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Our 49th state, Alaska has a population of 610,000 people and encompasses 570,375 square miles. The capital of the state is Juneau.
The first Alaskans migrated from Asia to North America 40,000 years
ago. The Russians established a base on Kodiak Island for trading fur in the 1700's.
In 1867, the United States bought Alaska for $7.2 million dollars. In the 1880's, gold was discovered and there was an explosion within Alaska as people rushed to the state in hopes of making millions.
During World War II, the Japanese attacked Attu & the Aleutian Islands and the U.S. responded to the military threat by building bases within Alaska.
The Alcan Highway, 1520 miles, was built in eight months in the mid-1940's and linked Alaska to the rest of the United States.
In 1959, President Eisenhower made Alaska our 49th state. In 1968, oil deposits were discovered
under Prudhoe Bay and in 1971 a treaty was signed with the indigenous population and the construction of a 789-mile pipeline between Prudhoe Bay and Valdez was begun. Construction was finished in 1977 and the oil began to flow, making Alaska the richest state in the U.S.
Today, people visit this dramatic state by cruise ship, by flying into various cities or by driving the Alcan Highway.
The peak travel time is May to September with June to August being the high season. Click above to see some pictures of our clients who have traveled to Alaska.
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