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 Alaska is one of the greatest natural wonders on earth!With its
many National Parks, its unsurpassed beauty, dramatic geologic scenery and the
incredible wildlife, it is truly a wilderness paradise! Click for a
Map of Alaska and
Alaska Travel Distances.
Alaska's History:
Pre-Historic Times:
No one knows exactly when mankind first discovered the land called Alaska, but
it is commonly thought that the first humans to see it were nomadic hunters and
gatherers following Ice Age mammals migrating from Siberia to Alaska in search
of food. In time, these people would migrate all through Canada,
America, down through Central America and to the very tip of South America more
than 12,000 years ago.
 It is theorized that these early settlers entered Alaska by crossing the
Bering Land Bridge. It was approximately 1000 miles wide during the
Pleistocene Age, when massive glaciers covered the land and trapped much of the
earth's water supply - lowering sea levels dramatically from where they are
today. When the warming trend started around 10,000 years ago, the
glacial ice started melting and thinning, and the sea levels rose. Finally about
1000-2000 years ago, the sea level rose so high that Siberia and Alaska were
once again separated by water. Today, the violent waters of the Bering Sea
span the 56 mile distance that separates Siberia from Alaska.
The Russian Period:
The Bering Sea is named after the Danish navigator, Vitus Bering, who discovered
Alaska in 1741 on his historic voyage serving the Russian government in its
effort to expand to the east. For the remainder of the century, the
Russian rulers had little interest in Alaska, and it was the individual fur
traders who repressively enslaved the Aleutian people to hunt and capture the
prized fur seals. Later large Russian fur trading companies took over and
were successful, but they were continually plagued with supply and labor
problems due to the isolation of the fur settlements. The Russian
activities in Alaska were mainly concentrated along the coastline, with little
exploration in the interior. At their peak, less than 800 Russians lived
in Alaska and by 1839, most of the Southeastern Alaska Russian lands were leased
to the Hudson Bay Company. When the Russian rulers finally decided that
their Alaska possession was to be sold, in part to benefit their treasury and to
also foster better relations with the United States, a deal was struck and on
October 18, 1867, the United States took possession of Alaska for $7.2 million
dollars.
The Gold Rush:
 Furs, fish and some mining were the main endeavors of the Americans who came to
live in the new territory of Alaska. And then in 1896, the great
Klondike Gold strike was discovered and the rush was on! Even though the
Klondike and the Yukon Territory are in Canada, Southeastern Alaska was the
gateway of choice for most of hopeful millionaires who made the journey north.
Almost overnight, Skagway became largest town in Alaska - as the outfitter for
those going into the Yukon. And in 1898, gold was discovered
in Anvil Creek in Nome, and by 1900, Nome was a tent city of over 20,000 gold
seekers working the golden beaches.
Alaska's Statehood:
 Follow the Gold Rush period, the state's population continued to climb and on
June 25, 1959, Alaska became the 49th state in America. Alaska is
comprised of 570,374 square miles - more than 2.3 times the size of Texas and
1/5th the size of the entire lower 48 United States. It has
continued to grow and develop its rich natural resources, like the Prudhoe Bay
Oil Fields. Today Alaska has a
population of 640,000 residents.
Aurora Borealis Viewing:
Click here for
information on another great natural resource of Alaska and don't forget the
great winter tours we
offer for Aurora Viewing!
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