Anchorage, Alaska - Live, Work, Play

 

A Brief History-

Anchorage is nestled at the foot of the Churgach Mountian Range and is home to the largest population in Alaska. Several cities comprise the Anchorage Municipality including the Elmendorf and Fort Richardson communities, Girdwood, Eagle River, Chugiak, and Peters Creek. Wasilla and Palmer are suburbs of the Anchorage area, many commuters work in Anchorage but live in these quiet towns.

 

Though it is one of the yougest states in the union, Alaska has a robust and perhaps controversial history. William H. Seward was the Secretary of State when he proposed to purchse the Alaska territory from Russia. Many thought that the Alaskan wilderness was a useless Tundra and so called the purchase "Seward's Foley". However, not long after settlements began being formed in Alaska, gold was discovered and droves of miners and fortune seekers came to "The Far North."

 

Anchorage at the time was named Ship Creek, a tent city and headquarters for railroad workers and miners coming off the boats. Soon enough, out of chance, Anchorage tooks it's name in 1920 as it's land and lots were bought and sold. Soon enough, the importance of air transportation grew so Merril Field was built for transportation of goods to outlying areas.

 

During the 40s and 50s, Anchorage military population grew as Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base were constructed as vital installations to World War II and the Cold War efforts.

 

Then the big day, March 27th, 1964. It was Good Friday when the earthquake hit leave the city in near ruins. The magnitude 9.2 quake cause $300 million dollars in damage and killed over 100 people.

 

Much of the local economy was dominated by logging, fishing, and mining. In 1968 oil was discovered in Prudoe Bay and to this day is one of Alaska's largest sources of revenue. Major job sectors in Anchorage are resources, government, tourism and transportation. Doesn't seem like a broad range of job diversity but resources, government and transportation have many sub-sectors. Resources include oil extraction, fishing, and mining. Government on both the state and federal level are huge in Alaska, the U.S. Military being the largest. Eight major military installations for the Coast Guard, Air Force and Army have 30,000+ personnel in Alaska.

 

Click the links below to learn more about:

Anchorage Schools

Anchorage Neighborhoods

Anchorage Performing Arts

Anchorage City Cam

Recreation in Alaska