Today in Alaska History
Cities in Alaska: Anchorage
Historical Events
Results 1 - 65 of 65
1741-07-15 - Alexei Chirikov sights land in Southeast Alaska. He sends men ashore in a longboat, making them the first Europeans to visit Alaska.
1741-07-28 - Capt Bering discovers Mount St Elias, Alaska
1741-08-20 - Alaska discovered by Danish explorer Vitus Bering
1778-10-03 - Capt Cook anchors at Alaska
1788-06-11 - Russian explorer Gerasim Izmailov reaches Alaska.
1791-08-20 - Danish navigator Vitus Jonas Bering discovers Alaska
1794-08-08 - Joseph Whidbey and George Vancouver lead an expedition to search for the Northwest Passage near Juneau, Alaska.
1825-02-22 - Russia & Britain establish Alaska-Canada boundary
1867-03-30 - US buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (2 cents an acre - Seward's Folly)
1867-06-20 - Pres Andrew Johnson announces purchase of Alaska
1867-10-05 - Last day of Julian calendar in Alaska
1867-10-16 - Alaska adopts Gregorian calendar, crosses intl date line
1867-10-18 - US takes formal possession of Alaska from Russia ($7.2 million)
1884-05-17 - Alaska becomes a US territory
1898-07-08 - The shooting death of crime boss Soapy Smith releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip.
1899-09-04 - 8.3 earthquake shakes Yakutat Bay Alaska
1899-09-10 - 2nd quake in 7 days (8.6) hits Yakutat Bay Alaska
1900-10-09 - 8.3 earthquake shakes Cape Yakataga, Alaska
1901-08-14 - SS Islander hits iceberg near Alaska & sinks killing 70
1903-10-20 - US wins disputed boundary between District of Alaska & Canada
1908-02-12 - NY to Paris auto race (via Alaska & Siberia) begins in NYC George Schuster wins after 88 days behind the wheel
1909-06-01 - Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition opens in Seattle
1909-11-13 - Collier's magazine accuses U.S. Secretary of the Interior Richard Ballinger of questionable dealings in Alaskan coal fields.
1910-04-03 - Highest mountain in North America, Alaska's Mt McKinley climbed
1912-06-04 - Cone of Mount Katmai (Alaska) collapses
1912-06-06 - The eruption of Novarupta in Alaska begins. It is the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
1912-08-24 - Territory of Alaska organizes
1915-06-27 - 100°F (38°C), Fort Yukon Alaska (state record)
1918-10-25 - Canadian steamship "Princess Sophia" hit a reef off Alaska, 398 die
1922-10-11 - 1st woman FBI "special investigator" appointed (Alaska Davidson)
1923-07-08 - Harding becomes 1st sitting president to visit Alaska (Metlakahtla)
1925-02-25 - Glacier Bay National Monument established in Alaska
1936-03-26 - Mary Joyce ends a 1,000 mile trip by dog in Alaska
1938-11-10 - 8.3 earthquake shakes East of Shumagin Islands, Alaska
1942-03-09 - Construction of the Alaska Highway began
1942-10-29 - Alaska highway completed
1944-06-06 - Alaska Airlines commences operations.
1953-06-25 - 86°F in Anchorage Alaska
1953-12-11 - KTVA TV channel 11 in Anchorage (CBS) becomes Alaska's 1st TV station
1957-03-09 - 8.1 earthquake shakes Andreanof Islands, Alaska
1958-07-06 - Alaska becomes 49th state
1958-07-07 - Pres Eisenhower signed a bill approving Alaskan statehood
1958-07-09 - Giant splash caused by fall of 90 million tons of rock & ice into Lituya Bay, Alaska washes 1,800 feet up the mountain
1959-01-03 - Alaska admitted as 49th US state
1959-07-04 - America's new 49-star flag honoring Alaska statehood unfurled
1963-03-13 - 2 Russian reconnaissance flights over Alaska
1964-03-27 - Earthquake strikes Alaska, 8.4 on Richter scale, 118 die
1964-03-28 - 9.2 earthquake shakes Prince William Sound, Alaska
1971-01-23 - -80°F (-62°C) in Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska (US record)
1971-09-04 - Alaskan 727 crashes into Chilkoot Mountain, kills 109 (Alaska)
1973-11-16 - Pres Nixon authorizes construction of Alaskan pipeline
1975-03-09 - Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System begins.
1977-05-31 - Trans Alaska oil pipeline completed
1977-06-20 - Oil enters Trans-Alaska pipeline exits 38 days later at Valdez
1977-07-28 - 1st oil through the TransAlaska Pipeline System reach Valdez, Alaska
1982-10-12 - 38.6 cm (15.2") of rainfall, Angoon Alaska (state record)
1985-05-17 - Les Anderson, catches record 97 lb 4 oz Chinook Salmon, off Alaska
1986-08-07 - Daniel Buettner, Bret Anderson, Martin Engel & Anne Knabe begin cycling journey of 15,266 miles from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to Argentina
1987-05-31 - Saul Ballesteros drives 3 golf balls off Mt McKinley, Alaska
1987-06-13 - Daniel Buettner, Bret Anderson, Martin Engel & Anne Knabe complete cycling journey of 15,266 mi from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Argentina
1989-03-24 - Worst US oil spill, Exxon's Valdez spills 11.3 mil gallons off Alaska
1994-06-13 - A jury in Anchorage, Alaska, blames recklessness by Exxon and Captain Joseph Hazelwood for the Exxon Valdez disaster, allowing victims of the oil spill to seek $15 billion in damages.
1995-09-22 - E-3B AWACS crashed outside of Elmendorf AFB, Alaska after multiple bird strikes to two of the four engines soon after takeoff; all 24 on board killed
2000-01-31 - Alaska Airlines flight 261 MD-83, experiencing horizontal stabilizer problems, crashes in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Point Mugu, California, killing all 88 persons aboard.
2008-01-21 - The Eyak language in Alaska becomes extinct as its last native speaker dies.
Famous Birthdays
Results 1 - 26 of 26
1801-05-16 - William H. Seward, United States Secretary of State, bought Alaska at 2 ยข/acre (d. 1872)
1871-12-13 - Russell W Porter, Vermont, explorer (Alaska)
1898-11-22 - Wiley Post, Grand Plain Tx, aviator/parachutist (crashed in Alaska)
1910-10-15 - Xenophon Balaskas, cricketer (South African leg-spinner of 30's)
1919-08-18 - Walter J Hickel, (Gov-R-Alaska)/US Secretary of Interior (1969-71)
1927-10-14 - Roger Moore, London England, actor (Alaskans, Maverick, Saint)
1930-05-13 - Mike Gravel, (Sen-R-Alaska)
1943-01-01 - Tony Knowles, 9th Governor of Alaska
1952-10-02 - George Meegen, England, walked 19,019 miles from Argentina to Alaska
1957-10-18 - Doug Isaacson, Alaskan politician
1962-03-17 - Janet Patricia Gardner, Juneau Alaska, rocker (Vixen-Rev It Up)
1965-10-17 - Connie Ann Hearn, Anchorage Alaska, actress (New Kind of Family)
1966-03-08 - Holly Ann Salo, Keani Alaska, Miss Alaska-America (1991)
1967-03-28 - Ed[ward] Grose, Juneau Alaska, rower (Olympics-1996)
1970-02-17 - Tommy Moe, Anchorage Alaska, nordic skiier (Olympic-gold/silver-1994)
1970-10-14 - Nina Kemppel, Anchorage Alaska, cross country skier (Olympics-1994)
1972-05-05 - Janelle Lynn Canady, Miss Alaska USA (1996)
1973-12-07 - Rea Marie Bavilla, Miss USA-Alaska (1997)
1974-05-23 - Jewel [Kilcher], Alaska, folk/rock vocalist (Pieces of You)
1975-02-08 - Joshua Morrow. Juneau Alaska, actor (Nicholas Newman-Young & Restless)
1975-05-05 - Christine Buschur, Eagle River Alaska, Miss America-Alaska (1997)
1977-09-30 - Stacey Storey, Eagle River Alaska, Miss America-Alaska (1996)
1978-11-25 - Laurie Miller, Miss Alaska Teen USA (1997)
1979-02-02 - Brandee Dawn McCoskey, Miss Alaska Teen USA (1996)
1979-06-20 - Sydne Vogel, Anchorage Alaska, figure skater (1996 NW Pac Sr champ)
1981-09-28 - Vincent Kartheiser, actor (Hairy Bird, Alaska, Untamed Heart)
Famous Deaths
Results 1 - 5 of 5
1837-12-13 - Herman of Alaska, Russian Orthodox hermit (b. 1756)
1935-08-15 - Wiley Post, aviation pioneer, killed in plane crash in Alaska at 36
1935-08-15 - Will Rogers, humoprist, killed in plane crash in Alaska at 55
1982-02-11 - Victor Jory, Alaskan actor (Kings Row, Manhunt), dies at 79
1994-05-12 - Xenophon Balaskas, cricketer (9 Tests for S Africa, 22 wkts), dies
