On September 0th, 1915, The Cordova Daily Times broke the news that William Van Valin, a noted explorer, lecturer, and teacher, had discovered a “Lake of Oil” a mile inland from Smith Bay, approximately halfway between Wainwright and Utqiagvik (Point Barrow) Van Valin described and photographed streams of crude two feet thick flowing from the […]
On September 8, 1906, the office of the Governor of Alaska moved from Sitka to Juneau, completing the transfer of the territorial government and marking a turning point in Alaskan history. Founded during the gold rush of the 1880s, Juneau had grown into a major commercial and mining center. Congress had already designated Juneau […]
Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. Before it was a […]
On September 6, 1867, Union Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis-not the Confederate president Jefferson Davis-was appointed the first commander of U.S. military forces in the newly established District of Alaska. The following year, Davis ordered Russian residents in Sitka to leave their homes, saying the buildings were needed for Americans. Davis had a controversial […]