Anchorage got its beginnings as a post on the Alaska Railroad. Railroad workers bought the first lots in 1915, and were followed by others hoping to profit off the settlers. The name Anchorage came from the name of a hardwood store operated from a boat, and refers to a place where a ship can lay anchor.

Why is Anchorage not the capital of Alaska?

Communities such as Fairbanks and much of rural Alaska opposed moving the capital to Anchorage for fear of concentrating more power in the states largest city. As a result, in 1976, voters approved a plan to build a new capital city near Willow, about 70 miles (110 km) north of Anchorage.

Why was Anchorage founded?

In 1835 Russians established a mission across the inlet from the area that constitutes the modern city of Anchorage. After gold was discovered in the late 19th century, the areas population surged. Anchorage was founded in 1914 as the headquarters of the Alaska Railroad running north to Fairbanks.

What month is it dark in Alaska?

What life is really like in an Alaskan town that wont see the sun again until January 23. Utqiaġvik, Alaska, the northernmost town in the US, experiences darkness from November to January every year. The phenomenon is called a polar night. The sun wont rise in Utqiaġvik again until January 23.

What is the best fish to eat in Alaska?

SeafoodChinook Salmon. The largest species of Pacific salmon and Alaskas state fish, Chinooks (or kings) can range up to three feet long and weigh 25 to 60 pounds (the record is 125 pounds). Sockeye Salmon. Coho Salmon. Pink Salmon. Chum Salmon. Pacific Halibut. Rockfish. Pacific Cod, Black Cod (Sablefish), and Lincod.More items