Alaska is America's final frontier — a vast wilderness state where glaciers calve into fjords, brown bears fish alongside bald eagles, and the aurora borealis paints the night sky in emerald and violet. The largest US state by area covers 1.7 million square kilometres yet holds fewer than 750,000 people, making it one of the least densely populated places on Earth. From Anchorage's urban sophistication to Denali's soaring summit, from the Inside Passage's towering rainforests to the Arctic's endless tundra, Alaska offers unmatched natural grandeur.
Alaska has been inhabited for 10,000-15,000 years by Indigenous peoples who crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Asia. The first European contact came with Russian explorers — Vitus Bering in 1741 established Russia's claim, and the Russian-American Company established colonial settlements including Sitka (New Archangel) in 1804. Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million — mocked as 'Seward's Folly' after Secretary of State William Seward who negotiated the purchase. The discovery of gold in the Klondike (1896) and Nome (1899) triggered massive population growth and established towns like Skagway and Nome. Alaska became a US territory in 1912 and achieved statehood on January 3, 1959, becoming the 49th state. World War II brought massive military construction to Alaska — the Alaska-Canada (ALCAN) Highway and Fort Richardson transformed the state's infrastructure. The 1964 Good Friday Earthquake (magnitude 9.2 — the strongest recorded in US history) devastated Anchorage and coastal communities. The discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 and construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) brought enormous wealth and transformed Alaska's economy.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Alaska.
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1
First peoples cross the Bering Land Bridge; ancestors of Alaska's Indigenous nations arrive
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2
Vitus Bering leads Russian expedition; first European contact with Alaska Native peoples
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3
First permanent Russian settlement established at Three Saints Bay, Kodiak Island
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4
Russian-American Company establishes New Archangel (Sitka) as colonial capital
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5
United States purchases Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million ($0.02/acre) — 'Seward's Folly'
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6
Gold discovered near Juneau; Juneau mining begins and it becomes a key settlement
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7
Klondike Gold Rush begins in Yukon; Skagway and Dyea become frenzied gateway ports
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8
Gold discovered on Nome beaches; Nome grows to 20,000 people almost overnight
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9
Alaska becomes a US Territory; Novarupta volcano erupts, creating Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
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10
Japanese forces occupy Attu and Kiska (Aleutian Islands); ALCAN Highway built in 8 months
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11
Alaska becomes the 49th US State on January 3
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12
Good Friday Earthquake (M9.2) — strongest in US history — devastates Anchorage, Seward, Kodiak
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13
Massive oil reserves discovered at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic North Slope
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14
Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) completed; 800-mile pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez
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15
Exxon Valdez oil spill: 11 million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound
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16
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act lands transferred to Native corporations
Historical eras
The chapters of Alaska's past.
Historical sites
Places where Alaska's past comes alive.
Sitka National Historical Park
Where: Sitka
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Where: Skagway
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Aleutian World War II National Historic Area
Where: Unalaska/Dutch Harbor
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Museums
Curated collections that tell Alaska's story.
Anchorage Museum
Hours: Tue-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun-Mon 10am-5pm
Admission: Adult: $20 | Child: $12 ages 3-12
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Hours: Daily 9am-7pm (summer); reduced hours winter
Admission: Adult: $14 | Child: $7 ages 7-17
Alaska State Museum
Hours: Tue-Sat 9am-5pm
Admission: Adult: $12 | Child: $8 ages 7-17
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.