Alaska timeline

Seward's Folly US agrees to purchase Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million

Secretary of State William H. Seward agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. Critics attacked Seward for the secrecy... Read more

The Alaska Purchase Treaty Is Signed

The purchase of Alaska in 1867 marked the end of Russian efforts to expand trade and settlements to the Pacific coast of North America, and became... Read more

The United States Senate Ratifies The Alaska Purchase Treaty

The purchase of Alaska in 1867 marked the end of Russian efforts to expand trade and settlements to the Pacific coast of North America, and became... Read more

The Alaska Transfer Ceremony Takes Place

An Aleut name, "Alaska" was chosen by the Americans. The transfer ceremony took place in Sitka on October 18, 1867. Russian and American soldiers... Read more

Skookum Party Discovers Gold Deposits in Bonanza Creek, Yukon

In August 1896, three people led by Keish (Skookum Jim Mason), a member of the Tagish First Nations, headed north, down the Yukon River from the... Read more

Wreck of the SS Princess Sophia

Princess Sophia, was built for the Alaska run, and made her maiden voyage on June 7, 1912. She was not a fancy ship, her hull was short and had... Read more

U.S. Army Engineers Open The Alcan Highway

On November 21, 1942, U.S. Army engineers, working closely with their Canadian counterparts, completed an emergency war measure with the opening of... Read more

Northwest Airlines Flight 4422 Crashes, Killing 30

Northwest flight 4422 was a non-scheduled charter flight en route from Shanghai-Lunghwa Airport to La Guardia Field. An intermediate stop was made... Read more

Alaska is the 49th State Admitted to the Union

President Eisenhower stated his support for the idea of statehood for Alaska early in his administration but also expressed concerns that needed to... Read more

The Good Friday Earthquake

This great earthquake and ensuing tsunami took 128 lives (tsunami 113, earthquake 15), and caused about $311 million in property loss. Earthquake... Read more

Alaska Airlines Flight 1866 Crashes Near Juneau

Alaska Airlines Flight 1866 was the first fatal jet airliner crash of Alaska Airlines (sometimes incorrectly cited as the first fatal crash... Read more

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

On March 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling an estimated 11 million gallons... Read more

Raejean S. Bonham is Indicted for Mail Fraud and Money Laundering

Bonham owned and operated Atlantic Pacific Funding Corporation and World Plus, Inc., a business in Fairbanks selling to the public discounted... Read more

2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games

The biggest winter sporting event ever held in Alaska came to a ceremonial close Sunday at Sullivan Arena when Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer declared an end... Read more

Sarah Palin Announces That She Won't Seek a Second Term as Governor of Alaska, Resigns

(CNN) -- Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down as Alaska's chief executive by the end of the month. She will not seek election... Read more

Former Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens Dies In A Plane Crash

Former Senator Ted Stevens, who for several years played a leading role in controlling the nation's purse strings, died with four other people in a... Read more