Sanford River Fox Farm: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Region 11 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: The Sanford River Fox Farm is located on the east shore of an unnamed lake 1.2 miles north of the Sanford River and 14 miles east of its confluence with the Copper River in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The fox farm is accessible by helicopter in the summer and by snow machine in the winter. Fur farming was the third largest industry in Alaska from 1915-1940. During this period, fox farming was a thriving industry in the Copper River Valley. The natural environment of the Copper River Valley allowed for the production of more highly prized silver fox skins than any other region of similar size in the world. By the 1920’s, fox farms were increasingly common in Chitina, Copper Center, Gulkana, Tazlina, and Lower Tonsina with farmers generally raising between 20 to 30 native blue and silver foxes (Heideman, 1910: 17-18; USAC, 1929; Crawford-Isto, 2012: ix;115; 66). The Sanford River Fox Farm was no different from any other fox farm in the Copper River Valley. Licensed fox farmers George “Frenchy” Bellefontaine and his partner Clyde “Slim” Williams managed it. It is likely, that in the early 1920s, Bellefontaine and Williams cleared a trail from the left bank of the Copper River to the site of the fox farm and later brought in supplies to build a cabin, fence, cache, privy, and fox pens. By 1922, they were in business and raising silver, red, and blue foxes. Their partnership ended in 1926, when Williams became romantically involved with Aileen Gallaher. Bellefontaine continued to manage the farm independently until the economic depression of the 1930s vanquished the fox farming industry. Consequently, many fox farmers abandoned their operations. Bellefontaine pelted his herd in the winter of 1934 and closed the farm for good in 1935 (IS US Executive Branch Documents, 1926:6;8; USAC, 1929:15-7-49; Palmer Frontiersman, 5/26/1966; Crawford-Isto, 2012: 115; 125; Gallaher, 2004:3334;148; Gallaher, 2013). The Sanford River Fox Farm is the only surviving example of a fox farm in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Thus, the Sanford River Fox Farm is significant under Criterion A, as a cultural landscape associated with the once thriving fox farming industry in the Copper River Valley. The fox farm is significant at the local level, and its area of significance is agriculture and subsistence. The period of significance corresponds to 13 years of operations beginning in 1922, when Bellefontaine and Williams first started raising foxes at the Sanford River Fox Farm and ends when Bellefontaine abandoned the farm in 1935. The inventory unit boundary is represented by an irregular polygon encompassing an area of approximately 4.8 acres. The site boundaries include all known historic features and relevant landscape characteristics associated with the Sanford River Fox Farm. The Sanford Fox Farm retains its integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Its location illustrates its function. As a fox farm, it occupies a level and isolated site with easy access to water. Its setting retains the environmental characteristics of the period in which it was built and undoubtedly appears and feels very similar. It also maintains its integrity of association, still permitting contemporary observers to discern the historical activity that occurred here.

Sanford River Fox Farm: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Series