National Register of Historic Places

Pilgrim Hot Springs

Teller, Nome County, Alaska
Listed
April 10, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000223

About this property

Pilgrim Hot Springs is a ghost town in the interior of the Seward Peninsula of northwestern Arctic Alaska. Also known as Kruzgamepa, Kruzgamepa Springs and Unaatuq. It is located on the southeast bank of the Kruzgamepa River, about 8 miles (13 km) south of milepost 65 of the Kougarok Road, on the traditional lands of the Kauweramiut, also known as the People of Kauwerak, also known as people of the Village of Mary's Igloo and their descendants. The location gained prominence in the early 20th century because of its thermal hot springs, which made agricultural homesteading possible, and which were adapted to provide a respite for the gold miners of Nome. Early buildings, built 1900–03, were of log construction, and included a log cabin, barn and chicken house. A roadhouse and saloon were built after 1903, but were destroyed by fire in 1908, after the mining boom had ended. After the flu epidemic of 1918, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nome built a large orphanage at the site, complete with a large church, dormitory and school, and living quarters for the staff, as well as greenhouses. These facilities were kept warm by water piped from the hot springs. The site was closed in 1941, but soon reopened as a recreational facility for the military, serving until the end of World War II. When surveyed in 1977 prior to listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the buildings on the site were in deteriorated condition. The site is owned by Unaataq LLC, a consortium of area Alaska native corporations which is working on development alternatives for the site, including power generation and tourism.

Location

Teller, Nome County, Alaska
65.09039, -164.92588

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Discovery Saloon
Industrial
25.4 mi
Snow Creek Placer Claim No. 1
Industrial
36.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Pilgrim Hot Springs listed on the National Register?

Pilgrim Hot Springs was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Pilgrim Hot Springs?

Pilgrim Hot Springs is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Pilgrim Hot Springs?

The period of significance for Pilgrim Hot Springs is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1900.

Can I research the history near Pilgrim Hot Springs?

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