The Talkeetna Roadhouse was built in 1917 to serve fur trappers, miners, and prospectors working the surrounding country. The log construction is original, and the interior -- wood floors, a piano by the fireplace -- has the feel of a place that hasn't tried too hard to preserve itself.
Breakfast is the meal to come for: sourdough pancakes, eggs with locally smoked salmon, and bread baked that morning. The roadhouse draws a predictable mix of mountaineers loading up before a Denali attempt and tourists loading up after arriving on the Alaska Railroad. Arrive early or expect a wait on summer mornings. The building also has simple rooms for those who want to stay close to the action.
In July 1923, President Warren G. Harding stopped here briefly on his journey north to drive the golden spike completing the Alaska Railroad -- the last American president to visit until well into the modern era.