Alaska is a state in the United States of America, in the extreme northwest portion of the North American continent. It is the largest U.S. state by area (by a substantial margin), and one of the wealthiest and most racially diverse.
The area that became Alaska was purchased from Russia on March 30 1867. The land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized territory on May 11, 1912 and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959. The name "Alaska" is derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland," or more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed." It is also known as Alyeska, the "great land", an Aleut word derived from the same root.

Geography

Alaska is one of two U.S. states not bordered by another state, Hawaii being the other. Alaska has more coastline than all the other U.S. states combined. It is the only non-contiguous state in the continental US; about of Canadian territory separate Alaska from Washington State. Alaska is thus an exclave of the United States, part of the continental U.S. but is not part of the contiguous U.S. Alaska's capital city, though located on the mainland of the North American continent, is inaccessible by land - no roads connect Juneau to the rest of the North American highway system.
The state is bordered by Yukon Territory and British Columbia, Canada, to the east, the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait, and Chukchi Sea to the west and the Beaufort Sea and the Arctic Ocean to the north.
Alaska is the largest state in the United States in land area at , more than twice as large as Texas, the next largest state. It is larger than all but 18 sovereign nations.
One scheme for describing the state's geography is by labeling the regions:

South Central Alaska is the southern coastal region and contains most of the state's population. Anchorage and many growing towns, such as Palmer, and Wasilla, lie within this area. Petroleum industrial plants, transportation, tourism, and two military bases form the core of the economy here.

The Alaska Panhandle, also known as Southeast Alaska, is home to many of Alaska's larger towns including the state capital Juneau, tidewater glaciers and extensive forests. Tourism, fishing, forestry and state government anchor the economy.

Southwest Alaska is largely coastal, bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. It is sparsely populated, and unconnected to the road system, but very important to the fishing industry. Half of all fish caught in the western U.S. come from the Bering Sea, and Bristol Bay has the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery. Southwest Alaska includes Katmai and Lake Clark national parks as well as numerous wildlife refuges. The region comprises western Cook Inlet, Bristol Bay and its watersheds, the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. It is known for wet and stormy weather, tundra landscapes, and large populations of salmon, brown bears, caribou, birds, and marine mammals.

The Alaska Interior is home to Fairbanks. The geography is marked by large braided rivers, such as the Yukon River and the Kuskokwim River, as well as Arctic tundra lands and shorelines.

The Alaskan Bush is the remote, less crowded part of the state, encompassing 380 native villages and small towns such as Nome, Bethel, Kotzebue and, most famously, Barrow, the northernmost town in the United States, as well as the northern most town on the contiguous North American continent (cities in Greenland, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut that are farther north are on islands).

The northeast corner of Alaska is covered by the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which covers . Much of the northwest is covered by the larger National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska, which covers around million acres. The Arctic is Alaska's most remote wilderness. A location in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska is miles from any town or village, the geographic point most remote from permanent habitation in the USA.
With its numerous islands, Alaska has nearly of tidal shoreline. The island chain extending west from the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula is called the Aleutian Islands. Many active volcanoes are found in the Aleutians. For example, Unimak Island is home to Mount Shishaldin, a moderately active volcano that rises to above sea level. The chain of volcanoes extends to Mount Spurr, west of Anchorage on the mainland.
One of North America's largest tides occurs in Turnagain Arm, just south of Anchorage - tidal differences can be more than . (Many sources say Turnagain has the second-greatest tides in North America, but several areas in Canada have larger tides.)
Alaska has 3.5 million lakes of or larger. Marshlands and wetland permafrost cover (mostly in northern, western and southwest flatlands). Frozen water, in the form of glacier ice, covers some of land and of tidal zone. The Bering Glacier complex near the southeastern border with Yukon, Canada, covers alone.
The Aleutian Islands cross longitude 180°, so Alaska can be considered the easternmost state as well as the westernmost. Alaska, and especially the Aleutians, are one of the extreme points of the United States. The International Date Line jogs west of 180° to keep the whole state, and thus the entire continental United States, within the same legal day.
According to an October 1998 report by the United States Bureau of Land Management, approximately 65% of Alaska is owned and managed by the U.S. federal government as public lands, including a multitude of national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. Of these, the Bureau of Land Management manages 87 million acres (350,000 km²), or 23.8% of the state. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Of the remaining land area, the State of Alaska owns 24.5%; another 10% is managed by 13 regional and dozens of local Native corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Various private interests own the remaining land, totaling less than 1%.
Alaska is administratively divided into "boroughs", as opposed to "counties." The function is the same, but whereas some states use a three-tiered system of decentralization - state/county/township - most of Alaska uses only two tiers - state/borough. Owing to the low population density, most of the land is located in the Unorganized Borough which, as the name implies, has no intermediate borough government of its own, but is administered directly by the state government. Currently (2000 census) 57.71% of Alaska's area has this status, with 13.05% of the population. For statistical purposes the United States Census Bureau divides this territory into census areas. Anchorage merged the city government with the Greater Anchorage Area Borough in 1971 to form the Municipality of Anchorage, containing the city proper and the bedroom communities of Eagle River, Chugiak, Peters Creek, Girdwood, Bird, and Indian. Fairbanks has a separate borough (the Fairbanks North Star Borough) and municipality (the City of Fairbanks).

Climate

The climate in Juneau and the southeast panhandle is best described as a cooler version of Seattle. It is a mid-latitude oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) in the southern sections and a subarctic oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc) in the northern parts. On an annual basis, this is both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska with milder temperatures in the winter and high precipitation throughout the year. Juneau averages over of precipitation a year, while other areas receive over . This is also the only region in Alaska in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter months.
The climate of Anchorage and south central Alaska is mild by Alaskan standards due to the region's proximity to the seacoast. While the area does not get nearly as much rain as southeast Alaska, it does get more snow, although days tend to be clearer. On average, Anchorage receives of precipitation a year, with around of snow, although there are areas in the south central which receive far more snow. It is a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) due to its short, cool summers.
The climate of Western Alaska is determined in large part by the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. It is a subarctic oceanic climate in the southwest and a continental subarctic climate farther north. The temperature is somewhat moderate considering how far north the area is. This area has a tremendous amount of variety in precipitation. The northern side of the Seward Peninsula is technically a desert with less than of precipitation annually, while some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around of precipitation.
The climate of the interior of Alaska is best described as extreme and is the best example of a true subarctic climate. Some of the hottest and coldest temperatures in Alaska occur around the area near Fairbanks. The summers can have temperatures reaching into the 80s°F (near 30 °C), while in the winter, the temperature can fall below −60 °F (-52 °C). Precipitation is not much in the Interior, often less than a year, but what precipitation falls in the winter tends to stay the entire winter.
The highest and lowest recorded temperatures in Alaska are both in the Interior. The highest is 100 °F (38 °C) in Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915, tied with Pahala, Hawaii as the lowest high temperature in the United States. The lowest Alaska temperature is −80 °F (-64 °C) in Prospect Creek on January 23, 1971,
The climate in the extreme north of Alaska is as expected for an area north of the Arctic Circle. It is an Arctic climate (Köppen ET) with long, very cold winters and short, cool summers. Even in July, the average low temperature is barely above freezing in Barrow, at 34 °F (2 °C). Precipitation is light in this part of Alaska, with many places averaging less than per year, mostly in the form of snow which stays on the ground almost the entire year.

History

At the end of the Upper Paleolithic Period (around 12,000 BC), Asiatic groups crossed the Bering Land Bridge into what is now western Alaska. At the time of European contact by the Russian explorers, the area was populated by Alaska Native groups.
The first European contact with Alaska occurred in the year 1741, when Vitus Bering led an expedition for the Russian Navy aboard the St. Peter. After his crew returned to Russia bearing sea otter pelts judged to be the finest fur in the world, small associations of fur traders began to sail from the shores of Siberia towards the Aleutian islands. The first permanent European settlement was founded in 1784, and the Russian-American Company carried out an expanded colonization program during the early to mid-1800s. Despite these efforts, the Russians never fully colonized Alaska, and the colony was never very profitable. William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State, engineered the Alaskan purchase in 1867 for $7.2 million.
In the 1890s, gold rushes in Alaska and the nearby Yukon Territory brought thousands of miners and settlers to Alaska. Alaska was granted territorial status in 1912.
During World War II, three of the outer Aleutian Islands—Attu, Agattu and Kiska—were the only part of the United States to have land occupied by the enemy during the war. The battle became a matter of national pride, defending the nation against the first foreign military campaign on U.S. soil since the War of 1812. The construction of military bases also contributed to the population growth of some Alaskan cities.
Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959.
In 1964, the massive "Good Friday Earthquake" killed 131 people and leveled several villages.
The 1968 discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay and the 1977 completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline led to an oil boom. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez hit a reef in the Prince William Sound, spilling between 11 and 35 million US gallons (42,000-130,000 m³) of crude oil over 1,100 miles (1,600 km) of coastline. Today, the battle between philosophies of development and conservation is seen in the contentious debate over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Law and government

Political leanings

Alaska is often described as a Republican-leaning state with strong Libertarian tendencies. In presidential elections, the state's electoral college votes have been almost always won by a Republican nominee. Only once has Alaska supported a Democratic nominee, when it supported Lyndon B. Johnson in the landslide year of 1964, although the 1960 and 1968 elections were close. No state has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate fewer times. President George W. Bush won the state's electoral votes in 2004 by a margin of 25 percentage points with 61.1% of the vote. The city of Juneau and Midtown Anchorage are strongholds of the Democratic party. Matanuska-Susitna Borough and South Anchorage typically have the strongest Republican showing. As of 2004, well over half of all registered voters choose "Non-Partisan" or "Undeclared" as their affiliation, despite recent attempts to close primaries. Alaska possesses a pervasively strong independence movement favoring secession from the US, with the Alaskan Independence Party labeled one of the "the most significant state-level third parties operating in the 20th century".

State government

December 4 2006, Sarah Palin was sworn in as the first woman and youngest Governor of Alaska. Her running mate was Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell. Palin is the former two-term mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.
The Alaska State Legislature consists of a 20-member Senate, whose members serve four-year terms, and 40-member House of Representatives, who serve two-year terms. It has been dominated by conservatives, generally Republicans. Recent state governors have been mostly conservatives, although not always elected under the official Republican banner. Republican Wally Hickel was elected to the office for a second term in 1990 after jumping the Republican ship and briefly joining the Alaskan Independence Party ticket just long enough to be reelected. He subsequently officially rejoined the Republican fold in 1994.
Alaska's court system has four levels: the Alaska Supreme Court, the court of appeals, the superior courts and the district courts. The superior and district courts are trial courts. Superior courts are courts of general jurisdiction, while district courts only hear certain types of cases, including misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases valued up to $100,000. The supreme court and the court of appeals are appellate courts. The court of appeals is required to hear appeals from certain lower-court decisions, including those regarding criminal prosecutions, juvenile delinquency, and habeas corpus. The supreme court hears civil appeals and may in its discretion hear criminal appeals.
Local political communities often work on issues related to land use development, fishing, tourism, and individual rights. Alaska Natives, while organized in and around their communities, are often active within the Native corporations which have been given ownership over large tracts of land, and thus need to deliberate resource conservation and development issues.

Representation in the U.S. Congress

Alaska's members of the U.S. Congress are all Republican. U.S. Senator Ted Stevens was appointed to the position following the death of U.S. Senator Bob Bartlett in December 1968, and has not lost a re-election campaign since. As the longest-serving Republican in the Senate (sometimes nicknamed "Senator-For-Life"), Stevens has been a crucial force in gaining federal money for his state.
Until his resignation from the U.S. Senate after being elected governor in 2002, Republican Frank Murkowski held the state's other senatorial position and, as governor, appointed his daughter, State Representative Lisa Murkowski as his successor (under public pressure, the State legislature amended the constitution to eliminate gubernatorial appointments in the future). She won a full six-year term on her own in 2004.
Alaska's sole U.S. Representative, Don Young, was re-elected to his 17th consecutive term, also in 2004. His seniority in House makes him one of the most influential Republican House members.

Important cities and towns

Alaska's most populous city is Anchorage, home to 260,283 people in 2000, 225,744 of whom live in the urbanized area. The richest location in Alaska by per capita income is Halibut Cove ($89,895). Sitka, Juneau, and Anchorage are the three largest cities in the U.S. by area.
Also notable is the rapid growth of towns in the Mat-Su Valley. Wasilla and Palmer are projected to experience over 100% population growth between 2000 and 2010.

Education

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development administers many school districts in Alaska. In addition, the state operates several boarding schools, including Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, Nenana Student Living Center in Nenana, and Galena High School in Galena.
There are more than a dozen colleges and universities in Alaska. Accredited universities in Alaska include the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, Sheldon Jackson College and Alaska Pacific University. 43% of the population attends or attended college.

Current issues

Alaska has long had a problem with alcohol use and abuse. Many rural communities in Alaska have outlawed its import. "Dry", "wet", and "damp" are terms describing a community's laws on liquor consumption. This problem directly relates to Alaska's high rate of Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) as well as contributing to the high rate of suicides. This is a controversial topic for many residents.
Alaska has also had a problem with "brain drain" as many of its young people, including most of the highest academic achievers, leave the state upon graduating high school. While for many this functions as a sort of walkabout, many do not return to the state. The University of Alaska has been successfully combating this by offering partial four-year scholarships to the top 10% of Alaska high school graduates, via the Alaska Scholars Progra.
Domestic abuse and other violent crimes are also at notoriously high levels in the state; this is in part linked to alcohol abuse.
Alaska is also the only state to allow legal possession of marijuana: an adult may possess 1 ounce for personal use.

Culture

See also List of artists and writers from Alaska

Some of Alaska's popular annual events are the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, the Alaska Hummingbird Festival in Ketchikan, the Sitka Whale Fest, and the Stikine River Garnet Fest in Wrangell. The Stikine River features the largest springtime concentration of American Bald Eagles in the world.
The Alaska Native Heritage Center celebrates the rich heritage of Alaska's 11 cultural groups. Their purpose is to enhance self-esteem among Native people and to encourage cross-cultural exchanges among all people.

Libraries

The four main libraries in the state are the Alaska State Library in Juneau, the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library in Fairbanks, the Z. J. Loussac Library in Anchorage, and the UAA/APU Consortium Library, also in Anchorage. Alaska is one of three states (the others are Delaware and Rhode Island) that does not have a Carnegie library.

Food

Due to the northern climate and steep terrain, relatively little farming occurs in Alaska. Most farms are in either the Mat-Su Valley near Anchorage, or on the Kenai Peninsula. The short summer limits the types of crops that can be grown - primary crops are potatoes, carrots, lettuce, and cabbage. But the long days of summer can allow these vegetables to reach record size.
Alaska has an abundance of seafood, with the primary fisheries in the Bering Sea, and seafood is one of the few food items that is often cheaper within the state than outside it.
Hunting for subsistence, primarily caribou, moose, and sheep is still fairly common in the state, particularly in remote Bush communities. An example of a traditional native food is Akutaq, the Eskimo ice cream, consisting of reindeer fat and seal oil and local berries.
Most food in Alaska is transported into the state from outside, and is relatively expensive due to the high shipping costs.

Music

Influences on music in Alaska include the traditional music of Alaska Natives as well as folk music brought by later immigrants from Russia and Europe. Prominent musicians from Alaska include singer Jewel, traditional Aleut flautist Mary Youngblood, folk singer-songwriter Libby Roderick, the group Pamyua, and the metal band 36 Crazyfists.
There are many established music festivals in Alaska, including the Alaska Folk Festival, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival the Anchorage Folk Festival, the Athabascan Old-Time Fiddling Festival, the Sitka Jazz Festival, and the Sitka Summer Music Festival. The most prominent symphony in Alaska is the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, though the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and Juneau Symphony are also notable. The Anchorage Opera is currently the state's only professional opera company, though there are several volunteer and semi-professional organizations in the state as well.
The official state song of Alaska is "Alaska's Flag", which was adopted in 1955; it celebrates the flag of Alaska.

Movies filmed in Alaska

Two of the most prominent movies filmed in Alaska were Into the Wild and MGM's Academy Award winning classic "Eskimo/Mala The Magnificent" starring Alaska's own Ray Mala. In 1932 an expedition set out from MGM's studios in Hollywood to Alaska to film what was then billed as "The Biggest Picture Ever Made". Upon arriving in Alaska, they set up "Camp Hollywood" in Northwest Alaska where they lived during the duration of the filming. Louis B. Mayer spared no expense in making sure they had everything they needed during their stay -- he even sent the famous chef from the Hotel Roosevelt on Hollywood Blvd (the site of the first Oscars) with them to Alaska to cook for them. When "Eskimo" premiered at the famed Astor Theatre in Times Square, New York, the studio received the largest amount of feedback in the history of the studio up to that time. "Eskimo" was critically acclaimed and released worldwide; as a result Inupiat Eskimo actor Ray Mala became an international movie star. "Eskimo" is significant for the following: winning the very first Oscar for Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards, for forever preserving Inupiat culture on film, and for being the first motion picture to be filmed in an all native language (Inupiat).
The psychological thriller, Insomnia, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams was extensively shot in Canada, but was set in Alaska.

State symbols

State bird: Willow Ptarmigan, adopted by the Territorial Legislature in 1955. It is a small (15-17 inches) Arctic grouse that lives among willows and on open tundra and muskeg. Plumage is brown in summer, changing to white in winter. The Willow Ptarmigan is common in much of Alaska.

State fish: King Salmon, adopted 1962.

State flower: wild/native Forget-Me-Not, adopted by the Territorial Legislature in 1917. It is a perennial that is found throughout Alaska, from Hyder to the Arctic Coast, and west to the Aleutians.

State fossil: Woolly Mammoth, adopted 1986.

State gem: Jade, adopted 1968.

State insect: Four-spot skimmer dragonfly, adopted 1995.

State land mammal: Moose, adopted 1998.

State marine mammal: Bowhead Whale, adopted 1983.

State mineral: Gold, adopted 1968.

State song: "Alaska's Flag"

State sport: Dog Mushing, adopted 1972.

State tree: Sitka Spruce, adopted 1962.

External links

State of Alaska website

Alaska, project area of the American Land Conservancy

Alaska Inter-Tribal Council

USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Alaska

US Census Bureau

Alaska State Facts

Alaska Community Database System

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A mix of the familiar and the unusual, the metropolitan and the rustic, Anchorage is a place where it is not uncommon to see moose walking through the parking lot of a downtown skyscraper, or to find yourself stuck in traffic as dogs fill the road as they begin the Iditarod sled dog race.

Government Hill The oldest district and the northernmost part of Anchorage, Government Hill was one of many places to feel the destruction of the 1964 earthquake. When 400 feet of its bluff collapsed, it destroyed a school and dropped the railroad yard and shipyard by 30 feet. Only partially rebuilt, its shipyard has six fuel ports, which handle approximately 15 million barrels of petroleum each year. The Alaska Railroad operates daily with freight and passenger service.

Ship Creek Ship Creek was selected as the original tenting site of the pioneers who arrived in the area to build the railroad in 1914 and 1915. They first filled the area located nearby, Ship Creek , then spread north up to Government Hill.

Visitors who come during summer can experience the fun of amusement rides, car races and the Saturday Market . Ship Creek is also a great place to be when the salmon are spawning, and it provides excellent salmon fishing, as approximately 9,000 king salmon spawn here yearly. The large parking lots used by fishermen in summer play host to the ice sculpting contests held during February's Fur Rendezvous Festival .

Downtown An area teeming with activity and filled with high-rise buildings, businesses, restaurants and hotels, Downtown allows you to experience both the historic and the modern within the space of several blocks. From the small log cabin that houses the Visitor's Center , you will find yourself in view of such hotels as the landmark Captain Cook Hotel , the Marriott and the Hilton . Several blocks away are glass-walled skyscrapers housing offices for multi-billion-dollar oil companies and other businesses. Nearby, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts offers local and international opera, theater, dance, chorus and symphony performances. From that building's second floor, take the Fifth Avenue skywalk to overlook the town square as you walk toward the Egan Convention Center . Here also is the Anchorage Fifth Avenue Mall . Finally, don't miss Captain Cook's Resolution Park platform at the Inlet's edge. With the telescope available, you can close the 120-mile gap between yourself and Mt. McKinley and see why this 20,320-foot mountain is referred to as the "Great One."

Midtown In this "practical district," you will find schools, gas stations and grocery stores spread across an alluvial plane. You can find any type of food here—from Greek and Italian to Chinese and Japanese—as well as a selection of busy nightclubs. Shopping choices here include the R.E.I. outdoor store, Barnes & Noble Bookstore and more. Meanwhile, such establishments as the Northern Lights Hotel, the Hampton Inn and SpringHill Suites welcome guests to the area.

Spenard District—Central, West Considered the "red light district" in the 1970s and 80s due to the heavy presence of massage parlors and escort services, this area has since witnessed a revitalization program that has cleaned up the area and brought in many new businesses. The closest thing to "bohemia" in Anchorage, this district is home to new cafes and juice bars such as the Organic Oasis and the Q Cafe. Some of the older Anchorage flavors remain, such as Chilkoot Charlie's Nightclub , with its dirt floor and stump seating, and The Fly By Night Club , which hosts musical and comedy acts. An old-time local favorite is Gwennies , an Alaskan-style restaurant. New hotels such as the Holiday Inn Express and older ones such as the Millennium Alaskan and the Best Western Barratt Inn conveniently serve visitors staying in the airport area.

South District This trail-filled district begins at Dimond Boulevard, home to the Dimond Center and its more than 200 shops. The Siam Cuisine restaurant and the Southside Bistro provide the area with a couple of first-class, yet still casual, dining options. Pockets of business dot the residential areas, which are made up of wide yards and quiet streets. Campbell Creek Greenbelt winds its way through the South and Midtown districts, beginning at Dimond Boulevard and stretching three miles to the east, meanwhile passing by salmon-spawning streams and several small lakes. A number of residential areas circle bodies of water such as Campbell Lake , which is also a floatplane runway; many residents park their floatplanes in their "backyards" here.

Also in this district, on the far west end, is Kincaid Park . This locale is home to the Blues on the Green music festival, and it also hosts many other special events and races on its 40 square miles of beautiful, wild, moose-filled woods. You can access Kincaid Park by traveling from the downtown Tony Knowles Coastal Trail to its southernmost point, which ends at Kincaid .

University District—Central Tucked between Midtown and Muldoon, this district is composed of the University of Alaska, Anchorage and the private Alaska Pacific University . Together, they swallow up an expanse of nearly one square mile, which is home to two small lakes and a multitude of walking and biking trails. On these casual campuses, professors are nearly always referred to by their first names, while students sometimes cross-country ski to class. Many sky bridges and buildings are joined by hallways in order to help students escape the elements. Across the street from the Providence Medical Center, the UAA campus is home to the popular Seawolves hockey team, which recruits both international and local players onto its roster.

East—Northeast This blue-collar neighborhood contains the Alaskan Native Heritage Center , the Botanical Gardens and the attention-grabbing Saint Innocent Orthodox Cathedral, with its 12 onion-shaped domes. You will also find restaurants such as the vegetarian-friendly Thai Kitchen . Beyond this area, which acts as the northeastern boundary of Anchorage, lie the Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Bases as well as the city of Eagle River.

C. Whitefield

Fairbanks is a Home Rule City in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States.
Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state. It is the principal city of the 'Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Fairbanks North Star Borough and is the northernmost Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States.
According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 31,324.. Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the oldest college in Alaska.

History

Before Fairbanks was founded, Koyukon Athabaskans lived, fished, and hunted along the shores of the Tanana River for thousands of years. The Tanana and other rivers also served as trade routes with other Athabaskans and Inuit.
In the early 1900s, prospectors from the Klondike spread out into various parts of Alaska in search of gold. In August, 1901 a trader named E. T. Barnette chartered the riverboat Lavelle Young to transport a large load of merchandise to the gold fields near Tanacross. He was forced to disembark near the present site of First Avenue and Cushman Street on the Chena River because the Chena was too shallow to follow further upstream and the Tanana River was impassable. There Barnette established the trading post "Barnette's Cache." Two prospectors looking for gold in the hills north of Barnette's trading post saw the smoke from the steamboat and came down to investigate. They were out of supplies and thought they could get some from the steamboat. These prospectors were Felix Pedro (alias Felice Pedroni) an Italian immigrant, and Tom Gilmore. Less than a year later, in July, 1902, Felix Pedro discovered gold 16 miles (25 km) north of the post. This started a gold rush as outfitters and other merchants, in turn, sought to make money selling supplies to the many prospectors coming into the area. The town grew as prospectors made their way to the gold fields via the Chena steamboat landing. Barnette, initially unhappy to find himself far from the proven gold fields, nonetheless stayed put when Pedro and other prospectors came to camp to trade. Within a few years, Fairbanks became the largest city in Alaska (Anchorage is much larger now).
In 1903, territorial judge James Wickersham moved his offices of the Third Judicial District from Eagle to Fairbanks. That November, Fairbanks was incorporated as a city and named after popular Indiana senator Charles W. Fairbanks, soon to become Vice President under Teddy Roosevelt from 1905–1909. With the addition of the court, government offices, a jail, a post office, and the Northern Commercial Company, Barnette was elected mayor and set about to create a first-rate town replete with telephone service, fire protection, sanitation ordinances, electric lights and steam heat. Barnette also founded the Washington-Alaska Bank. By 1910, the official population had grown to 3,541, although more than 6,000 miners lived and worked their claims on creeks north of town.
The construction of the Richardson Highway in 1911, the Alaska Railroad in 1923, and the use of riverboats along the Tanana River established Fairbanks as a commercial center for interior Alaska.
The Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines opened its doors in College, near Fairbanks, in 1917. The school grew quickly, and in 1935 became the University of Alaska. The University of Alaska system has since expanded to include other campuses and the original campus is now called University of Alaska Fairbanks.
During World War II two United States military bases, Ladd Field and Eielson Air Force Base, were constructed in the Fairbanks area (1938) to aid in sending aircraft and supplies to the USSR and the Russian-controlled Far East for the Lend-Lease program. City hostess Eva McGown was famous locally for extending hospitality to the soldiers and spouses who spent time in Fairbanks during these decades. During the Cold War Ladd Field became a U.S. Army base, Fort Wainwright. These bases brought additional jobs to the Fairbanks area and brought military personnel, some of whom stayed and became residents of the area after finishing their military service. Construction of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s combined to fuel growth and development. Many of the workers stayed at the Fairbanks Hotel, one of which was Paul E. Baker. The Fairbanks Hotel existed until its demolition in 2005.
Since its beginning, Fairbanks has been the commercial center for Interior Alaska. Fairbanks is now at the intersection of the Richardson Highway, the Alaska Railroad, the Steese Highway, the Elliott Highway and the George Parks Highway, completed in 1975. These connect it to Anchorage, Canada and the lower 48 states. The Dalton Highway, opened in 1974, connects Fairbanks to the industrial supply center of Deadhorse at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean. Fairbanks area has an international airport, two military airports and many private airstrips. Goods are transported to and from Fairbanks by truck, air, and rail.
Fairbanks was the construction hub for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in 1975-1977, and the city became the scene of lively parties and a construction boom as people flocked to the "new gold rush".
Pioneer Park, originally built for the Alaska Purchase Centennial Celebration in 1967 contains museums, the riverboat Nenana, and many old buildings moved there from around the Fairbanks area. The Palace Theatre and Saloon in the park gives a musical presentation of the history of Fairbanks. Pioneer Park was formerly known as "Alaskaland" and many residents still refer to it by that name. After all, the park is about Alaska rather than pioneers, and the instances where pioneers come into play, those pioneers are undoubtedly involved chiefly with Alaska.

Geography and climate

Geography

Fairbanks is located at 64.837780° North, -147.71639° West (Sec. 10, T001S, R001W, Fairbanks Meridian). Fairbanks is located in the Fairbanks Recording District.
Fairbanks is located in the heart of Alaska's Interior, on both shores of the Chena River, near its confluence with the Tanana River in the Tanana Valley. By air, Fairbanks is 45 minutes from Anchorage and 3 hours from Seattle. It lies 358 road miles (576 km) or a 6 hour drive north from Anchorage.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.7 square miles (84.6 km²), of which, 31.9 square miles (82.5 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (2.48%) is water.

Climate

Fairbanks' climate is subarctic. The Interior, home of Fairbanks and Denali National Park, has some of the most extreme weather in the world with rapid temperature swings, thunderstorms with hail and lightning and snow in the summer. Winters are very long, lasting from mid-October to mid-April. They are very cold and dry, with temperatures sometimes dipping down to -65 °F (-54 °C). Often the temperature is below zero Fahrenheit (-17.8 °C) for entire months. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Fairbanks was -66 °F (-54.4 °C) on January 14, 1934. The average January low is -19 °F (-28 °C) and the average January high is -2 °F (-19 °C). Winter snowfall averages around 67.4 inches (171 cm) per year. During the winter months, if the temperature drops below -20 °F (-29 °C), ice fog can occur. The summers are usually very warm, with temperatures often reaching into the 80s °F (27° to 32°C) and sometimes reaching into the 90s °F (32° to 37°C). The average July low is 53 °F (12 °C) and the average July high is 72 °F (22 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded in Fairbanks was 99 °F (37.2 °C) on July 28, 1919. Thunderstorms with hail and lightning can occur in summer. August and September can be rainy, and snow often starts falling in September. In Spring, snow often falls well into May, and sometimes even into early June. The average annual precipitation is 10.34 inches per year (rainfall plus melted snow). Fairbanks is known for its lingering summer days. The sun is up for 21 hours and 49 minutes on the 21st of June with 24 hours of usable daylight. In summer the local golf clubs have all night golfing. Conversely, the sun is up for 3 hours and 42 minutes on the 21st of December with 6 hours and 33 minutes of usable daylight.
According to the New York Times, spectacular displays of the aurora borealis ("northern lights") are visible on an average of 200 days a year in the vicinity of Fairbanks. (Jerry Garrett, "The Cold Show in Fairbanks Alaska," New York Times, March 2, 2007).

People and culture

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 30,224 people, 11,075 households, and 7,187 families residing in the city. The population density was 948.7 people per square mile (366.3/km²). There were 12,357 housing units at an average density of 387.9/sq mi (149.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.67% White, 11.15% Black or African American, 9.91% Native American, 2.72% Asian, 0.54% Pacific Islander, 2.45% from other races, and 6.57% from two or more races. 6.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 11,075 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 14.7% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 16.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,577, and the median income for a family was $46,785. Males had a median income of $30,539 versus $26,577 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,814. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Fairbanks' largest newspaper is the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, which also includes a weekly entertainment guide, Latitude 65. A few other periodicals also serve Fairbanks and the Fairbanks North Star Borough: The Ester Republic and the University of Alaska Fairbanks student newspaper, the Sun Star. Fairbanks also has its own equine publication, Northern Horse Source.
Fairbanks is also served by television and radio. Leading radio stations include AM Stations KFAR 660 talk radio, KCBF 820 ESPN Radio Network, KFBX 970 talk radio and KJNP-AM 1170 religious radio. FM stations include 88.5 popular christian, KUAC 89.9 National Public Radio, KSUA 91.5 University of Alaska, Fairbanks, KXLR 95.9 classic rock KYSC 96.9 soft rock, KWLF 98.1-"Wolf 98.1", top 40, KJNP 100.3 religious radio, KAKQ-FM 101.1-"Magic 101.1" pop music, KIAK-FM 102.5 country music, KTDZ 103.9-"K-TED" adult hits, and KKED 104.7 rock music. Fairbanks Open Radio is a local organization working on creating an independent community radio station, but the group does not yet broadcast.
Fairbanks' major television affiliates are KATN (ABC)-(KIMO retransmission), KFXF (FOX), KUAC (PBS)-"AlaskaONE" with some KMXT-only programming, KTVF (NBC), K13XD (CBS), and UHF station KDMD-LP-(i)-Fairbanks. Cable TV is available from GCI and Denali Television.

Sports

The Carlson Center is home to University of Alaska Fairbanks athletics, the Top of the World preseason college basketball tournament, and in Spring 2008 will be the home location for the Fairbanks Grizzlies, a professional arena football in the Intense Football League.
The Fairbanks Ice Dogs, a minor-league hockey team in the North American Hockey League, play at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.
The Alaska Goldpanners and the Fairbanks AIA Fire are summer collegiate baseball teams, playing home games at Growden Memorial Park. The park is home to the annual Midnight Sun game, an annual tradition since 1906, played without artificial lights starting at eleven at night on the summer solstice.

Facilities, utilities, schools, and health care

Fifteen circulating pump stations distribute treated water throughout the greater Fairbanks area. City water, sewer and electric systems are operated by a private company. The Chena power site has four steam turbines fueled by coal, and one oil-fueled electrical generator.
Garbage collection services are provided in some areas of the city, although many Fairbanks residents must haul their own garbage to "transfer stations" where trash and garbage are picked up and taken to the dump. Collected refuse is hauled to the Class 1 Borough landfill on South Cushman Street. Garbage services are funded by a tax that is paid by resident property owners regardless of whether or not they are eligible for garbage collection services in their area. Fort Wainwright operates its own landfill.
Electricity is provided by Golden Valley Electric Association.
Fairbanks, currently holds the world record for the largest Rechargeable battery, this weighs approx 1,300 tons, and was installed to help bridge the gaps that occur during frequent power outages. the batteries will provide power for 7 minutes, to about 12,000 homes.
There are 20 schools, attended by 10,119 students. There are both public and private schools. Most private schools are run by religious organizations. (i.e., private Catholic schools.)
Local hospitals or health clinics include Fairbanks Memorial Hospital; Interior Community Health Center; Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center; Bassett Army Community Hospital/Fort Wainwright. The hospitals are qualified acute care facilities and State-certified Medevac services. Specialized Care: FNA Regional Center for Alcohol & Other Addictions. Long Term Care: Fairbanks Pioneers' Home; Denali Center. Fairbanks is classified as a small city. It is found in EMS Region 1C in the Interior Region. Emergency Services have highway, airport and floatplane access. Emergency service is provided by 9-1-1 telephone service, paid EMS service, volunteers, a health aide and the military. Auxiliary health care is provided by Fairbanks Fire Department; Airport Fire Department; University Fire Department; Chena Goldstream Fire & Rescue; Steese Area Volunteer Fire; Guardian Flight Critical-Care Air Ambulance; Warbelow's Air Ambulance; Fort Wainwright Fire/Emergency.

Economy and transportation

As the regional service and supply center for the Alaska Interior, Fairbanks offers a diverse economy, including city, borough, state, and federal government services; and transportation, communication, manufacturing, financial, and regional medical services. Tourism and mining also comprise a significant part of the economy. Including Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright personnel, over one third of the employment is in government services. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is also a major employer. Approximately 325,000 tourists visit Fairbanks each summer. The Fort Knox hardrock gold mine produces 1,200 ounces daily with 360 permanent year-round employees. 126 city residents hold commercial fishing permits.
Fairbanks is at the confluence of the Richardson Highway, George Parks Highway, Steese Highway, and Elliott Highway, connecting the Interior to Anchorage, Canada, and the lower 48 states. The Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay begins about 75 miles (about 120 km) north of town. Goods are transported to Fairbanks by truck, air, and the Alaska Railroad. Regularly scheduled jet flights are available at the state-owned Fairbanks International Airport. An 11,800-foot (3,597 meter) asphalt runway, heliport, and seaplane landing strip are available. A public seaplane base is also located on the Chena River. In addition, there are several privately owned airstrips and heliports in the vicinity.
Fairbanks was a major shipping center via waterway for the rest of the Interior, but in modern times water transportation is primarily recreational or used for subsistence hunting and fishing access.

Taxes

Sales: None

Property: 20.777 mills (7.171 City/13.606 Borough areawide)

Special: 5% Alcohol tax (City only); 16% Tobacco tax (8% City/8% Borough); 8% Accommodations tax (City only)

Points of interest

Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge

Georgeson Botanical Garden

Pioneer Park

University of Alaska Museum of the North

Riverboat Discovery

Sister Cities

Aix-les-Bains, France

Mo i Rana, Norway

Tainan, Taiwan

Pune, India

Erdenet, Mongolia

External links

Fairbanks official website

Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce

Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau

Fairbanks Arctic Cam

National Weather Service Fairbanks office

World Ice Art Championships

Fairbanks Summer Fine Arts Festival

State of Alaska, Division of Community Advocacy, Community Photos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,016.
It was named after William H. Seward, early member of the United States Republican Party, United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln. As Secretary of State, he fought for the U.S. purchase of Alaska which he finally negotiated to acquire from Russia.

Geography

Seward is located at (60.124505, -149.433465).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.5 square miles (55.8 km²), of which, 14.4 square miles (37.4 km²) of it is land and 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²) of it (32.93%) is water.
Adjoining communities include Bear Creek and Lowell Point.

Attractions

Mount Marathon and its famous Mount Marathon Race

Kenai Fjords National Park with its easily accessible Exit Glacier

Alaska SeaLife Center

Alaska Vocational Technical Center

4th of July Festival

Seward Silver Salmon Derby

Seward Polar Bear Jump-Off

Other facts about Seward

Seward is the seventh most lucrative fisheries port in the United States per value. In 2004, 49.7 million dollars worth of fish and shellfish passed through Seward according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

In 1927, thirteen-year old Seward resident Benny Benson won a territory-wide American Legion contest to design a flag for Alaska. Up to that point Benny's life as a Native Alaskan was a typical story of the times. Born in Chignik in 1913, he was three when his mother died of pneumonia. Soon after her death the family's house burned and his Swedish fisherman father sent Benny and his brother to the Jesse Lee Home in Seward. Winning the contest changed Benny’s life. The prize for designing the flag included a $1000 scholarship which he used to become an airplane mechanic. He married, raised a family, and died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 58. His design became the territorial flag and eventually the state flag. He is memorialized in Seward by the Benny Benson Memorial Park.

External links

City of Seward

Seward Chamber of Commerce and Conference & Visitors Bureau

SewardCityNews.com Sewards citizen journalism site

Photos of Seward - Terra Galleria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska.

History

The port of Valdez was named in 1790 by the Spanish explorer Don Salvador Fidalgo after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Basán. Because the Port of Valdez was an ice-free port, a town developed there in 1898. Some steamship companies promoted the Valdez Glacier Trail as a better way to reach the Klondike gold fields or as a better way to find new gold fields in Alaska than the route from Skagway. The prospectors who believed the promotion found that they had been deceived. The glacier trail was twice as long and steep as reported and many died attempting the crossing.
The Richardson Highway was built in 1899 and the early 1900s to connect Valdez to the interior of Alaska.In 1907 a shootout between 2 rival railroad companies ended Valdez’s hope to own the railroad line to the Kennicott Mine, one of the richest copper ore deposits on the Continent. A half-completed tunnel marks the location of the right-of-way dispute in Keystone Canyon on the Richardson Highway. It was a summer-only highway until 1950, when it became a year-round route.
The city was destroyed in the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Liquefaction of the glacial silt that formed the city's foundation led to massive underwater landslides, causing a section of the city's shoreline to break off and sink into the sea. The underwater soil displacement caused a tsunami 30 feet high to slam the coast. In Valdez, 32 people lost their lives, most of them on the city dock, meeting a supply ship. The original town site was abandoned; the Army Corps of Engineers transported 60 surviving houses to firmer foundations, reestablishing the city at its present site.
From 1975-1977, the Trans-Alaska pipeline was built to carry oil from the Prudhoe Bay oil fields in northern Alaska to a terminal in Valdez, the nearest ice-free port, where the oil is loaded onto tanker ships for transport. The construction and operation of the pipeline and terminal boosted the economy of Valdez.
The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred as the oil tanker Exxon Valdez was leaving the terminal at Valdez full of oil. The spill occurred at Bligh Reef, about 40 km (25 miles) from Valdez. Although the oil did not reach Valdez, it destroyed much of the marine life in the surrounding area. The clean-up of the oil caused a short-term boost to the economy of Valdez but bankrupted the neighboring Chugach tribe, who had depended on the sea for their livelihood.

Geography and Climate

Valdez is located at .
Valdez is located near the head of a deep fjord in the northeast section of Prince William Sound in Alaska. It is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, which are heavily glaciated. Valdez is the northernmost port in North America that is ice-free year-round. The northernmost point of the coastal Pacific temperate rain forest is in Valdez, on Blueberry Hill.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 277.1 square miles (717.6 km²), of which, 222.0 square miles (574.9 km²) of it is land and 55.1 square miles (142.7 km²) of it (19.88%) is water.

Media and culture

Despite its small size, Valdez was at one time home to two weekly newspapers, the Valdez Star and the Valdez Vanguard. In 2004, the Star bought out the Vanguard. Valdez is also home to radio broadcasters KCHU and KVAK.
Valdez is also home to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference, hosted by the Prince William Sound Community College. The annual conference attracts playwrights and actors from around the United States.

External links

Valdez Official Website

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Homer is a town located in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 5,364.

Geography

Homer is located at 59°38'35" North, 151°31'33" West (59.643059, -151.525900).
Homer is on the shore of Kachemak Bay on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its most distinguishing feature is the Homer Spit, a narrow 4.5 mile (7 km) long gravel bar that extends into the bay, on which is located the Homer Harbor.
Much of the coastline as well as the Homer Spit sank dramatically during the Good Friday Earthquake in March of 1964. After the earthquake, very little vegetation was able to survive on the Homer Spit.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.4 square miles (58.1 km²), of which, 10.6 square miles (27.4 km²) of it is land and 11.9 square miles (30.7 km²) of it is water. The total area is 52.83% water.

History

Archeological digs indicate that early Alutiq people probably camped in the Homer area although their villages were on the far side of Kachemak Bay.
Coal was discovered in the area in the 1890s. The Cook Inlet Coal Fields Company built a town, dock, coal mine, and a railroad at Homer. Coal mining in the area continued until World War II. There are an estimated 400 million tons of coal deposits still in the area.
Homer was named for Homer Pennock, a gold mining company promoter, who arrived in 1896 on what is now the Homer Spit and built living quarters for his crew of 50 men. However, gold mining was never profitable in the area.
Currently, tourism, sport fishing, commercial fishing and logging are important industries in the Homer area.

Education

The Homer Public Library has enthusiastic support from the Friends of the Homer Library, established in 1948, which raised funds and support for a new library building, opened on September 16, 2006.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District provides primary and secondary education to the community of Homer. These schools are:

Homer High School (9-12)

Homer Flex High School (9-12)

Homer Middle School (7-8)

West Homer Elementary (3-6)

Paul Banks Elementary (K-2)

McNeil Canyon Elementary (K-6)

Fireweed Academy (3-6)

The Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College provides post-secondary education, as well as ESL and GED training to the community of Homer.

Media

Homer has two newspapers, the Homer Tribune, an independent weekly paper established in 1991, and the Homer News, a weekly founded in 1964 and bought in 2000 by Morris Communications.
Homer has a number of radio stations including KWVV-FM at 103.5 FM, KMJG at 88.9 FM, KGTL at 620 AM, and KBBI at 890 AM .
Homer receives 7 analog television stations:

KTUU-TV Channel 2 - NBC

KTBY Channel 4 - Fox

KAKM Channel 7 - PBS

KYES-TV Channel 9 - MyNetworkTV

KTVA Channel 11 - CBS

KIMO Channel 13 - ABC

Notable people from Homer

Notable people from or living in Homer include:

Lincoln Brewster, Christian Worship Musician

Tom Bodett, writer. Bodett is known for the Motel 6 "We'll leave the light on for you" advertisements, and the whimsical book about Homer, As Far as You Can go Without a Passport.

Stacey Borgman, Olympic competitor in rowing.

Jean Keene, the "Eagle Lady" of Homer, known for her decades-long history of feeding bald eagles on Homer Spit. The news satire program The Daily Show reported on its April 17, 2006 edition that Homer had been overpopulated by bald eagles due in large part to Jean Keene's activities.

Jewel, singer/songwriter.

Andy and John Hillstrand, captains of the Time Bandit crab boat on The Deadliest Catch

Tela O'Donnell, Olympic competitor in women's wrestling.

Shelley Gill, author, adventurer, and one of the first women to compete in the Iditarod.

Other facts about Homer

Homer is the sport halibut fishing capital of the world.
Homer was co-host to the 2006 Arctic Winter Games.
One of Homer's nicknames is "the cosmic hamlet by the sea"; another is "the end of the road". A popular, tongue-in-cheek t-shirt slogan characterizes the town as "Homer - A quaint little drinking town with a fishing problem."
According to DVD commentary, one idea of The Simpsons Movie was when the family came to Alaska they would go specifically to Homer.

External links

City of Homer official home page

Photos of Homer - Terra Galleria

Homer News (Local print & on-line newspaper)

Homer Tribune (Local print & on-line newspaper)

Homer Public Library home page

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley (Denali), the tallest mountain in North America. The park and preserve together cover 9,492 mi² (24,585 km²).

Overview

The word "Denali" means "the great one" in the native Athabaskan language and refers to the mountain itself. The mountain was named after president William McKinley of Ohio in 1897 by local prospector William A. Dickey, although McKinley had no connection with the region.
Charles Sheldon took an interest in the Dall sheep native to the region, and became concerned that human encroachment may threaten the species. After his 1907-1908 visit, he petitioned the people of Alaska and Congress to create a preserve for the sheep. (His account of the visit was published posthumously as The Wilderness of Denali, ISBN 1-56833-152-5). The park was established as Mount McKinley National Park on February 26, 1917. Ironically, only a portion of Mount McKinley (not even including the summit) was within the original park boundary. The park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976. A separate Denali National Monument was proclaimed by Jimmy Carter on December 1, 1978.
Mount McKinley National Park, whose name had been subject to local criticism from the onset, and Denali National Monument were incorporated and established into Denali National Park and Preserve by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, December 2, 1980. At this time the Alaska Board of Geographic Names changed the name of the mountain back to "Denali," even though the U.S. Board of Geographic Names maintains "McKinley". Alaskans tend to use "Denali" and rely on context to distinguish between the park and the mountain. The size of the national park is over 6 million acres (24,500 km²), of which 4,724,735.16 acres (19,120 km²) are federally owned. The national preserve is 1,334,200 acres (543 km²), of which 1,304,132 acres (5,278 km²) are federally owned. On December 2, 1980, a 2,146,580 acre (8,687 km²) Denali Wilderness was established within the park.
Denali habitat is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, including deciduous taiga. The preserve is also home to tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, rock, and snow at the highest elevations. Today, the park hosts more than 400,000 visitors who enjoy wildlife viewing, mountaineering, and backpacking. Wintertime recreation includes dog-sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling where allowed.
The national park is located near Denali State Park.

Wildlife

Denali is home to a variety of Alaskan birds and mammals, including a healthy population of grizzly bears and black bears. Herds of caribou roam throughout the park. Dall sheep are often seen on mountainsides, and moose feed on the aquatic plants of the small lakes and swamps. Despite human impact on the area, Denali accommodates gray wolf dens, both historic and active. Smaller animals, such as hoary marmots, arctic ground squirrels, beavers, pikas, and snowshoe hares are seen in abundance. Foxes, martens, lynx, wolverines also inhabit the park, but are more rarely seen due to their elusive natures.
The park is also well known for its bird population. Many migratory species reside in the park during late spring and summer. Birdwatchers may find waxwings, Arctic Warblers, pine grosbeaks, and wheatears, as well as Ptarmigan and the majestic tundra swan. Predatory birds include a variety of hawks, owls, and the gyrfalcon, as well as the abundant but striking golden eagle.
Ten species of fish, including trout, salmon, and arctic grayling share the waters of the park. Because many of the rivers and lakes of Denali are fed by glaciers, glacial silt and cold temperatures slow the metabolism of the fish, preventing them from reaching normal sizes. A single amphibious species, the wood frog, also lives among the lakes of the park.
Denali park rangers maintain a constant effort to "keep the wildlife wild" by limiting the interaction between humans and park animals. Feeding animals is strictly forbidden, as it may cause adverse affects on the feeding habits of the creature. Visitors are encouraged to view animals from safe distances. Despite the large concentration of bears in the park, efforts by rangers to educate backpackers and visitors about preventative measures and BRFCs have greatly reduced the number of dangerous encounters. Certain areas of the park are often closed due to uncommon wildlife activity, such as denning areas of wolves and bears or recent kill sites. These restricted areas may change throughout the year. Through the collective care of park staff and visitors, Denali has become a premier destination for wildlife viewing.

Flora

The Alaska Range, a mountainous expanse running through the entire park, provides interesting ecosystems in Denali. Because the fall line lies as low as 2,500 feet, wooded areas are rare inside the park, except in the flatter western sections surrounding Wonder Lake, and lowlands of the park where flowing waters melt the frozen ground. Spruces and willows make up the majority of these treed areas. Because of mineral content, ground temperature, and a general lack of soil, areas surrounding the bases of mountains are not suitable for sufficient tree growth, and most trees and shrubs do not reach full size.
Having a range of elevations, there is a variety of vegetation zones. From lowest to highest, there is low brush bog, bottomland spruce-poplar forest, upland spruce-hardwood forest, moist tundra, and finally the highest of elevations, alpine tundra.
Throughout Denali's history, there has been a patchwork pattern of different plants relying on fire. Because of this, the fire history is too complicated to explain. North of the Alaskan Range, fires are common, occurring when old forests need replacement.
Tundra is the predominate ground cover of the park. Layers of topsoil collect on rotten, fragmented rock moved by thousands of years of glacial activity. Mosses, ferns, grasses, and fungi quickly fill the topsoil, and in areas of "wet tundra," tussocks form and may collect algae. Wild blueberries and soap berries thrive in this landscape, and provide the bears of Denali with the main part of their diets.
Over 450 species of flowering plants fill the park, and can be viewed in bloom throughout summer. Images of goldenrod, fireweed, lupine, bluebell, and gentian filling the valleys of Denali are often used on postcards and in artwork

Climate

Climate affects every living organism in Denali. Long winters are followed by short growing seasons. Eighty percent of the bird population returns after cold months,raising their young. In fact, every animal is caring for and teaching their young. Unfortunately, the spring and summer months are short, so they are also a time of preparing for another winter.
Summers are usually cool and damp, but temperatures in the 70's are not rare. The weather is so unpredictable that there have even been instances of snow in July.
The north and south side of the Alaskan Range have a completely different climate. The Gulf of Alaska carries moisture to the south side, but the mountains block water to the north side. This brings a drier climate and huge temperature fluctuations to the north. The south receives transitional maritime continental climates, with moister, cooler summers and warmer winters. For 10,000 years, the climate has stayed generally constant.

Vehicle access

The park is serviced by a 91-mile road from the George Parks Highway to the mining camp of Kantishna. It runs east to west, north of and roughly parallel to the imposing Alaska Range. Only a small fraction of the road is paved because permafrost and the freeze-thaw cycle create an enormous cost for maintaining the road. Private vehicles are only allowed on the road in early spring and late fall. During the summer, visitors must access the interior of the park through buses operated by concession.
Several fully-narrated tours of the park are available, the most popular of which is the Tundra Wilderness Tour. The tours travel from the initial boreal forests through tundra to the Toklat River or Kantishna. A clear view of the mountain is only possible about 20% of the time during the summer, although it is visible more often during the winter. Several portions of the road run alongside sheer cliffs that drop hundreds of feet at the edges, and the extreme conditions prevent construction of guardrails. As a result of the danger involved, and because most of the gravel road is only one lane wide, drivers are trained extensively in procedures for navigating the sharp mountain curves, and yielding the right-of-way to opposing buses and park vehicles.
While the main park road goes straight through the middle of the Denali National Park Wilderness, the national preserve and portions of the park not designated wilderness are even more inaccessible. There are no roads extending out to the preserve areas, which are on the far west end of the park. The far north of the park, characterized by hills and rivers, is accessed by the Stampede Trail, a dirt road which stops at the park boundary. The very rugged south portion of the park, characterized by enormous glacier filled canyons, is accessed by Petersville Road, a dirt road that stops about 5 miles outside of the park. The mountains can be accessed most easily by air taxis that land on the glaciers.

Wilderness

The Denali Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Denali National Park and Preserve. It encompasses the high heart of the Alaska Range, including Mount McKinley, the centerpiece of the wilderness, which comprises about one-third of the national park.
Denali Wilderness covers the area formerly known as Mount McKinley National Park from 1917 until the park was expanded and renamed in 1980. It is 2,146,580 acres (8,687 km²) in area; the entire park is larger than the state of Massachusetts.

Prehistory and Protohistory

An immense collection of cultural sites gives more and more clues as to what and who used to live there. Thousand of years ago, grassland was abundant, and mammoths utilized the flat Mammoth Steppe to move and graze. Around 13,500 to 11,000 years ago, these grasslands shrunk and woody shrubs began to appear. Back then, the North-Alaskan Range was predominantly ice free.
187 cultural sites tell about Denali's past, eighty-four have prehistoric items. Native Americans have lived in this environment for 11,000 years, using every resource the wild provided. The Koyukon, Dena'ina, Athna, Kolchan, Tanana, and Athabaskans are particularly known.

Fossils

Denali is emerging as a site of interesting fossils, including footprints (ichnites) that were credited with being the first evidence of prehistoric wading birds, probing in mudflats for food during the Late Cretaceous Period, when they were first publicly reported in May 2006. A footprint of a carnivorous theropod had previously been reported in the park.

External links

National Park Service: Denali National Park & Preserve

Brief description by Milepost Magazine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel on the Alexander Archipelago of Alaska. Juneau is the capital of the U.S. state of Alaska. The municipality unified in 1970 when the City of Juneau merged with the City of Douglas and the surrounding borough to form the current home rule municipality.
The area of Juneau is larger than that of Rhode Island or Delaware and almost as large as the two states combined. Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. As of the 2000 census, the City and Borough had a population of 30,711. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 population estimate for the City and Borough was 30,987. Juneau's only power utility is Alaska Electric Light & Power.
Juneau was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau, though the place was for a time called Rockwell and then Harrisburg (after Juneau's co-prospector, Richard Harris—several books credit the Tlingit Chief Kowee with showing these prospectors where the gold was). The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni "river where the flounders gather", and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Aak'w "little lake" in Tlingit. The Taku River, just south of Juneau, was named after the cold t'aakh wind, which occasionally blows down from the mountains. Downtown Juneau sits at sea level, with tides averaging , below steep mountains about 3,500 to high. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Ice Cap, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; one of these, the Mendenhall Glacier, is visible from the local road system; this glacier has been generally retreating; its front face is declining both in width and height.
The current Alaska State Capitol is an office building in downtown Juneau, originally built as the Federal and Territorial Building in 1931. Originally housing federal government offices, the federal courthouse, and a post office, it became the home of the Alaska Legislature and the offices for the governor of Alaska and lieutenant governor of Alaska. There have been subsequent discussions regarding building a new capitol building, without significant development.

Geography and climate

Juneau is located at (58.351422, -134.511579). According to the Koppen Classification, Juneau has an oceanic climate, just cooler than Seattle and Vancouver.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3,255.0 square miles (8,430.4 km²), making it the second-largest municipality in the United States by area (the largest is Sitka, Alaska). 2,716.7 square miles (7,036.1 km²) of it is land and 538.3 square miles (1,394.3 km²) of it (16.54%) is water.

Average annual rainfall ranges from to over depending on location; annual average snowfall is 101 inches (257 cm).

The average high temperature in July is 65 °F (18 °C), and the average low temperature in January is 20 °F (-7 °C).

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

Haines Borough, Alaska - north

Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska - south and west

Border area

Juneau, Alaska, shares its eastern border with the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Stikine Region, British Columbia

History

Long before European settlement in the Americas, the Gastineau Channel was a favorite fishing ground for local Tlingit Indians, known then as the Auke and Taku tribes, who had inhabited the surrounding area for thousands of years. The native cultures are rich with artistic traditions including carving, weaving, orating, singing and dancing, and Juneau has become a major social center for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of Southeast Alaska.
In 1880, Sitka mining engineer George Pilz offered a reward to any local chief who could lead him to gold-bearing ore. Chief Kowee arrived with some ore and several prospectors were sent to investigate. On their first trip, to Gold Creek, they found little deposits of interest. However, at Chief Kowee's urging Pilz sent Joe Juneau and Richard Harris back to the Gastineau Channel, directing them to Snow Slide Gulch (the head of Gold Creek) where they found nuggets "as large as peas and beans," in Harris' words.
On October 18, 1880, the two men marked a 160 acre (0.6 km²) town site where soon a mining camp appeared. Within a year, the camp became a small town, the first to be founded after Alaska's purchase by the United States.
The town was originally called Harrisburg, after Richard Harris; some time later, its name was changed to Rockwell. In 1881, the miners met and renamed the town Juneau, after Joe Juneau. In 1906, after the diminution of the whaling and fur trade, Sitka, the original capital of Alaska, declined in importance and the seat of government was moved to Juneau.
In 1954, Alaskans passed a measure to move the capital north. Robert Atwood, then publisher of the Anchorage Daily News and an Anchorage 'booster,' was an early leader in capital move efforts - efforts which many in Juneau and Fairbanks resisted. One provision required the new capital to be at least from Anchorage and Fairbanks, to prevent either city from having undue influence. In the end Juneau remained the capital. In the 1970s, voters passed a plan to move the capital to Willow, a town north of Anchorage. But pro-Juneau people there and in Fairbanks got voter to also approve a measure (the FRANK Initiative) requiring voter approval of all bondable construction costs before building could begin. Alaskans later voted against spending the estimated $900 million. A 1984 "ultimate" capital-move vote also failed, as did a 1996 vote.
Alaskans thus several times voted on moving their capital, but Juneau remains the capital..
Once Alaska was granted statehood in 1959, Juneau grew with the growth of state government. Growth accelerated remarkably after the construction of the Alaska Pipeline in 1977, state budget flush with oil revenues; Juneau expanded for a time due to growth in state government jobs, but that growth slowed considerably in the 1980s. The state demographer expects the borough to grow very slowly over the next twenty years. Cruise ship tourism rocketed upward from about 230,000 passengers in 1990 to nearly 1,000,000 in 2006 as cruise lines built more and larger ships—even 'mega-ships', sailing to Juneau seven days a week instead of six, over a longer season, but this primarily summer industry provides few year-round jobs.
Juneau is larger in area than the state of Delaware and was, for many years, the country's largest city by area. Juneau continues to be the only U.S. state capital located on an international border: it is bordered on the east by Canada.

Districts

Two districts have been defined by the Assembly of the City and Borough of Juneau:

People and culture

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 30,700 people, 11,500 households, and 7,600 families residing in Juneau. The population density was 4.4/km² (11.3/sq mi). There were 12,300 housing units at an average density of 4.5/sq mi (1.7/km²). By race Juneau was 75% White, 11% Native American, 5% Asian, 0.8% Black, 0.4% Pacific Islander, and 3% Hispanic or Latino of any race. One percent belonged to other races, and 7% to two or more races. 2.61% reported speaking Tagalog at home, while 2.38% speak Spanish and 1.07% Tlingit.
There were 11,500 households out of which 37% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51% were married couples living together, 11% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34% were non-families. 24% of all households were made up of individuals and 4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.1.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 27% under the age of 18, 8% from 18 to 24, 33% from 25 to 44, 26% from 45 to 64, and 6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 102 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $62,000, and the median income for a family was $70,300. Males had a median income of $46,700 versus $33,200 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,700. 6% of the population and 4% of families were below the poverty line. 7% of those under the age of 18 and 4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Politically, Juneau is more liberal than the rest of the state. In the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, downtown Juneau was the only election district in the state carried by the Democratic candidate.

Arts and entertainment

Juneau is home to Perseverance Theatre, Alaska's only professional theater. The area hosts the annual Alaska Folk Festival and Juneau Jazz & Classics music festivals, and the Juneau Symphony performs regularly. Downtown Juneau boasts dozens of art galleries, which participate in the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk and the enormously popular December Gallery Walk held in the first week of December. The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council coordinates events while fund-raising, distributing some grant money, and operating a gallery at its office near 2nd Street and Franklin Street. On summer Friday evenings open-air music and dance performances are held at Marine Park. The University of Alaska Southeast Campus also offers lectures, concerts, and theater performances.
The Juneau Lyric Opera and Opera to Go are the two local opera companies. JLO produces operas in English and Italian and sponsors two annual choral workshop festivals, as well as the touring group the "3 Tenors from Juneau."
Some Juneau artists include violinists Linda and Paul Rosenthal, sopranos Kathleen Wayne and Joyce Parry Moore, bass John d'Armand, baritones Philippe Damerval and David Miller, tenors Jay Query, Brett Crawford and Dan Wayne, indie rocker Rory Merritt Stitt, folk musician Buddy Tabor, playwright Robert Bruce "Bo" Anderson, and painters David Woodie, Barbara Craver, Rie Muñoz, and Herb Bonnet. Photographer Ron Klein is a past president of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers.

Media

Juneau's only daily newspaper is the Juneau Empire; however there is also a regional weekly newspaper, the Capital City Weekly. Juneau-Douglas High School has The Ego and the Alterego, a monthly magazine, and the University of Alaska Southeast has The Whalesong, a college newspaper.
Juneau is also served by television and radio. Juneau's major television affiliates are KTOO (PBS), KATH-LP (NBC) and KJUD (ABC)-(KIMO retransmission). The Juneau-Douglas High School also has a program with KTOO airing one hour a week during the school year produced entirely by students with the help of Ryan Conarro, "the DL (Down Low)"
Leading radio stations include AM Stations KJNO 630 and KINY 800. FM Stations include recently expanded public radio station KTOO 104.3, KXLL "Excellent Radio" 100.7 and KRNN "Rain Country Radio" 102.7 (both operated by KTOO), but also include country music station KTKU 105.1 ("Taku 105"), KSUP 106.3, and the freeform LPFM station KBJZ 94.1.
Additionally the offices of CoastAlaska, a regional public radio station consortium, are located in Juneau. AP (the Associated Press), Anchorage news outlets, and other Alaska media entities send reporters to Juneau during the annual Legislative session.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Juneau is served by the Juneau School District and includes the following schools:
In addition, the following private schools also serve Juneau:

(Glacier) Valley Baptist Academy

Thunder Mountain Academy

Colleges and universities

Juneau is the home of the following institute of higher education:

University of Alaska Southeast

Sister Cities

Juneau has 5 official sister cities.

Whitehorse, Canada

Chiayi City, ROC (Taiwan)

Vladivostok, Russia

Mishan, PRC (Chinese Mainland)

Bangkok, Thailand

External links

City and Borough of Juneau

Visit Juneau

Picture of Juneau and Douglas Island, 1914

Juneau Public Libraries

Juneau Wiki: Help your Local Wiki Grow

National Weather Service Juneau office

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464.

Geography

Kenai (pronounced kee-nahy) is located at (60.558738, -151.229616).
Kenai is located on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula near the outlet of the Kenai River to the Cook Inlet of the Pacific Ocean.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.5 square miles (92.0 km²), of which, 29.9 square miles (77.4 km²) of it is land and 5.6 square miles (14.6 km²) of it (15.85%) is water.

History

Kenai is named after the Kenai Peninsula. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for the Cook Inlet and translates to "flat, barren land". Or, it could refer to the Inuit word kenai (black bear). It may also be named after the Kenaitze Indian tribe, who were the original inhabitants.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was first occupied by the Kachemak people from 1000 B.C., until they were displaced by the Dena'ina Athabaskan people around 1000 A.D.
Before the arrival of the Russians, Kenai was a Dena'ina village called Shk'ituk't, which means "where we slide down." When Russian fur traders first arrived in 1741, about 1,000 Dena'ina lived in the village. The traders called the people "Kenaitze," or "Kenai people."
In 1791, a Russian trading post, Fort St. Nicholas, was constructed in the middle of the village for the purposes of fur and fish trading. It was the second permanent Russian settlement in Alaska.
Hostilities surfaced between the natives and settlers in 1797 when what is dubbed the battle of Kenai, an incident in which the Dena'ina attacked Fort St. Nicholas, resulting in over one hundred deaths from all involved parties. Later, in 1838, the introduction of smallpox killed one half of the Dena'ina population.
In 1869, after the Alaska Purchase the United States Army established a post called Fort Kenay. It was soon abandoned.
In 1888 a prospector named Alexander King discovered gold on the Kenai Peninsula. The amount of gold was small compared to the later gold finds in the Klondike, Nome and Fairbanks.
In 1894, the Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church was built in the village. It is still in use today.
The establishment of shipping companies in the early 1900's broadened Kenai into a port city. Canning companies were established and helped fuel the commercial fishing boom that was the primary activity through the 1920's. In 1937, construction of the Kenai Airport began.
In 1940, homesteads were opened in the area. The first dirt road from Anchorage was constructed in 1951; pavement would not arrive until 1956 with the construction of the Kenai Spur highway.
A military base, Wildwood Army Station (later Wildwood Air Force Station), was established in 1953 and served as a major communications post. Wildwood was conveyed in 1974 to the Kenai Native Association in partial settlement of Alaska Native land claims. The facility was leased and later purchased by the State of Alaska and presently serves as the Wildwood Correctional Complex.
In 1957, oil was discovered at Swanson River, 20 miles northeast of Kenai. This was the first major oil discovery in Alaska. In 1965, offshore oil discoveries in Cook Inlet caused a period of rapid growth.

External links

Kenai Government Website

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yukon is the westernmost of Canada's three territories. It was named after the Yukon River, Yukon meaning "Great River" in Gwich’in. A person from Yukon is called a Yukoner.
The name Yukon Territory may also be used, although this usage is disputed by residents of the territory. The federal government's most recent update of the Yukon Act in 2003 confirmed Yukon, rather than Yukon Territory, as the current usage standard.
At 5,959 m (19,551 ft), the Yukon's Mount Logan, in Kluane National Park and Reserve, is the highest mountain in Canada and the second highest of North America (after Mount McKinley).

History

Long before the arrival of Europeans, central and northern Yukon escaped glaciation as it was part of Beringia (Bering land bridge). Remains of human inhabitation were found near Old Crow appearing to be the oldest in North America. Around 800 AD, the volcanic eruption of Mount Churchill near the Alaska border blanketed southern Yukon with a layer of ash which can still be seen along the Klondike Highway. Coastal and interior First Nations already had extensive trading networks and European incursions into the area only began early in the 19th century with the fur trade, followed by missionaries and the Western Union Telegraph Expedition. By the latter end of the 19th century gold miners were trickling in on rumours of gold, creating a population increase justifying the setting up of a police force, just in time for 1897's start of the Gold Rush.

Geography

The very sparsely populated territory abounds with snow-melt lakes and perennial white-capped mountains. Although the climate is Arctic and subarctic and very dry, with long, cold winters, the long sunshine hours in short summer allow hardy crops and vegetables, along with a profusion of flowers and fruit to blossom.
The territory is the approximate shape of a right triangle, bordering the American state of Alaska to the west, the Northwest Territories to the east and British Columbia to the south. Its northern coast is on the Beaufort Sea. Its ragged eastern boundary mostly follows the divide between the Yukon Basin and the Mackenzie River drainage basin to the east in the Mackenzie mountains. Its capital is Whitehorse.
Canada's highest point, Mount Logan (5959 m), is found in the territory's southwest. Mount Logan and a large part of the Yukon's southwest are in Kluane National Park and Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other National Parks include Ivvavik National Park and Vuntut National Park in the north.
Most of the territory is in the watershed of its namesake, the Yukon River. The southern Yukon is dotted with a large number of large, long and narrow glacier-fed alpine lakes, most of which flow into the Yukon River system. The larger lakes include Teslin Lake, Atlin Lake, Tagish Lake, Marsh Lake, Lake Laberge, Kusawa Lake, and Kluane Lake. Lake Bennett, B.C., on the Klondike Gold Rush trail is a lake flowing into Nares Lake, with the greater part of its area within the Yukon.
Other watersheds include the Mackenzie River and the Alsek-Tatshenshini, as well as a number of rivers flowing directly into the Beaufort Sea. The two main Yukon rivers flowing into the Mackenzie in the Northwest Territories are the Liard River in the southeast and the Peel River and its tributaries in the northeast.
The capital, Whitehorse, is also the largest city, with about two-thirds of the population; the second largest is Dawson City, (pop. 1,250) which was the capital until 1952.
10 Largest Communities by population
¹ Part of "Metro" Whitehorse Census Agglomeration

Tourism

Yukon's tourism motto is "Larger than life". The Yukon's major appeal is its nearly pristine nature. Tourism relies heavily on this and there are many organised outfitters and guides available to hunters and anglers and nature lovers of all sorts. One can hire small planes and discover the Yukon from a bird's eye view or take in the Yukon's diverse geography from ground level. Sports enthusiasts can paddle lakes and rivers with canoes and kayaks, ride or walk endless trails, ski or snowboard in an organized setting or access the backcountry by air or snowmobile, climb the highest peaks of North America or take a family hike up smaller mountains, or try ice climbing and dog sledding.
The Yukon also has a wide array of cultural and sporting events and infrastructures that attract artists, participants and tourists from all parts of the world (Yukon International Storytelling Festival, Frostbite Music Festival, Dawson Music Festival, Yukon Quest, Sourdough Rendevous, the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, Northern Lights Centre, Klondike Gold Rush memorials and activities, "Takhini Hot Springs", and the Whitehorse fish ladder.
There are many opportunities to experience pre-colonial lifestyles by learning about Yukon's First Nations. Wildlife and nature observation is exceptional and a wide variety of large mammals, birds, and fish are easily accessible, whether or not within Yukon's many territorial parks (Herschel Island Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Tombstone Territorial Park, Fishing Branch Ni'iinlii'njik Park, Coal River Springs Territorial Park) and national parks (Kluane National Park and Reserve, Vuntut National Park, Ivvavik National Park) and reserves, or nearby Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park in British Columbia.
On the long cold clear nights of winter, nature provides the ultimate natural spectacle in the form of aurora borealis.

Government and politics

In the 19th century, Yukon was a segment of the Hudson's Bay Company-administered North-Western Territory and then the Canadian-administered Northwest Territories. It only obtained a recognizable local government in 1895 when it became a separate district of the Northwest Territories. In 1898, it was made a separate Territory with its own Commissioner and appointed Territorial Council.
Prior to 1979, the territory was administered by the Commissioner who is appointed by the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The Commissioner used to chair, and had a role in appointing the territory's Executive Council and had a day to day role in governing the territory. The elected Territorial Council had a purely advisory role. In 1979, a significant degree of power was devolved from the federal government and Commissioner to the territorial legislature which, in that year, adopted a party system of responsible government. This was done through a letter from Jake Epp, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development rather than through formal legislation.
The Yukon Act, passed on April 1, 2003, formalised the powers of the Yukon government and devolved a number of additional powers to the territorial government (e.g., control over land and natural resources). As of 2003, other than criminal prosecutions, the Yukon government has much of the same powers as provincial governments, and the other two territories are looking to obtaining the same powers. Today the role of Commissioner is analogous to that of a provincial Lieutenant Governor; however, unlike lieutenant-governors, Commissioners are not formal representatives of the Queen, but are employees of the Federal government.
In preparation for responsible government, political parties were organised and ran candidates to the Yukon Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1978. The Progressive Conservatives won these elections and formed the first party government of Yukon in January 1979. The Yukon New Democratic Party (NDP) formed the government from 1985 to 1992 under Tony Penikett and again from 1996 under Piers McDonald until being defeated in 2000. The conservatives returned to power in 1992 under John Ostashek after having renamed themselves the Yukon Party. The Liberal government of Pat Duncan was defeated in elections in November 2002, with Dennis Fentie of the Yukon Party forming the government as Premier.
Although there has been discussion in the past about Yukon becoming Canada's 11th province, it is generally felt that its population base is too sparse for this to occur at present. As well, the government of British Columbia did propose to take over the territory on a number of occasions.
At the federal level, the territory is presently represented in the Parliament of Canada by a single Member of Parliament and one senator. In contrast to United States territories, Canadian territories' members of Parliament are full and equal voting representatives and residents of the territory enjoy the same rights as other Canadian citizens. One Yukon Member of Parliament - Erik Nielsen - was the Deputy Prime Minister under the government of Brian Mulroney, while another - Audrey McLaughlin - was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party.
Yukon was one of nine jurisdictions in Canada to offer same-sex marriage before the passage of Canada's Civil Marriage Act, along with Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick. See same-sex marriage in Yukon.

Federal Government representation

In the Canadian House of Commons, Yukon is represented by Larry Bagnell, representing the Liberal Party. Mr. Bagnell was first elected to the House of Commons in 2000. Previous Members of Parliament include Louise Hardy (NDP, 1997-2000), Audrey McLaughlin (NDP, 1987-1997), Erik Nielsen (Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, 1957-1987), James Aubrey Simmons (Liberal, 1949-1957).
Yukon has been represented by two Senators since the position was created in 1975. The Senate of Canada position is currently vacant (since December 2006). It was last filled by Ione Christensen, representing the Liberal Party. Appointed to the Senate in 1999 by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Mrs. Christensen resigned in December 2006 to help her ailing husband. From 1975 to 1999, Paul Lucier (Liberal) served as Senator for the Yukon. Lucier was appointed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

First Nations governments

Much of the population of the territory is First Nations. An umbrella land claim agreement representing 7,000 members of fourteen different First Nations was signed with the federal government in 1992. Each of the individual First Nations then has to negotiate a specific land claim and a self-government agreement. As of December 2005, eleven of the 14 First Nations had a signed agreement. The fourteen First Nation governments are:
The territory once had an Inuit settlement, located on Herschel Island off the Arctic coast. This settlement was dismantled in 1987 and its inhabitants relocated to the neighboring Northwest Territories. As a result of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the island is now a territorial park and is known officially as Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Qikiqtaruk being the name of the island in Inuvialuktun. There are also 14 First Nations that speak 8 different languages.

Language

The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 30,372.
Of the 29,940 singular responses to the census question concerning 'mother tongue' the most commonly reported languages were:
There were also 130 responses of both English and a 'non-official language'; 10 of both French and a 'non-official language'; 110 of both English and French; and about 175 people who either did not respond to the question, or reported multiple non-official languages, or else gave some other unenumerated response. The Yukon's official languages are shown in bold. Figures shown are for the number of single-language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.
The Language Act of the Yukon "recognizes the significance" of aboriginal languages in the Yukon; however, only English and French are available for laws, court proceedings, and legislative assembly proceedings..

External links

Yukon Attraction & Service Guides

Yukon Visitor Information

General Information Site

The 1898 Yukon Act

The 2002 Yukon Act

Yukon Government

Yukon Romance: Virtual Exhibit

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29>Tall Tales and True Stories of the Yukon

Immigration Yukon

Yukon Convention Bureau

University of Washington Libraries: Digital Collections:

William E. Meed Photographs Photographs (ca. 1898-1907) of scenes in the Yukon Territory, Canada, and portions of Alaska and British Columbia during the Klondike gold rush.

Henry M. Sarvant Photographs 212 photographs by Henry Mason Sarvant depicting his climbing expeditions to Mt. Rainier and scenes of the vicinity from 1892-1912. Also included are images of his trip to the Klondike gold fields in 1897 documenting his journey over the Chilkoot Pass and subsequent mining activities in the vicinity of Dawson, Yukon Territory.

CBC Digital Archives - Territorial Battles: Yukon Elections, 1978-2002

CBC Digital Archives - The Berger Pipeline Inquiry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia