History of Anchorage, Alaska

History of Anchorage, Alaska

This article covers the history of Anchorage, Alaska, USA.

Russian purchase to U.S. Territory

Russia presence in southcentral Alaskan was well-established in the 1800s. In 1867, U. S. Secretary of state William H. Seward brokered a deal to purchase Alaska from a debt-ridden Imperial Russia for $7.2 million (about two cents an acre). The deal was lampooned by fellow politicians and by the public as "Seward's folly", "Seward's icebox" and "Walrussia." By 1888, gold was discovered along Turnagain Arm. In 1912, Alaska became a United States Territory.

The birth of Anchorage: 1914 - 1929

Anchorage was laid out by city planners in 1914, originally as a railroad construction port for the Alaska Railroad. President Woodrow Wilson authorized funds for the construction of the Alaska Railroad in 1915, and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce was formed that year. A tent city soon sprang up at Ship Creek Landing, which had been selected as the railroad headquarters, and its population quickly grew to over 2,000. On July 9, 1915, the first sales of town lots were held. The city was known by many names during its infancy, but the U.S. Post Office Department formalized the name "Anchorage." Early on, the federal government was responsible for the city of Anchorage. Local citizens put pressure on the federal government to devolve power, however, and Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920. [http://www.ci.anchorage.ak.us/History/ "Anchorage Historical Highlights."] Municipality of Anchorage website. Accessed Apr. 6, 2007.]

During World War I, Anchorage's population and industry declined. However, in 1923, the Alaska Railroad was completed; it would be the basis of Anchorage's economy through the 1920s.

Early growth and World War II: 1930 - 1964

Between the 1930s and 1950s, air transportation became increasingly important. In 1930, Merrill Field replaced the city's original "Park Strip" landing field. By the mid-1930s, Merrill Field was one of the busiest civilian airports in the United States. On December 10, 1951, Anchorage International Airport opened, with transpolar airline traffic flying between Europe and Asia.

Starting in the 1940s, U.S. military presence in Alaska was also greatly expanded. Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson were constructed. Heavy military investment occurred during World War II, due to the threat of Japanese invasion, and continued into the 1950 because of Cold War tensions.

In the 1940s and 1950s, Anchorage began looking more like a city. Between 1940 and 1951, Anchorage's population increased from 3,000 to 47,000. Crime and the cost of living in the city also grew. In 1949, the first traffic lights were installed on Fourth Avenue. In 1951, the Seward Highway was opened. KTVA, the city's first television station, began broadcasting in 1953. In 1954, Alyeska Resort was established.

On January 3, 1959, Alaska joined the union as the 49th state. Soon after, Anchorage faced a severe housing shortage, which was solved partially by suburban expansion.Fact|date=April 2007 In January 1964, Anchorage became a City and Borough.Fact|date=April 2007

Anchorage also has unsuccessfully bid for the Winter Olympic Games several times, with the most recent being in 1994.

The "Good Friday Earthquake"

On March 27, 1964, Anchorage was hit by the Good Friday Earthquake, which caused tremendous destruction. The magnitude 9.2 earthquake was the largest ever recorded in North America, and Anchorage lay only 75 miles (120 km) from its epicenter. It killed 115 people in Alaska, and damage was estimated at over $300 million ($1.8 billion in 2007 U.S. dollars). Anchorage's recovery from the earthquake dominated life in the late 1960s.

Regrowth and oil discovery: 1965 - 1999

In 1968, oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Slope; a 1969 oil lease sale brought billions of dollars to the state. In 1974, construction began on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. The pipeline was completed in 1977 at a cost of more than $8 billion. The oil discovery and pipeline construction fueled a modern-day boon when oil and construction companies set up headquarters in Anchorage. The Anchorage International Airport also boomed as well, and Anchorage marketed itself as the "Air Crossroads of the World," due to its unique geographical location.

In 1975, the city and borough consolidated, forming a unified government. Also included in this unification were Eagle River, Eklutna, Girdwood, Glen Alps, and several other communities. The unified area became officially known as the Municipality of Anchorage. By 1980, the population of Anchorage had increased to 184,775.

The decade of the 1980s was a time of growth, thanks to a flood of North Slope oil revenue into the state treasury. Capital projects and an aggressive beautification program, combined with far-sighted community planning, greatly increased infrastructure and quality of life. Major improvements included a new library, a civic center, a sports arena, a performing arts center, Hilltop Ski Area, and Kincaid Outdoor Center. In the late 1980s, however, the price of oil dropped dramatically and a recession hit Anchorage.

In 1996, the Arctic Winter Games were held in Chugiak/Eagle River and, in 1999, the Alaska Native Heritage Center opened.

The 21st century

On July 8, 2000, the airport was renamed "Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport" in honor of Alaska's longest-serving United States Senator, Ted Stevens. Although development is filling available space in the "Anchorage bowl" (a local moniker for the city area) significant undeveloped areas still remain, as well as large areas of dedicated parks and greenbelts.

References

ee also

*History of Alaska


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