Dredge #8 operated from 1929 through 1959 ripping up the river and leaving behind large piles of useless rubble. During its operational years, it was reported that the loud rumblings of the machine were joined by high-pitched sounds of unknown origins. Mechanics couldn't find the cause and attributed it to the ghost of a young man who worked on Dredge #2, a man who accidentally sunk the dredge with a stick of dynamite. The young man's actions were constantly referred to and degraded by higher-ups. Employees felt the ghost was angry and seeking retaliation against those who spoke ill of his actions.
Around the year 1961, when the dredge no longer operated but was the only dredge that remained on the creek, the sounds were joined by a strange orange glow with yellow at the center that moves quickly over the rock chute. The origins of the sights and sounds have yet to be identified. Official Fairbanks Dredge Website |