LEGAL TEXT: CASEFILE SUMMARY
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RST 1710
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WET GULCH TRAIL
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This Casefile Summary Contains Revisions and Additions To the Casefile
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Summary Dated 1/24/95.
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Trail Location
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The Wet Gulch Trial Is Located in Southcentral Alaska, in the Vicinity
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Of Knik, Approximately 20 Miles North of Anchorage. the Trail Origi-
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Nates at the End of the Local Road On the Eastern Outskirts of the
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Community of Knik, Which Is Located On the Northern Shore of Knik Arm.
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From the End of the Road, the Trail Travels Northeastward for Approxi-
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Mately 7 Miles, Paralleling the Northern Shore of Knik Arm and A Local
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Road. About One Mile Northeast of the Coummnity of Cottonwood, the
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Trail Veers Northward, Following Cottonwood Creek for A Few Miles, And
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Crossing Another Local Road and the
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Palmer-Wasilla Road. the Trail Continues Northward
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To the Little Susitna River, Runs Northward Over Bald Mountain Ridge,
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And Follows Wet Gulch To Mile 28 of Hatcher Pass Road. the Location
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Of the Trail, Based On Historical Evidence, Has Been Mapped By DNR,
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Division of Land Personnel, On USGS 1:63,360 Anchorage B-7, B-8, C-7
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And D-7, and Is Approximately 25 Miles Long.
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Historic Documentation
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The Wet Gulch Trail Was Historically Used To Access the Willow Creek
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Mining District From the Town of Knik.
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A Synopsis of Historic Documentation (Copies of Sources in File) Re-
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Garding Construction Or Use of the Route Follows:
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USGS
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1907: USGS Bulletin #327, Geologic Reconnaissance in the Matanuska
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And Talkeetna Basins, Alaska, Sidney Paige and Albert Knopf, Contains
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Plate I, "Reconnaissance Map of the Matanuska and Talkeetna Region,
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Alaska," Which Shows the Wet Gulch Trail;
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1911: USGS Bulletin #480, Mineral Resources of Alaska, Report On
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Progress of Investigations in 1910, Alfred H. Brooks, and Others, Con-
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Tains A Map (No Plate Number) Showing the Wet Gulch Trail, Labeled
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"Willow Creek Trail." the Report States: "Placer Prospects Were Found
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In the Willow Creek Region in 1898. Up To 1906 Efforts Seem To Have
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Been Directed Mainly To the Development of the Placers of Grubstake
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Gulch and Willow Creek...."`
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1914: USGS Bulletin #592, Mineral Resources of Alaska, Report On
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Progress of Investigations in 1913, Contains Plate X, "Geologic Sketch
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Map of Willow Creek District," Shows the Wet Gulch Trail From Willow
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Creek Southward To the Ridgeline. the Report States: "From Knik To
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The Mines of the Willow Creek District Two Summer Trails Were Formerly
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In General Use. One Headed North From Cottonwood, Crossed the Bald
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Mountain Ridge To Wet Gulch, and Thence Followedm Up Willow Creek To
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The Camps. the Trail Is Stilll Used Occasionally." the Report Docu-
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Ments the Summer Freight Rate As 4 To 5 Cents Per Pound;
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1915: USGS Bulletin #607, the Willow Creek District, Alaska, Stephen
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R. Capps, Contains Plate II, "Topographic Map of Willow Creek District
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Alaska, "Surveyed in 1909-1913, Which Shows the Wet Gulch Trail. the
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Report States: "Two Routes Were Formerly in General Use Between Knik A
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And the Mines in the Willow Creek District, Both of Which Followed The
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The Shore of Knik Arm in A Northeasterly Direction As Far As the Mouth
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Of Cottonwood Creek, 6 Miles From Knik. From Cottonwood the Bald
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Mountain Trail Extends Northward Across the Lowlands, Crosses Bald
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Mountain Ridge Into the Head of Wet Gulch To Its Mouth, and Thence `
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Goes Up Willow Creek. One Brach Extends Up Craigie Creek Valley, and
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Another Crosses the Divide To the Little Susitna Basin, Follows
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Hatcher Creek Downstream, and Ends at the Mines On Upper Fishhook
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Creek. the Portion of This Trail Which Lies in the Mountains Affords
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Good Footing, But the Stretch Between Cottonwood and Bald Mountain
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Ridge Is Said To Be Soft in Summer. the Lowland Portion Is Now A
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Little Used." the Report Documents the Freight Rate By Wagon From
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Knik To Upper Fishhook Creek at 4 Or 5 Cents A Pound;
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USGS Water Supply Paper 372, Map Plate Xix, "Map of Willow Creek
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District Showing Location of Gaging Stations and Measuring Points,"
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Shows A Portion of the Trail.
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Other
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1910: Map of the Willow Creek Mining District and Sleem's Map of
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Central Alaska, D.H. Sleem, M.D., Rare Map Collection, Uaf Archives.
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Both Maps Show the Route;
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1914: Alaska Engineering Commission "Map of Proposed Railway Route,
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Susitna Valley," Shows the Wet Gulch Trail From Lake Lucille North-
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Ward Tothe Ridgeline;
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1915: Plat of T18n, R1e of the Seward Meridian, U.S. Surveyor
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General's Office, Show the Portion of the Route From the Little
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Susitna River Northward To the Ridge;
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1940: the Alaska Railroad, Matanuska Coal Field To Yanert Fork,
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Alaska Map 26, Shows the Wet Gulch Trail.
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Other
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1965: Alaska Sportsman Magazine, Contains "The Willow Creek Mining
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District," A.W. Reeder, Which Discussed the Discovery of Gold in 1907
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By William and Byron Bartholf On Bullion Mountain, Overlooking Craigie
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Creek, A Tributary To Willow Creek. the Article Discusses the "Two
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Principal Routes From Knik," the Thirty Mile Willow Creek Trail Route,
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Which Crossed Below Bald Mountain Ridge and Followed Willow Creek To
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Mining Areas Near Its Head, and One Following Wet Gulch. "The Other
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Route, A Summer Trail, Went Northeast From Knnik, Up Cottonwood Creek
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And Across Bald Mountain at An Altitude of 3,400 Feet, Then Down Wet
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Gulch, Which Is the Next Gulch Downstream From Grubstake Gulch, To
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Willow Creek. the Trail Was About Twenty-Six Miles Long and Was
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Probably Used By Most of the Prospectors and Miners Going Into Or Out
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Of the District in Summer;"
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1987: Matanuska-Susitna Borough Comprehensive Development Plan Trails
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Inventory Shows the Wet Gulch Trail On A Map and Describes the History
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Of the Area, Stating, "The Original Discoveyr of Gold Within the
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Willow Creek Mining District Is Credited To M.J. Morris and L. Herndon
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Who, in 1897, Discovered Placer Gold On Willow Creek Near the Mouth Of
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Grubstake Gulch. the Initial Access Was From the Willow Creek Die Ove
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Over What Is No Known As the Willow Creek Sled Trail Or Herning Trail
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(Herning Was An Early Merchant at Knik Who Later Moved His Store To
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The Present Teeland's Store in Wasilla). Soon There Was An Additional
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Route Up and Over Bald Mountain Down Wet Gulch."
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Land Status
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Division of Land Personnel Researched State Status Plats, Bureau of
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Land Management (BLM) Msater Title Plats and BLM Historical Indexes T0
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Identify Servient Estates and Historic Federal Withdrawals.
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Servient Estates and Withdrawals As Shown On Bureau of Land Management
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And Alaska Division of Land Recors Are Listed As Follows:
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1. 1196683, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 9/21/54;
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2. 1219650, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 8/4/55;
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3. 1212359, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 4/25/57;
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4. 50-69-0150, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 12/29/58;
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5. 50-66-0280, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 11/7/60;
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6. 50-65-0613, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 2/18/63;
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7. 50-69-0151, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 7/26/66;
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8. 1223573, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 5/11/56;
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9. 1154458, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 5/4/54;
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10. 1131344, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 3/8/49;
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11. 1127332, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/16/47;
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12. 1126177, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 4/1/48;
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13. 1226177, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 11/18/57;
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14. 1226688, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/29/47;
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15. 1113920, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 5/22/33;
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16. 1130845, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 11/10/48;
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17. 1135239, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 5/3/49;
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18. 1126736, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/17/47;
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19. 1128211, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/21/47;
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20. 1132140, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/1/48;
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21. 1127806, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 12/29/47;
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22. 1130487, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 12/29/47;
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23. 1110215, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 2/8/34;
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24. 603606, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 9/16/15;
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25. 1217594, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/7/57;
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26. 820785, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 9/16/15;
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27. 1228997, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 10/19/52;
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28. 1226422, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 9/13/56;
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29. 1221743, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 12/5/58;
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30. 1222332, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 3/28/57;
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31. 1235020, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 4/9/59;
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32. 1132242, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 8/2/48;
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33. 869035, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 4/15/15;
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34. 1234955, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 12/21/56;
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35. 50-71-0003, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 2/27/59;
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36. 1098903, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 11/25/32;
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37. 50-75-0172, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 5/2/63;
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38. Ms 5549/50-73-0090, Patented Mining Claim, Location Date: 5/11/61;
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39. 50-70-0010, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry:
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40. A058730 and A058957, Cemetery/Historical Site: 9/9/85;
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41. 1197896, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 7/28/54;
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42. 1230593, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 7/28/54;
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43. 1234335, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 4/19/57;
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44. 1230641, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 6/22/59;
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45. 50-71-0010, Homestead Entry, Date of Entry: 7/20/65;
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46. AA8485, Village Selection, Knikatna,, Inc., Date of Application:
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12/18/71;
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47. AA8584-A, Village Selection, Knikatna,, Inc., Date of Application:
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12/17/74;
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48. AA8584-B2, Village Selection, Knikatna,, Inc., Date of Application:
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12/18/75;
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49. 50-68-0272, Mental Health Trust, State of Alaska, Date of Applica-
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Tion: 11/18/59;
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51. 50-67-0487, 50-67-0491, 50-67-0602 and 50-67-0604, Mineral Estate,
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State of Alaska, Date of Application: 2/18/63;
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52. 1217597, Parks Permit, Lease/Easement, State of Alaska, Date of
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Application: 6/26/58;
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53. 1220828, Land Grant, University of Alaska, Date of Application:
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8/28/58;
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54. 1160492, Headquarters Site, Date of Applicaiton: 9/8/52;
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55. 50-70-0005, Mental Health Grant, State of Alaska, Date of Applica-
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Tion: 2/10/66;
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56. AA053498, Unpatented Mining Claim, Location Date: 8/29/80;
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57. 11128323, Alaska Public Sale, Date of Application: 5/23/49;
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58. 1156245, Small Tract Sale, Date of Application: 11/21/49;
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59. 1076065, Alaska Public Sale, Date of Application: 5/7/46;
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60. 1124975, Alaska Public Sale, Date of Application: 5/7/46;
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61. 1227730, General Grant, State of Alaska, Date of Application:
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6/23/61;
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62. 50-70-0001, General Grant, State of Alaska, Date of Application:
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3/29/68;
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63. 50-84-0408, Cook Inlet Regional, Inc., Date of Transfer From U.S.
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To Ciri: 8/17/79;
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64. AA57929, Miscellaneous, Bureau of Land Management, Date of
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Application: 12/20/85;
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65. Uss 1726/50-79-0105, Subsurface Conveyance, Ciri, Date of Appli-
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Cation: 12/20/85;
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66. Uss 1726/50-79-0105, Village Selection, Knitatna,, Inc., Date of
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Application: 12/17/74;
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67. Ms 2383/AA12964, Unpatented Federal Mining Claim, Location Date:
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9/12/44-7/7/56;
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68. ADL 22482, Lease No-2comp, Date of Application: 6/9/89;
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69. ADL 26489, Municipal Entitlement, Date of Application: 3/3/65;
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70. Eo 2217, Withdrawal Alaska Timber Reservation No. 1, 6/22/15,
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Affecting T18n, R1w, Sm, Partley Revoked By Eo 4107, 11/26/24, Com-
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Pletely Revoked By PLO 4856, 4/27/35;
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71. Eo 6957, Withdrawal Aid of Legislation & Classification, 2/4/35,
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Affecting T18n, R1s, Sm, Modified By Eo 6957, 5/20/35, To Permit
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Settlement, PLO 149 Modifies Eo 6957, 7/17/43, Affecting Sections 8
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And 17, T18n, R1w, Sm. Altogether Revoked By PLO 2294, 3/9/61;
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72. Territorial Reserve, Act of Congress, 3/4/15, Revoked By Act of
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Congress, 7/7/58;
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73. A010132, Coal Program Permit, 8/19/43, Affecting Section 17, T18n,
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R1w, Sm, Vacated 1/5/73;
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74. Power Project 297, 4/11/22, Metes and Bounds Within T19n, R1w, Sm,
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Vacated 1/5/73;
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75. PLO 5180, 3/16/72, Withdrawal of Lands for Classification and in
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The Public Interst;
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76. PLO 5184, 3/16/72, Withdrawal for Classification Or Reclassifica-
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Tion Some Lands Withdrawn As Per Section 11 of Ancsa;
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77. State Mining Claims;
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78. Unpatented Federal Mining Claims.
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Land Status
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The Earliest Reservation Along the Subject Route Was for Territorial
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Reserve, Act of Congress, 3/4/15, Revoked By Act of Congress, 7/7/58.
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Documentation in the File Shows Construction Or Use of the Route
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Occurred By 1907. the Grant of the RS 2477 Right-Of-Way for the Trail
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Was Accepted By Construciton And use, Subject To Valid, Existing Rights
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When the Land Was Not Reserved for Public Purposes.
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17 b easements in Knik
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