On January 23rd, 1969, the United States Senate, on a vote of 73 to 16, confirmed Walter J. Hickel as the Secretary of the Interior.

Prior to this, Hickel was elected to the Governorship of Alaska in 1966. He stepped down from this position to accespt the Secretary of Interior appointment. Hickel had initially turned down the appointment, but was told that Nixon’s decision was final, so stepped down from his governorship and joined Nixon’s cabinet.

After his time on the president’s cabinet, Hickel would once again throw his hat into Alaska’s governor race and would once again win. He would, this time, serve a full term.

Hickel passed away  in 2010  in the city of Anchorage. As per his wishes, Hickel would be buriied upright facing Washington D.C.