Alaska History

By Jessica Faught

  • Russian Fur Merchants Arrive

    About this time

  • Expedition sailed from Russia to explore the Alaskan waters

  • Vitus Bering Claims AK for Russia

  • Russians establish permanent settlement on Kodiak Island

  • Whalers Invade West AK Waters

    About this time

  • Alaska purchase

  • Sheldon Jackson establishes mission in Wrangell

  • John Brady creates industrial boarding school for Native Alaskans

    This boarding school in Sitka would eventually become Sheldon Jackson College.

  • First Organic Act

    Established by Indiana senator, Benjamin Harrison, this act championed a federal law that brough civil government to Alaska.

  • Sheldon Jackson becomes education agent

  • Tsimshian Move to Annette Island

    Members of the group still reside in Metlakatla

  • Gold Found in Nome

  • Juneau is designated as the AK capitol

    Enabling the occurrences of AK being an answer on Jeopardy to increase 10 fold.

  • Reform of First Organic Act

    This reform allowed for making the US a territory with its own legislature

  • AK becomes a territory of the US

  • Serum Run

    A heroic transport of diptheria antitoxin to Nome saves lives, makes a national hero out of Balto and spurs an inoculation campaign across the country.

  • Flag designed by Benny Benson

    This Alaska Native teenager beat out over 700 contestants and designed an elegant and understated symbol of our state.

  • Radio Established

    Radio telephone communications established in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Nome.

  • Jurisdictional Act of June 1935

    This allowed the Haida and Tlingit Indians to pursue land claims in U.S. Court of Claims.

  • Fort Rich established

    Work on Elmendorf AFB begins

  • Attu and Kiska Invaded by Japanese

    Remote villages were invaded by Japanese forces during WWII

  • Japan bombs Dutch Harbor

  • Alaska HWY Finished

    In order to maintain access to AK, a highway is built by the Army Corps of Engineers from Montana to AK.

  • Vote to abolish fish traps

    passes by 10 to 1 margin

  • Alaska's Flag adopted as state song

    Written by Marie Drake and Elinor Dusenbury

  • Constitutional Convention opens

    Voters in the teritories adopt the Alaska constitution. This leads to two senators and one representative being sent to Washington under the Tennessee Plan to push for statehood.

  • Eisenhower signs us into statehood!

  • Alaska becomes the 49th State!

  • Massive Earthquake Hits AK

    A devastating earthquake rocked the state, causing incredible damage and changing the landscape forever.

  • Alaska Federation of Natives is established

    Interior Secretary Stewart Udall imposes a "land freeze" to protect Native use and occupancy of Alaska lands.

  • First Iditarod Run

    thanks to the work of Dorothy Page and Reddington Sr, this beloved race gets its start.

  • Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

    This Act gives Natives rights to about a 10th of Alaska's land and nearly $1 billion dollars and creating Native village and regional corporations.

  • AK Constitution amended to prohibit sexual discrimination

  • Congress passes the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act

  • Salmon Fisheries Limited Entry Program becomes law.

  • Permanent Fund Established

  • Willow voted as new state capitol

    This will later be repealed in 1982

  • Trans-Alaska Pipeline is completed

  • First Permanent Funds are distributed

  • Jessica Moves to AK!

    She was 4. She didn't have much choice.

  • AK Time zone is changed

    All of AK (except a few very western Aleutian Islands) is consolidated under Alaska Standard Time.

  • Railroad is purchased from the Feds

  • Exxon Valdez Runs Aground

    Causing devastation to the flora and fauna of Prince William Sound for decades, the Valdez spills out 11 million gallons of crude oil

  • Major recession hits AK

    Massive job loss is felt as oil companies cuts positions

  • Alaska Times Folds

  • Federal trial results in $5B settlement against Exxon for oil spill

  • Moose Adopted as Official State Land Mammal

  • Large Earthquake Hits Southcentral AK

    Magnitude of 7.1, this earthquake shook the region and caused massive damage.

  • Mary Peltola Elected to US Congress