Nenana (steamer)
American steamboat built in 1933 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Added to the National Register in 1972, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
SS Nenana is a five-deck, western river, sternwheel paddleship. Two-hundred and thirty-seven feet in overall length, with a 42-foot beam, she was rated at 1,000 gross tons register. Nenana was built at Nenana, Alaska, and launched in May 1933. Marine architect W.C. Nickum of Seattle designed the sternwheeler, which was prefabricated in Seattle and put together at Nenana, Alaska, by Berg Shipbuilding Company. Nenana was built to serve as a packet. She could carry both passengers and freight. Nenana had accommodations for 48 passengers on her saloon deck. Up to 300 tons of freight, including two tons in cold storage, could be carried on her main deck. A Texas, topped by a pilothouse mounted forward in poolboat style, provided staterooms for a portion of the crew of 32. Nenana could push five or six barges on the Yukon River; but, because of sharp bends, only one on the Tanana River.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Structure |
| Address | Alaskaland, Fairbanks, AK |
| Borough or census area | Fairbanks North Star |
| Listed | Jun 27, 1972 |
| Listed for | Transportation, Architecture, Maritime history |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 72001581 |
| Type of place | paddle steamer |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 structure |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | Alaskaland, Fairbanks, AK |
| Coordinates | 64.8401° N, 147.7752° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Fairbanks | 33 listed places in Fairbanks → |
| Nearest national park unit | Denali National Park & Preserve · 145 miles · on Park Atlas |
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Reference
Questions people ask
When was Nenana (steamer) listed on the National Register?
Jun 27, 1972. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Where is Nenana (steamer)?
Alaskaland, Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star, Alaska. The nearest national park unit is Denali National Park & Preserve, 145 miles away.
Source: Denali National Park & Preserve
Where is the nomination form for Nenana (steamer)?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Nenana (steamer)?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Is there a wildfire near Nenana (steamer) right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-10-17, nearest Freeman Road Rx, 12 miles away.
Source: Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 72001581. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.