Cantwell is named after Lieutenant J. C. Cantwell, military explorer and commander of the revenue steamer Corwin on the Yukon River, 1898-1900. It started its modern history as a railroad flag stop at the junction with the Denali Highway. Today’s population is 219.
Historically, its inhabitants were nomadic Tanana Indians and Athabascan Alaska Natives who hunted and fished in the area they knew as Yidateni Na’ in Ahtna Athabascan.
Today, the community supports nearby Denali National Park. Almost 20 percent of its workforce is in accommodations and food, followed by 13 percent in education and construction.