St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is a centerpiece of the history of the small town of Nenana, Alaska. The church is an active reminder of how Nenana once was the home of an Indian boarding school on the site of an Episcopal mission. The log building was constructed in 1905 and moved 50 years later to a site about a mile from the original mission. The boarding school also closed that year, and the mission site has been lost to river erosion.

The side view of St. Mark’s shows the log construction and bell tower that were standard designs among Episcopal mission churches in Alaska, according to Sketches of Alaska.

J. Stephen Conn/flickr

This sign illustrates the history of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, founded in 1905 as part of the church’s mission in Alaska.

J. Stephen Conn/flickr

Stained glass windows provide an ornate touch to the understated architecture of St. Mark’s.

J. Stephen Conn/flickr

With more than a century of tradition, St. Mark’s has a cozy, quaint aura and welcomes vistors.

J. Stephen Conn/flickr

The wooden pews and simple, yet intricate altar with Athabascanbe Indian beadwork are classic features of St. Mark’s.

J. Stephen Conn/flickr

The red door is shown in a more recent photo of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Jimmy Emerson/flickr

Nenana, which grew in the early 20th century as a station on the Alaska Railway and a port on the Tanana River, has about 400 residents and is located 60 miles southwest of Fairbanks. One of the town’s biggest events is the annual Nenana Ice Classic, with contestants guessing the exact minute when the ice on the Tanana River will break up in April or May.

J. Stephen Conn/flickr

Jimmy Emerson/flickr

You can call the church at (907) 832-5627 for more information, such as visiting hours. Have you ever visited St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Nenana? If so, we’d love to hear all about your experience in the comments section below. Check out our previous article for more beautiful churches in Alaska!

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Address: St Marks Episcopal Church, Front St, Nenana, AK 99760, USA