Alaska Engineering Commission Cottage No. 23, Anchorage

The Alaska Engineering Commission Cottage No. 23, also known as DeLong Cottage, is a historic house on Christensen Drive in Anchorage. Built in 1916, this 1陆-story wood-frame structure is a testament to Anchorage鈥檚 early days, designed and constructed by the Alaska Engineering Commission (AEC) as part of a federal effort to establish the Alaska Railroad. Among the remaining AEC cottages, Cottage No. 23 stands out as the least-altered and best-preserved example, showcasing a side-gable roof, a large shed dormer addition, and a charming porch extending across the front. Originally, the porch鈥檚 rafters were exposed, a characteristic that added rustic detail to its simple design.

The house was first occupied by Walter DeLong, who served as the AEC鈥檚 general storekeeper. After Anchorage was chosen as the Alaska Railroad headquarters, the AEC quickly erected nineteen cottages to house its employees, especially higher-ranking officials, marking a shift from Anchorage鈥檚 initial tent city layout of 1915 to more permanent structures. These cottages, including DeLong Cottage, were located near the early commercial district along Christensen Drive and Third Avenue and represent some of the first true homes in Anchorage鈥檚 original townsite.

Cottage No. 23 has a distinctive square ground plan, with its front measuring 35 feet 3 inches and side elevations varying between 27 and 31 feet. Though most original AEC cottages have been lost, several remain, with eight in the Government Hill neighborhood and eight preserved in downtown Anchorage, maintaining the area鈥檚 historical residential charm.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, the Alaska Engineering Commission Cottages, along with landmarks like the Leopold David House and Oscar Anderson House, offer a window into Anchorage鈥檚 foundational period, preserving the spirit of a once-young frontier town now grown.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Anchorage. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Alaska Engineering Commission Cottage No. 23
Sight Location: Anchorage, USA (See walking tours in Anchorage)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Anchorage Historical Buildings

Walking Tours in Anchorage, Alaska

Create Your Own Walk in Anchorage

Creating your own self-guided walk in Anchorage is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Anchorage Historical Buildings

As a perfect basecamp for exploring much of what Alaska has to offer, Anchorage is the font of the state鈥檚 history. The Downtown鈥檚 convenient grid pattern 鈥� compact enough to be walked by curious visitors ready to explore the 49th state's largest and most important city 鈥� was set up at the same time as the construction started on the Government Hill neighborhood in 1915.

Many of... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

Anchorage Introduction Walking Tour

Anchorage was settled in 1914 and incorporated as a city six years later. It was named after a hardware and clothing store that was held in a dry-docked steamship nearby. That store was called "The Anchorage." The city holds almost half of the population of Alaska and is one of the largest cities by area in the United States.

Though Anchorage was settled in the 20th century,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

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