Alaska ( The Last Frontier ) To the Aleut peoples, Alaska was "Alyeshka", meaning the great land. Alaska, the 49th state, officially became a state on January 3, 1959. It was purchased from Russia for $7 million in 1867 and was made a territory of the United States in 1912. It is the largest state in area, almost a fifth as large as all the rest of the United States. It remained largely unexplored until the Gold Rush in the 1880s. Fur trade was the main economic activity in Alaska for more than 150 years after 1741. In the 1880s and 1890s major gold deposits were discovered. In addition, other minerals, particularly copper, tin, mercury, and silver, were also mined. During the 1940s and 1950s large military bases were built. Beginning in the late 1970s, the economy underwent a fundamental change as the state's enormous oil deposits were exploited. Almost a third of Alaska is north of the Arctic Circle. At Point Barrow, Alaska's northernmost point, the sun never sets between May and August. Tourists come to see Alaska's mountain scenery, historic coastal towns and the state's vast areas of untamed wilderness. Mount McKinley in the Alaska Range is North America's highest peak at 20,320 feet and one of the greatest challenges for mountain climbers. Some of the famous celebrities that were born in Alaska include: Curt Schilling, The Flag of Alaska Entered the Union in 1959 as the 49th State; flag adopted in 1927. Benny Benson, a 13-year-old student, chose the North Star and the Big Dipper when he designed Alaska's flag in a territorial school contest. Its colors recall the Alaskan sky and its gold.   Largest Cities in the State (1999) Anchorage, 257,808; Fairbanks, 32,769; Juneau, 30,192; Sitka, 8,193; Kenai, 8,184; Ketchikan, 7,861; Kodiak, 7,680; Bethel, 6,517; Wasilla, 6,118; Homer, 4,887   Business and Trade in Alaska Agriculture: Seafood, nursery stock, dairy products, vegetables, livestock. Industries: Petroleum and natural gas, gold and other mining, food processing, lumber and wood products, tourism. State Symbols and Emblems Bird: Willow Ptarmigan Flower: Forget Me Not (myosotis alpestris) Tree: Sitka spruce (picea sitchensis) Song(s): Alaska's Flag Motto: North To The Future Alaska Travel - Vacation Destinations & Recreation National parks and historic locations suitable for family vacations or day trips. • Gulkana National Wild and Scenic River - Glennallen • Southeast Alaska Discovery Center - Ketchikan • Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge - Homer • Kobuk Valley National Park - Kotzebue • Kuskokwim Bay - Carter Spit - Anchorage

Capital: Juneau     Local Weather  Statehood: 1959-05-16  Population: 626,932 (1.1 mi2)   Geographic Area (mi2)     Total 663,267.26     Water 91,316.00     Land 571,951.26     Rank 1st Largest   State Education:     Pub & Prv Schools     College & University     Libraries   Border States: None   Health Information:     Illicit Drug Use   Housing: In Alaska, there are 260,978 housing units, averaging to 0.5 per sq mile.   Related Magazines:     Sea Magazine   Posters and Artwork Reflection of Mountain and Trees in the Lake, Wonder Lake, Mount Mckinley, Alaska, USA Photographic Print 24" x 8" • A young grizzly scavenges through a dumpster near Deadhorse, Alaska Photographic Print 32" x 24" • Grizzly bears playing, Alaska Photographic Print 18" x 24" • Muskoxen Browse on Willow Shrubs, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA Photographic Print 24" x 18" • Snow Covered Golf Course, Alaska, USA Photographic Print 60" x 20" • Northern Pacific Railroad, Alaska Giclee Print 18" x 24"