In the Spring of 1943, Glenn & Mary Lou Briggs purchased 160 acres from homesteader Jack Cobol and began the first farming operation in the Chugiak-Eagle River area. The Briggses raised hogs and potatoes to supply the nearby military bases.
As the community grew and farming became unprofitable, Glenn Briggs helped develop the first mall area in the community of Eagle River. The original homestead has now been developed into subdivisions in the Meadow Creek area of Eagle River