Clay Street Cemetery Commission

The Clay Street Cemetery Commission was formed to advise the City Council and Mayor regarding the restoration, improvement, and maintenance of the Clay Street Cemetery, located at 770 Clay St, Fairbanks, AK 99701. 

Commission members participate in various activities all year round, including:

• Continual research to update records for the over 1,900 known burial locations within the cemetery.
• Ordering high-quality gravesite markers once research has confirmed all vital details for any individual.
• With the help of community volunteers, placing new markers upon arrival during summer workdays.
• Providing guided historical tours for visitors, local groups, and school classes.
• Maintaining an accurate database through established, online genealogical platforms (more info below).
• Securing funding, primarily through the City of Fairbanks' Discretionary Fund grant program, to cover the cost of new markers, research, and other materials.
• Ensuring, with the help of City of Fairbanks Public Works crews, the safety and beauty of the property.

Thanks to the City of Fairbanks Engineering Department and ground-penetrating radar technology, an updated overhead map of the cemetery and all known gravesites is available. For this birds-eye view map, CLICK HERE. [Note: large file size!]

The Clay Street Cemetery Commission holds regular meetings at 5:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month, in-person in Council Chambers at City Hall, 800 Cushman St., Fairbanks, AK 99701 and via Zoom. Meetings are open to the public and all are welcome. View the "Upcoming Events" section at the bottom of this page for details. 

Summer Work Days at the Cemetery!

The first airplane in the Alaska Territory was assembled and flown in Fairbanks in 1913. Aerial photography in Alaska dates back to 1938. Naturally, Clay Street Cemetery is the subject of one of those early photos. Later, satellite and drone photography became popular for capturing aerial images. Featured here are photos from different apparatus: 1938 & 1955 (airplane), 2020 (satellite), and 2024 (drone).

Clay Street's grave sites have changed over the years due to the deterioration of the original wooden fences and markers. The flood of 1967 took a damaging toll on the remaining memorials. Since 2010, volunteers have restored many identified sites with new granite markers and graves of the unknown with simple white crosses.

Clay Street Cemetery still encompasses the original 3.25 acres in downtown Fairbanks between 3rd and 7th Avenues. However, the surrounding area has evolved. The most significant transformation came with widening of the Steese Expressway separating Clay Street from the riverfront in the late 1970s. It should be noted that the Independent Lumber Company Mill along the Chena River was erected in 1906 and eventually expanded to 7th thru 10th Avenues. It included the saw and planing mills, offices, warehouse, sheds, and two residences. Part of the original warehouse still stands near 8th Avenue today. The grand gateway to the cemetery was constructed in 2010.

Clay Street Cemetery Policy and Application for Placement

The Clay Street Cemetery was established by the City of Fairbanks in October of 1903. It is one of the oldest remaining historic landmarks in Fairbanks and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Fairbanks City Council voted to close the cemetery to all burials in 1996. 

The entire Clay Street Cemetery is now, and has always been owned by the City of Fairbanks. The City has full authority over the entire Clay Street Cemetery and has full rights to make decisions regarding the cemetery. 

In 2010, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 5813, creating the Clay Street Cemetery Commission with the primary purpose of advising the City Mayor and Council on matters relating to the restoration, improvement, maintenance and preservation of the Clay Street Cemetery. 

The Clay Street Cemetery Commission and the Fairbanks City Council welcome placement of appropriate additions to the cemetery by individuals, groups and family members. Such additions may include markers, landscape items, monuments and decorations. Items of a non-permanent nature such as plastic flowers, vases, photo frames, and other decorative items that are movable and above ground will be permitted at the discretion of the Clay Street Cemetery Commission and/or City of Fairbanks. Temporary items will be removed after one season or if they fall into a state of disrepair in such a manner that they detract from the cemetery landscape. For placement of permanent items, an Application for Placement must be completed and submitted to the City of Fairbanks or to the Commission and written permission must be obtained from the City Council or the Commission prior to placement of new items on cemetery grounds. Items placed in the cemetery without first obtaining written permission are subject to removal and disposal at the discretion of the City Council or the Commission. Visitors are always welcome at the Clay Street Cemetery but pets are not allowed on cemetery grounds. 

To request an Application for Placement contact the City Clerk's Office at (907) 459-6702 or email your request to cityclerk@ci.fairbanks.ak.us.

 You may also contact the Commission at claystreetcemeterycommission@ci.fairbanks.ak.us.

Web Links

• Enacting Legislation
• More About this Commission and How to Apply for Service
• "Find a Grave" online database for Clay Street Cemetery