If you are exploring Anchorage, Alaska, Russian Jack Springs Park offers a fascinating municipal green space spanning roughly 300 acres. Managed by the Municipality of Anchorage and bisected by DeBarr Road, this historic site carries a rich past. Before Anchorage was established, the land served as hunting grounds for the K’enakatnu people.
Later homesteaded in the early 1900s, it housed a cabin built in the 1920s by Ukrainian immigrant Jacob "Russian Jack" Marunenko, who harvested lumber and sold moonshine here. Over the decades, the land transitioned from a World War II Army acquisition to a city-owned property, a minimum-security prison farm, a day camp, and eventually a popular public park featuring a golf course opened in 1969. When you visit, you can stop by the Dr.
Lidia Selkregg Chalet, an octagonal chalet rebuilt in 1983 after a 1979 fire. Nearby, history buffs can see remnants of a prison farm root cellar and an assistant warden's house, which now houses a train museum operated by the Northern Lights Model Railroad Club. You can also wander through the Mann Leiser Memorial Greenhouse, featuring a solarium, tropical greenhouse, succulents, cacti, an aviary, and koi.
What to see at Russian Jack Springs Park
- Explore the Mann Leiser Memorial Greenhouse featuring plants, koi, and an aviary.
- Visit the Dr. Lidia Selkregg Chalet near former prison farm historical sites.
- See model trains at the museum located in the repurposed assistant warden's house.
- Discover a 300-acre Anchorage park with roots tied to early homesteaders and local history.
- Enjoy the park's public green spaces bisected by DeBarr Road.
Visiting tips
Be sure to stop by in the middle of winter to see the annual holiday lights display outside the greenhouse.
How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Mid-winter for lights
How to get there & what’s nearby
Russian Jack Springs Park is easy to reach on Anchorage’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Alaska Aviation Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Center. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Anchorage travel guide.
See the full Anchorage travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.