Final Project

Wrangell, Alaska

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Eakwrapet/photos.htm

Timeline:

This picture was taken in 1914 on the Great Glacier 

on the Stikine River.  Imagine how big that glacier

 was thousands of years ago! 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:On_the_Great_Glacier,_Stikine

_River,_near_Wrangell,_Alaska,_June_21,_1914._-_NARA_-_297798.jpg 

Thousands of Years Ago: Tlingit people moved down the Stikine River to Wrangell Island.  “Tlingit migration lore tells of their people’s travel west looking for a new homeland. They encountered a glacier that was too great to cross. A meltwater tunnel was visible at its base and several young men volunteered to attempt a passage through the crevasse. At the last moment, a couple of elders took the trip upon themselves fearing loss of the youth to the future of the group. These elders passed safety through the glacier and found the rich land of Southeast Alaska, Lingít Aaní. The remaining people followed their elders into their new land and became the first Tlingits” (Sorum). 

 Ferdinand Von Wrangell

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Petrovich_Wrangel 

1834: Ferdinand Von Wrangell, the manager of the Russian-American Company, established a stockade, called Redoubt Saint Dionysius, in Wrangell to protect the fur trade from Hudson’s Bay Company (Sorum).  

1839: The British Hudson’s Bay Company leased land and founded Fort Stikine to replace Redoubt St. Dionysius.  Fort Stikine remained under British rule until Alaska was purchased by the United States (Sorum).  

1867: The United States bought Alaska from Russia giving Wrangell the unique status as the only Alaskan city to have been governed under four nations: Tlingit, Russian, British, American (Alaska Airlines). 

Route from Wrangell, AK to Cassiar, BC

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0403/feature5/map.html 

1877: The Cassiar Gold Rush occurred after a prospector found a 72 ounce gold nugget; it was the largest nugget ever recorded in British Columbia.  The Stikine served as an important transportation route for prospectors and Wrangell was one of the first jumping off points for the route to Cassiar (Heritage BC).

1889: The first sawmill in Alaska was located in Wrangell (Wrangell). 

http://www.echo-media.com/mediaDetail.php?ID=15226 

1902: A weekly newspaper, The Wrangell Sentinel, printed its first issue November 2, 1902.  It is the oldest continuous publication in Alaska (American Local History Network). 

1932: The Wrangell Institute was built by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and used as a boarding school for Native children until the 1970s (Alaska). 

Wrangell Lumber Mill Site

http://capitalcityweekly.com/stories/102611/new_905319626.shtml 

Current Economic Issues: Wrangell’s economy took a hit when the timber mill closed in the mid 1990‘s.  Many people left the community to find new jobs.  Even today the community still faces the challenge of reusing the large industrial site.  Carol Rushmore, City and Borough of Wrangell, Economic Development Director, stated that the mill site is privately owned but the community is interested in working with landowner to sell or develop the property to create jobs.  Other issues currently confronting the community of Wrangell include finding a way to increase the tourism industry without having an impact on residential quality of life, utilization of the 134 acres of great real estate which was once the Wrangell Institute, maintaining transportation to and from the island, and obtaining the necessary services and infrastructure for the aging population.  

Cause-Effect Statements:
1) Located at the mouth of the Stikine River, Wrangell, Alaska has been called home to people of all ranges, from fur traders to fishermen, for centuries. 

Two items linked: Settlement and Economy

2) The Stikine served as an important transportation route for building material being shipped to Watson Lake during World War II (Sorum).  At the same time Aleut people where relocated and place in the Wrangell Institute while the Aleutian Islands were under attack (Alaska). 
Two+ items linked: Transportation, Cultural History, Education, and WWII

3) In 1889, the first sawmill in Alaska was located in Wrangell (SEAtrails).  The sawmill was Wrangell’s largest employer until it closed in 1994.  Many people left the community to find new jobs. While the economy of Wrangell has balanced itself out again and the population has slowly risen, the community still faces the challenge of reusing the large industrial site that once was the sawmill.  
Two items linked: Economy and Contemporary Issues

Module IX-Alaska Governance and Contemporary Issues

Essential: Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 1980 has been supported and derided by Alaskans, both in 1980 when it was passed and today.  Describe three impacts of this landmark legislation.

In 1980, United States Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).  ANILCA was a compromise that set aside 104 million acres of federal land in Alaska under the status of monuments, preserves, and wildlife refuges as well as adding to the national park and national forest systems (Modern Alaska: ANILCA).

https://www.institutenorth.org/programs/alaska-commons/anilca-seminars 

After decades of disputes over Alaska’s pristine land, a compromise was finally reached.  Under ANILCA, the federal government owns sixty percent of Alaska. Regulations of mining, cabin building, road/trail building, use of motorized vehicles, use of tools such as chain saws, hunting, fishing, recreational activities were put in place (Explore Alaska).  

ANILCA was called "the most important environmental legislation in the history of the nation” (Modern Alaska: ANILCA).  

In Module V, we discussed the history of Alaska’s mining.  While mining enticed prospectors to settle in Alaska and build communities, it also had many harmful effects on the environment.  ANILCA brought protection to a significant area of the state that was previously open to mining and other kinds of entry.

Another part of ANILCA that is near and dear to Alaskans is a federal guarantee of a rural preference for the subsistence harvest of traditional resources, fish, and game.  Subsistence is both a cultural way of life and an economic necessity in many Alaska villages.  People must hunt and fish in order to survive. 

Unfortunately, the rural preference in ANILCA is in conflict with the state constitution.  As a result of the state being out of compliance with ANILCA, the federal government took over management of subsistence hunting on federal lands (Modern Alaska: Subsistence).  

ANILCA has continued to be a source of controversy since it was passed in 1980. 

Examine: Describe the major periods of Alaska governance.

Following the purchase of Alaska in 1867 were four distinct periods called Era of Neglect, District, Territory, and State.  

The Era of Neglect started in 1867 and ended in 1884.  During the first ten years of this period the United States Army had a presence in Alaska.  The army made an attempt to cut off the sale of liquor to Natives and protect them from non-Native abuse.  The Sitka Tlingits became hostile once the army was gone and Americans requested federal assistance.  Finally in 1879, the navy sent in a ship with powerful guns and the Sitka Natives became less hostile.  Southeast Alaska was essentially the only part of Alaska to received any aid during the first period.  With a state the size of Alaska it is obvious why this period is called the Era of Neglect (Alaska’s Heritage).  

Kodiak, AK ca. 1900 and 1923.
 http://www.topdesignmag.com/40-stunning-old-photos/ 

The District period began in 1884 and ended in 1912.  During the second period Alaska began to create a government.  In 1884, US Congress established a civilian government for Alaska under the First Organic Act.  “It authorized a district governor and a court system for Alaska. The First Organic Act also applied the laws of the State of Oregon to Alaska ‘so far as they may be applicable.’ It extended federal mining laws to Alaska so that miners could legally file claims on mineral-rich land. In addition, a federal land office opened at Sitka to administer a land district that included all of Alaska” (Alaska’s Heritage).  Alaskans were still not satisfied so in 1900 Congress approved a Civil Code which revised the First Organic Act resulting in more laws for Alaska.  

The Second Organic Act established Alaska as a territory, rather than a district.  The Territory period started in 1912 and ended in 1959.  Alaska was allowed to vote for a representative of their territory.  The territorial legislature had 24 members, two senators and four representatives from each of the four judicial districts.  Alaskans finally had the ability to pass laws that governed their communities (Alaska’s Heritage).  

http://blog.rarenewspapers.com/?p=912

The final period of Alaska governance, the State period, began on January 3, 1959 when Alaska became the 49th state of the United States.  Becoming a State meant Alaskans were given voting representation in Congress.  The Alaskan presence in Congress led to new federal policies, programs, and services (Alaska’s Heritage). 

  

Extend: How might you use content from this module in your professional practice?

A map of Alaska produced by the Alaska Division of Economic Development
shows all the current producing and developing mines in the state as of 2010.
 http://homertribune.com/2010/11/five-gold-coal-mines-detail-energy-needs/ 

Much of the information in this module could be used in a science classroom.  I am specifically drawn to the current issues list at the end of the lesson.  In my Biology classes we are currently focusing on Human Impact on the Environment.  As part of a place-based experience, we are focusing on what is going on in Wrangell.  This list gives me great ideas for current issues in our home state as well!  

Evaluate: Write a brief paragraph reflecting on the content, style, and usefulness of this first module.

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/2011-alaska-pfd-check-1174 

Module IX was full with SO MUCH great information!  I really enjoyed the resources about the Alaska PFDs.  As a newcomer to Alaska, I was excited to fill out my application for next years PFD and I had not thought too much about where the money comes from or what else it could be used for.  The prospect of getting money for simply existing is exciting, but also pretty silly.  Thank you for the excellent resources and thought provoking module about Alaska’s PFD and other current issues.  

Resources:

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). Alaska’s Heritage: Alaskans and the United States. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=170 

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). Modern Alaska: ANILCA. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=256 

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). Modern Alaska: Subsistence. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=259 

Campen, Brenda. (2012). Module V - Minerals: Gold, Black Gold & all the Rest. Retrieved from http://explorealaskablog.blogspot.com/2011/11/module-v-c-alaskas-economy-minerals-big.html 

Campen, Brenda. (2012). Module IX - ANSCA, ANILCA, Subsistence, and Fed./State Relations. Retrieved from http://explorealaskablog.blogspot.com/2011/10/module-ix-d-ancsa-anilca-fedstate.html 

Campen, Brenda. (2012). Module IX - Current Issues. Retrieved from http://explorealaskablog.blogspot.com/2012/04/module-ix-e-current-issues.html 

Colleague Blogs:

Excited About Alaska: Kelley has presented great information about Native Corporations, a topic I know very little about.  I enjoyed reading her blog and look forward to learning more about the Native Corporation in my region of Alaska.  

Latitude 61: I enjoyed reading about the government officials and tribal government.  I thought about answering this question, but did not know where to start.  Crystal did a great job including links and other helpful information.  

Explore Alaska Class: This week was the first time I had heard of the Native Youth Olympics (NYO).  Nikki also mentioned NYO in here blog and had a link to the website.  I am excited to take a closer look into this awesome celebration of heritage and community! 

Module VIII - World War II 1939-45 A Turning Point for Alaska

Essential: Explain how Alaska's location was considered 'strategic' during World War II. What were the war activities/events that supported the perspective of 'strategic' Alaska?

Since before it was purchased in 1867, Alaska’s significance in a Pacific Ocean war had been known.  President Abraham Lincoln is said to have commented on the United States' need for North Pacific naval bases (Alaskans & the World).  Also according to Matthew Hunter, “In the early twentieth century US relations with Japan began to fall apart. Military planers began to realize how important Alaska would be if there was a war in the Pacific. Alaska was within flying distance of Japan and the rest United States. Survival would depend on keeping it under our control.”  

Japanese Advancement
 http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/aleut/aleut.htm

Japan also was aware of the importance of Alaska’s location in the Pacific Ocean.  Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned to “invade and occupy strategic points in the Western Aleutians as well as Midway Island on the western tip of the Hawaiian chain”(US Army).  Yamamoto wanted to set up a defensive perimeter in the Pacific and destroy the United States Pacific Fleet.  He attacked the Aleutian Islands in 1942 to lure the already weakened American fleet from Pearl Harbor and annihilate it before new construction could replace the losses it had sustained on December 7, 1941 (US Army).  Fortunately the United States was victorious at Midway, deterring Yamamoto’s plans, and the Aleutians remained part of the United States (Clancey).  

Examine: What was the rationale for the Lend-Lease ALSIB project?

The Lend-Lease Alaska- Siberia (ALSIB) project was the “name of the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, France and other Allied nations with vast amounts of war material between 1941 and 1945” (Bravo 369).

It is known that in the initial stage of the war, the Soviet Union suffered from the lack of ammunition, food supply, and strategic materials.  Then in June of 1941, Germany attacked the Soviet Union.  In October of 1941, the United States extended the First Protocol of Lend-Lease aid to the Soviets.  The rationale for giving aide to the Soviets was to stand with a “united front against the powers confessing fascism and militarism” (Alaska/Siberia Connection).

ALSIB Lend-Lease
 http://aksrc.homestead.com/Maps.html

The Second Protocol of the Lend-Lease project was established in 1942 and the ALSIB air route was put into action.  “American pilots would ferry the newly manufactured planes from the factories to Gore Field and later to East Base at Great Falls, Montana. With Canadian cooperation, they would bring the aircraft to Alaska along the Northwest Staging Route, the pioneer inland air route through western Canada and into interior Alaska.49 At Ladd Field, Soviets would take delivery of the planes, fly them to Galena, Nome, and then on to the Siberian portion of lines” (Colorado State University).  

While there was much dispute for years afterward whether the aid was appropriate and who should have paid for it, the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union served its purpose of defeating the Axis, and ALSIB Lend-Lease contributed in some measure to the victory (Colorado State University).  

Extend: How might you use content from this module in your professional practice?

Google Earth

The content in Module VIII could be utilized as a critical thinking question in my science classroom while students learn about latitude and longitude.  To comprehend what the numbers mean in relation to distance, I would want students to study Alaska and its location.  It has been mentioned before in this class that Alaskans often feel like they are on the edge of the world, while Alaska is actually a central location.  I would ask students why the location of Alaska was considered 'strategic' during World War II.  The students would have to understand latitude and longitude of Alaska as well as the locations of Japan and Russia in order to properly answer the question.  It is wonderful to be able to intertwine History and Science, they are so dependent on one another.  

Evaluate: Write a brief paragraph reflecting on the content, style, and usefulness of this first module.

In one of the readings for Module VIII, it was mentioned that many students were never taught about the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands.  I was one of those students until now.  In fact, when I saw the Module title I was a bit confused on what we could possibly discuss.  I enjoyed learning about Alaska’s role in WWII and am excited to reference this knowledge in my classroom.  

Resources:

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). Alaska Heritage: Alaskans and the World. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=172 

Alaska/Siberia Connection. (2012). Alaska/Siberia Connection. Retrieved from http://alaskasiberia.com/ 

Bravo 369 Flight Foundation. (2011). Lend-Lease History. Retrieved from http://www.bravo369.org/lend%20lease/lend.html 

Clancey, Patrick. (1998). The Aleutians Campaign. Retrieved from http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Aleutians/USN-CN-Aleutians-Intro.html 

Colorado State University. (n.d.). The World War II Heritage of Ladd Field. Retrieved from http://www.usarak.army.mil/conservation/WWII_LaddField/Ch5.pdf 

Hunter, Matthew. (2006). Sitka’s WWII Site. Retrieved from http://mchunter1.tripod.com/sitkaww2.html# & http://www.sitkaww2.com/ 

US Army Center of Military History. (2003). Aleutian Islands. Retrieved from http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/aleut/aleut.htm  

Colleagues Blogs:

Diane is Exploring Alaska: Diane wrote about the harsh reality of moving the Aleuts to Southeast Alaska during the Aleutian Campaign of WWII.  I had skipped over the treatment of these people while reading this module and was saddened to read her post.  

Exploring Alaska’s Culture: Shannon chose to answer the same questions as I did for Module VIII.  I enjoyed reading her answers because they focused on different concepts than mine did.  She mentioned the building of the Alcan Highway and it’s importance to Alaska’s strategic location during WWII.

Alaskan History - A Newcomers Perspective: Claire did a great job capturing my attention with her opening paragraph.  She quoted Billy Mitchell and General Paul Hester talking about Alaska’s strategic location.  

Module VII: American Period - Society

Essential: How have the settlement patterns of Alaska been a reflection of the natural landscape, distance, resources, and the economy?

Kodiak Island
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Alaska_
highlighting_Kodiak_Island_Borough.svg

Russians made Kodiak Island there first settlement.  Kodiak Island became the first permanent fur trading post in Alaska.  The Alaska History & Cultural Studies website states this location was ideal because “traders at such a post could trade for furs all year and would not have to spend much of each year at sea going to and from Alaska.”  Eventually Russians built trading posts in Sitka, Wrangell, Kenai, Unalaska, and so on.  In 1867, the United States bought Alaska from the Russians and sent 30 ships of Americans wanting to engage in trade and commerce and exploit Alaska's natural resources.  The majority of these people went to the Russian center at Sitka and various other trading posts to begin their lives in Alaska (Population and Settlements).  

Juneauhttp://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?
CISOROOT=/alaskawcanada&CISOPTR=1054 

In the late 1800‘s mining camps had became to spring up in Alaska.  For example, Juneau was founded in 1880 as a mining camp.  Between 1890 and 1900, Alaska’s population exploded.  News of gold in the Klondike lured around 30,000 people to Alaska.  Most of the people had planned to strike it rich and leave, but some people stayed.  Places like Skagway, Valdez, Chisana, and Fairbanks were founded as supply camps during the gold rush.  Some of these supply camps survived after the gold rush, others were forgotten (Population and Settlements).  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dickinsonlibrary/3043377897/ 

In order to efficiently transport people and goods, the U.S. Army built Alaska’s first significant road from Valdez to Fort Egbert.  Several railroads were also constructed in the early 1900s.  The U.S. Government built the Alaska Railroad and encouraged people to form communities along its route.  Stations along these routes did grow into small towns (Population and Settlements).  

Settlement patterns of Alaska have been a reflection of the natural landscape, distance, resources, and the economy.  People have generally lived near lines of transportation and trade.  As technology improved the ability to transport people and goods, people moved from the oceans and rivers to the interior of Alaska.  Settlements were built around roads, railroads, and airfields which always led to a resource that could be exploited (Population and Settlements).

Examine: In what ways did formal education change the culture of Alaska Natives?

http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/boardingschoolfinal.pdf

Formal education was started in Alaskan communities with the intention of wiping out Native culture.  From the early 1900s to the 1970s, Alaska Natives were taken from their rural communities and sent to boarding schools.  These schools were run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), churches, or the state government.  According to Paul Ongtooguk, “The agenda (of these schools) was to ‘civilize the Natives’ and to make them more like the white settlers.”  Many students lost their language, culture, and identity.  

In schools Native students were introduced to the American way of life and required to only speak English.  In a study conducted in 2004 and 2005, an interviewee talked about his experience at the Wrangell Institute. He said, “Many children were beaten if they spoke their indigenous languages at any time. Every night, well not every night, but whenever they caught somebody, they'd bring the whole dorm down there, and they'd have the two biggest boys in the dorm, and they would give them razor straps, you know the kind you sharpen razors with, and if a Native boy, now that's all that was in Wrangell Institute at the time, if they spoke their own language, they got swatted 10 times by two of the biggest boys in school” (Hirshberg & Sharp).  He finishes his account of the beatings by stating that he no longer can speak his “own language”.  

BIA School Children
 http://jukebox.uaf.edu/site/railroads/content/children-classroom-bia-school

Boarding schools were feeding grounds for bullies.  Many interviewees explained the abuse and cruelty that went on at their schools.  The Wrangell Institute was described as a violent place.  Not only were students beat for speaking their Native language, they were also sexually abused.  Students abused one another and adults abused the students.  Rather than talk about “graduating” from Wrangell, respondents talked about “surviving” the institute (Hirshberg & Sharp). 

Native students were treated differently than non-Native students.  Interviewees recall that non-Native students were expected to achieve academically and pursue a college education, while Native students faced low expectations and were directed into vocational courses.  In many cases Native students did not receive counseling or support for pursuing college.  In other cases Natives were told by their counselors not to apply for college because they were expected to fail (Hirshberg & Sharp).   

Inuits in Nome dancing and Singing
 http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Ha-La/Inuit.html#b 

After students completed school, they returned home to their families.  Families they hadn’t seen or talked to for years.  One woman talked of forgetting what her parents looked like: “Eventually, I didn’t know who my parents were.”  Integrating back into their communities was a difficult task for many Natives.  Several conflicts surrounding fundamental levels of community, family, and identity occurred as these students tried to find their place in the community.  Sometimes Elders would be angry at them for forgetting their culture and tradition.  Many interviewees described their sadness at not learning subsistence practices and traditions from their parents and grandparents and, therefore, being unable to pass these cultural traditions onto their own children (Hirshberg & Sharp).

Despite these horrifying findings, some positive memories were made at boarding schools.  In fact, about 60 percent of the respondents were generally pleased with their boarding school experience.  Some interviewees discussed an atmosphere of high expectations combined with support for meeting those expectations.  They spoke of their extra curricular activities and the joy those activities brought to them.  Most importantly, the opportunity to make friends from many places.  Through these friends, students learned about the outside world and other cultures (Hirshberg & Sharp).  

While researching I came across more information about the Boarding schools for Native Alaskans.  If you’re interested check out these resources: 

http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/boardingschoolfinal.pdf

iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/ThirtyYearsLater2.ppt 

http://www.nativeamericannetroots.net/showDiary.do?diaryId=39 

http://elders.uaa.alaska.edu/pubs.htm 

http://elders.uaa.alaska.edu/reports/other_boarding-school-project.pdf 

http://elders.uaa.alaska.edu/reports/yr2_2boarding-school.pdf

Extend: What are the health care services available in your community? 

Wrangell Medical Center is the hospital in Wrangell owned by the city and governed by an elected board of directors.  It offers emergency care, long term-care, laboratory services, radiology, and physical therapy (Wrangell Medical Center). 

http://akics.org/index.aspx 

The primary provider of medical care in Wrangell is Alaska Island Community Services (AICS).  AICS services include “health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, counseling, patient education, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses in a variety of health care settings”.  AICS also provides all physician care for Wrangell Medical Center's acute care, long-term care, and emergency room(AICS).  AICS has a clinic, dentist office, pharmacy, and behavioral health facility in Wrangell.  If a person needs anything above and beyond what they can offer that person must leave the island and travel to a larger city like Ketchikan, Juneau, or Seattle.  

Evaluate: Please write a brief paragraph reflecting on the content, style, usefulness and challenges of this module.

Wrangell Institute
 http://www.alaskool.org/native_ed/photoind.htm

I really enjoyed the information in this module.  I found the Alaska Community Database Community Information Summaries (CIS) to contain a great wealth of information.  I also enjoyed reading about education in Alaska.  Everyday on my way house I pass the land that once was home to the Native students of the Wrangell Institute.  I have heard of the school, but never any of the details.  Why it was there and what was its purpose.  While the details are horrifying, I also find them intriguing.  I also came across an interesting ghost story of Pearl Nestor’s time spent in the Institute.  I started to wonder why the Wrangell Institute was torn down and came across a great article about the history, contamination, and clean-up of the land.  This could make a great lesson about ground pollution! 

Resources:

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). Alaska Heritage: Russians come to Alaska. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=155 

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). America’s Territory: Population and Settlements. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=231 

Alaska Island Community Services. (n.d.). Alaska Island Community Service. Retrieved from http://akics.org/index.aspx 

Hirshberg, Diane and Sharp, Suzanne. (2005). Thirty Years Later: The Long-term Effect of Boarding Schools on Alaska Natives and their Communities. Retrieved from http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/boardingschoolfinal.pdf

Wrangell Medical Center. (2008). Wrangell Medical Center. Retrieved from http://www.wrangellmedicalcenter.com/Index.html 

Colleague Blogs:

Module VI - American Period: Transportation & Communication

Essential: What are issues facing Alaskans today related to transportation?

Alaska Biomes
http://www.lter.uaf.edu/about_us.cfm 

Alaska’s transportation issues have always been, and still are, due to the enormous size and differentiated terrain.  Alaska is 586,412 square miles and 34,000 of those miles are coastline (Explore Alaska).  The state is home to biomes ranging from Tundra to Rainforest and terrains ranging from permafrost to muskeg.  The vast differences throughout the state of Alaska have made it difficult to travel from one location to another.  

Russian Icebreaker
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45909554/ns/us_news-life/t/
tanker-plows-toward-cut-off-alaska-city/#.T2DdgJiqCVg

Many Alaskan communities are remote with small populations.  Some are on islands while others are tucked away in the interior.  These communities are only accessible by plane and/or boat.  They heavily depend on airlines and ocean shipping of food, shelter, and energy.  In the Northern part of the state communities must deal with the issue of thickening sea ice (Marine Transportation).  In December of 2011, a Russian icebreaking vessel had to be hired to move gasoline to the community of Nome.  The shipment of gasoline made a difference in life or death during their long winter (Alaska Dispatch).  Communities in the Southeast do not have to worry so much about ice, but they are scattered among the islands which makes it difficult and expensive to travel from one to another.  

Alaska Marine Highway
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/about-region/
overview/?cid=fsbdev2_038673

In 1963, the state of Alaska started a public ferry system, called the Alaska Marine Highway, which now serves southeast and southcentral communities as a means of travel (Marine Transportation).  

Alaska may be enormous and full of obstacles, but the people who live here will do anything to make it work.  I have learned very quickly that Alaskans are proud people, they embrace and conquer any challenge thrown their direction.  

Examine: Identify the three major railroads in Alaska history - Where? When? Why? Ownership? Current status?

In 1897 Congress passed a bill that allowed railroads to be built in Alaska.  Many corporations organized to do so, some started, and a few railroads were completed.  The most important railroads were the White Pass and Yukon Railway, the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, and the Alaska Railroad.  

Placemat photo
http://www.wpyr.com/history/brochures/placemat.html

The White Pass and Yukon Railway (WP&YR) was built between 1898 and 1900.  Michael James (M.J.) Heney was the construction supervisor of the railway.  The tracks run from Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.  Originally the WP&YR was built to serve gold rush stampeders on their way to Klondike (Railroad Transportation).  It became a fully integrated transportation company that had the essential infrastructure to service the freight and passengers of the mining industry.  Today, according to the WP&YR website, “The WP&YR is Alaska's most popular shore excursion carrying approximately 365,000 passengers in 2010 during the May to September tourism season operating on the first 67.5 miles (Skagway, Alaska to Carcross, Y.T.) of the original 110 mile line.” 

Copper River Pic
 http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT
=/cdmg21&CISOPTR=4657&REC=30 

The Copper River and Northwestern Railway (CR&NR) was built between 1905 and 1911.  The idea of completing the CR&NR began with the Alaska Syndicate.  At the same time M.J. Heney began building a line from Cordova.  After some dispute over where the line would 
begin, the Alaska Syndicate decided to finance the completion of Heney’s line.  Heney remained in charge of the construction.  By the end the CR&NR linked Cordova to the Kennecott Copper Mines in the Wrangell Mountains.  

Copper river highway
 http://dot.alaska.gov/stwdplng/scenic/byways-copperriver.shtml#

The railway transported copper from the mines until they closed in 1938 (Railroad Transportation).  It wasn’t until the 1950s that part of the rail was reconstructed into a road and bridge.  Unfortunately, during the 1964 Earthquake the bridge was damaged and the road work was discontinued.  In the 1990s the bridge was repaired and now the lower 52 miles of this abandoned railroad is known as the Copper River Highway. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities boasts that the Copper River highway crosses “some of the most incredible natural scenery in the state of Alaska.”

AK Rail Map
http://alaska.org/gettingaround/alaska-
railroad-anchorage-seward.htm 

The Alaska Railroad was built between 1902 and 1923.  Many companies had a hand in completing this line.  It began with journalist John E. Ballaine and other Seattle backers.  The organized the Alaska Central Railroad Company and built about 45 miles of line.  Between 1904 and 1909, new financial support came from Chicago and they built 52 more miles of line.  Many other changes occurred until finally, in 1915, President Wilson got involved and directed the Alaska Engineering Commission to build the Alaska Railroad from Seward to Fairbanks (Railroad Transportation).  Since then the Alaska Railroad has been hauling freight and passengers, making it the last full-service railway in the USA (Alaska Railroad).  It is also one of the oldest tour operations in Alaska (Alaska.org).  

Alaska Railroad
 http://alaskarailroad.com/Default.aspx?alias=alaskarailroad.com/travel 

Alaskans hoped that railroads would be the key to fortune and success.  They dreamed it would open the land to them like railroads had done in the American west.  While railroads made a big splash during their time, airplanes, ferries, and automobiles are the primary transportation for Alaskans today.  

Extend: How dependent is your community on air transportation?

Our community is extremely dependent on air transportation.  The majority of the time I am leaving Wrangell, I depend on Alaska Airlines to get me off the island.  We are also connected to the outside world by the Alaska Marine Highway.  However, given the choice, I would rather fly because the ferry takes a lot more time to get from place to place.    

Wrangell
http://www.mxak.org/ports/southeast
/wrangell/wrangell.html 

A study was conducted by Northern Economics, Inc. provides information about the economic dependency of Alaska communities on air transportation.  Wrangell was one of eighteen communities surveyed.  While Northern and Western regions rely solely on air transportation for survival, the people of the Southeast region still rely heavily on their airports for providing emergency response services, bringing in medical personnel like doctors or specialists, family visits, work-related travel, social and vacation trips, and mail.  “Airports also play a vital role for the fresh fish and seafood industry—without air service from rural communities, this industry would not be able to provide fresh fish and seafood to distant markets in Alaska or outside of the state.”  

As you can see, Wrangell could survive without air transportation, but it would have no chance of thriving without it.  Every few years we have to sign petitions to keep Wrangell as one of the daily stops on the “milk run” flight through Alaska Air.  As you can imagine, there is not one person in our community that refuses to sign the petition.  We depend on air transportation. 
  

Evaluate: Please write a brief paragraph reflecting on the content, style, and usefulness of this module.

Alaska Railroad:
http://www.railsusa.com/traingear/T-Shirts.html

Living in a small community on an island in Southeast Alaska has given me a new perspective on transportation and communication.  Today we have high-speed internet (though it is not as fast as internet in the lower 48), cell phones, and daily mail service on Wrangell Island.  The biggest change for me is getting in my car and only being able to drive on paved roads for about 12 miles before they run out.  There are not railroads in Wrangell so diving deeper into the Alaska railroads has been fun for me.  I am glad that the railroads are still running for tourists.  It sounds like a great way to see Alaska!  


Resources:

Alaska.org. (n.d.). Alaska Railroad Travel. Retrieved from http://alaska.org/gettingaround/alaska-railroad.htm 

Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. (2011). Alaska’s Scenic Byways. Retrieved from http://dot.alaska.gov/stwdplng/scenic/byways-copperriver.shtml 

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). America’s Territory: Marine Transportation. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=228 

Alaska History & Cultural Studies. (2012). America’s Heritage: Railroad Transportation. Retrieved from http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=176 

Alaska Railroad. (2012). Alaska Railroad. Retrieved from http://www.alaskarailroad.com 

Burke, Jill. (2011). Alaska Dispatch: Russian tanker approved to transport fuel shipment to Nome. Retrieved from http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/russian-tanker-approved-transport-fuel-shipment-nome 

Campen, Brenda. (2012). Module VI - Introduction: Transportation and Communication.  Retrieved from http://explorealaskablog.blogspot.com/2012/01/module-vi-american-period.html  

Northern Economies, Inc. (2009). The Economic Contribution of the Aviation Industry to Alaska’s Economy. Retrieved from http://www.alaskaasp.com/admin/Docs/Economic%20contribution%20of%20the_Aviation%20industry%20report--compiled.pdf 

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. (2012). White Pass & Yukon Route. Retrieved from http://www.wpyr.com/company/ 

Colleague Blogs: 

Explore AK: Tina made a great point about the environmental aspects of the railroads.  It is really amazing that just one gallon of gasoline moves a ton of freight the length of the entire Alaska Railroad route.  It makes me more excited to visit parts of Alaska on the railroad! 

Miss Mannen: I enjoyed reading about the struggles related to Alaska’s railroads.  I also found it interesting that Wendy mentioned just how much Alaskans depend on the “outside” world.  I agree that we do not hear about how much the federal government supports this state and it is probably because of how prideful Alaskans tend to be.  

Surveying Alaska’s History: Robin wrote a great summary of the cause-effect relationships to settlement patterns and to the development of the Alaska economy.