Happy Alaska Day!
Happy Alaska Day! Even if you’re not in Alaska, you are encouraged to use Alaska Day to take the day off, go home early, start a parade, look North to the Future, admire the Big Dipper, have a salmon burger and an Alaskan Amber Ale and enjoy yourself.
Alaska Day celebrates the official transfer of the territory of Alaska from the Russians (who are rumored to be able to see Alaska from there) to the United States. The event happened on October 18, 1867 and is now an official state holiday.
You probably know a lot about Alaska, but here are a few things you may not know:
Alaska’s state seal is the only state seal that has on it…a seal.
Alaska was originally organized as the “District of Alaska.” Whether the unfortunate acronym “DOA” was responsible for the change to “Territory” is uncertain.
In addition to the widely known nickname “Seward’s Folly,” Alaska was also known as “Jackson’s Polar Bear Garden.” Well, polar bears sure don’t grow on trees any more.
The Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the United States.
17 of the 20 highest peaks in the United States are in Alaska.
If you had 425 Rhode Islands, you could fit them in the state of Alaska.
Juneau is the only capital city in the country that is only accessible by boat or plane.
Alaska has more than 6,600 miles of coastline, more than any other state.
There are about 100,000 glaciers in the state which take up about 29,000 square miles of the state’s surface. But the square footage is a little less than it was when you started reading this.
Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost and easternmost state in the union. Once we continue with our diabolical plan to annex Hawaii, we’ll have all four directions covered.
Alaska is one of the only four states that does not allow billboards. The other three are Hawaii, Vermont, and Maine.
Alaska and Maine have been referred to as the “bookends of the nation”. Canada.
Alaska leads the nation in stimulus funds, per capita.
This year Alaska overtook Nevada to become the state with the fastest growing population of elderly people.
Alaska also leads the nation in workplace fatalities, per capita energy use, rape, median credit card debt, rates of chlamydia and gonnorhea, earthquakes, alcoholism, mosquitoes, expensive gas, dog bites…and a whole lot of other depressing stuff that I don’t want to think about on Alaska Day.
On the brighter side, we also lead the nation in hiking trails, moose, volcanoes, lakes, park acreage, mineral resources, land, caribou, indigenous languages, blueberries, licensed pilots, aircraft, proximity to Santa’s workshop, outhouses, coastline, fresh water, wild salmon, glaciers and number of Subarus per person. We also have the lowest tax burden. And I would submit, in my humble opinion, the most breathtaking natural beauty.
And we’re second only to Hawaii in Spam consumption…but we’re working on it.
Alaska has a long way to go in many areas. It is still young as a state, and figuring out what to do with itself. Living here has challenges and rewards, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the world.
Happy Alaska Day.
Spam consumption? I do so wonder wassup with that. Be proud Alaska and stay away from the Spam =)
Can you please send some SNOW our way….
Oh Happy Day!
And Palin quit on Alaska.
Congratulations to us all! I watched “Into the Wild” last night and I’m assuming that all the breathtaking views were actually AK? Does anyone remember the young McCandless fellow?
Happy Alaska Day….I sure know a lot more about Alaska than I did this time last year.
Happy Alaska Day to all you Alaskans! I’m glad you are part of our country. You have a beautiful state and while I like visiting there, I love living in the great Pacific Northwest, WA in particular. Alaska, BC, WA, and OR would make a great country
I’d include CA, but it seems that it would come with more debt than we can handle right now – just kidding, all you Californians!
Alaska is truly breathtakingly beautiful, particularly from the air and when there is ice fog, which is not flying weather, but simply awesome.
Happy Alaska Day to you too, AKM.
What’s even more impressive about our coast is that, “including islands, Alaska has 33,904 miles of shoreline. Estimated tidal shoreline, including islands, inlets and shoreline to head of tidewater, is 47,300 miles. ”
(from http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/oed/student_info/learn/aboutgeography.htm)
Back atcha AKM. But your map scares me. There’s a big hunk of frozen tundra sitting on top of where my state should be.
It is a unique and beautiful place, i would love to visit one day.
GO ALASKA
Grandma68 – If you want to read a really up-lifting book on AK, try “One Man’s Wilderness”. This is the exact opposite of the kid in “Into the Wild”, and will leave you in a much different frame of mind. It is shown periodically on PBS, so you may have already seen the video.
Happy Alaska Day, All – and thank you, AKM for all the stats!
I wish all residents of Alaska a very Happy Alaska Day.
I’m with Irish Girl. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected one year ago, to have known so much about your state. It’s all thanks to Sarah Palin that I have seen Alaska through AKM’s trusty camera, and marveled at its beauty. Thank you most sincerely AKM.
Happy Alaska Day♥
Congrats, you need to make sure you never let another politician like princess winky sully your reputation again! You & Shannyn have redeemed your reputation in my eyes.
Happy Alaska Day to all!
have a great day alaskans. you sure are blessed in many ways. thanks AKM for introducing this city woman to the great outdoors and the gracious people who live there.
Happy Alaska Day Every day, glad to have you guys as our fellow state. Cheers.
I have been in Alaska almost 30 years (24 years up North in a village) and would not really want to be anyplace other than Alaska. Nothing is more breathtaking than to be outside in the Arctic at 30 below, hearing no noise, looking up and seeing nothing but stars and the Aurora. Then one realizes just how small and insignificant we are.
No where in the world can it get better.
Hi AKM, One you left out. Alaskans leads the nation in the consumption of Sailor Boy Pilot Bread. For me, 43 years and counting. I couldn’t live without it. Cheers. denali.
Oldnhappy – Your reference to the stars and Northern Lights brought memories of Homer. It seemed as if you could reach right up there and grab a star out of the sky. Don’t remember that being the case in Bethel.
Hahaha – Your speaking of Aurora brought back another memory.
In a book written by Jimmy Buffet he talks about 2 waitresses who were sisters, called Aurora and Boring Alice. Too funny!
Shoutout to Mudflats a watchdog for Alaska.
http://citizensforethics.org/state-ethics/AK
Seriously AKM, the Alaska Tourist Board should pay you! What a great homage to Alaska (as is most all of your writing)!
Happy Alaska Day to all AKns!
Happy Alaska Day –
someday I hope to visit !!!
Yum! Alaskan Amber Ale. We can’t get it here on the East Coast, but whenever we’re up there or in one of the few West Coast states where you can get it, we order up.
Happy Alaska Day!
Happy Alaska Day to all Mudpuppies
!
AKM…just a quick question, is it today or the 18th per your above post.
Hope it’s today as it would just so happen to coincide with my own personal birthday, Oct 19th.
It’s the 18th, but celebrated today since it’s Monday. So, you can enjoy the conjuction this year!
AKM
There was a TV show in the 90′s called “Northern Exposure” which molded my perception of Alaska. It was filled with quirky characters, stunning scenery, and off-beat plot lines. It even had a walk-on by a moose (who had an uncanny resemblance to Brian) in the opening of the show and at the closing credits.
Thanks to Mudlats, only now do I realize how accurate their portrayal was.
Anyway, congratulations on your territoryhood anniversary, may you never secede from our union!!
northern exposure was filmed in washington state.
I used to love Northern Exposure. Then with the last election Janine Turner who played Maggie came out as an empty headed, rabid palin supporter & I’ve never felt quite the same about that show. She was on Larry king on a panel one night prior to the election and related how she pulled over on the side of the road in Texas crying with joy at the announcement that princess winky had been chosen as the vp candidate. I threw a bit in my mouth and quickly changed the channel in disgust.
hwmnbn, it’s also funny that the show Northern Exposure was filmed in Washington state!
Congrats Alaska!
So embarrassed that I (can’t spell that correctly) and I know more about AK politics than NE politics… was at a national conference recently and I am pretty sure I bored/annoyed the AK folks with my acumen and knowledge about their state and the politics. I just assumed it was because I was really cool
happy day to you
jc in co,
NNNOOOOOOO!!!!!! Not Janine Turner! She’s a wingnut?!? What a waste.
My fantasy world is shattered!!
clark & boodog,
Wow. Washington State looks just like Alaska! LOL Thanks, guys. You’ve pretty much destroyed all my misconceptions about the series.
Indeed. Happy Alaska Day.
May your skies be clear, your waters blue, (or vice versa) and your majestic mountins dress in royal purple for a thousand years (or even more.).
LOL! My sister made salmon burgers for supper and we didn’t even know it was Alaska Day!!! Your state has a new notoriety in the last 14 months, but Mudflats has given the world a whole new look at a “diamond in the rough”, litterally and figuratively. Let’s hope we all share many more Alaska Days with AKMuckraker and Brian!!!!
About the only thing I miss about Maine winters was the huge big dipper that stood above the trees at the head of my driveway and Orions belt just beyond my kitchen door.
To this Southerner the size and brightness of the dipper was just breath taking. Like seeing a beautiful sunset something good happened inside me on clear winter nights when I came home drove straingt toward it up my long drive.
I actually get a little warm fuzzy when I see Alaska’s emblem now.
On the other hand if I never have to try to keep warm in a leaky trailer in -30 degrees again I will be content to just enjoy the memory.
#32 hwmnbn, yep sorry to ruin your fantasy but it’s true. One thing is that she’s not as pretty as she used to be as she like her heroine, princess winky, has also had some major “work” done on her face. Maybe Shelly or Marilyn are good dems, there’s hope, I just hope that cutey guy that played the DJ and was the fiance in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” isn’t a wack-a-doodle….
Happy Alaska day ~ Alaska is the one place i would love to visit..Just from all the articles and the beauty of the mountains and wildlife …You are so lucky .Thanks AKM…
Happy Alaska Day!
More importantly – Happy First Sans-Palin Alaska Day!! And to many more!
Happy Alaska Day! I hope to visit Alaska one day – in the slap dab middle of summer, cause I’m a hothouse flower.
well, i just love to learn about alaska and never in my wildest dreams would have thought my heroes would be from alaska !!! all the bloggers and all the moose are special in my heart. thanks and have a grand day.
I don’t think that comparing the Northern Exposure site with Alaska is fair. It isn’t even the most beautiful natural beauty in Washington. For my money, both the North Cascades and the Olympic Hoh rain forest are better than the North Bend area. I hope to get to Alaska someday; it is on the top of the list when I have the money.
John Corbett was the chief cow tipper and DJ. I’m with everyone else, Please John, no wingnuttery!! Happy Alaska Day to all you AK Mudpuppies!
Correction on John Corbett. He tossed a piano in lieu of tipping a cow and went from Catholic to born again Christian. He lives in West Virginia. It doesn’t look good for progressive politics my friends. His other major role was as Sarah Jessica Parker’s boyfriend Aidan, after Mr. Big flew the coop.
According to his ‘United States of Tara’ fansite, he’s a ‘strict Republican’.
And his dad had a long-term relationship with Bo Derek.
Take it as you will….
Funny about Northern Exposure. When I first moved here I was surprised at the chilly opinion of the show. I remember spouse saying in a very flat way, “They show raccoons. And crickets. There are no raccoons or crickets here. And it doesn’t get dark like that in the summer.”
I didn’t bring it up any more.
If I had to say that Cicely reminded me of anywhere, it might be Talkeetna.
I had to look up how Alaska is easternmost. How’s this? It’s an island you can see Russia from because it’s in the eastern hemisphere.
Never would have found Mudflats if it weren’t for SP. So thanks, SP, for the geography lesson.
Happy Alaska Day, Alaska!
The street where I grew up ran true north and south, and when we studied atronomy in 8th grade, I could go out in the middle of my street, turn north, and sure enough, the North Star was RIGHT THERE. Hello, Polaris. Nice to meet you! No place on Earth was as safe as that little wood frame post-war tract house in windy West Texas, where we never locked our doors and you could always find True North.
Now that I’m in the big city, the bright lights make the stars so dim we can hardly pick out the familar constellations. On clear, moonless nights when I can see the Big Dipper, I try to teach my girls how to find good ol’ Polaris, and I hope they always remember.
Thanks AKM, for sharing your beautiful state in such a personal way, and for giving those scattered stars on your flag a human voice.
I am an Alaskan stranded in Oregon. It doesn’t get worse than that. So thank you, Mudflats, for just being. Alaskans have a habit of leaving but they always go home. Meanwhile, you have kept me partially sane while lliving Outside. I didn’t make it by Termination Dust but I’ll be home for Breakup. Again, thank you.
Happy Alaska Day!
Loved the list! Thank you AKM for another wonderful article!
I always enjoy that superimposition of Alaska over the USA–from sea to shining sea…
and, speaking of seals, some have been hanging around Kasaan lately.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful Alaska with us, AKM
My daughter will be singing in Skagway, Juneau, and possibly Ketchikan next June, with the Tucson Girls Chorus… I am so jealous: I wish I could go visit all my friends up North and see a moose or two
My Canadian friend, Al Oster, wrote these lyrics & a lovely song about our grand state:
Your valleys, your mountains, the skies so deep & blue
The tundra, the glaciers, all belongs to you.
Sing me a song of a land so free
Beautiful Alaska, where my heart will always be.
Green forests, blue waters, the wealth beneath the sand
The beauty, the splendor, never touched by human hands
Sing me a song of a land so fine
Beautiful Alaska, she will always be mine.
How could there ever be a land so big & free?
Where through the age of time came a land so fine
I’ll sing you a song of a land so free
Beautiful Alaska, where my heart will always be.
©1967 Northland Music Company
All Rights Reserved (used with permission)
wow – that’s quite a superposition. We think we’re pretty rural over here in Vermont with the same number of people you have. Easy to see how expensive it is to provide services to a state the size of the country, with 600,000!
Juneau is the only capital city in the country that is only accessible by boat or plane.
Uh, doesn’t Honolulu count?
You can drive to Juneau, if you start in Douglas. Similar to Honolulu.
If you start your trip in either New York or Los Angeles, you can’t drive to either Honolulu or Juneau.