'Northern Exposure' Wasn't Really Filmed in Alaska
From 1990 to 1995, an obscure comedy-drama TV series about life in Alaska gained a cult-like following. Airing on CBS, Northern Exposure featured actor Rob Morrow, who played Dr. Joel Fleischman, a New York doctor who gives up city living for a small rural Alaskan town filled with eccentric residents. It was a classic fish-out-of-water story right from the start.
While viewers loved tuning in to get a taste of life in “The Last Frontier,” the television series was not really filmed in Alaska.
The fictional town where ‘Northern Exposure’ took place
The quirky show, which won seven Emmy awards, two Golden Globes, and two Peabody awards, took place in the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska. The tiny backwoods locale had a population of 214, which changed to 215 when the new doctor arrived.
The opening credits of Northern Exposure featured a large moose walking down the center of Main Street in the quaint town. Cicely, which looked like it was straight out of an old western movie, had a general store, pizza shop, and a local tavern the locals frequented called The Brick.
The popular series was filmed in another state
The production crew needed a filming location outside Los Angeles that offered wide open spaces, breathtaking landscapes, and a small-town feel. They found the idyllic setting in Roslyn, Washington. It’s a tiny Pacific Northwest mining town about 80 miles east of Seattle in the Cascade Mountains.
At the height of the sitcom’s popularity, crowds lined the streets of Roslyn to watch filming, trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite actors at work.
According to Oregon Live, in 1991, Roslyn locals complained. “Older folks couldn’t find places to park for their daily trips to the post office. Residents couldn’t get into stores that were closed during shooting. Crew members loudly — and rudely, say locals — ordered people to be quiet while the cameras rolled.”
Now that the crowds have dissipated, the town of Roslyn has preserved its place in television history. Tourists still pass through town to see where the filming of Northern Exposure took place.
The local KBHR radio station, a staple on the show, looks exactly like it did back in the ’90s, with old 8-tracks and vinyl records still lining the desk. While not a working radio station, the letters KBHR still adorn the large window pane.
The Northwestern Mining Co., now Cicely’s Gift Shop, still has the name Dr. Joel Fleischman painted on its storefront glass. Plus, the Village Pizza sign still flaps in the wind.
The real Alaskan town that Cicely is based on
Many people believe the fictional town of Cicely was inspired by Talkeetna, a small Alaskan town about two hours north of Anchorage.
Thousands of visitors frequent the quirky village of Talkeetna every year to stroll through souvenir shops, art galleries, and historic cabins. The tiny tourist town has approximately 1,200 residents, with two long blocks that create its authentic Main Street vibe.
In 1997, the town elected Stubbs the cat as the honorary mayor of Talkeetna. The beloved cat kept his office at Nagley’s Store. He maintained the position for 20 years, with tourists and locals regularly stopping by to seek his advice. It sounds like Stubbs would have been a perfect fit for the fictional town of Cicely.
While there have been rumors of a Northern Exposure reboot, it is highly doubtful that will ever happen. Fans of the classic show will have to invest in an old DVD box set to watch the series. It is currently unavailable on any streaming platforms.
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