history alaska history second largest city alaska traced founding trading post south bank august area seen human occupation ice age permanent settlement established site 20th century discovery gold near trading post caused turn temporary stop permanent gold caused miners area buildings sprang trading post november area residents voted incorporate city city mayor city flourished thousands people came search gold gold rush time world war easy reach gold exhausted population miners moved promising finds construction alaska railroad caused surge economic activity allowed heavy equipment brought exploitation gold deposits enormous gold built north city grew 1930s price gold rose great depression boom came 1940s 1950s city staging area construction military depots world war decade cold war vast discovered alaska supply point exploitation oil field construction caused boom unseen years founding helped town recover devastating flood government center late 1960s establishment took borough seat drop oil prices 1980s caused recession area city gradually recovered oil prices climbed 1990s tourism important factor economy growth tourism industry city continues oil production declines permanent settlement site indians area thousands years archaeological site excavated grounds uncovered native camp years old evidence gathered site archaeologists native activities area limited seasonal hunting fishing addition sites grounds nearby fort date years sites alaska away date time years ago excavated site matched similar items found asia providing evidence humans arrived north_america land bridge recorded exploration place historians believe russian traders traders ventured lower reaches possibly middle 19th century led recorded expedition length charting mouth way july news gold strike reached seattle washington triggering thousands people boarded heading north gold fields travelers sailed western tip alaska site gold fields overland trip intended establish trading post alaska eagle trail crossed hired steamer transport supplies began trip august turning ran low water upstream miles boat reached impassable point suggested river called way low water miles mouth young ran impassable stretch river captain young want travel downstream heavy load danger posed extra mass cargo august assisting began building cabin site named sold supplies area traded traveled dog team wife men mountain pass traveled later named pass honor wife returned built began sailing august intended supplies arrived trading post changed mind discovered gold origins traveled met judge judge federal judicial district stretched impressed plan establish trading post suggested settlement senior senator indiana liked idea later said want aid national capital friendship help heard gold strike transferred planned store settlement convinced people accept crew heard discovery immediately fled boat settlement stake claims creeks likely gold bearing spots miles north near mountain creek named marking claim simple man pick set space marked posts corner claim claim listed federal recorder crew claims proclaimed interim recorder official brought area recorded claims men reported claims official office circle maximize gain power attorney relatives ohio claims names giving authority large portion believed gold bearing terrain word discovery spread months followed arrival september december wrote friend seattle message came yesterday people left days look half spring january cook arrived word gold find january newspaper ran headline rich strike page miners big rush settlement history boom miners places arrived disappointed found hundreds claims close discovery claims taken crew early adding pressure claiming land men like power attorney rights multiple claims reported man claimed portions acres apiece trading post town lots claimed apiece fierce competition spots mouth competing settlement named sprang traders moved store junction rivers land speculation fierce claims frequently stolen enforced firearms accounts vary historians estimate spring men arrived enormous strain stock food rapidly rose price demand miners objected charging bag flour requiring buy cases food gathered outside store demanded lower prices burn responded inside building groups reached compromise shortly afterward headed south wife dog team intending gather investors purchase supplies april judge arrived trip looking location courthouse jail government offices district courts later described view settlement half dozen new log structures tents small clearing primitive forest saw april examined potential site government offices settled partially partner brother law gave choice piece land valued asked main streets town washington iowa estimated people town count estimated houses construction churches spring arrived published newspaper settlement sold seven copies copy walls courthouse going dissatisfied miners leaving area hundreds left going going june city lots selling little sold thirds store arranged establishment post office settlement fall flood miners leaving ended major gold strikes north gold deeper taken time dig creek discovered richest vein gold alaska gold extraction slow heavy machinery available remove layers gold gold discoveries reversed trend people away christmas miners valley food shortage arose winter food brought trip lower despite food shortage buildings constructed built store replace cabin recorded wide range businesses including houses people manage growing population settlement held vote november decide incorporate town vote passed sworn city mayor day city action mayor write letter washington asking federal government sell military food stores posts near town food shortage followed licensing telephone company providing garbage collection fire protection room school shut later winter lack funds position grant long term contracts city utilities members family brothers law given year contract provide electricity drinking water steam heat city arranged regular shipments supplies town continued expand addition local telephone system connected outside world expanded passed gold production increased million expansion accompanying rise population drove productivity opened town bank september month earlier catholic priests built town church construction railroad began downstream neighbor low water river prevented reaching railroad line built mines north town construction later finished july new banks opened city greenhouse new bridge june bridge caused biggest flood young city history bridge upstream collapsed resulting wreckage caught bridge blocked river flow river rose flooding town bridge halt flood year fire destroyed damage estimated million town quickly rebuilt town hospital built north bank hospital run catholic religious order later transported placed hospital bank forced temporarily close legal troubles new school built housed students schools built north separate town built radio telegraph tower town replacing cable telegraph system seattle feet tower tallest structure town decades gold production peaked million town saw library open year city longest lived newspaper began publishing poor investments caused bank founded fail january time held million deposits residents common belief money bank found guilty charges poor reputation years afterward newspapers referred robbery subject accusations big news town little crime gambling drinking common town prostitution restricted district separated rest town wooden fence line known operated 1950s approval city authorities fights common recalled man carried gun common backed experience drivers carried million overland year period single incident decline group businesses created slogan alaska golden heart slogan remains city motto today year boasted population people making largest city alaska thousands people lived mining camps outside city marked beginning decline fortunes year million gold produced thirds total previous year production half percent years decline production caused businesses business stores sold miners closed supported mines directly world war caused decline town young men drafted sent overseas economic effects felt local judge later stated war set years dried construction sent men overseas war flu particularly alaska killed people territory estimated fewer people city mining camps town slowing decline decline major projects worst effects post gold rush slump construction creation predicted railroad link ocean allow gold miners bring heavy equipment process large amounts low grade ore cost living cheaper able heavy machinery price low enable work vast quantity low grade ground touched present conditions years remark appropriated million construction alaska railroad system news appropriation set celebrations residents hoped construction prove local economy purchased suffered wartime economic problems railroad line extended westward reached town construction party working north later renamed anchorage railroad finished coal available burned wood heating source provide electricity town burned wood owners power plant burning president visited trip hammer ceremonial final spike railroad rail yards valley railroad converted use northern end line second largest depot year visit today known opened doors students school thought risen alaska delegate congress gained approval bill funding college 63rd united states congress bill approved traveled selected site hill miles west today college alaska referred separate entity july acting authority law laid cornerstone school site school directly north valley experimental farm created farm project explore agricultural potential interior alaska year founding experimental farm employed people mining declined area miners turned homestead act miners applied grants land federal government established farms city survey identified miles listed mills gold mills agriculture area spurred food fodder shortages winters businessmen encouraged growth farming provided funding experimental farm provided free grain seed acquired experimental farm sweden editor wrote frequent editorials favor farming prominent businessmen formed group encouraged farming farmers created demonstrate agricultural success alaska oldest state fair operates today despite moves agriculture movement limited success farmers bank established provide loans equipment purchases went business years later allowed cheaper shipment agricultural equipment permitted steady supply food shipments alaska farms met percent state food demand grown point experimental farm annexed school era completion economically feasible bring heavy equipment build gold work large low grade ore remained best example construction mile built provide water gold exploration company division mining company built water process ore large scale began town biggest employer built biggest power plant alaska provide electricity built pumping stations provide water rivers president fixed price gold price increase encouraged mining great depression roosevelt called bank holiday alleviate worst effects depression banks declined saying didn need large scale peaked gold produced area outbreak world war united_states federal government closed gold mining operations deeming war effort story school built burned ground new story concrete art building proposed replacement heated debate bond measure approved january new school opened space students town growth required renovation expansion lacked paved streets town dirt roads turned dust summer thick mud spring fall causing problems population grew 1930s mayor proposed federal grant city bonds roads turned voters year tried successful miles paved road complete aviation time completion beginning era alaska aviation industry began airplane flight alaska took place july flew field south town aircraft sent seattle pilot subsequently tried sell aircraft alaska commercial aircraft didn arrive june began flying mail routes isolated communities person fly anchorage cross airplane given alaska limited road rail infrastructure territorial government saw advantages aerial transport territorial legislature authorized spending year airfield construction year airfields built alaska flew field doubled baseball diamond city bought field installed infrastructure named late 1930s dozen town people giving reputation having capita world location halfway new_york_city tokyo crucial stop world flights solo stopped effort military flights base flight continental united_states alaska base flight bombers flew washington ostensibly demonstrate feasibility long range bomber deployments reality bombers flew photographic missions intended scout locations military airfields built territory military era final public appearance general said believe future holds alaska hold world think important strategic place world year congress passed provided new alaska cold weather testing training survey team visited president issued executive order set aside square miles km2 public land east new named army airfield army pilot preliminary construction began summer days germany invaded poland start world war runway finished september base dedicated buildings complete winter dedication soldiers practiced flying aircraft weather conditions workers hired outside alaska worked project despite outside workers construction effort caused unemployment causing large demand labor economy grew city second articles radio station began broadcasting october base buildings completed summer second winter cold weather testing interrupted japanese attack pearl harbor world war received word attack pearl harbor civilian radio operators passed news base civil defense volunteers immediately signed work included town blocking town airfields making emergency plans evacuate town event attack june invasion bombing intensified war effect field cold weather testing detachment disbanded soldiers bolster alaska defenses locations summer soldiers arrived replace moved away town residents drafted work field believed best experienced cold weather work gold mining suspended war army leased offices supplies businesses wartime demand draft caused severe labor shortage supplies food commercial products interrupted wartime rest country crime increased placed wartime control alaska territory newspapers letters censored alleviate shortages supply war effort canadian government began construction alaska highway connected canadian road network alaska richardson highway highway completed fall regular traffic began work highway took place war supplies reaching air chain airfields ended starting february supply aircraft began landing supply war effort alaska summer negotiations united_states soviet_union resulted extension lend lease effort russia aircraft flown montana field field aircraft turned soviet pilots flew soviet_union chosen transfer location protected potential japanese attack starting fall large numbers soviet soldiers arrived work soldiers town massive effort required additional facilities built near expanded size grounds post expanded met city limits saw students taken draft provided office dormitory space soviet soldiers professors contributed war effort specially created russian language classes russian airmen regular customers stores bought large amounts consumer goods unavailable home meet demand fog airfield known built southeast conflicts soviet soldiers civilians operations continued end war ended september aircraft tons cargo transferred soviet officials cold war fall grown encompass military personnel acres buildings brief activity world war activity remained high cold war began population area grew percent doubled growth strained city infrastructure schools water power sewer telephone systems new arrivals expansion suburbs sprang began turn city boundaries grew square miles km2 square miles km2 square mile km2 soon dozen subdivisions housing developments filled area city limits college city border advanced westward met college city limit burgeoning town stopped commemorate roots golden days festival celebration history started mark 50th anniversary discovery gold annual festival continues today grew period congress appropriated money construction study arctic phenomena aurora institute established spurred university growth bill simultaneously boosted student population elementary education developed precursor today north star borough school district established collect school taxes areas outside city limits sending students school electrical cooperative founded 1940s provide electricity areas outside limits bought power plant served provided electricity customers varied second radio station town largest farm new airport opened replace town growth including town new school 1930s new international airport began serving cut travel time seattle hours new airport attracted pole test flight airline eventually chose anchorage point flights stockholm tokyo ground transportation improved major program downtown roads began goal coating blocks new military facilities sprang away mile long petroleum products pipeline constructed period city staging area construction missile early warning system clear air station air defense missile batteries built period story foot hill later building built half 1950s traffic lights installed period television station began broadcasting february city dedicated high school high originally began operating years followed new elementary schools opened taking burden 1950s grew alaska territory state vote presidential elections territorial legislature limited powers efforts lobby federal legislators alaska bill met limited success prominent territorial officials decided draft state constitution prove alaska readiness state november elected delegates gathered begin drafting state constitution resulting debates lasted months caused sensation debates constitutional convention broadcast radio dedicated daily reports progress convention february delegates signed constitution people crowded gymnasium building took place subsequently named constitution hall june senate voted accept alaska state news set massive celebrations residents set fireworks impromptu parade took place street city main road attempt gold celebration instead turned green celebration capped residents weather balloons lift foot wide wooden star painted gold air balloons lifted drifted power lines causing minute power city president officially signed new state united_states january putting alaska constitution effect new state constitution called creation borough governments help manage new state areas reluctant impose additional layer government passed mandatory borough act required populous areas state form organized students schools chose north star borough came existence january years saw military boom continue boost economy growth city international airport runway lengthened feet accommodate jet aircraft built anchorage encouraging tourism homes built hills north time roads replaced dirt paths growth price structures built founding torn urban renewal home built demolished final homes remaining line prostitution district plans close transfer functions nearby near anchorage decision publicly announced met unanimous opposition residents businesses area air_force held firm decision transfer base took post january renamed fort arts scene grew time founded created baseball team founded city professional sports team year hosted annual midnight sun baseball game tradition conducted continues auspices today 1960s like small towns lower communications transportation utilities improved great flood alaska celebrated years purchase united_states russia celebrate event built later today pioneer park theme park celebrating history alaska site away downtown features pioneer historic exhibits steamer traveled interior alaska rivers gold rush era summer exposition opened park july attended vice president plagued rain financial problems low attendance month celebration alaska centennial worst disaster history took place july received inches rain double july average inches august august valley received heaviest rainfall recorded history hours prior noon august inches rain fell average rainfall entire month august inches august inches fell unprecedented rainfall turned river august passed flood stage continued rise equipment installed upstream residents unaware flood scale day night august water rose inundated site volunteers allowed water fill hold floating rising waters damaging buildings downtown hundreds volunteers built avail water emergency doctors nurses patients evacuated university built high ground served evacuation point emergency shelter thousands flood refugees civil defense director university expected people shelter university showed water rose august facilities designed house students set parking lot helicopters ferried supplies refugees power plant flooded university depended physical plant provide electricity refugees rising water threatened flood plant hundreds refugees build pump plant basement flood massive effect people killed damage ran hundreds millions dollars helped push city remaining farm bankruptcy forced closure joseph hospital residents responded problems annual postponed canceled seven thousand dollars raised buy turn bird sanctuary town businesses flood insurance rebuilt studio station broadcast color months flood bond measures build government run hospital turned voters residents raised million private contributions million state federal government build flood wake passed provided funding construction upstream project built river rises certain level chain built prevent high water river flooding south businesses benefited low interest federal loans rebuild quickly cities honored america city look magazine honor success recovering flood oil boom march drilling crew struck oil near miles north resulting discovery sparked massive boom nearest city field abortive attempts transport oil field oil companies developing field decided build pipeline plans set motion forward legal challenges halted project set challenges levied groups path pipeline settled passage thirteen major corporations dozens smaller ones created manage cash payment land grants distributed federal government act headquarters largest corporations economy briefly period discovery oil legal challenge legal challenges dragged challenges ended approval late pipeline work began early sparked boom unlike years immediately city founding spent estimated day housed construction headquarters fort tens thousands workers poured city economy infrastructure public works population increased percent number businesses area doubled period increase population caused adverse effects operated telephone service ran phone numbers waiting list phone connections stretched entries electric demand high power company advised buy generators cope frequent home prices home sold purchased home apartment upward rising prices demand pipeline workers room log rented month bedroom home housed pipeline workers shared beds rotating schedule week prices driven high salaries paid pipeline workers eager spend money high salaries caused corresponding demand higher wages non pipeline workers alaska non pipeline businesses demand higher wages job turnover high turnover rate percent nearby restaurant turnover rate percent positions filled high school students promoted experience level meet demand ran shifts morning afternoon teach students worked hours day wages people meant higher demand goods services waiting line fact life world sales recently opened stockholm store contractors bought bulk local stores causing shortages cars tractor parts water salt batteries large sums money spent caused crime illicit activity exacerbated police officers state resigned large groups pipeline security guards wages far excess available public sector jobs second avenue notorious prostitutes dozens bars operated town estimated prostitutes working city people temperatures winter months 1970s common street walking prostitutes downtown clad fully head toe fur coats leaving imagination prostitutes brought engaged turf fights police responded shootout automatic firearms large biggest police issues drunken fighting resulting situation akin associated american old west american frontier popular lore city residents endured spike crime public infrastructure influx people unfamiliar alaska customs percent said pipeline changed worse downtown traffic problems drunken caused pipeline workers pushed businesses built away downtown new commercial centers like mall away city center drove construction freeways bypassed downtown post boom pipeline construction ended beginning gradual decline economy loss construction spending offset state spending taxes oil flowing pipeline spent low interest loans grants business assistance poured money city businesses return downtown city demolished bars favored pipeline workers attempted attract hotel major business location effort unsuccessful land remained vacant late 1990s redevelopment airport successful new terminal built functioned bolstered grants subsidies cultural events institutions grew created groups ballet created time largest arts event began continues today sports facilities benefited influx state funding converted airplane hangar moved went million renovation allowed host arctic winter games year built center indoor ice arena interior alaska year school started hockey team headquarters state largest private employer declared bankruptcy resulting cost hundreds jobs problems come saudi_arabia boosted oil production oil prices alaska banks failed construction came halt common common practice workers drop house keys local banks catching flight alaska better speed process expansion fort helped construction industry time lost jobs stationed fort late reduced single brigade renamed period city history bright spots celebrate 25th anniversary alaska city commissioned foot sculpture alaska native family signifying alaska family statue centerpiece golden heart plaza dedicated south bank middle downtown president ronald_reagan pope briefly met realized separate visits asia cross alaska time approximately people attended meeting largest gathering people history oil prices rose 1990s economy improved city boosted gold mining area fort gold north opened years development gold prospect likely developed decade year fort opened moved jobs anchorage making city base operations time decades military remains large presence 1st 25th based fort remains training logistics hub announced considering basing additional soldiers fort ample space utilities services significantly changed renovated expanded hospital opened new heart care center latest expansion fort went million renovation meet demand convention center large sporting arena city paid construction center seat arena opened city utilities sold private company million sale deposited savings account called invested managed fashion similar 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History of Fairbanks, Alaska