Learning about Fairbanks' Founders

Residents learned some history about the Golden Heart City today at the unveiling of the Cleary Family Display at the Noel Wien Library.

What was once a raw gold mining camp, five generations of the Cleary name helped to turn into the Golden Heart City.

This family along with the Barnettes' established the first bank and drug store in Fairbanks.

The guest of honor Lorraine Robertson is the great granddaughter of Archibald MacAurthur and Susie Cleary as well as the great niece of E.T. Barnette.

"I knew that my grandfather was born here but then you look at all this and you see generations going on and then you see, that's my grandpa. I know that picture. That was in my grandfather's room so I'm very familiar with that and to see it here and be part of all this is really neat,” she said.

And for those interested in learning more about their family's history, Joan Skilbred with the Fairbanks Genealogical Society said she thinks that everybody should research their family history.

“Your family history is very much tied to history in general and it's amazing the things that you learn,” she said.

Four children were born to these founding family members here in Fairbanks, eventually spreading the seeds of the Golden Heart City to the rest of the country.

If anyone was unable to attend the unveiling event on Friday, the display will still be set up at the library throughout the month of August.