History of Alaska in Timeline

Alaska, a non-contiguous U.S. state in northwestern North America, is the northernmost, westernmost, and longitudinally easternmost state. It is a semi-exclave, bordering Yukon and British Columbia in Canada, and sharing a maritime border with Russia in the Bering Strait, making it closer to Asia than any other U.S. state. It is bounded by the Arctic Ocean (Chukchi and Beaufort Seas) to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

1900: Legislation Allowing Alaskan Communities to Incorporate

In 1900, legislation was enacted allowing Alaskan communities to legally incorporate as cities.

1906: Capital Moved to Juneau

In 1906, Alaska's capital was moved from Sitka north to Juneau, marking a shift in the state's administrative center.

1906: Publication of White Fang Novel

In 1906, Jack London's novel White Fang was published, which was later adapted into a film shot in Alaska.

May 11, 1912: Alaska becomes an organized territory

On May 11, 1912, Alaska was organized as a territory of the United States.

1912: Alaska Incorporated as an Organized Territory

In 1912, Alaska was incorporated as an organized territory, marking a significant step in its development.

June 27, 1915: Highest Recorded Temperature in Alaska

On June 27, 1915, the highest recorded temperature in Alaska was 100 °F (38 °C) in Fort Yukon.

1915: Alaska Railroad Construction

Around 1915, the Alaska Railroad (ARR) was built and played a crucial role in the development of Alaska throughout the 20th century.

1920: End of Gold Rush Era

By 1920, Alaska had produced a cumulative total of over $460,000,000 in mineral production since 1879.

1925: Serum Run to Nome

In 1925, the serum run to Nome took place, in which mushers and dogs like Togo and Balto transported much-needed medicine to the diphtheria-stricken community of Nome.

1941: Official Organization of Alaska State Troopers

In 1941, the Alaska State Troopers became an official statewide police force, formalizing law enforcement in Alaska.

1946: Territorial Referendum for Statehood

In 1946, the statehood movement gained its first real momentum following a territorial referendum.

1955: Adoption of Alaska's Flag as State Song

In 1955, "Alaska's Flag" was adopted as the official state song of Alaska, celebrating the flag of Alaska.

July 7, 1958: U.S. Congress Approves Statehood for Alaska

On July 7, 1958, the U.S. Congress approved statehood for Alaska, paving the way for its official proclamation as a state.

January 3, 1959: Alaska admitted as the 49th U.S. state

On January 3, 1959, Alaska was admitted as the 49th state of the U.S.

1959: Home Rule Takes Effect

In 1959, home rule for cities in Alaska took effect, coinciding with statehood.

1960: Alaska population demographics

In 1960, the United States Census Bureau reported Alaska's population as 77.2% white, 3% black, and 18.8% American Indian and Alaska Native.

1960: Close Election in Alaska

The 1960 election in Alaska was close.

1963: Completion of the Alaska Marine Highway System

In 1963, the Alaska Marine Highway System was completed, making the state more accessible and boosting tourism.

March 27, 1964: Good Friday Earthquake

On March 27, 1964, the Good Friday earthquake, the fourth-most-powerful earthquake in recorded history, struck Alaska, killing 133 people and causing widespread destruction.

May 8, 1964: Report on Earthquake Damage

On May 8, 1964, the Engineering and Geological Evaluation Group produced a report assessing the damage caused by the Good Friday earthquake, just over a month after the event.

1964: Alaska Carried by Lyndon B. Johnson

In 1964, during his landslide election, Democratic nominee Lyndon B. Johnson carried Alaska.

1964: Johnson's Victory

Joe Biden received 42.77% of the vote for president in Alaska in 2020, marking the high point for a Democratic presidential candidate since Johnson's 1964 victory.

1968: First Democrat

Barack Obama captured 40% of Alaska's vote in the 2012 election, making him the first Democrat to do so since 1968.

1968: Discovery of Oil at Prudhoe Bay

In 1968, oil was discovered at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, changing the economic landscape of the region.

1968: Close Election in Alaska

The 1968 election in Alaska was close.

1969: Proposal for Alaska Permanent Fund

In 1969, Governor Keith Miller proposed the Alaska Permanent Fund on the eve of the Prudhoe Bay lease sale due to fears about the legislature spending the proceeds.

January 23, 1971: Lowest Official Alaska Temperature

On January 23, 1971, the lowest official Alaska temperature was −80 °F (−62 °C) in Prospect Creek.

1971: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)

In 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was enacted, creating regional and local Native corporations and allocating 44 million acres of land to them.

1972: Last Democrat to win U.S. House seat before Peltola

Before Mary Peltola won the special election in 2022, the last Democrat to win Alaska's U.S. House seat was in 1972.

1972: Republican Support in Alaska

Since 1972, Republicans have carried Alaska by large margins.

1973: Start of Don Young's Tenure

In 1973, Don Young began his tenure, holding Alaska's sole U.S. House seat for 49 years.

1975: Anchorage Merges with Greater Anchorage Area Borough

In 1975, Anchorage merged its city government with the Greater Anchorage Area Borough to form the Municipality of Anchorage.

1976: Establishment of the Alaska Permanent Fund

The Alaska Permanent Fund, a constitutionally authorized appropriation of oil revenues, was established by voters in 1976 to manage a surplus in state petroleum revenues from oil.

1977: Completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System

In 1977, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed, facilitating the transportation of oil from Prudhoe Bay.

1980: Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA)

In 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) added millions of acres to the National Wildlife Refuge system, National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, National Forest lands, and National Park land, significantly expanding protected areas in Alaska.

1980: CDPs Established for Ketchikan-Area Neighborhoods

In the 1980 census, seven CDPs were established for the Ketchikan-area neighborhoods, but they have not been used since.

1980: Start of Oil Boom

Starting in 1980, royalty revenues from oil funded large state budgets in Alaska.

1982: Initial Permanent Fund Dividend Payout

In 1982, the first Permanent Fund Dividend of $1,000 was paid to eligible Alaskans, representing three years' payout due to a lawsuit delaying distribution.

1983: Never Cry Wolf Movie Filmed in Alaska

In 1983, the Disney movie Never Cry Wolf was partially filmed in Alaska.

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1983: Great Little Railways Featuring White Pass and Yukon Route

In 1983, the White Pass and Yukon Route was featured in the BBC television series Great Little Railways.

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1989: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker hit a reef in Prince William Sound, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil over 1,100 miles of coastline, causing significant environmental damage.

1989: Reference to the San Francisco Earthquake

The 1964 Good Friday earthquake was more than a thousand times as powerful as the 1989 San Francisco earthquake.

1990: Wally Hickel Elected Governor

In 1990, Republican Wally Hickel was elected to the office of Governor for a second term after briefly joining the Alaskan Independence Party ticket.

1991: Repeal of ANCSA Land Sale Provisions

In 1991, provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) that would have allowed the corporations' land holdings to be sold on the open market were repealed before they could take effect.

1991: White Fang Movie Filmed in Alaska

In 1991, the film White Fang, based on Jack London's 1906 novel and starring Ethan Hawke, was filmed in and around Haines, Alaska.

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1994: Wally Hickel Rejoined Republican Party

In 1994, Governor Wally Hickel officially rejoined the Republican party after previously leaving it.

1994: On Deadly Ground Filmed at Worthington Glacier

In 1994, Steven Seagal's On Deadly Ground, starring Michael Caine, was partly filmed at the Worthington Glacier near Valdez, Alaska.

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1998: School Funding Policy Change

In 1998, Alaska implemented a policy requiring rural schools to have at least ten students to retain state funding, leading to closures of schools not meeting this threshold.

2000: Area and Population in the Unorganized Borough

In 2000, 57.71% of Alaska's area was located in the Unorganized Borough, with 13.05% of the population residing there.

2000: Authorization of Rail Link Study

In 2000, the U.S. Congress authorized $6 million to study the feasibility of a rail link between Alaska, Canada, and the lower 48 states.

2000: Alaska's Population in 2000

In the 2000 U.S. census, Alaska had a population of 626,932.

2001: Statewide energy systems

Proposals for statewide energy systems in Alaska were judged uneconomical in 2001 due to low fuel prices, long distances, and low population.

2006: Highest Number of Pilots Per Capita

In 2006, Alaska had the highest number of pilots per capita of any U.S. state.

2007: Longest Road Tunnel in North America

Until 2007, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was the longest road tunnel in North America. The tunnel provides a paved roadway link with the isolated community of Whittier.

2008: McCain Defeats Obama

In 2008, Republican John McCain defeated Democrat Barack Obama in Alaska, 59.49% to 37.83%. McCain's running mate was Sarah Palin, the state's governor.

2008: Permanent Fund Dividend Includes Resource Rebate

In 2008, the Permanent Fund Dividend reached $3,269, including a one-time $1,200 "Resource Rebate" payment to eligible Alaskans.

2009: Jewish Population in Alaska

In 2009, there were 6,000 Jews in Alaska, for whom observance of halakha may pose special problems.

2010: Establishment of the Sri Ganesha Temple of Alaska

In 2010, Alaskan Hindus established the Sri Ganesha Temple of Alaska, marking it as the first Hindu Temple in Alaska and the northernmost Hindu Temple in the world.

2010: Construction of mosque in Anchorage

In 2010, The Islamic Community Center of Anchorage broke ground on a building in south Anchorage to construct a mosque.

2010: Religious affiliation in Alaska

In 2010, about 34% of Alaska residents were members of religious congregations, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA).

2010: Largest religious denominations

In 2010, the largest religious denominations in Alaska were the Catholic Church, non-denominational Evangelicals, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Southern Baptist Convention.

2010: Alaska population demographics

In 2010, the population of Alaska was 64.1% white, 14.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.4% Asian, 3.3% black or African American, 1.0% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 1.6% from some other race, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latin Americans made up 5.5% of the population in 2010.

2010: Population of Alaska in 2010

In the 2010 United States Census, Alaska had a population of 710,231, reflecting a significant increase from the previous census.

2010: Native languages spoken

Since 2010, 5.2% of Alaskans speak one of the state's 20 Indigenous languages, known locally as "Native languages".

January 2011: Plan to Connect Asia and Rural Alaska

In January 2011, it was reported that a $1 billion project to connect Asia and rural Alaska was being planned, with $350 million in stimulus from the federal government.

2011: Minority groups among young population

As of 2011, 50.7% of Alaska's population younger than one year of age belonged to minority groups (i.e., did not have two parents of white ancestry).

2011: Growth in Farmers' Markets

In 2011, Alaska experienced a surge in growth in market gardeners, small farms and farmers' markets, with a 46% increase in farmers' markets, the highest percentage increase in the nation.

2011: Reality TV Shows Filmed in Alaska

In 2011, the Anchorage Daily News reported that there were ten reality television shows set in the state of Alaska.

2011: Languages spoken at home

In the 2011 American Community Survey, 83.4% of people over the age of five spoke only English at home. About 3.5% spoke Spanish, 2.2% spoke another Indo-European language, about 4.3% spoke an Asian language, and about 5.3% spoke other languages at home.

January 2012: Number of Reported Sites in the Alaska Heritage Resources Survey

As of January 2012, the Alaska Heritage Resources Survey (AHRS) had reported more than 35,000 historic and prehistoric sites within the state.

2012: Increased Tourism to Alaska

In 2012, Alaska experienced an upsurge in tourism, with almost two million visitors. Anchorage recently completed extensive remodeling and construction at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

2012: Obama Captures 40% of Vote

In 2012, Obama lost Alaska again, but he captured 40% of the state's vote in that election, making him the first Democrat to do so since 1968.

2013: Millionaires per capita

According to a 2013 study by Phoenix Marketing International, Alaska had the fifth-largest number of millionaires per capita in the United States, with a ratio of 6.75 percent.

2013: University of Alaska Scholars Program

As of 2013, Alaska did not have a law school or medical school. The University of Alaska has attempted to combat the "brain drain" by offering partial four-year scholarships to the top 10% of Alaska high school graduates, via the Alaska Scholars Program.

2013: Increased Tourism to Alaska

In 2013, Alaska received almost two million visitors, reflecting an upsurge in tourism and the completion of remodeling and construction at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

2013: Discovery of Ancient Beringian Remains

In 2013, at the Upward Sun River site in Alaska's Tanana Valley, archaeologist Ben Potter unearthed the remains of a six-week-old infant belonging to a previously unknown population named Ancient Beringian.

February 2014: Alaska's crude oil production ranking

According to the Energy Information Administration, by February 2014, Alaska had fallen to fourth place in the nation in crude oil production, behind Texas, North Dakota, and California.

October 2014: Alaska gives official status to Indigenous languages

In October 2014, the governor of Alaska signed a bill declaring the state's 20 Indigenous languages to have official status, giving them symbolic recognition.

2014: Bakken Formation oil production

By early 2014, North Dakota's Bakken Formation was producing over 900,000 barrels per day.

2014: Religious Beliefs

In 2014, Pew determined roughly 55% of Alaskans believed in God with absolute certainty, and 24% believed fairly certainly.

2014: Classification of Alaska's Native languages

In 2014, nearly all of Alaska's Native languages were classified as either threatened, shifting, moribund, nearly extinct, or dormant languages.

2014: Tax Foundation Ranking

In 2014, the Tax Foundation ranked Alaska as having the fourth most "business friendly" tax policy in the United States.

2014: Nearing completion of mosque

In late 2014, the mosque construction was nearing completion and was poised to be the first in the state and one of the northernmost mosques in the world.

2014: Importance of religion to Alaskans

Per the Pew study in 2014, religion was seen as very important to 41% of the population in Alaska, although 29% considered it somewhat important.

2014: Christianity among the adult population

The Pew Research Center in 2014 determined 62% of the adult population in Alaska practiced Christianity, with Catholicism being the largest Christian group.

February 24, 2015: Marijuana Legalization Takes Effect

On February 24, 2015, Alaska's voter initiative making marijuana legal took effect, placing Alaska alongside Colorado and Washington, as well as Washington D.C., as the first three U.S. states where recreational marijuana is legal.

2015: Foreign-born Population Estimate

From 2015 to 2019, the survey estimates indicated that 7.8% of the total population was foreign-born.

2015: Racial and ethnic composition in Alaska

In 2015, the racial and ethnic composition of Alaska was recorded as 61.3% white, 3.4% black or African American, 13.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, 6.2% Asian, 0.9% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 0.3% some other race, and 7.7% multiracial. Hispanics and Latin Americans comprised 7% of the state population in 2015.

2015: Proposal to Raise Minimum Student Count for School Funding

In 2015, there was a proposal to raise the minimum number of students required for rural schools to receive state funding to 25, but the proposal was not widely agreed upon by state legislators.

October 2016: First Legal Marijuana Store Opens

In October 2016, the first legal marijuana store opened in Valdez, Alaska.

2016: State Treasury Deficit

In 2016, Alaska's state treasury faced a budget shortfall of over $2 billion due to the fall in oil prices following the fracking boom.

2018: Alaska's single telephone area code

As of 2018, Alaska is one of 14 U.S. states that still have only one telephone area code due to its population size.

2018: Reduction in Budget Shortfall

By 2018, Alaska had reduced its budget shortfall to under $500 million from over $2 billion in 2016 through budget reductions.

2018: Reasons for not attending religious services

In 2018, The Gospel Coalition determined that non-churchgoing Christians nationwide did not attend religious services often due to practicing the faith in other ways, not finding a house of worship they liked, disliking sermons and feeling unwelcomed, and logistics.

2018: Immigrant Origins

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Alaska's immigrants were the Philippines, Mexico, Canada, Thailand and South Korea.

2019: Hispanic and Asian Populations

As of 2019, The largest Hispanic and Latin American groups were Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans and the largest Asian groups living in the state were Filipinos, Korean Americans, and Japanese and Chinese Americans.

2019: Languages spoken in Alaska

In 2019, the American Community Survey determined that 83.7% of people in Alaska spoke only English, while 16.3% spoke a language other than English.

2019: American Community Survey Population Estimate

The 2019 American Community Survey estimated that 60.2% of Alaska's population was white, 3.7% black or African American, 15.6% American Indian or Alaska Native, 6.5% Asian, 1.4% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 7.5% two or more races, and 7.3% Hispanic or Latin American.

April 1, 2020: Alaska's Population on April 1, 2020

According to the United States Census Bureau, the population of Alaska was 733,391 on April 1, 2020.

May 2020: Highest unemployment rate

In May 2020, Alaska's unemployment rate reached its highest point at 11.7%.

2020: Active Pilot Certificates in Alaska

As of 2020, there are 8,795 active pilot certificates in Alaska.

2020: Number of Cities and CDPs in Alaska

As of the 2020 United States census, Alaska had 355 incorporated cities and census-designated places (CDPs).

2020: Muslim population in Alaska

In 2020, ARDA estimated that there were 400 Muslims in the state of Alaska.

2020: Alaska's population ranking

In 2020, Alaska was ranked as the 48th largest state by population in the United States, surpassing only Vermont and Wyoming.

2020: State Government Budget

In 2020, Alaska's state government budget was $4.8 billion, while projected government revenues were only $4.5 billion.

2020: Alaskan Voters Approve Ballot Measure 2

In 2020, Alaskan voters approved Ballot Measure 2 by a narrow margin of 1.1%, mandating disclosure of campaign contribution sources over $2,000, establishing non-partisan primaries for statewide elections, and introducing ranked-choice voting, making Alaska the third state with nonpartisan primaries and the second with ranked-choice voting.

2020: Anchorage's Population

In 2020, Anchorage was the most populous city in Alaska, with 291,247 people.

2020: High Point for Democratic Presidential Candidate

In 2020, Joe Biden received 42.77% of the vote for president in Alaska, marking the high point for a Democratic presidential candidate since Johnson's 1964 victory.

2020: Alaska's Population Living Outside Cities and CDPs

In Alaska's 2020 U.S. census, 16,655 people, or 2.27% of the population, did not live in an incorporated city or census-designated place.

2020: Attendance to religious services

Reflecting the separate 2020 ARDA study, the 2014 Pew study showed 30% of Alaskans attended religious services once a week, 34% once or twice a month, and 36% seldom/never.

2020: Christian population dominated by Protestantism

Through the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, Alaska's Christian population was dominated by non/inter-denominational Protestantism as the single largest Christian cohort, with 73,930 adherents.

2021: Largest Hospital in Alaska

As of 2021, Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage is the largest hospital in the state of Alaska.

2021: Alaska-Alberta Railway Development Corporation in Receivership

As of 2021, the Alaska-Alberta Railway Development Corporation is in receivership.

August 2022: Lowest unemployment rate

In August 2022, Alaska recorded its historically lowest unemployment rate at 3.8%.

October 2022: Employment statistics

In October 2022, Alaska's total employment was 316,900, and the number of employer establishments was 21,077.

2022: Health Insurance Market Share

As of 2022, CVS Health and Premera account for 47% and 46% of private health insurance in Alaska, respectively.

2022: Healthcare Facilities in Southeast Alaska

As of 2022, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium runs healthcare facilities across 27 communities, including hospitals in Sitka and Wrangell.

2022: Increase in Christianity

By 2022, the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) reported that Christianity had increased to 77% of the population in Alaska.

2022: End of Don Young's Tenure

In 2022, Don Young's 49-year tenure as Alaska's sole U.S. House seat came to an end.

2022: Homeless population in Alaska

In 2022, HUD's Annual Homeless Assessment Report estimated that there were 2,320 homeless people in Alaska.

2022: Mary Peltola Wins Special Election

In 2022, Mary Peltola won the special election to fill Alaska's U.S. House seat after Don Young's death, becoming the first Democrat to win the seat since 1972 and the first Alaskan Native elected to the United States Congress.

May 2024: Amendment to Indigenous Languages recognition

In May 2024, a bill replaced Tanana with Middle Tanana and Lower Tanana, added Cupʼig and Wetał to list of Alaska's official Indigenous languages.

2024: Alaska's Population in 2024

In 2024, Alaska had a population of 740,133, making it the third-least populous and most sparsely populated state in the U.S.

2024: Peltola Loses Reelection

In 2024, Mary Peltola lost her reelection bid to Republican Nick Begich III.

August 2025: Unemployment rate

As of August 2025, the unemployment rate in Alaska was 4.7%.

2025: Gross state product and per capita personal income

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2025, Alaska's gross state product was $75.011 billion, and its per capita personal income was $80,175.