LifeFairbanks · July 14, 2026
a resting place close to home
Construction has begun on Alaska's first state veterans cemetery near Fairbanks, funded by a 16.7 million dollar federal grant.
Daily Alaska staff · July 14, 2026 · Fairbanks
Construction began last week on the Interior Alaska Veterans Cemetery, Alaska's first state cemetery set aside for veterans, on a site in Salcha just south of Fairbanks. The project is funded by a 16.7 million dollar federal grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Alaska has more veterans per capita than any other state, but until now the Interior had no cemetery of its own. The closest options were hundreds of miles away, near Anchorage or in Southeast Alaska, meaning Interior veterans and their families had to travel far to be laid to rest with full military honors.
The idea dates back to the 1970s, when a Fairbanks veteran first brought the concept to the state veterans office. The Alaska Legislature passed the enabling law in 2007, but construction did not begin until this year.
The first phase of the cemetery will include hundreds of burial sites. Once complete, it is expected to serve more than 12,000 veterans and their families across the Interior. Construction is expected to finish by fall 2027.
Veterans do not have to wait for the cemetery to open. The Department of Veterans Affairs is already accepting pre-need eligibility registrations through va.gov, which requires a DD Form 214.
In this story
Questions people ask
Where is Alaska's new veterans cemetery
It's in Salcha, just south of Fairbanks. Crews broke ground last week on what will be the state's first veterans cemetery.
How much does the veterans cemetery cost
A 16.7 million dollar federal grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs is funding it.
When will the Salcha veterans cemetery open
Construction should wrap up by fall 2027. The first phase will serve more than 12,000 veterans and their families.
Can veterans register for the cemetery now
Yes. The VA is already taking pre-need eligibility registrations through va.gov, which requires a DD Form 214.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Alaska has more veterans per person than any other state · webcenterfairbanks.com
- A 16.7 million dollar federal grant is funding the Interior Alaska Veterans Cemetery · webcenterfairbanks.com
- Construction is expected to be finished by fall 2027 · webcenterfairbanks.com
- The enabling law for the cemetery passed in 2007 · webcenterfairbanks.com
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →