Alaska Travelers Will See New Interpretive Signs Along Highways in the Ahtna Region

GLENALLEN—With the help of funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, visitors to the Ahtna region can learn about the traditional, cultural, and historic features indigenous to the area through a series of six interpretive signs. Ahtna, Inc. is the only Alaska Native regional corporation whose villages are all connected by the road system and the signs were installed at highway viewpoints throughout the region this summer. They are located along the Glenn Highway (near Gunsight Mountain at the Camp Creek pullout), the Richardson Highway (near Hogan Hill and the Willow Lake pullout), the Tok Highway (milepost 56.5 north of Chistochina), the Denali Highway (milepost 131), and the Parks Highway (milepost 200 near Cantwell).

The signs are meant to give residents and visitors an awareness and appreciation of the natural history of the area and include rich imagery and stories told by Ahtna elders. They were designed by Ahtna, Inc. using input from the Ahtna Board’s Customary and Traditional Committee and are identifiable by a “Welcome to the Ahtna Region” logo. 

Those interested in learning more about the Ahtna culture, people and history can purchase the book Ahtna: The People and Their History

(netseh dae’ tkughit’e’ “before us it was like this”) published by Ahtna, Inc. and authored by William E. Simeone, Ph.D.  The book is available online at www.ahtna.com/book.