Fairview was built beyond the city boundary and became an established community after World War II. Yet the area maintained a fierce independence streak. Those who lived here hoped to avoid bureaucratic oversight and taxation, and even had their own public utility district. It was the only neighborhood that African-Americans could buy property in. And when Anchorage tried to annex the area in the 1950s, locals fought back, in a lawsuit that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ultimately, of course, it became part of the city. Yet one of the monuments to Fairview’s early days still stands: the Pioneer Schoolhouse on 3rd Avenue and Eagle Street. And the first week of every April, the school is host to a unique event called School Days Recreation. During the Recreation, hundreds of Anchorage fourth graders walk the rooms of the schoolhouse and the two log cabins adjoining the schoolhouse, experiencing the early 1900’s school day, appreciating cabin living, and learning about the city’s first postmaster. To experience the schoolhouse yourself, contact the Anchorage Woman’s Club for a personal tour.
Fairview residents value their neighborhood’s diverse mix of buildings and people, as well as its affordable housing and central location.
