Happy Alaska Day!

Today is National Alaska Day for 2025. . .

Happy National Alaska Day ! ! ! 

Which State is AK:

The Beginning Years: It is believed that the initial Alaska ancient history began over 5,000 years ago when people migrated from Asia across the Bering Land Bridge. These early inhabitants adapted to the Arctic and created unique cultures and technologies. Waves of migrations introduced groups like the Inuit, leading to a rich variety of indigenous cultures, such as the Athabascans and Tlingit. They developed advanced skills for survival in harsh conditions and engaged in trade with Asia and North America. Archaeological sites like Swan Point show evidence of their early presence.

Bering Sea Aleutian Is Alaska map courtesy of Openverse

More History: The state of Alaska history as part of the U. S. began with its purchase from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, negotiated by Secretary of State William Seward. Initially named the Department of Alaska, it became the District of Alaska in 1884 and the Territory of Alaska in 1912, finally achieving statehood as the 49th state on January 3, 1959.After the purchase, Alaska was governed by military and others, with little attention from the U. S. government. The Klondike Gold Rush from 1896 to 1903 increased its population and governance needs. The Organic Act of 1912 established a formal government, and World War II highlighted Alaska’s strategic importance. Statehood followed years of efforts and was boosted by oil discoveries and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

More About Alaska: Throughout the years, Alaska has earned the titles of being famous for its stunning natural beauty, including vast wilderness, large glaciers, tall mountains like Denali, and the Northern Lights. It also has abundant wildlife, excellent fishing, and a rich history featuring the Iditarod dog sled race and the gold rush. The state has many natural wonders, such as the impressive Portage Glacier and Denali, the highest peak in North America. It is home to beautiful national parks like Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park, which offer incredible landscapes and wildlife viewing. Alaska is a great place for outdoor adventures, including world-class fishing, wildlife viewing, and dog mushing, particularly during the Iditarod race. The culture includes a rich Alaskan Native heritage and preserved gold rush history found in towns like Skagway. The term “sourdough” reflects the state’s history and long-time residents. Also, the tallest mountain in North America is within the State of Alaska: Mount McKinley, The ten tallest mountains in the United States are situated exclusively in Alaska and California. The first eight are found in Alaska, with Mount McKinley standing out at an impressive height of 20,308 feet. The ninth tallest is Mount Whitney, which is part of California’s Sierra Nevada range, while the tenth is Mount Elbert, located in Colorado.

Mount McKinley courtesy of Openverse

The Great Location of Alaska: The state of Alaska spans 2,400 miles in length from east to west, and 1,420 miles in width, from north to south, making Alaska the by-far largest state in the United States, well over 1-1/2 times the size of the second largest state of Texas. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Yukon Territory, Canada and British Columbia, Canada to the east. the Pacific Ocean to the south. Alaska is 1,573 miles from Hawaii through the Pacific Ocean, and  808 miles from the closest state of Washington through Canada. Alaska is also only 476 miles through the Bering Strait to the mainland Naukan (Наукан), a deserted Yupik village located on Cape Dezhnev in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of Russia. It is 16 to 25 miles from Wales, AK to the Little Diomede Island, AK, and 2.4 miles from Little Diomede Island, AK to Big Diomede Island, Russia. The difference in time because of the dateline being right in between the Diomede Islands is 20 hours, so for instance, if it is one minute to midnight (11:59 p.m.) Alaska time, it is 7:59 p.m. the next day. This is because there are 3 missing time zones to the south in the Pacific that are not used that hight north in latitude, with Alaskan time being −9 UTC (the missing time zones are Hawaiian/Tahitian time: −10 UTC, Samoan time: −11 UTC Auckland/Wellington time: +12 UTC) ending with Anadyr/Magadan/Solomon Islands time: +11 UTC. When switching from a positive number to a negative number in UTC indicates a new day after going west on the International Dateline.There is a −12 because the dateline is not directly on the timezone coversion chart all the way pole to pole, but Big Diomede Island is on the positive, making the differences one of the most drastic in the world.

Greetings from Alaska – Large Letter Postcard courtesy of Openverse

Alaska’s Statehood Facts:

The History:

Alaska Officially Adopted as a U.S. State, State Song, Admission Date & Alaska Flag
State Name Info ♪ State Song ♫	Admission	Capital	Flag Image
49th State. Territory of Alaska “Road to Alaska” by the Bee Gees (Modern), “Alaska’s Flag” Elinor Dusenbury (Original)	01/03/1959	Juneau

See: Officially Adopted as a U.S. States, State Songs, Admission Dates & Flags at:

National States & Capitals Day – 2024

Some Great Alaska Sites:  Here is a list of some some great places to visit while in Alaska:

• White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, 201 2nd Ave, Skagway, AK 99840
• Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, 6000 Glacier Spur Rd, Juneau, AK 99801
• Tracy Arm Fjord, Must book a tour (near Juneau, AK)
• Alaska Railroad, 411 West 1st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501
• Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, 43520 Seward Hwy, Girdwood, AK 99587
• Goldbelt Tram, 490 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801
• Kenai Fjords National Park, 1212 4th Avenue, Seward, AK 99664
• Mount McKinley, Mile 1.5 Denali Park Road, Denali Park, AK 99755
• Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, 212 Wedgewood Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99701
• Hubbard Glacier, Must book a tour (near Yakutat, AK)
• Anchorage Museum, 625 C St, Anchorage, AK 99501
• Creek Street, parallel to Ketchikan Creek in Ketchikan, AK 99901

Memorable Alaska Events:  Here is a list of some events that happened in Alaska:

• 1728: Danish explorer Vitus Bering discovers the Bering Strait.
  
• 1741: Vitus Bering returns and explores the Alaskan coastline.
  
• 1776: British explorer Captain James Cook makes contact with Alaskan natives while searching for the Northwest passage.
  
• 1784: The Russians establish a permanent settlement on Kodiak Island.
  
• 1867: Alaska is purchased from Russia by the United States for $7,200,000.
  
• 1872: Gold is discovered in Alaska.
  
• 1897: The Klondike Gold Rush begins. People rush to Alaska in hopes of striking it rich.
  
• 1900: Juneau becomes the capital of Alaska.
  
• 1912: Alaska becomes a U.S. territory.
  
• 1942: Two of the Aleutian Islands are captured by Japan. The U.S. retakes the islands in 1943.
  
• 1959: Alaska becomes the 49^th U.S. state.
  
• 1964: A huge earthquake hits Alaska destroying some cities and heavily damaging Anchorage.
  
• 1977: The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline is completed to help transport oil to the coastline. Over 16 billion barrels of oil have been shipped since its opening.

Alaska Vacation 1990 courtesy of Openverse

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National Alaska Day