Bettles is located about 180 air miles and 250 road miles northwest of Fairbanks, adjacent to Evansville. It lies just north of the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge. Bettles is located on the S.E. bank of the Koyukuk River. Several Native groups have lived in the area, including Koyukon Athabascans and Kobuk, Selawik, and Nunamiut Eskimos from the north and northwest. The Koyukon lived in several camps throughout the year, moving as the seasons changed, following the wild game and fish.
"Old Bettles," located 6 miles from the present community, was named for Gordon Bettles, who opened a trading post during the 1899 gold rush. Old Bettles was the northern terminal of the Koyukuk River barge line, and a post office operated there from 1901 to 1956.
The Bettles Runway was constructed in 1945 by the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Navy used these facilities as a support base for exploring National Petroleum Reserve. Later, the FAA took over the runway and its maintenance.
Wilford Evans, Sr., opened a sawmill at the present site of Evansville and built the Bettles Lodge and General Store. Today, there are approximately 30 residents of Bettles.
