Alaska – A Brief History Of The 49th US State

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For some, the story of Alaska begins in 1959, when Alaska became the 49th state of America. For others, their ties with the land dates back more than 11,000 years. One thing is clear, as you look out over the diverse Alaskan landscape and towns; the history of Alaska is very much with the locals today. Whether you’re visiting an Aleutian village where bead-making, totem pole sculpting and painting are still their livelihoods, or you’re taking a ride through glacial canyons that overlook abandoned mine shafts, or you’re riding a bus through Denali National Park to catch a glimpse of grizzlies and bald eagles, you will discover that Alaska remains a source of intrigue for anyone who has the spirit of adventure in their heart.

The first Alaskans were thought to have crossed the Bering Strait between 60,000 and 50,000 BC. By the mid 1700s, there were 60-80,000 Indians, Aleuts and Eskimos living in Alaska. The Indians of Alaska included the Tlingits and Haidas in the Southeast, and the Athabaskans of the Interior Passage; together, they numbered about 20,000 strong. The 15,000 Aleuts inhabited the Aleutian Islands and a Southwest portion of the Alaska Peninsula. Lastly, 30,000 Eskimos lived along the Alaskan coast from the Arctic Ocean to Yakutat, stretching to the Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula and Prince William Sound. The early inhabitants of the state of Alaska lived in a hunter-gatherer society and used every part of the beasts they hunted, making long houses, tools, igloos, weapons, clothing, blankets, jewelry, dishes and canoes. Shamans battled for good and evil, with some providing spiritual healing, while others cast curses. Wealth was shared through ceremonies, like Tlingit potlatches, Athabaskan festivals, Eskimo messenger feasts, and Aleut theatrical performances. For thousands of years, these indigenous groups would be the only population on the Alaskan frontier, but that changed and the Alaska native became just 15% of the total population.

Vasco de Balboa claimed all North American lands under the Spanish crown as early as 1513, but Spanish explorers didn’t really investigate the prospect of Alaska until the 1770s. In 1790, Spanish explorers named the towns of Cordova and Valdez after their conquistadors, and some architectural influences and Spanish nomenclature is still evident in these ice-free ports. The French also had a stake in fur trading with the Aleut people, although the unregulated deals soon turned bloody. The Russians staked their claim in Alaska when Peter the Great sent Vitus Bering to establish Sitka as their first settlement. Bering had trouble navigating the wild seas and much of his crew died from scurvy. Subsequent Russian voyagers tried to make their way to the ports to set up fur trading businesses. Of course, the local Tlingits weren’t willing to relinquish their Sitka territory that easily, nor were the Aleuts willing to give up Kodiak Island lands.

Tourists can visit many museums, towns and tours to get a better idea of Alaska and its rich cultural background. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a popular stop where people can look deeper into the indigenous tribes of the state, as is the Inupiat Heritage Center in Barrow. People can learn about the farming industry in the Mat-Su Valley or ride on the White Pass & Yukon Railroad to peer back into the 1890s gold rush time period. Arranging an Alaskan cruise is also an ideal way to maximize the cultural experience.