The Fortymile Country

Claus Naske
Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:18:16 PDT

The Alaska Native Settlement Claims Act of 1971 directed the Secretary of the Interior to study the Fortymile River for possible inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. As the study of the Fortymile River commenced, it became readily apparent that a primary value of the river and its basin was its historical resource. It was known that the Fortymile country played a significant role in the development of Alaska; but no where could be found a concise narrative which placed the Fortymile into a historical perspective with the rest of Alaska. Thus, the purpose of this report: to identify the historical resource of the Fortymile River basin for input into the wild and scenic river study.