Today In History
5 Fun Facts About July 18 In Alaska History
1. In 1912, Alaska became the 48th state of the United States. 2. In 1937, the first commercial fishing boat with a diesel engine was launched in Ketchikan, Alaska. 3. In 1962, the Alaska Statehood Act was signed by President Kennedy, making Alaska the 49th state of the United States....
5 Fun Facts About July 17 In Alaska History
1. In 1912, the first successful airplane flight in Alaska was made on July 17th by aviator James V. Martin. He flew from Fairbanks to a nearby mining camp and back. 2. On July 17, 1925, the infamous trial of the five men accused of killing a mail carrier and...
5 Fun Facts About July 15 In Alaska History
1. Alaska Executive Order 156 was signed on July 15, 1985, establishing the Alaska Minerals Commission to advise the Governor and Legislature on issues related to mineral development and land-use planning. 2. On July 15, 1912, the community of Seldovia, Alaska was nearly destroyed by a massive tsunami caused by...
5 Fun Facts About July 14 In Alaska History
1. Alaska's first car race took place on July 14, 1909. It was a 25-mile road race from Circle City to Fairbanks, which was won by Charles Binger in a Buick. 2. In 1932, on July 14, the town of Seward was hit by a devastating fire, destroying most of...
5 Fun Facts About July 12 In Alaska History
1. In 1960, a massive earthquake measuring a magnitude of 5.3 struck Fairbanks, causing significant damage to many buildings. 2. The famous American explorer Robert Peary was born on July 12, 1856. Peary is best known for his expeditions to the Arctic, during which he claimed to have reached the...
5 Fun Facts About July 9 In Alaska History
1. In 1958, the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at the Arctic Circle on July 9th after traveling under the polar ice cap. This historic achievement proved the feasibility of using nuclear-powered submarines for long-range missions in the Arctic region. 2. On July 9, 1985, a magnitude-7.7...
5 Fun Facts About July 8 In Alaska History
1. 1958 - Alaska became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959, but it was on July 8, 1958 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Bill, paving the way for statehood. 2. 1912 - On July 8, 1912, the town of Fairbanks experienced...
5 Fun Facts About July 7 In Alaska History
1. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act into law, making Alaska the 49th state in the United States. However, it wasn't until January 3, 1959 that Alaska officially became a state. 2. On July 7, 1971, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was signed into...
5 Fun Facts About July 6 In Alaska History
1. On July 6, 1957, the first oil discovery was made on the North Slope of Alaska in what is now known as the Prudhoe Bay oilfield. This discovery led to a major boom in Alaska's oil industry and contributed greatly to the state's economy. 2. In 1984, on July...
5 Fun Facts About July 5 In Alaska History
1. In 1879, the first edition of Alaska’s first newspaper, the Sitka Times, was published on July 5th. The newspaper was founded by a missionary named John G. Brady who wanted to spread news and information throughout the newly-acquired territory. 2. On July 5, 1984, the first-ever Iditarod Trail Invitational...
5 Fun Facts About July 2 In Alaska History
1. The Alaska statehood vote was passed on July 2, 1958, making Alaska the 49th state of the United States. 2. On July 2, 1917, the deadliest tsunami in Alaskan history struck the coastlines of the Aleutian Islands, killing 5 people and causing widespread damage. 3. Construction of the Trans-Alaska...
5 Fun Facts About July 1 In Alaska History
1. Alaska Was Purchased on July 1, 1867: On July 1, 1867, the Alaskan territory was officially purchased from Russia by the United States in what is known as the Alaska Purchase. This purchase doubled the size of the United States and eventually led to the establishment of the 49th...