Alaskan History – Sharing History

On January 3, 1959, Alaska was officially made the 49^th state in the United States of America. This declaration came almost 100 years after the U.S.’s original acquisition of the area from Russia and after decades of campaigning by its residents. Though the purchase was originally seen as senseless, Alaska has enriched the U.S. with its abundance of natural resources.

1843 was the first time anyone in the United States government inquired about the purchase of the Alaska territory. It was a colony of Russia at the time, and the Russian government was not interested in the overtures made by the U.S. Secretary of State. However, after the Crimean War, Russia found itself in a precarious financial situation. In 1867, Russia approached Secretary of State William Seward about selling the Alaskan territory. On March 30, 1867, the U.S. purchased the land from Russia for $7.2 million, equating to about 2¢ per acre. At the time, Americans found the purchase silly. They called it “Seward’s Folly,” “Seward’s Icebox,” and President Johnson’s “polar bear garden.”

Upon the acquisition of the land, Alaska was called the Department of Alaska, and control of the territory was passed around among federal departments, including the U.S. Army and Treasury Department. It was not until 1884 that the District of Alaska was created, and a local government was installed. Meanwhile, Alaska experienced a boom in population thanks to the discovery of several large veins of gold. By 1906, Alaskan residents were looking toward statehood. Congress allowed them to elect a representative, but he had no official vote in the House. In 1946, Alaskans began campaigning in earnest. Congress agreed to hear a bill on the matter, but the topic was deferred due to the beginning of the Korean War. After the war’s end, in 1958, Congress passed the Alaska Statehood Bill, and on January 3, 1959, Alaska officially became part of the United States.

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Tag: Alaskan History

“North to the Future”