What the record shows
The federal survey describes the site: on N bank of Tanana River, 1 mi. W of mouth of Chena River and 7 mi. SW of Fairbanks, Tanana Low.
"Name derived from the Chena River and reported in 1903 by T. G. Gerdine and R. B. Olive (in Prindle, 1905, pl. 16). The village was called ""Chena Junction"" because it was the south terminus of the Tanana Valley Railroad; however, it was incorporated as ""Chena"" in 1903. A post office was established in 1903 and discontinued in 1918 (Ricks, 1965, p. 10). With the growth of Fairbanks, Chena disappeared and had only 18 persons in 1920."
Chenaappears in the U.S. Geological Survey's place-name archive as a historical populated place — a settlement that once carried a name and no longer does. Our editors are verifying its full story against census records, newspaper archives, and county histories; this record will grow as sources are confirmed.
Before you visit
Unverified sites may sit on private land, and coordinates from historical records can be imprecise. Verify land status and access before traveling. Take photographs, leave nails — removing artifacts from federal land is a crime.
See it in context on the national atlas map.
From the field
The most valuable part of this record is the part only visitors can write.
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