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Jan 21, 2010 
The city of Kenai is known as Alaska’s Playground, but it also has a rich Native and Russian history. When visiting, I would recommend stopping in at the Kenai Convention and Visitor Center. They have a wonderful museum full of Native artifacts and early photography, and have an exciting exhibit planned for this summer. The Russian Orthodox Church in Old Town Kenai will be undergoing rehabilitation work this summer, and KCVB will be exhibiting all of the church’s icons and artifacts dating from the early 1700′s. The title of the exhibit is “Sacred Space, Sacred Time” A Rare Russian Orthodox Icon Exhibit. It will run from Apr. 23- Sept 20 2010. www.artskenai.comThe Kenai area is home to the Kenaitze tribe, a Dena’ina people, a branch of Athabascan Native Americans. They traveled west from the Alaskan Range many centuries ago to settle on the Kenai Peninsula, which they named Yaghanen, the good land. The belief system of their ancestors, in respect to all life, is kept alive today by continuing education and cultural events held in Kenai. Every summer they demonstrate and share stories of their way of life through an interpretive tour, K’Beq’, in Cooper Landing. http://www.kenaitze.com/node/53
Some Fun Kenai Facts
~Archaeological evidence dates the first settlement of Kenai to 1000 BC.
~In 1791, a Russian trading post, Fort St. Nicholas, was constructed in the middle of the village for the purposes of fur and fish trading. It was the second permanent Russian settlement in Alaska.
~In 1957, oil was discovered at Swanson River, 20 miles northeast of Kenai. This was the first major oil discovery in Alaska.
~The first dirt road from Anchorage to Kenai was constructed in 1951
~Kenai was named one of the All American Cities in 1992.
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