On June 17, 1953 a fire broke out on the military port of Whittier, Alaska. In under four hours the fire destroyed three warehouses, a 1,200 foot wharf, and a large amount of supplies. The cost ended up being $20 million – the costliest fire in Alaska to date. General Buckner Builds Whittier Whittier, Alaska was the brainchild of Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., the American general in … [Read more...]
Walter E. Clark: A First & Last Governor For Alaska
This Week In Alaskan History: On May 20, 1909 Walter E. Clark became the 7th and last governor of the District of Alaska. He acted in that role for three years until 1912 when Alaska became a territory. In May of 1913 Clark became the 1st governor of the territory of Alaska. The Governor’s Background Clark was born in Ashford, Connecticut to a farming family. He served … [Read more...]
The Day Alaska Joined The Union
This Week in Alaskan History: Then President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation on January 3, 1959 which admitted the territory of Alaska into the Union. With a flick of his pen, Eisenhower made Alaska not only the 49th state, but the largest as well. "Seward's Folly" Ninety-two years prior, then Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia on March 30, … [Read more...]
The Seismic Wave Warning System
This Week in Alaskan History: On April 1, 1946 a massive undersea earthquake off the coast of Alaska triggered a tsunami that reached as far as Hawaii. It prompted the U.S. to establish the Seismic Sea Wave Warning System just two years later. 04/01/46 Undersea Earthquake and Alaska In the middle of the night, 13,000 feet beneath the ocean surface, a 7.4-magnitude tremor was … [Read more...]
This Week In Alaskan History: Vern Tejas
This Week In Alaskan History: On March 7, 1988 Vern Tejas became the first person to complete a solo winter ascent of Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America. Tejas and His 1988 Solo Climb During his solo climb, Vern Tejas had to dig a snow cave for survival. He waited out a blizzard that had overcome him in the cave before returning to safety. Tejas and the Seven … [Read more...]
