While only a few homes have running water, most have electricity, cable television and phones. A handful have Internet access. Several residents are starkly self-sufficient, living in cabins with no amenities. Simple wooden park benches perch along the riverbank. A massive picnic table chianed to a post in front of the Tanana Commercial Store makes a favorite summertime gathering place to watch people and the river.
Winter pushes visitors inside, around the warmth of oil or woodstoves.
Having afternoon tea is a favorite activity of Tanana women. Most Monday nights in winter, women stop by the log Head Start building to sew, bead, chat and share recipes. Tanana, like most villages offers a strong sense of belonging, so it's no wonder many residents' ancestry goes back generations. For others, the appeal varies. Greg Wallace, who came to the area for the hunting and trapping lifestyle has stayed 25 years.