Fannie Quigley Turns 150

Fannie Quigley holding her rifle in front of her house circa 1940. (DENA 1945)

This week marks the 150th birthday of one of our park’s most celebrated historic figures—Fannie Quigley. Born as Francis Sedlacek, on March 18, 1870, in Wahoo, Nebraska, she came north during the Klondike Gold Rush.[1] Fannie arrived in the Kantishna area during the 1905-06 stampede and lived there year-round until her death in August 1944.[2]

Much has been written about Fannie’s life, but for a comprehensive overview, it is worth reading Searching for Fannie Quigley by historian Jane Haigh.

The Fannie Quigley House near Mile 92 of the Denali Park Road was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 2019 NPS Photo/Erik Johnson

In December of 2019, the Fannie Quigley House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was built circa 1938 and is significant for its connection to the history of the Kantishna mining district, and for its association with Fannie. She was a locally and regionally significant person who embodied the resilient Alaskan prospector.

Fannie Quigley is buried at the Birch Hill Cemetery on the east side of Fairbanks. This photo was taken in 2016 NPS Photo/Erik Johnson

Fannie’s birthday month aligns with National Women’s History Month.

[1] The 1870 date was attributed by Jane Haigh in her book Searching for Fannie Quigley. She found mention of baby Fannie in the 1870 census record for Saunders County, Nebraska. Fannie’s obituary that appeared in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner on August 28, 1944 states that Fannie was born in 1871.

[2] Fannie was found by another Kantishna old-timer, Johnnie Busia. She was buried at Birch Hill Cemetery in Fairbanks. If you visit her grave there is a terrific view of the Home Depot parking lot. The decision to bury her in Fairbanks is an unsolved mystery at the moment.

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