Reservations: 907-595-2169
Who we are
Our Organization
The Cooper Landing Community Club (CLCC) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization established in May of 1949. Our aim is to serve, promote, and encourage all activities in the interest and welfare of the Cooper Landing residents. We also serve as the umbrella for numerous organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for all ages.
Our organization represents roughly 300 year-round residents and is the quasi-government for the town. The board consists of five volunteer officers and meetings are held four times a year. Anyone 18 years of age or older who is registered to vote in the Cooper Landing precinct may become a member. Non-members are welcome during meetings.
Our
Location
Where to Find us
At the heart of our small town, we are centrally located on the Kenai Peninsula in Cooper Landing, Alaska. Nestled in the scenic Kenai Mountains along the world-famous Kenai River, we are a two-hour drive South from Anchorage, an hour drive East from Soldotna, and an hour drive West from Seward.
Find us at:
18511 Bean Creek Road
Cooper Landing, AK 99572
Our
History
How we came to be
Photos courtesy of Mona Painter and the Cooper Landing Museum
The Cooper Landing Community Club is the longest standing organization in the Cooper Landing community. In January of 1948, the community of Cooper Landing received a Special Use Permit from the United States Forest Service for the purpose of building the Community Club and the Rifle and Sportsman's Club. The Community Club was officially established in May 1949 when it was registered as a non-profit corporation with the Territory of Alaska.
Local men built the hall over the winter of 1949 with logs from a mining camp. It was located on South side of the Kenai River at the site that is now the Cooper Landing Museum. Hjalmer "Andy" Anderson, the first CLCC president, was known for working on the hall while being accompanied by his pet goat. The hall has served as a school, polling place, Catholic Church, library, and meeting hall. It has also been the location for years of potlucks, movie nights, dances, and Holiday parties.
Throughout the years, CLCC officers worked to better the community for residents. Traction grew in the organization in 1962 when commercial electricity became available. Officers worked to bring television, telephone, ambulance, and fire services to the community. They maintained the garbage dump until the borough constructed a transfer site. And they sponsored work toward the development of a community pathway.
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1951- Road to Anchorage opened.
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1962- Commercial electricity became available.
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1964- Earthquake took out Cooper Landing bridge.
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1971- First telephone service.
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1973- First ambulance recieved.
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1975- First firetruck received.
Starting in 1952, movies were shown at the hall on a regular basis. They were rented and returned by mail. The hall had a generator, 16mm projector, and barrel stove for wood heat.
During the mid-70's environmental issues around the hall were of concern. Frequently, the Kenai River would flood sending water up to the hall doors and would fill the outhouse. Combined with lack of parking space and no adequate place for a playground area, CLCC began looking for a new location.
CLCC received a grant from the state for $18,700 to move the community hall in 1978 to another United State Forest Service leased property on Bean Creek Road. The moving of the community hall across the river was met with great community support.
After a stint with barricades and vandalism, the hall was officially moved in 1979. Community members and contractors put in countless hours of time to move the log structure and its contents to the new location. The first meeting held in the new location was on October 11th, 1980.
" October 11, 1980, is a special date. That night we held the first real function in the Community Hall in 14 months...it is so nice to drive up the Hall and find plenty of parking available and a place for the kids to play. It is so nice to go into the building and to be able to build a fire in the Earth Stove and quickly warm the Hall. It is nice to be able to flip the switches once again and have electric light."
-Mona Painter, Former CLCC President
CLCC patented the Community Park Site, the Cemetery, and the Museum site in 1982 and 1983. The Community Library was built in 1982. The deck, handicapped ramp, and park outhouses were added in the late 1980's and 1990's. The picnic pavilion was completed in 1998. By 2001 the hall was ready to expand and the addition was built — running water, indoor bathrooms, and a full kitchen were added. The most recent addition was completed in 2016 to add additional storage space and emergency evacuation supplies.
Cooper Landing Softball Tournament
Hosted annually since 1995, the Cooper Landing Softball Tournament is a community-wide event. The slow-pitch, double-elimination games are typically held at the end of May and run for one week. Concessions are hosted every night in the Community Hall with burgers, hot dogs, and nachos on the menu. All proceeds go to various community organizations that work to improve our town.
The entire tournament is run and organized by volunteers. This event would not be possible without the countless hours everyone puts towards making it happen. We look forward to seeing our friends and neighbors from Moose Pass and Summit Lake who come to participate too. This is truly an event that the entire community takes part in!
The tournament was originally started by Mayme Ohnemus when she was asked to come up with a fundraiser for the Cooper Landing Ambulance and Rescue Squad. The first tournament was single elimination and played over one weekend. At the time there was no field, only an empty sandlot to play in. Despite the conditions, several people requested that there be more games. Dave Westerman volunteered to help Mayme run the tournament and improve the field.
By 1998 many improvements were made to the field. The Dall Homemakers donated funds to build the dugouts. Princess donated the tools to seed the field. Team sponsors and Eleanor Young donated funds to install the fence. Eagle Scouts Projets built the scorekeeper's booth, bleachers, and picnic pavilion; as well as, installed the flagpole.
2022 Champions- Mountain Madness
Photos courtesy of Alice Puster and Mayme Ohnemus
1995 Champions- Alaska Rivers Company
Mayme and Dave 1997
The original scorekeeper's booth
Building the dugouts
