About Alaska
Things you always wanted to know about Alaska but may not have heard in school...
Alaska was first populated by several groups of indigenous peoples who most likely made their way across the Bering Sea Land Bridge in several different migratory waves, between 10,000 and 30,000 years ago. Many Alaska Natives still live in small villages along the major rivers, following a hunting and fishing subsistence lifestyle. The Anchorage Museum and the Alaska Native Heritage Center are good places to learn about and experience the historic and current Native cultures.
The name Alaska was the Russian take on the Aleut word "aláxsxaq," which refers to an object to which the sea is directed. The Russian occupation and cultural influence in Alaska are still evident by the numerous and active Russian Orthodox churches and Russian surnames of Alaska Natives.
An agreement was made to Purchase Alaska from the Russians on March 30, 1867 at the urging of Secretary of State William H. Seward, and on August 1, 1868 a check was cut for $7,200,000 or roughly $.02 an acre. This transaction was immediately dubbed "Seward's Folly."
On January 3, 1959 Alaska finally convinced the rest of the country that it was ready for statehood, and we were admitted to the union as the 49th 
state. The discovery of oil in Cook Inlet helped to move things along. This act made Texas the second largest state. (In fact, Alaska is so big that dividing it in half would make Texas the third largest state!)
Alaska is NOT located off the coast of California next to Hawaii, as depicted on many maps of the U.S. It is actually west of British Columbia and northern Canada's Yukon Territory. Its northern boundary is at the "Top of the World." Much of the land mass of Alaska straddles the Arctic Circle. The Aleutian Chain stretches all the way to the International Date Line.
Most of Alaska is surrounded by ocean. To the north is the Arctic Ocean, (the Beaufort Sea and the Chukchi Sea). To the south is the Gulf of Alaska and Pacific Ocean. To the west is the Bering Sea. And from Little Diomede Island off the northwest coast, you can see Russia (Big Diomede Island) from Alaska on a clear day. Located only a mile and a half from the Russian border--the International Dateline--you can actually "look into tomorrow." The other side of the dateline is 23 hours ahead, a calendar day ahead of Alaska.
Our Capital city is Juneau, located on the Southeast "panhandle." It is unique in that you can't drive there from the rest of the state. The only way to get in is by air, state ferry, or cruise ship (in the summer). Several attempts to relocate the capital to a more accessible location in Southcentral Alaska have been unsuccessful.
The total area of Alaska is 656,424 square miles. It is 1/5 the size of the rest of the United States. We have lots of lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. The Yukon River is Alaska's longest at 1,875 miles. Lake Iliamna is Alaska's largest lake at roughly the size of Rhode Island and is the second largest fresh water lake (right behind Lake Michigan) lying entirely within the United States. Alaska has over 3 million lakes that are more than 20 acres in size. Rumor says that every Alaskan could own 3,000 bodies of water and we'd still have some left over for non-residents.
As to the highest point - that would be Denali, which means "The Great One" (Mt. McKinley on the maps). "The Mountain," as we call it, measures a towering 20,320 feet. It's the highest point in North America.
Our lowest point? Sea level, of course. We have more coastline than the whole rest of the country put together. The pristine waters off the Alaska coast make for an abundant wild seafood industry and vital subsistence food source for rural communities.
Contrary to popular thinking we can get hot in the summer in Alaska. On June 27, 1915, thermometers reached 100 degrees at Fort Yukon, located in the interior of the state. Anchorage's temperatures are milder due to its location on the coast.
It can also get fairly cold. Our lowest temperature was minus 80 degrees on January 23, 1971 at Prospect Creek Camp (also in the interior.) At that temperature, your breath freezes as it is exhaled! You won't have to worry about that at all while you visit here during the summer.
Alaska is the most sparsely populated state. The whole population of the state is 686,293--that's a little over one person per square mile. Close to half live in Anchorage (279,243) and the surrounding area, but you still won't see the traffic found elsewhere. A California visitor wryly observed that we have "rush minutes."
Alaska is a resource-rich state, yet preservation of and public access to our scenic beauty and nature are paramount. Because of this, you don't have to go f
ar to see wildlife and astounding vistas. You may even see a moose or two wandering around downtown Anchorage, though for bear you'll probably have to go out of town. Dall Sheep are often spotted on the cliffs along Turnagain Arm on the Seward Highway. To the north you'll find musk ox and caribou.
Birds abound, and you'll find Potter Marsh just south of town a wonderful place for watching them this time of year. Keep an eye on the sky for soaring eagles. On your drive around Anchorage and south, you'll see signs alerting you to watch for goose and duck families, which can stop traffic when they decide to cross the road. If you are lucky enough to be here in late August the Sandhill Crane Festival in Fairbanks is an experience you wont forget.
We look forward to having you visit our beautiful state and seeing for yourself the reason we say, "It's a local call to God from here."