#45 RA: Eklutna Church and Cemetery

Calling this a roadside attraction feels a little rude, but I'm not sure how else to identify the stop.

This is in the town of Eklutna. The old building is a Russian orthodox church from somewhere between 1870-1890. This makes it the oldest standing building in Anchorage borough. The 'new' church was built in 1962.

They tried to convert the indigenous people in the area. This resulted in a sort of mash-up of burial customs. The graves have crosses and sometimes headstones. What makes this cemetery most noteworthy are the spirit houses. The indigenous people built the houses to protect the person's spirit. The house is then left to decay and return to the earth.

I noticed on newer houses that some of them have shingles. Many have trinkets, probably meaningful to the person buried.

I believe the smaller houses are for children. There is one that has a fence to look like a crib and a headstone. The child was born and died the same day.

A sobering stop.Read more