As a metropolis. Anchorage did non develop until comparatively late in American history. In fact. it was non incorporated until 1923. Peoples had been populating in Anchorage for many old ages before this. nevertheless. Like most of America. the country about Anchorage. Alaska was foremost populated as a trading station. due to the coastal waterways environing Anchorage. It was foremost populated as Captain Cook in 1778 was looking for the elusive Northwest Passage.
The land upon which Anchorage stands was discovered on Captain Cook’s 3rd effort to happen the Northwest Passage. and one of the weaponries of the recess he mistook as a river. which he named River Turnagain. Later. George Vancouver renamed the recess Turnagain Arm ( Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. 2005 ) . The Russians besides to a great extent explored the country and apparatus trading stations throughout the country. The 2nd factor for the location of Anchorage is the find of gold. In 1888. gold was discovered in the part. doing the Alaskan Gold Rush and conveying 1000s of Americans to the country to happen their celebrity and luck.
One of the most celebrated gold haste colonies was James Girdwood’s interest 40 stat mis south of Anchorage at the Crow Creek Mine. In 1912. Alaska became an official district of the United States. The 3rd ground for the present twenty-four hours location of Anchorage was the building of the Alaskan Railroad. Anchorage was founded when the United States Congress commissioned the first railway funded by the authorities and constructed across the Alaskan lands. In 1915 the path was established. and 2000 Americans flooded to the Ship Creek Valley to get down work on the railway.
On July 9. 1915 president Woodrow Wilson initiated the “Great Anchorage Lot Sale” where the first 600 secret plans of land in Anchorage were sold. Businesss spread along 4th avenue. and a school was built. therefore making the first metropolitan country of Anchorage ( Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. 2005 ) . In 1923. the Alaskan railroad was finished. from Seward to Fairbanks. go throughing through Anchorage. The 4th ground Anchorage stands where it does today is because of the event of WWII and the menace of the Japanese and Russians.
Anchorage and Alaska are strategically located near to Russia and Japan. In 1947 the authorities begins development of the Fort Richardson Army Post and the Elmendorf Air Force Base. During WWII. Alaska experienced a crisp growing in substructure and population during those old ages. Finally. the find of oil in Alaska in 1968 caused the most recent roar in Anchorage’s growing. In 1974 building began on the trans-Alaska grapevine system. ensuing in a modern twenty-four hours roar as the building and technology companies setup central offices in Anchorage. Regional Context
Anchorage is located in Southeast Alaska ( see map below ) . It is bordered by the Chugach Mountains and glaciers to the E. the West and northwest by subdivisions of Cook’s Inlet ( the farthest north the Pacific Ocean reaches ) . Mount McKinley to the North. and the Kenai Peninsula to the South. There are over 40 active vents to the Southwest of Anchorage. and the full country is cragged. In fact. in 1990. Mount Redoubt erupted. covering Anchorage in a 2 inch bed of volcanic ash ( Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. 2005 ) . Overall. the country of Anchorage is larger than Rhode Island.
