 – Ascension Church of Our Lord Karluk
#4 – Chitina Emporium Chitina
#5 – Hi Yu Stamp Mill, Fairbanks
#6 – Bishop Rowe Chapel, Arctic Village
#7 – Bristol Bay Boats - Naknek
#8 – SS Nenana Sternwheeler Riverboat, Fairbanks
#9 – Eldred Rock Lighthouse, Lynn Canal
#10 – Pioneer Hall, Ketchikan
#11 – Sitka Indian Village, Sitka


The video was posted on the group’s Facebook page and can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/V7z-S3Bzm1s.  The video and the presentation are  also on the their website at PreservationAlaska.org. The full nomination with photos on each property is included.

This annual list is intended to bring public awareness to Alaska’s threatened historic properties. Heightened awareness often leads to increased support for the conservation of endangered historic properties, which are assets important to tourism, economic development, and the cultural heritage of Alaska.  Alaska Association for Historic Preservation (now rebranded as Preservation Alaska) has been identifying the Most Endangered Historic Properties since 1991.

The Ten Most Endangered Grant Program funds hands-on preservation work on endangered properties serving as seed money to leverage funding from other sources. One matching grant is awarded each year. The program calls attention to threatened properties that define our great state, the people that live here, and the heritage we share. The nominations for this program are submitted by individuals and organizations living throughout Alaska and vetted through the organization’s review committee.

Preservation Alaska is working on an endowment fund to be able to award larger grants or more than one grant each year. Donations for the grant program are welcome. The 2024 Sponsors include: Nvision Architecture, Kuchar Construction, LLC, HZA Engineering Solutions, BBFM Engineers, Inc. and Northwind Architecture and Design.

Founded in 1982 as a private, nonprofit corporation, AAHP is dedicated to the preservation of Alaska’s prehistoric and historic cultural resources.   To donate to the Grant Program or learn more about Preservation Alaska, please contact Trish Neal at 907-929-9870, at AKPreservation@gmail.com or visit their website at www.AlaskaPreservation.org