Alaska, the Last Frontier. Even before its
statehood, Alaska has always been seen as a land of promise. In fact,
its motto, "North to the Future", is meant to represent that promise. We
all know about the Russian America fur trading company, the prospecting
for gold and the petroleum industry boom. But what else is there to know
about Alaska?
For starters, the name Alaska is derived from
the Aleut word Alyeska, meaning "Great Land". And what a great land it
is! Alaska is the largest state in the United States, about 2.3 times
the size of Texas, the next largest state. The largest city in the
United States is located here. Also, the tallest peak in North America
is in Alaska. And, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North
America occurred here.
Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 for
$7.2 million. Alaska's land area is 570,374 square miles or 365,039,104
acres. That means Alaska was purchased for less than 2¢ an acre! How big
is Alaska? About one-fifth, or 21%, the size of the Lower 48 states.
Superimposed on a map of the 48 contiguous states, Alaska would stretch
from San Francisco, New York City and Miami. Alaska's Aleutian Islands
cross the 180th meridian. That makes Alaska not only the most northerly
but, also, the most easterly and westerly of the United States.
The city of Anchorage is also huge. Anchorage
encompasses 1,955 square miles ~ about the size of Delaware! Don't
worry, Jacksonville, Florida. Your city is still the largest city... in
the Lower 48. Anchorage's boundaries are roughly defined by the Chugach
Mountains to the east, from there north to Eklutna and south to the
Portage Glacier. The city then continues westward until the land reaches
water. Knik Arm, Turnagain Arm and the Cook Inlet all meet the city on
its western edges. Anchorage has 275,043 permanent residents, about 42%
of the state's entire population.
Mt. McKinley is located here in Alaska. At
20,320 feet above sea level it is the highest point in North America.
The indigenous people of Alaska had named the peak Denali, which means
"the Great One". Denali National Park was named in recognition of the
ancient name for this great mountain. Mount McKinley was named after
President William McKinley. President McKinley was shot twice by an
anarchist in 1901 and died eight days later. Alaska's huge and jagged
mountains are a result of being located near the boundary of the North
American and Pacific tectonic plates. This location also makes Alaska
the most geologically active place in North America.
Alaska experiences more than 700 moderate to
major earthquakes each year. Seventy percent of all major earthquakes in
the world occur in Alaska, mostly along the chain of Aleutian Islands.
The largest earthquake ever recorded in North America was the Great
Alaska Earthquake of 1964 (also called the Good Friday Earthquake). The
magnitude 9.2 earthquake occurred near Prince William Sound and lasted
about four minutes. Only nine deaths were directly attributed to the
earthquake. The remaining deaths were attributed to the tsunamis created
by that earthquake. Alaska suffered 106 deaths from the tsunamis. Four
deaths occurred in Oregon and twelve deaths in California. Most damage
was a combination of seismic activity, tsunamis and subsidence. In some
places the vertical displacement was 38 feet! Damage estimates in Alaska
were about $300 million (1964 dollars). That's about $1.8 billion in
2007 dollars. British Columbia didn't suffer any deaths but had damages
estimated at $56 million ($65 million Canadian dollars). Several costal
towns were destroyed. Some towns in Alaska, like Girdwood (which was
totally destroyed) and Valdez (which wasn't completely destroyed)
eventually relocated several miles inland in the years following the
earthquake. Other towns, like Portage, were never rebuilt and the areas
were abandoned entirely. Contrary to belief, Anchorage was never hit
with tsunamis. The downtown area and other areas built on or near bluffs
suffered heavy landslide damage. Most other areas of the city were only
moderately damaged.
Alaska Facts
Kodiak Island is Alaska's largest island and
the second largest in the United States.
Only the island of Hawai'i is larger.
The Forget-Me-Not is the state flower.
It grows well throughout most of Alaska.
Gold is the state mineral.
Jade, which is most always found near gold
and is a semi-precious stone, is the state gem.
The tall, stately Sitka spruce is the state
tree.
The giant King salmon, which can weigh up to
100 pounds, is the state fish.
The state bird is the pheasant-like Willow
Ptarmigan.
It changes from light brown in summer to snow white in winter.
The moose is the state's land mammal. It's
marine mammal is the Bowhead whale.
Alaska is the only state in the U.S. which
has all four major species of bear ~
black, brown, grizzly and polar.
The panda is not really a bear, but is more closely related to raccoon.
Sitka was the territorial capital when
possessed by Russia and remained so until it was moved to Juneau in 1906.
Alaska was "discovered" by ancient peoples
migrating from Asia into North America. It was "discovered" in modern time by a
Danish man, Vitus Bering, while employed by the Russian navy.
A German man, Georg Steller, was the first
European to step foot on Alaskan soil, July 13, 1741.
The first permanent settlement in Alaska by
Europeans was founded by the Russians in July 1784.
Alaska's gold rush began in 1880 when Tlingit
leader Chief Kowee, in response to a reward, showed engineer George Pilz
ore samples.
Joe Juneau and Richard Harris found gold at the base of Dzantik'i Heeni,
now know as Gold Creek.
After the gold in the creek was harvested, mines were built and the mad
rush of prospectors followed.
Alaska was purchased by the United States
from Russia, March 30, 1867.
The formal transfer of the territory and raising of the U.S. flag
occurred at Sitka, October 18, 1867.
Alaska's bid for statehood was approved by Congress June 30, 1958.
Alaska became the 49th state January 3, 1959.
Alaska Myths
Myth:
Alaska is permanently covered in ice and snow.
Fact: Most of Alaska enjoys warm summers with snow free conditions. The
highest mountain peaks can remain snow and ice covered year round. All
of Alaska gets snow in the winter.
Myth: Alaska has six months of darkness followed by six months of daylight.
Fact: The lower two-thirds of the state south of the Arctic Circle experiences
daily sunrise and sunset like most people are familiar with. The length
of daylight varies depending on the latitude and time of year. Parts of
the state north of the Arctic Circle experience at least one day each
year when the sun does not set during the summer. The number of days
without a sunset increases as one travels further north. During the
winter above the Arctic Circle, there is at least one day that the sun
does not rise. The further north you travel, the number of days without
sunrise during the winter increases. The only two places in the world
that experience six months of sunlight followed by six months of
darkness is at either geographical pole. Only when you are exactly at
the North Pole or South Pole will this be true. All locations away from
these two places will experience varying degrees of longer "days" and
"nights".
At Barrow, Alaska's most northern city, the number of days without
sunset is 85 days in summer. In winter, the sun doesn't rise for 67
days! Fairbanks is 125 miles south of the Arctic Circle, so it has a
sunrise and sunset each day of the year.
Alaska's State Song
Eight stars of gold on a field of blue -
Alaska's flag. May it mean to you
The blue of the sea, the evening sky,
The mountain lakes, and the flow'rs nearby;
The gold of the early sourdough's dreams,
The precious gold of the hills and streams;
The brilliant stars in the northern sky,
The "Bear" - the "Dipper" - and, shining high,
The great North Star with its steady light,
Over land and sea a beacon bright.
Alaska's flag - to Alaskans dear,
The simple flag of a last frontier.
Marie Drake, Composer (1935)
Alaska's Flag
More than 30 years before Alaska was to become a
state, the Alaska Department of the American Legion sponsored a
territorial contest for Alaskan children in grades seven through
twelve. Winning the contest in 1927, the design of Benny Benson, a
13-year-old Alaska Native residing at the Jesse Lee Home for Children in
Seward, was chosen to represent the future of the Alaska Territory. Up
to that time, Alaskans had flown only the U.S. flag since the territory
was purchased from Russia in 1867.
Benson's design was chosen over
roughly 700 other submissions from schoolchildren territory-wide in
grades 7–12. Most other entries featured variations on the territorial
seal, the midnight sun, the northern lights, polar bears, and/or gold
pans. To celebrate his achievement, Benson was awarded $1,000 and an
engraved watch.
Benny looked to the sky for the symbols he included in his design.
Choosing the familiar constellation he looked for every night before
going to sleep at the orphanage, submitted this description with it:
"The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan
flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most
northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear—symbolizing
strength."
