presidential visits to alaska

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The history of presidential visits to Alaska, starting with Warren G. Harding’s ill-fated ‘Voyage of Understanding’

President Warren Harding visits the Mendenhall Glacier, near Juneau, during his 1923 trip to the territory. (Alaska State Library)

Part of a continuing weekly series on local history by local historian David Reamer. Have a question about Anchorage history or an idea for a future article? Go to the form at the bottom of this story.

After William H. Seward retired from public office in 1868, he traveled, finally having enough free time to see more of the world. The former secretary of state is best known today for negotiating the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia, and he made sure to include the vast territory on his itinerary.

While in Sitka, on Aug. 12, 1869, he addressed the residents. The entirety of the long speech is available online via the Library of Congress . As is typical for visiting dignitaries, he pandered to the crowd. He said Alaskans were kind, the land was beautiful, and he lamented having “seen too little” of both. He spoke of natural resources and strong residents. He even predicted statehood, a distant goal in 1869.

And, of course, he commented on the weather: “The weather of this one broad climate of Alaska is severely criticized in outside circles for being too wet and too cold. Nevertheless, it must be a fastidious person who complains of climates in which, while the eagle delights to soar, the hummingbird does not disdain to flutter.” He added, “It is an honest climate, for it makes no pretensions to constancy.”

In 1860, Seward was a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for president. In fact, on the first two ballots at that year’s Republican Convention, he drew more votes than eventual winner Abraham Lincoln, though never enough votes for the nomination. In this way, Seward was Alaska’s first brush with even a near-president, decades before a sitting American chief of state made the trip north.

[ The improbable history of penguins in Alaska ]

From the beginning of American rule through statehood, presidential visits to Alaska were something to dream about, a seeming impossibility. Certainly, the first presidential tour of Alaska did not establish a new custom.

In June 1923, President Warren G. Harding departed on an expansive Voyage of Understanding that included the first trips to Alaska and Canada by a sitting president. The trip served multiple purposes for an administration plagued by scandals. It was a strategic retreat, public-relations gesture, early reelection campaign, fact-finding mission and vacation. As for Alaska’s inclusion in the itinerary, Harding was inspired by a friend who had been part of the Klondike Gold Rush.

President Warren Harding driving in the golden spike that completed the Alaska Railroad, Nenana, July 15, 1923. (Alaska State Library)

Harding’s adventure in Alaska began in Metlakatla, followed by stops in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway and Seward. From Seward, his party took the train into the Interior. His primary destinations were Mount McKinley National Park, now Denali National Park; Fairbanks, where he visited what is now the University of Alaska Fairbanks; and Nenana, where he drove in a golden spike signifying the completion of the Alaska Railroad. He allotted only two hours for Anchorage, which reflected the town’s limited importance.

Nevertheless, Anchorage residents prepared for the biggest celebrity the little town had seen in its eight-year history. The band practiced, and many speeches were written. For some local retailers, the event was primarily a moneymaking bonanza. The Anchorage Photo Supply Co. printed a vast surplus of Harding portraits, souvenirs for the crowd. Gordon’s clothing store advised locals to dress nicely. Their advertisements asked, “Are you prepared to meet him with the dignity and consideration that his position before the whole world merits? Our beautiful dresses, handsome coats and capes, stunning suits, dainty blouses, sweaters, skirts, shoes and hosiery will help you to make the right appearance.”

From the Anchorage Daily Times, July 11, 1923.

Thirty minutes before the president’s arrival, late July 13, 1923, a prearranged siren blasted a warning heard through the community. Homes emptied as residents poured themselves around the train station. Promptly at 9:30 pm, the president’s train pulled into the station. Included in the party were first lady Florence Harding, Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace, Secretary of the Interior Hubert Work, Alaska Gov. Scott Bone and other dignitaries. Also present was future president and then-Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover.

Harding stepped off the train as the local band played “Hail to the Chief.” The presidential party was swept into waiting cars and paraded from the train station to the dock, then around the town’s few streets. They stopped at a stand erected on Fourth Avenue.

Mayor Michael Conroy, Anchorage’s second mayor, spoke first: “We hope that this trip will be filled with pleasurable experiences and that the memory will call insistently for another visit in the not too distant future.” He handed Harding a Sydney Laurence painting of Denali. Laurence was perhaps not nearly as famous as he would become; the newspaper misspelled his first name as “Sidney.”

Then it was Harding’s turn. He opened with praise for the young city, claiming it was the “healthiest, sturdiest infant I have ever seen.” He closed, like so many politicians, with vague promises. “We have learned much on this trip which will be productive of a greater understanding and deeper sympathy. ... We have come to many conclusions and on my return to Washington will be better equipped to aid you and in this I pledge all earnestness and sincerity.”

President Warren G. Harding greets well-wishers at his train during a stop Anchorage in July 1923. (Geo L. Johnson / Anchorage Museum / Alaska's Digital Archives)

The rest of the dignitaries followed with their own speeches. Secretary Work said he was happy to be in a community with room to expand, a compliment for Anchorage also meant as an insult for Juneau. Governor Bone added a line to his follow-up speech, saying, “I live in a community which can expand.”

Then gifts and honors were dispersed. On behalf of the local press, Jack Lincke, a reporter for the Anchorage Daily Times, gifted Harding, a former newspaperman, with an ornamental knife. Made by local jeweler Fred Carlquist, the curved blade was 6 inches of walrus ivory inlaid with a gold plate inscribed, “From the press of Anchorage to President Harding.” The handle was gold from a single, large Iditarod nugget. The knife was presented upon a velvet cushion mounted on a pair of miniature snowshoes. Mrs. Harding was given a far less spectacular framed poem.

The Anchorage chapter of the Pioneers of Alaska made Harding an honorary member. Their declaration noted, “The recipient shall not be liable for the payment of dues, nor shall he be entitled to vote or hold office, but he shall enjoy all the privileges of the society.” Thus, the president of the United States was ineligible to chair a Pioneers meeting at a cafe. The organization also sent Harding some official buttons.

The visit prompted a geyser of purple prose from the Anchorage Daily Times. “We welcome him as the harbinger of an era of happiness and prosperity; we welcome him for honoring Alaska with his presence, setting as a precedent in this visit a tradition which will go far toward bringing the various and varied interests of the nation into closer harmony; we welcome him on the part of the people of Alaska and Anchorage especially, and trust he will feel the psychic influence of that great brotherly spirit so expressive of our citizenry.”

In all, Harding spent only a little more than two hours in Anchorage, less time than he spent on an unscheduled excursion to Skagway. At 11:45 p.m., the train pulled away for its journey north.

On July 18, the Voyage of Understanding returned to Anchorage on its way back to Seward. Though local officials pleaded for Harding to spend the night, he stayed only an hour, long enough for the train to change crews. Unencumbered by the protocol of a formal reception, Harding joined a small party that drove out to Lake Spenard. An hour after arriving, he was gone. From Seward, the party sailed to Valdez, Cordova and Sitka before leaving Alaska for Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco.

He did not make it all the way back to Washington, D.C. Two days after leaving Sitka, he complained of sharp chest pains. By San Francisco, the visibly exhausted Harding had developed signs of a respiratory illness. On Aug. 2, 1923, he died from a heart attack while listening to his wife read a flattering magazine portrayal. Since then, some have blamed his death on shellfish from Sitka or even poison. However, everyone in the traveling party ate the same food, and the latter allegation is an evidence-free conspiracy theory that deserves no further attention.

Despite the obvious wishes of Alaskans, Harding’s doomed trip north did not inspire imitators. The next presidential visit came in 1944 and under very different circumstances, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a three-week inspection tour of Hawaii and Alaska during World War II.

Roosevelt’s trip to Alaska is notable in that he did not visit any town. On Aug. 3, 1944, he arrived in Adak aboard the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore. He ate with troops in the mess hall and gave an impromptu speech. Nasty weather prevented him from visiting Dutch Harbor as planned, and the tour was redirected to Kodiak. An avid fisherman, he managed to fit in a brief excursion to Buskin Lake, where he caught a small Dolly Varden trout.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his party embark on a trout fishing expedition on Buskin Lake, Kodiak Island, August 7, 1944. (White House Archives)

From there, the Baltimore took him to Auke Bay near Juneau. In what was the highlight of his time in Alaska, Roosevelt spent three hours fishing in Tee Harbor with Alaska Gov. Ernest Gruening and the captain of the Baltimore. Per the FDR Presidential Library’s transcribed log for the day, “Five large salmon, two flounder, one halibut and several cod were reeled in by the party. FDR accounted for the halibut and one of the flounder.” Upon returning, Roosevelt transferred to the destroyer USS Cummings and set forth for the Lower 48.

Harding’s and Roosevelt’s trips to Alaska make up the entirety of sitting presidential trips here before statehood. Once residents could vote in presidential elections, the frequency of such visits immediately increased. In 1960, both candidates, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, campaigned in Alaska.

Next week: Kennedy, Nixon and the other presidential visits to Alaska since statehood.

Key sources:

“Anchorage Wins Heart President Harding’s Party.” Anchorage Daily Times, July 14, 1923, 1, 4.

Dunham, Mike. “Obama to be 10th Sitting President to Visit.” Alaska Dispatch News, July 18, 2015, A-10.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Day by Day. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, fdrlibrary.marist.edu/daybyday/ .

Kiffer, Dave. “Ketchikan’s Only Presidential Visitor Back in the News.” Sitka News, August 16, 2015, sitnews.us/Kiffer/PresidentialVisitor/081615_harding.html .

Gordon’s advertisement. Anchorage Daily Times, July 11, 1923, 3.

“President Harding Member Pioneers.” Anchorage Daily Times, July 16, 1923, 6.

“President Lingers an Hour on His Second Visit to Anchorage.” Anchorage Daily Times, July 18, 1923, 1, 3.

Seward, William H. Alaska Speech of William H. Seward at Sitka, August 12, 1869. Washington, D.C.: James J. Chapman, 1879.

Simpson, David. “President Harding’s Visit to Skagway.” Juneau Empire, August 23, 2017, juneauempire.com/life/president-hardings-visit-to-skagway/ .

“Welcome to President Harding.” Anchorage Daily Times, July 13, 1923, 4.

David Reamer | Histories of Alaska

David Reamer is a historian who writes about Anchorage. His peer-reviewed articles include topics as diverse as baseball, housing discrimination, Alaska Jewish history and the English gin craze. He’s a UAA graduate and nerd for research who loves helping people with history questions. He also posts daily Alaska history on Twitter @ANC_Historian.

clock This article was published more than  8 years ago

The fascinating (and scenic) history of presidential visits to Alaska

For nearly a century, Alaska has served as mainly a toe-touch state for presidents. Next week, President Obama will change all that.

Obama departs Aug. 31 for what will soon be the most extensive Alaska tour in history by a sitting American president. While one other sitting American president has spent more time in Alaska -- Warren G. Harding -- Obama will travel further by journeying further north while also touching southern parts of the state. (Having government planes and helicopters at one's disposal -- something Harding lacked -- helps.)

In addition to traveling to Anchorage for a State Department-sponsored meeting of Arctic Council policymakers , he will fly over glaciers near Seward, in the southcentral part of the state; visit with fishing operators in Dillingham, on the southwest's Bristol Bay; and meet with residents in Kotzebue , 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

While past presidents have visited the state for a variety of reasons -- to inaugurate a railroad terminal or meet with a fellow head of state or do a bit of fishing, for example -- Obama's trip has a single purpose: Make the case for his environmental agenda. His itinerary will allow him to celebrate some of the state's most vibrant ecosystems, including the wild salmon runs in Bristol Bay, and its most imperiled, such as the Arctic.

Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, noted that not only are towns such as Kotzebue coping with retreating sea ice and coastal erosion linked to climate change,  they are pursuing renewable energy projects now in an effort to reduce their reliance on high-priced diesel.

"Alaska is the perfect place to visit to showcase the impact of climate change not just on the environment, but the economy," Brune said in an interview.

[ How climate change is hitting Alaska's Arctic villages, hard ]

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she welcomed Obama's visit, but hoped he would recognize both the possibilities inherent in her state's changing landscape -- and not just the pitfalls.

"Unfortunately we don’t get a lot of presidents here," she said. "Typically when they come, they come for a refueling stop. It makes it harder for us to have people in the White House who know and understand our issues."

" I do hope he’s willing to keep his eyes and ears out for not for the things that he wants to hear played back to him, but is truly looking at our state for the opportunities it presents, as well as our challenges," Murkowski said in an interview Tuesday.

But what about those other presidents, who set foot in the 49th state at different points over the past 92 years? Here's a look at when they went, what they did, and why:

Warren G. Harding, July 8-23, 1923

Harding made history by becoming  the first president to visit Alaska while in office, and did so in style. The nation's 29th president journeyed by ship from Seattle and made at least nine separate stops in a trip that included a train ride from Seward in the southeast to Fairbanks.

The "Congressional Special" train that carried Harding and his party, which now sits in Fairbanks' Pioneer Park, was part of a celebration of the completion of the Alaska Railroad. Harding drove in a golden spike at Nenana on July 15 with much fanfare; on Aug. 2, he died, while still on his so-called "Voyage of Understanding."

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Aug. 3-9, 1944

As part of trip across the Pacific during World War II, Roosevelt's trip included an inspection and fishing trip. In the course of it, he went to the Southeast, Kodiak and the Aleutians. For those keeping track, Juneau ranked as his most productive fishing spot.

Dwight Eisenhower, June 12, 1960

While Eisenhower is the president who ushered Alaska into statehood, he didn't spend much time there. While en route to Asia, Eisenhower addressed troops at Elmendorf Air Force Base and cruised through Anchorage in a parade.

Recalling that in Kansas it was "synonymous with the gold and glamour of the Yukon and Klondike; the home of sourdoughs and Eskimos ... certainly I can assure you that never for a moment did it enter my head that one day as President of the United States I would urgently recommend statehood for Alaska and later welcome it as a State into our great Union."

Lyndon B. Johnson, Nov. 2-3, 1966

Nursing a sore thumb on his return from Asia, Johnson received an enthusiastic reception from a crowd at midnight when he journeyed from Elmendorf to downtown Anchorage. Later, according to his diary , he complained that the media reported that Robert F. Kennedy was "mobbed" by 200 people while he had gotten a much larger crowd.

"We've got to get some local color on this Alaska arrival," he told his aides over a nightcap in a suite at the Westward Hotel. "At midnight, with 30,000, I don't see why we can't get color. But we won't."

Richard Nixon, Sept. 26, 1971

Nixon's presidency marked several international firsts, and Alaska was no exception. By stopping at Elmendorf Air Force Base and meeting Nixon there, Japanese Emperor Hirohito became the first Japanese emperor to step on foreign soil.

He and Empress Kojun met the president and his wife, Pat, at the base, where they both delivered remarks, and then went to the residence of Lt. Gen. Robert Ruegg before parting ways.

Gerald Ford, Nov. 17, 1974, and Nov. 29, 1975

Ford restricted his two Alaska visits to Air Force bases -- first Elmendorf in Anchorage, and then Eielson in Fairbanks. On his second visit , Ford noted with pride he had visited Alaska "just a little over a year ago on a previous trip" to the Pacific.

"This obviously doesn't make me a 'sourdough,' but I am no newcomer to the knowledge that this great land, a part of another great land, the United States of America, is an inspiring and shining northern star in our constellation of stars," he said.

Jimmy Carter, June 23, 1979, and July 9-11, 1980

Carter's presidency transformed the state's landscape: The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which he signed just before leaving office on Dec. 2, 1980, provided federal protection for more than 157 million acres in the state.

But he didn't spend much time there while in office, stopping over twice. The first time, on his way to the Tokyo Economic Summit, he attended a reception at Elmendorf's Officers Club with Alaskan political leaders and citizens. On his second visit -- this time on his return from Japan -- he stayed overnight at the base and then flew by helicopter 121 miles to Clarence Lake to have a five-hour fishing trip with then-Secretary of State Edmund Muskie; Rupe Andrews, director of the Alaska State Division of Sport Fishing; and Alaska Gov. Jay Hammond (R).

Speaking to reporters before he boarded Air Force One for Washington, Carter said that he had "a very delightful and a very successful fishing trip. ... We had a chance to fish for about five hours and to travel about an hour-and-a-half in and back and really thoroughly enjoyed the brief vacation. It reminds us again of the beauty of Alaska and the wonderful gifts that God has given our country, and I'm very grateful for this chance to see part of it."

It is worth noting that during that fishing expedition, Carter, like Harding, set foot on a glacier. Writing later in his book "An Outdoor Journal," he recalled, "We flew northward from Anchorage, circled Mount McKinley, landed on one of the glaciers to see the slowly flowing ice at first hand, and flew close to some cliffs to observe a number of Dall sheep on the steep mountainsides."

Ronald Reagan, Jan. 16, 1983, and May 2-3, 1984

Reagan passed through Elmendorf in 1983  before conducting diplomacy more than a year later in Fairbanks. During that second trip, he welcomed Pope John Paul II  in an outdoor ceremony at Fairbanks International Airport just after returning from China. Reagan told the pope, ''In a violent world, Your Holiness, you have been a minister of peace and love.''

In addition to meeting with the pope for the second time during the stop, Reagan also visited the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and stayed overnight at then-Sen. Frank Murkowski's (R) house.

Bill Clinton, Nov. 11, 1994

Clinton used his brief Alaska appearance as an opportunity to snack. He journeyed downtown with then-Gov. Tony Knowles (D) to grab a sandwich. As they stopped by Downtown Deli -- which Knowles used to own -- Clinton told reporters, "I want you to hear Tony's spiel for reindeer stew."

George W. Bush, Feb. 16, 2002, Nov. 14, 2005, and Aug. 4, 2008

Bush is the only American president to live in Alaska -- for a few months in 1971 -- and as a wartime president, Bush devoted both of his multiple visits to addressing the troops at its two major Air Force bases.

On his first appearance at Elmendorf, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he said: "It's hard for me to figure out what was going through the minds of those who planned and attacked America. They must have thought we were soft."

" They were wrong!" an audience member cried out.

" Yes, they were," Bush responded.

Obama, Nov. 12, 2009

Obama stayed in Alaska for less than two hours when he refueled here during his first year in office. Still, he told the audience at Elmendorf Air Force Base that he was "really excited because I had up until today visited 49 states, so this is officially my 50th state."

Six years later, he's ready for a repeat.

Correction: An earlier version of this piece misstated the location of Seward, Alaska, and the sponsor of this month's Arctic policy meeting in Anchorage.

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The president’s trip to alaska: reflections from an alaskan staffer at the white house.

My ancestors have occupied the lands known as Alaska for over 10,000 years. Our traditions are steeped in history and intimately connected with the land and its natural resources. One month ago, President Obama made a historic and unprecedented three-day trip to Alaska and I had the honor and privilege to accompany him. Looking back, I’m blown away by the fact that this was the first time a sitting President has ever visited rural Alaska and traveled above the Arctic Circle. As an Alaska Native who was born and raised in the state, the President’s trip was uniquely moving for me. I was fortunate enough to witness a moment in history. A moment that we may never see again in our lifetimes.

I grew up in a pretty uniquely “Alaskan” way. My summers were spent subsistence and commercial fishing for wild salmon, salmon that depended on the health of the environment to flourish. In my mother’s small Dena’ina Athabascan village, I’d help her and my grandmother filet and smoke salmon for the winter in the traditional Dena’ina way. Other summers I spent commercial fishing in Bristol Bay with my Dad on a salmon gillnet boat. Whether for subsistence or economic reasons, salmon and other natural resources were the lifeblood of my family, and the same stands true for many of Alaska’s people.

Reflecting on my life thus far, it was Alaska’s land and natural resources, coupled with the strong Dena’ina and Yup’ik cultural values instilled in me by my parents and grandparents—humility, hard work, generosity—that have allowed me to make it as far as I have in life. I often joke that I was fortified by a diet of moose, salmon, and berries, and that I would probably survive a zombie apocalypse with my Bear Grylls-style survival skills. But these natural resources do more than just fortify the body, they fortify the spirit, and they are essential to cultures that have thrived for millennia. My connection to my Athabascan and Yup’ik roots is the well from which I draw strength when faced with obstacles that would be otherwise insurmountable. And it’s this grounding, along with the guidance of my parents and grandparents, which has allowed me to make the journey from rural Alaska, as a first generation college kid, to the Ivy League and, most recently, to the White House.

This is why accompanying my boss, my President, Barack Obama, to Alaska was the proudest moment of my life. Hands down. And why it was such a privilege to be part of the White House team that helped orchestrate the trip from A to Z. The fact that President Obama cared to see a piece of Alaska that is typically shrouded from view by remoteness and a lack of accessibility, and that he was able to witness first-hand why Alaska’s natural resources are worth protecting, filled me with hope. And it filled Alaskans with hope. Hope that our futures, our cultures, our lifeways, have been noticed and are valued as an essential part of the intricate and majestic tapestry that is America. For that, I would like to say thank you. Thank you to Alaskans for giving our President the warmest welcome imaginable. And thank you to my President, Barack Obama, for prioritizing the preservation of our way of life.

Raina Thiele is Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement and works as the liaison for tribes and the American Indian and Alaska Native community. Raina earned her B.A. from Yale College and her Master in Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Born and raised in Alaska, her family hails from the rural communities of Pedro Bay Native Village on Lake Iliamna and Alexander Creek near Mount Susitna. She is Dena’ina Athabascan and Yup’ik.

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President Harding’s Voyage of Understanding

In June 1923, President Warren G. Harding embarked on an ambitious journey across the United States. Called the “Voyage of Understanding,” the historic trip included the first visit of a sitting president to the U.S. territory of Alaska, as well as the first international visit of an American president to Canada. The voyage also marked the final weeks of Harding’s life; before he could complete his return to Washington, the president suddenly died from a heart attack. Stereographic photography from the time period offers an unusual, three-dimensional glimpse of Harding’s voyage and funeral procession. Click on the play button below the images in the gallery to recreate the illusion of depth offered by the stereograph cards as viewed through a stereoscope.

The videos in this gallery were derived from stereographic photography cards. The cards contain two versions of the same scene from slightly different angles. When the images are viewed through a stereoscope, it creates the illusion of depth. To view over 100 original digitized stereograph cards from President Harding’s journey, please explore the collection in our Digital Library .

President Warren G. Harding and First Lady Florence Harding departed from the White House for the “Voyage of Understanding” on June 20, 1923. Their traveling party totaled over sixty people, including staff, members of the press, and important guests.

One of the early stops of President Harding’s “Voyage of Understanding” was in Hutchinson, Kansas. There, the president greeted locals, played a round of golf, and took a turn driving a tractor. In this animated stereograph, President Harding mingles with his constituents while holding a baby.

During his journey, President Harding discussed agricultural policies with farmers. Here, he learns about irrigation techniques from a farmer in Idaho.

At Yellowstone National Park, President Harding took a break from the crowds to enjoy the tranquil beauty of nature. In this animated stereograph, the president and Mrs. Harding admire stunning views of Yellowstone Falls with Park Superintendent Horace M. Albright.

President Harding’s visit to Oregon included stops in Meacham and Portland. Here, President Harding visits with members of the Umatilla nation, near Meacham, Oregon.

The longest leg of the “Voyage of Understanding” was devoted to exploring the Alaskan territory. Harding spent over two weeks in the territory, visited several towns. In this animated stereograph, President Warren G. Harding and First Lady Florence Harding examine a salmon presented by a man in Metlakatla, Alaska.

President Harding’s travel party also had the opportunity to marvel at the natural wonder of Alaska. Here, the president and Mrs. Harding cross the chilly waters with Territorial Governor Scott C. Bone.

On July 15, 1923, President Harding helped celebrate the completion of the Alaska Railroad by driving in a golden spike into a new railroad bridge across the Tanana River at Nenana. In this animated stereograph, the president is pictured at left holding a sledgehammer, just prior to striking the golden spike.

Immediately after his historic journey through Alaska, President Harding became the first sitting American president to visit Canada. Here, the president and first lady visit Vancouver, British Columbia, accompanied by a military escort.

Following President Harding’s sudden death on August 2, 1923, the president’s personal railroad car was used to transport his body. Mourners across the country met the train as it somberly traveled to the nation’s capital. This animated stereograph shows mourners visiting the Superb, the president’s Pullman railroad car, as it passed through Chicago, Illinois.

Prior to burial, Harding’s body lay in state at the White House and the Capitol. This scene from August 8, 1923, shows Harding’s casket in the East Room of the White House, as servicemen from a military honor guard look on.

This animated stereograph shows Harding’s casket just prior to its departure from the White House. The funeral procession traveled from the White House to the Capitol, before Harding’s body was placed aboard a funeral train for the final stage of its journey.

On August 10, 1923, a final funeral service was held for Harding in his hometown of Marion, Ohio. Among those who paid their respects were Harding’s friends including Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Taft, as well as Harding’s successor President Calvin Coolidge. This animated stereograph shows members of the funeral party leaving the cemetery after the funeral service.

In the summer of 1923, President Warren G. Harding faced many challenges. Numerous allegations of his administration’s mis-dealings swirled about in the press, threatening the incumbent’s chance of reelection in 1924. Hoping to distance himself from the scandals of Washington, Harding branded his travels as a “Voyage of Understanding,” a chance to personally connect with voters across the country, and explore the remote regions of Alaska. Despite his doctors’ warnings against the demanding, nearly two-month-long trip, President Harding and First Lady Florence Harding departed from the White House on June 20, 1923.

They travelled across the continental United States aboard a private Pullman train car named the Suberb. Along the way, Harding paused at iconic American landmarks and natural wonders including the Old Faithful geyser at Yellowstone National Park, and the Navajo Sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park. He met with people from many states including Kansas, Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon. The president learned about irrigation systems, Native American communities, and local heritage sites, while the public had the opportunity to see a more personal side of their president. Harding then journeyed north to the Alaskan territory, where he witnessed the stunning beauty of glaciers, drove in the final spike of the Alaska Railroad, and met with people from cities, towns, and villages including Sitka, Juneau, Fairbanks, Seward, Ketchikan, and Metlakatla. Before returning south, Harding stopped in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he reviewed Canadian troops and was honored with a parade.

Though the president enjoyed his travels, the strenuous journey took a toll on his health. On August 2, 1923, President Harding and his travel party stopped in San Francisco, California, to make preparations for their return. That night, the president was resting in his room at the Palace Hotel when he suddenly died, likely from an abrupt and fatal heart attack. The news stunned the nation, and Vice President Calvin Coolidge was quickly sworn in as the new president. As the Superb made its solemn return trip, it was met by an outpouring of public grief. Although the “Voyage of Understanding” was originally intended to help a politician better understand his country, in the end, it enabled a country to remember its fallen leader.

The videos in this gallery are derived from a series of stereograph cards produced by the Keystone View Company in 1923. The images from the stereograph cards were animated for the gallery using Abobe Photoshop, and inspired by Joshua Heineman’s “Stereogranimator” project for the New York Public Library, and Shannon Perich’s 3-D animations of Civil War scenes from the Smithsonian Photographic History Collection . The series of stereograph cards was purchased by the White House Historical Association in 2014, and digitized for the Association’s Digital Library.

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The fascinating (and scenic) history of presidential visits to alaska.

For nearly a century, Alaska has served as mainly a toe-touch state for presidents. Next week, President Obama will change all that.

Obama departs Aug. 31 for what will soon be the most extensive Alaska tour in history by a sitting American president. While one other sitting American president has spent more time in Alaska -- Warren G. Harding -- Obama will travel further by journeying further north while also touching southern parts of the state. (Having government planes and helicopters at one's disposal -- something Harding lacked -- helps.)

In addition to traveling to Anchorage for  a State Department-sponsored meeting of Arctic Council policymakers , he will fly over glaciers near Seward, in the southcentral part of the state; visit with fishing operators in Dillingham, on the southwest's Bristol Bay; and meet with residents in  Kotzebue , 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

President Harding’s Voyage of Understanding, June 1923

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In June 1923 Harding started off on his trip across the country to Alaska, which he called the “Voyage of Understanding.” Harding was not a very competent president, and his term in office was marred by scandals and scoundrels. Before his westward journey public confidence in the president was at a low point, and he wanted a chance to make public appearances and presentations across the nation to regain the people’s approval before he started running for a second term. Harding’s health was also at low ebb. Even though he had recently quit drinking, he continued to be a heavy smoker and was quite overweight. Observers thought he looked tired; one of his doctors thought that a trip away from Washington would relieve some of his stress. Even before he left Washington, the president reported feeling chest pains. Also before he left on the Voyage of Understanding, he sold his newspaper business, the Marion Star, and he made out a new will. First Lady Florence Harding enthusiastically supported the Voyage of Understanding and accompanied President Harding on his travels. Later, it turned out, Mrs. Harding was suspected of having a hand in his death! Here, reprinted with permission, is June Allen’s article from Stories in the News, Ketchikan ( www.sitnews.us ), July 23, 2003. A President’s Ill-Fated Trek to Alaska: What did kill Warren G. Harding? By June Allen On Wednesday, August 1, 1924, First Lady Florence Harding locked herself and a very ill President into the bedroom of the posh presidential suite of San Francisco’s historic Palace Hotel and refused to admit anyone into the room—including the president’s five attending physicians. It wasn’t until the next day, August 2, that she opened the door and left the room to announce that the president, her husband of more than 30 years, Warren Gamaliel Harding, was dead. The headstrong first lady refused to allow an autopsy, and the body was prepared for the lengthy trans-continental funeral-train trip back to Washington D.C. The nation was stunned by the unexpected death! Harding was a comparatively young 58, a former newspaper owner, handsome, charming and popular in those opening years of the roaring 20s. The cause of death was first announced by doctors as a stroke, later modified as a probable heart attack. He had been feeling ill for at least a week before his death, complaining of severe stomach cramps. Then it was thought perhaps he had suffered shellfish poisoning from tainted crabs eaten on the return voyage after a long expedition through the wilds of Alaska. There was even a rumor that the bad shellfish might have been provided by irate Alaskan fishermen. The cause of his demise was simply a mystery. Was there more than met the eye in this death? There were whispers concerning the fact that a scandal of monumental proportions was about to break in the nation’s capital, exposing the shenanigans of the president’s cabinet officials, beginning with the Teapot Dome disgrace. His Secretary of Interior Albert B. Fall was about to be exposed (and convicted six years later) for taking a $100,000 bribe in return for a lease on the federal oil reserve near Casper, Wyoming, a scandal gone down in history as Teapot Dome. President Harding had been heard to grumble that his enemies didn’t give him any trouble, it was his friends who caused him grief! And there was something else, the raised eyebrows and exchanges of knowing glances among the First Lady’s acquaintances. The once-divorced Florence Kling Harding—called “The Duchess” behind her back—had learned that her heretofore childless second husband had not one but two mistresses as well as a baby girl by one of them. Florence Harding was an uncomfortable five years older than her attractive husband. She had been the driving force in his ambitious rise from Ohio newspaper editor to senator from Ohio and then to President of the United States. The expedition to Alaska had been Florence’s idea, the lengthy trip called by one of her biographers “the great dream of the duchess.” The president was apparently happy to go along, willing to enjoy the adventure and do a little politicking along the way in anticipation of the second-term election the following year. For him, the trip would be an eat-drink-and-be-merry excursion all the way. So the Hardings set off on the rail trip to San Francisco, where they would board the U.S. Navy transport the S.S. Henderson . It was smooth sailing en route north, with card games for the men, jerky silent movies enjoyed by everyone, books to read and plenty to eat and drink, in spite of Prohibition. 0 0 1 1093 6233 U of Washington 51 14 7312 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE

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Obama Takes Climate Message to Alaska, Where Change Is Rapid

By Julie Hirschfeld Davis

• Sept. 2, 2015

KOTZEBUE, Alaska — In this native village situated on a gravel spit above the Arctic Circle, life is changing more quickly than the Alaskans who have lived off the land and water here for thousands of years can keep pace with.

“The ice is the biggest thing,” said Dominic Ivanoff, 28, a leader of Kotzebue’s tribal council. He used to need two foot-long auger extensions to cut holes through the thick ice when he went fishing in April. Now, he said, the ice is thin enough that he needs none.

The situation is even more severe in smaller villages surrounding this remote slice of northwest Alaska, where climate change is not a political talking point or a theoretical scientific phenomenon but a punishing everyday reality. Some communities are sinking into the water, as erosion and melting permafrost wash away their foundations.

It was here that President Obama arrived on Wednesday to deliver his alarm-sounding message about the warming of the planet — a phenomenon occurring twice as quickly in Alaska as in the rest of the United States — bringing with him promises of new aid for Arctic communities whose shorelines and infrastructure are crumbling because of rising temperatures.

In a history-making stop — the first presidential visit to Arctic Alaska — Mr. Obama delivered a speech laying out new federal efforts to help these communities cope with coastal erosion and high energy costs and, in some extreme cases, relocate altogether.

Coming at the end of a trip he used to call attention to the challenge of climate change and to rally support in the United States and globally to address it, the announcement of the new efforts was a bid to draw attention to places that are feeling the effects most acutely.

“If your people are in a dire situation, if you allow whole communities to no longer exist, that reflects you as a leader,” said Diane Ramoth of Sewalik, an inland village of 900 people that has been trying for 10 years to relocate to higher ground but has struggled to find the money to do it. “Our village is going to be under water.”

On the mostly gravel and dirt streets of this town surrounded by water, where caribou and moose antlers adorn wooden houses on pilings and where pickup trucks and all-terrain vehicles are the mode of transportation of choice, residents said they were grateful for the focus Mr. Obama was putting on their difficulties, and for the new promises of federal support.

Townspeople flocked under a gray sky to a gymnasium here to see Mr. Obama, many of them wearing brightly colored traditional Inuit parkas known as atigluks.

“If there becomes, as a result of all of this, a focal point where communities that are really facing the brunt of this climate change crisis can go to get their issues addressed or get answers or make their case, that would be the best that could come of this,” said Reggie Joule, the mayor of the Northwest Arctic Borough. “It means that America has chosen to engage in a way that can help our people, and we have a president at the helm saying that these are important issues.”

Obama Visits Alaska School

President obama on wednesday said that the effects of global warming already seen in kotzebue, alaska, where he was speaking, should be the world’s wake-up call..

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY Kotzebue, Alaska - 2 September 2015 1. Various of Obama walking to stage 2. SOUNDBITE (English) President Barack Obama: “One of the reasons I came up here is to really focus on what is probably the biggest challenge our planet faces. If there’s one thing that threatens opportunity and prosperity for everybody, wherever we live, it’s the threat of a changing climate. I don’t need to tell people here in Alaska what’s happening.” // “If another country threatened to wipe out an American town, we’d do everything in our power to protect it. Well climate change poses the same threat right now. And that’s why I care so deeply about this. If we do nothing, temperatures in Alaska are projected to rise between 6 and 12 degrees by the end of the century. That means more melting, more fires, more erosion, more thawing of the permafrost, more warming after that. And that threatens all of us, not just people up north.” // “American is full of dreamers. We push new frontiers by choice. That’s what makes us Americans. Whether we live in the arctic circle or on the Hawaiian Islands. Whether we’re in big cities or small towns, we’re one people and our futures only as good as the effort we put into it but when people are determined and hopeful and generous as the people here, in Kotzebue, it makes me optimistic, it tells me that this country’s best days are still ahead.”

But there is also a hefty dose of skepticism from a native population that has often felt ignored, marginalized and victimized by the federal and state governments, and a sense that Mr. Obama’s efforts do not come close to meeting their urgent needs.

The president announced that the Denali Commission, the federal agency that coordinates government assistance to communities in Alaska, would oversee short- and long-term programs to safeguard and repair the coastal villages, and was committing $2 million to such initiatives, including “voluntary relocation efforts, where appropriate.”

“What is $2 million going to give us?” Ms. Ramoth said with a rueful smile. “A dream?”

At the borough hall on Third Avenue, not far from the sea wall built three years ago to cope with storm surges made worse by a rising sea, tribal leaders said climate change was affecting every aspect of their lives, fulfilling age-old prophecies of the transformations that would follow the arrival of white people in Alaska.

“That Maniilaq prophecy said things would change, and now we’re seeing the change to climate,” said Merle Custer of Shungnak, referring to an Inupiat healer and prophet who is said to have predicted in the 19th century, before Europeans arrived in Arctic Alaska, that white people would come and transform the world, bringing boats that were powered by fire or flew in the air. “It’s changing fast.”

Earlier, in Dillingham, where Mr. Obama visited with fishermen and clapped along and joined in as schoolchildren dressed in native attire performed Yup’ik dances, he spoke of the importance of preserving ancient traditions and livelihoods.

“It represents not just a critical way of life that has to be preserved, but it also represents one of the most important natural resources that the United States has,” Mr. Obama said of subsistence salmon fishing in Bristol Bay. “This is one of the reasons why we have shut off oil and gas exploration in this region. It is too fragile, and it is too important.”

But in Kotzebue, where bearded seals bobbed their heads above the water and dived for fish in the bay, the issue of energy exploration is less clear cut. Oil and gas drilling is an important economic driver. Royal Dutch Shell has parked equipment nearby and situated some staff members in the village, and Mr. Obama’s recent decision to allow drilling a few hundred miles north in the Chukchi Sea is popular.

“It’s a double-edged sword for us, because we know that the industry does help to create climate change, but we understand that it’s going to do that anyway, and if it has to happen, we want our people to benefit from that development,” said Maija Lukin, the mayor of Kotzebue.

Mr. Obama briefly diverted Air Force One on its way to Kotzebue to fly over the isolated barrier island of Kivalina, which is increasingly at risk of being wiped out by erosion and storm surges.

“If another country threatened to wipe out an American town, we’d do everything in our power to protect it,” Mr. Obama told a crowd in Kotzebue that greeted him with seal barks, a traditional native Alaskan cheer. “Well, climate change poses the same threat right now.”

He was introduced by Millie Hawley, a tribal leader from Kivalina, who put the matter in stark terms, saying the eight-mile island she calls home may soon be underwater.

“My current home may not exist 10 years from now,” she said.

History of Alaska/Territorial Alaska (1912-1959)

• 1.1.1 Warren Gamaliel Harding, 1923
• 1.1.2 Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1944
• 1.2.1 Role of Highways
• 1.2.2 Mining / Public Works
• 1.2.3 Matanuska Colony
• 1.2.4 Alaskan Natives
• 1.3.1 Prelude to the Japanese Invasion of Alaska
• 1.3.2 Trade During the War
• 1.3.3 The Japanese Occupation
• 1.3.4 Prisoners of War and Evacuation of Islands
• 1.3.5.1 Battle of Attu
• 1.3.5.2 Battle of Kiska
• 1.3.6 Weather and the War
• 1.3.7 Aftermath

Territorial Alaska (1912-1959) [ edit | edit source ]

Presidential visits to alaska [ edit | edit source ], warren gamaliel harding, 1923 [ edit | edit source ].

Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th president of the United States, and the first president to visit the territory of Alaska while serving in office. In July 1923, while traveling on the USS Henderson, Alaska became the end destination of President Harding’s “Voyage of Understanding." On this journey, the President brought with him three members of his cabinet, including Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The tour made at least nine stops and was done in an effort to restore faith in President Harding's administration. The "Voyage of Understanding" lasted two months and provided the president with a better understanding of Alaska and its potential resource development. While in Alaska, one purpose of his visit was to place the ceremonial golden spike of the railroad located in Nenana, connecting the last two ends of the railroads to the southern port of Anchorage. Over the 15 days spent in the Territory of Alaska, Harding and his entourage visited Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, Seward, Anchorage, Wasilla, Willow, Nenana, Fairbanks, Cordova, and Sitka. After Harding’s visit to connect the two railways, Alaska saw an increase in tourism due to their newly finished mode of transportation. Alaska Railroad Corp was created during this time due to the increase in railway use.

On route from Alaska, Harding was also the first U.S president to set foot on Canadian soil in July on the 26th. One week after his arrival in Canada, and completing the railway, marked President Harding’s last public appearance. President Harding would die after suffering a sudden heart failure in San Francisco on August 2. A separate speculation regarding the president’s cause of death was brought into the public's eye, which claimed the natural cause of death resulted by eating poisoned Alaskan crabs, however, the official ruling was reported as a heart attack.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1944 [ edit | edit source ]

Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Alaska as part of his trip across the Pacific during World War II in 1944 to tour military facilities in Hawaii and Alaska.He left his wife at home however he was accompanied by his black Scottish Terrier, Fala, on the USS Baltimore. Since Roosevelt’s health had been declining his assistants believed that a trip to a quiet war zone, such as Alaska, would do well to not only help the president's health but to increase moral with the troops.

With the Second World War coming to a close, one major purpose of this trip was to lift spirits of the troops. While addressing over 150 troops in a mess hall located in Adak, FDR was taken aback by the beauty and prosperity set forth by Alaska, gaining admiration from the soldiers after stating "I wish more people back home could come out to Alaska -- and see what we have done here in an incredibly short time." Phrases such as this were repeated throughout FDR’s visit to Alaska where he encouraged the troops to build a life there after the war. These notions increased the number of veterans that chose to settle down in Alaska, and even today the state currently hosts the highest number of veterans nationally.

While visiting Alaska, President Roosevelt and his associates were taken fishing, a pastime the president enjoyed, to a variety of destinations along the Alaskan coast. Amid his leisure fishing time, there was a concern for Japanese submarines being located within Roosevelt’s designated path. This led to the president switching ships from the Baltimore to the USS Cummings in Auke Bay. After making these vessel changes, Roosevelt and his entourage headed to Tee Harbor, where he wrote that they caught five salmon, one halibut, two flounder and numerous cod, before heading south to Tolstoi Bay on Prince of Wales Island. It is rumored by the Republican party that in the time of his ship change and departure from Alaska, Roosevelt had left Fala, his faithful companion, behind and diverted a warship to retrieve the dog, costing up to 20 million dollars in taxpayers’ money. This was denied by Roosevelt, stating that "These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala. Well, of course, I don't resent attacks, and my family doesn't resent attacks, but Fala does resent them." This lecture was given over the radio during Roosevelt’s campaigning for a fourth term and is referred to as the “Fala Speech”, of which Roosevelt denied causing such an action and costs to taxpayers, leading to a win of his fourth term as president. Ultimately, it was confirmed that the trip to Alaska was not as beneficial to President Roosevelt’s health as expected, as he died eight months later from a stroke, making him the second sitting president to visit Alaska and die less than a year later.

Alaska and the New Deal [ edit | edit source ]

Role of highways [ edit | edit source ].

The beginning of highways in Alaska started with the large networks of dogsled trails and trading routes across the Territory. The Chilkoot Trail is one example of a critical trade route for the easy access to the Yukon Goldfields. In the twentieth century, traditional dogsled trails quickly became obsolete as Alaska’s railway system took shape. This network of railroad track continued to experience growth through the Territorial Alaska period with new rail lines extending to Seward, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Ship Creek (later known as Anchorage) and eventually to the Mears Memorial Bridge that crosses the Tanana River at Nenana. These routes were critical to the population growth and economic development in Alaska in those geographical areas.

With Canada being between the continental United States of America and Alaska, support from the Canadian government was critical to the highways success in connecting Alaska to the mainland US. Originally the Canadian government did not see any value in putting up the required funds and support for any new highways to Alaska since the only Canadians that would benefit from a highway were the few thousand people that lived in the Canadian Yukon Territory. Real support for the highway began in 1929 when the British Columbian government wanted to build a highway to Alaska to promote tourism and economic development in the province. With the impacts of the Great Depression and the Canadian government still not on board with the idea, efforts for new highways to and within Alaska were again forgotten.

With both the United States of America and Canada declaring war on Germany and allied powers in WWII, the changing needs and wants for both the US and Canada were greatly aligning with the increased attacks on the West Coast from Japan. On February 6, 1942, the United States Army approved the construction of the Alaska Highway and received authorization from Congress 5 days later. The Government of Canada also agreed with the construction of the Alaska Highway (also known as the ALCAN Highway, Alaska-Canadian Highway or Alaskan Highway). The Canadian Government was in agreement as long as the United States paid the whole cost of it. They also wanted the highway and any other facilities built to manage the highway, that was built in Canada to be turned over to them after the war ended. The highway was very important for the US Army to have a steady and easily accessible connection to Alaska. This strategically important connection between the Continual United States and Alaska was vital if Japan were to attack Alaska, especially after Pearl Harbour.

The construction of the ALCAN Highway also now connected many population centers together and could now be accessed more easily. The route initially connected Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Watson Lake, Whitehorse, Haines Junction, Tok and Delta Junction together for an easier transfer of goods and services. The ALCAN Highway was constructed in the extreme terrain in a very short amount of time. Construction commenced on February 6, 1942, and finished on October 28, 1942, proving how critical this connection to Alaska was for the US Government. The highway didn’t end up going the most efficient way since time was more important than efficiency. This direct connection, while still a very long highway, contributed greatly to the population growth in Northern Canada and especially Alaska. The ALCAN highway was one of the main contributing factors to economic growth for Alaska in the time after it was built. Highways were, as they still are, critical to the delivery of goods and services. They also provided land travel to Alaska so new residents could more easily get there to settle the snowy terrain. Since automobiles were ever growing in popularity in the 20th Century, more and more people had cars and could easily move to a new part of the country when there was a promise of work or land ownership. Highways are also very fast methods of transportation when compared to traditional methods of walking across the land, by train when a railroad was already built or by boat through the Pacific Ocean.

After the war, the highway continued to be the ultimate way to get to Alaska cheaply and easily. It also contributed to the rise of tourism in Alaska as a way of income for many of the residents. Early tourists travelling on the new highways in 1950s Alaska loved the state because the glaciers shimmered in the sun, which never set and thus the state’s reputation as a tourism destination began to grow. The new modern highways that were being built also contributed to the growth of oil production and pipelines in Alaska. This was one of the great economic values to Alaska’s land before tourism really started to take root. The CANOL pipeline was also built during the construction of the ALCAN Highway and laid the groundwork for the extensive network of pipelines that Alaska has today. This new type of ‘highway’ system contributed to the discovery of more oil across Alaska and more economic growth in the Territory throughout the 20th Century.

Mining / Public Works [ edit | edit source ]

Following his election in 1932, President Roosevelt began implementing the New Deal: a multifaceted approach to relief, recovery, and reform in the wake of the Great Depression. One objective of the New Deal involved the reorganization and revitalization of natural resource industries. Alaska’s export-driven economy relied heavily on natural resources and was particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in world commodity prices. The effects of the Great Depression were further increased by the introduction of tariffs and market blockades by central states seeking to protect farmers and cattle herders in the continental United States. The FDR administration established the National Resources Board and appointed a Federal Alaska Committee to study the Alaskan economy and propose solutions. The mining industry was revitalized after an executive order was introduced to increase the price of gold from $20.67 to $35 an ounce. Renewed interest in mining led to a 135% increase in coal production from 1935 to 1940. Exports of other mineral products such as platinum, Quicksilver, antimony, and gypsum, doubled in value to over a million dollars annually in the late 1930s. The Public Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration, created in 1933 and 1935 respectively, financed various infrastructure projects throughout the territory which provided employment to thousands of Alaskans and facilitated the construction of schools, emergency services, waterworks, and paved roadways. A steel bridge was constructed between Juneau and Douglas Island, and harbours were renovated based on the expertise and approval of US army engineers. In an effort to provide jobs and promote tourism, hotels were built near Alaska’s National Parks and hundreds of young men were employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps to carry out conservation work.

Matanuska Colony [ edit | edit source ]

Rural resettlement projects organized as part of the New Deal involved the relocation of struggling farmers to cooperative farming communities in under-cultivated areas. The Matanuska Valley in south-central Alaska was home to one of the largest and most expensive rural resettlement projects in the country. Harry Hopkins, the supervisor of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), proposed the establishment of a government-assisted agricultural colony in Alaska. The Matanuska Valley, sitting approximately 45 miles northeast of Anchorage at the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, was chosen as the ideal location due to its proximity to the Alaska Railroad and it’s relatively mild climate, generous rainfall, and fertile soil.

In 1934, federal agents were sent to survey the valley and access its agricultural potential. The promising results of the survey led to a decision on the part of the FERA and the Department of the Interior to develop and implement a plan for the creation of a government-assisted agricultural colony in the Manasuka Valley. The plan called for the relocation of 200 families from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The Social Services Administration selected settlers based primarily on the amount of time they had spent on active relief rolls. Preference was given to experienced farmers between 25 and 35 years of age, particularly those of northern European descent since it was thought that they could adapt more easily to the Alaskan climate. The primary objectives of the colony were to encourage the self-sufficiency of the farmers, supply food, and promote the growth of Alaska’s economy. The colony was organized based on building types, farming practices and spatial arrangements found in small Midwestern agricultural communities. It was to be a cooperative community in which members would raise similar crops and engage in cooperative marketing. Scandinavian agricultural models were adopted based on the “Scandinavian Analogy”, which pointed to similarities in latitude and day length between Alaska and Scandinavia. This led government administrators to incorrectly anticipate similar levels of agricultural productivity. The “Scandinavian Analogy” ignored differences in climate and soil composition, as well as Scandinavia’s proximity to large populations and the centuries of infrastructural development that facilitated the country’s agricultural production. Implementation of the plan in Alaska began on February 4, 1935 with Executive Order No. 6957, which prohibited homesteading, allowed the federal government to take possession of all abandoned homesteads and declared that all government lands in the area would be reserved for the colony. Government agents and surveyors plotted out two hundred 40-acre tracts of land. The 917 adults and children who arrived at the Matanuska Valley in May 1935 struggled to adapt to the climate, and grew frustrated after several poor harvests and delayed supply shipments. After 4 years, almost half of the original colonists had departed. While the colony did not achieve the success that was hoped for by government administrators, it publicized the area and led to an influx of other Americans seeking to capitalize on Alaska’s natural resource potential. Remnants of the project can still be seen today throughout the landscape of the Matanuska Valley, as many of the houses, barns and roadways all resemble those found in the Midwest.

Alaskan Natives [ edit | edit source ]

The FDR administration established the Indian Civilian Conservation Corps (ICCC) in April 1933 to improve reservation lands throughout the country. Projects in Alaska included the construction of new living quarters for teachers in Hoonah and reparation of the Juneau Government hospital. The Department of the Interior, under Secretary Harold Ickes and his Commissioner of Indian Affairs John Collier, appointed a committee to study the link between Alaskan Native arts and their economic and cultural welfare. The committee concluded that government-assisted development of Native arts could provide income, promote self-sufficiency, and help the tribes maintain their cultural heritage.

After years of assimilation policies, the traditional practice of totem pole carving in Alaska had nearly ended. The ICCC, working in collaboration with the Forest Service, administered a program aimed at restoring totem poles throughout the territory. More than one hundred 19th century totem poles were restored, and over 250 Alaskan natives were employed in the process. Miniature models of the poles were sold to tourists with the help of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, which developed promotional strategies to expand the market and used a government trademark to ensure authenticity.

Alaska in World War II [ edit | edit source ]

Prelude to the Japanese Invasion of Alaska [ edit | edit source ]

After the First World War, a key treaty was made between the winning powers. The primary signers that affected Alaska were the United States and Japan. The treaty was called Five-Power Naval Armament Treaty and was signed in 1922. The treaty restricted what the United States could fortify, Hawaii was non-negotiable. But the United State made concessions with Japan saying that they would leave the Aleutian Islands alone. However, this treaty expired in 1936 after which the United States made no move to fortify them. Five years later the United States realized that the Aleutian Islands were very important to their national defense as they helped to prevent Northern Pacific naval attacks. The United States military built bases to occupy these islands. This pressured Japan into feeling like they were slowly being surrounded by the rival power. Newspapers in Japan commented that an outside power was trying to strangle Japan slowly. Hence the Japanese attacks on the Aleutian Islands which led to them occupying the islands of Kiska and Attu.

Another event prior to the American-Japanese conflict in World War II, was an incident that occurred in which Japanese naval aircraft mistakenly fired upon an American ship off the coast of the Chinese city of Nanking, believing it was an enemy Chinese vessel. Japan took full responsibility for the attack and apologized to the United States; however, many Americans grew suspicious of the Japanese imperial expansion and worried that the Japanese government would launch an attack on America across the Pacific Ocean. Brigadier General William Mitchell recommended to Congress that the United States develop strong air defences to protect the West Coast from a potential Japanese attack. At the start of America’s involvement in World War II in 1939 – and two years before the Pearl Harbor attack – the American Congress created a Panama-Hawaii-Alaska defense triangle, which the Americans planned as the main defensive line against a possible Japanese assault. However, Alaska was not adequately fortified which allowed to the occupation by Japanese forces.

Trade During the War [ edit | edit source ]

Due to its unique geographic position as the most northwestern territory, and its proximity to the Soviet Union(USSR), Alaska played a vital role in the United States’ trade and support to its allies during World War II. When the Lend-Lease Act was signed in 1941, it meant that the United States could ship large quantities of military supplies such as weapons, ammunition, and vehicles to major allies such as Britain and China without any immediate compensation. Due to cultural tensions between the two countries, the USSR was not immediately included in The Lend-Lease Act as, despite President Roosevelt's sympathy for the Soviets during wartime, he did not have the support of the American people or Congress to do so. However, the United States was also aware of the importance of having good relations with the Soviets, and after holding meetings with Stalin and Churchill, Roosevelt managed to convince Congress to add the USSR to the list of benefactors. They were introduced as a member of the second Lend-Lease Act when it was renewed by Congress in November 1941.

With trading activity established between the two parties, the next challenge was to develop transportation routes by which supplies could be sent. The solution was to use Alaska as it was the closest piece of US land in proximity to the far east of the USSR, only separated by the Bering Strait. However, due to its geographic location in relation to the rest of the country, the United States had to first find a way to the get supplies to Alaska. That is why in February 1942, construction started on a brand new, Alaska-Canada Highway. The thirty-million-dollar highway stretched 2, 237 km and was composed of two parts. The first starting from Dawson Creek, British Columbia leading to Whitehorse, Yukon, and the second from Whitehorse to Fairbank, Alaska. After the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941, all new development was to be stopped for a brief period. However, it became apparent that trading paths and further reinforcement were needed in the northwest to prevent vulnerability facing Japan in the Pacific. Over forty-five thousand workers and engineers moved at a rapid pace as the project was completed before the end of the year. The construction was done predominately by African American workers. Conditions were quite poor as the weather was often freezing and the pace which workers were pressured to work under was quite intense. Apart from the newly acquired ability to efficiently send supplies from the US to Alaska, many consider the most significant impacts of the Alaska- Canada Highway to be the US occupation of northwest Canada. It had fundamental changes politically, socially, and economically as it brought a large diverse group of Americans into what was otherwise a scarcely populated area of the country. Many locals had not lived with African Americans in their communities previously and the large influx of workers meant a more Americanized social structure.

Now that the United States had an efficient means of getting supplies through Canada and into Alaska, transportation methods had to be established to send equipment to the USSR. The decided method of transportation was air, rather than by sea. After testing many different flight paths and differently sized air-crafts in the earlier years of the war, the United States and the USSR established the Alaska-Siberian Airway (ALSIB). The nearly ten-thousand- kilometer route went from Fairbanks to Moscow, stopping at several military bases in the east along the way. A key factor that made the airway a possible transportation route was the minimal amount of flight time over water as the Bering Strait was only 85 km wide.

Throughout the war, the Alaska-Siberia Airway helped deliver over half of a million tons of supplies from the years of 1943-1945. While ships could still use the Bering Strait to transport supplies, the air was the most efficient mode of transportation as it allowed for a greater distance to be travelled over a shorter period of time. The development of the ALSIB would later prove to be vital as the Soviet’s dependency on the Lend-Lease Act would increase when the allies announced a second front in 1943.

The Japanese Occupation [ edit | edit source ]

During the summer of 1942 and six months after the Japanese Pearl Harbor attack on Oahu Hawaii, which had brought America into armed conflict with Japan, Japanese forces landed troops in the Aleutian Islands. This had been preceded by an aerial attack that left several American fuel tanks and a hospital damaged. This 15-month campaign was the only World War II military campaign fought on North American soil. Japanese forces included the carrier Ryujo and a brand-new aircraft carrier, Junyo, which together carried an armada of eighty-two attack planes. Two heavy cruisers, three destroyers, and an oil ship supported the carriers. This group was also supported by Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya’s Northern Force which included four cruisers, nine destroyers and three means of transport that carried two thousand five hundred Japanese soldiers. Their plan was to assault Dutch Harbor; drawing American naval forces north toward Alaska, then Yamamoto’s Combined Imperial Fleet would make its massed attack in the vicinity of Midway Island, 2000 miles to the south of Kakuta. The Aleutian Islands were a target because of their proximity to Paramushiro in the Japanese Kuriles. The Aleutians were the only area from which American planes could reach Japanese soil.

Following the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo where American bombers targeted industrial areas, the Japanese were scrambling to prevent further attacks. Thus, the Aleutian islands were targeted by The Imperial High Command in part because they believed there were bases there. Following the battle of Dutch Harbor, The Imperial Northern Force landed on the beaches of Kiska and Attu. After some time, all the sailors stationed in Kiska were captured; William House was the last to surrender after spending fifty days at large in the Aleutian mountains. However, Japan encountered no military resistance because the United States Army had not stationed any units nearby, and the closest military units were stationed on Unalaska Island at Dutch Harbor 847 miles away. A few hours after landing on Kiska, Massacre Bay, Attu was taken. The only man to die during the invasion of the western Aleutians was Charles Foster Jones, an American civilian who died in captivity. The successful takeover of American territory represented a symbolic victory for Japan since they had taken territory from what they considered to be a strong military power. It also allowed the Japanese government to create propaganda, masking their casualties and declaring the campaign a success.

In August 1942, however, the Americans created an airbase on Adak Island located 248 miles from Kiska Island, which the Americans used to send aircraft to bomb Japanese ships stationed at Kiska. Kiska harbour was used as the main naval base for Japanese ships during the invasion. In addition, the American Navy sent submarines to Kiska to bombard the Japanese strongholds and to sink Japanese warships, though these operations were aimed just to harass the Japanese stationed there until a plan could be put in place to re-take the islands.

Prisoners of War and Evacuation of Islands [ edit | edit source ]

The Japanese forces held the Alaskan villagers for two months. During the occupation, Japanese forces ruled the area harshly. A local native noted “We did not have much food, but sometimes they would let us go out in a dory to fish. They made us take a little Jap flag on our boat”. The Attuans were kept under close watch by the Japanese soldiers, those who attempted to run were shot. Japanese officers were able to control their forces well, and the people of Attu were mostly unharmed.

In September 1942, forty-two Attuans were moved aboard a merchant ship, the Yoko Maru. They were allowed to bring food, blankets, and even furniture, however, the Japanese forces shipped the Attuans back to Japan as prisoners. The trip to Japan took two weeks and one casualty, Anecia Prokopeuff, died on board the ship. Upon arriving in Japan the Attuans were housed in a vacant railroad employee dormitory on Wakatake-cho. In Japan several Attuans died of disease, tuberculosis and beriberi were likely the cause, as these diseases ran rampant throughout the camp. The Attuan residents were employed in digging clay from an open pit mine, while they were supposed to be paid for this work they received no compensation until they were released. Out of the 42 prisoners taken, only 26 survived their internment. In response, the U.S. military began evacuating Aleuts (Natives of the Aleutian Islands) from the other Aleutian Islands nearby. In total, 881 Aleuts were evacuated from the Aleut islands in June and July 1942. In addition to evacuating the residents, the U.S. military burned the local residences to prevent their use by Japan.

American Re-Capturing of Islands [ edit | edit source ]

Battle of Attu [ edit | edit source ]

On May 11, 1943 the United States Army prepared to capture the island of Attu. This was known as "Operation Landgrab". The US had already started bombing the islands of Attu and Kiska before sending 11,000 troops to Attu. American soldiers rowed ashore in the dead of night, and during the landing, the army faced several challenges. These included foggy and freezing weather, a shortage of landing craft, and equipment that malfunctioned due to the cold. Many soldiers suffered from frostbite as well. The fight for the island lasted a total of 19 days. The battle for Attu would last five days before Americans could take any ground from the Japanese entrenchment. The Japanese who were severally outnumbered gained high ground making it hard for American soldiers to advance given the weather conditions. By the seventh day, American forces had suffered eleven hundred casualties, 500 of which were due to cases of exposure. However, on the final day, the entire remaining Japanese army on Attu made the LARGEST SUICIDAL BONZAI CHARGE IN THE PACIFIC THEATR1. In total, the Americans suffered 500 combat dead and 3829 casualties but the Japanese suffered 2571 dead out of 2600; only 29 Japanese prisoners were captured alive. The excessive killing was partly due to American hatred toward the Japanese for capturing American soil. The resulting anger saw many Americans killing wounded Japanese soldiers on the battlefield.

Following the end of the war, the Attuan prisoners were released. American forces were able to airdrop them much-needed supplies, which they shared with their friends among the Japanese. The Japanese eventually gave back the cremated remains of the Attuans who had died in Japan. The remains of the deceased Attuans were buried near the Atka church, but outside church grounds as the Russian Orthodox Church does not allow cremation. Though the Attuans wished to return to Attu, they were told there weren’t enough people left to resettle their village. The Attuans were moved into the village of Atka. This initially caused significant friction between the two groups, but eventually, the remaining Attuans were able to integrate with the Atkans.

Battle of Kiska [ edit | edit source ]

The Battle of Kiska occurred on August 15, 3 months after the battle of Attu. Prior to the battle, the Canadian Air-Force patrolled the skies above Kiska in a reconnaissance role. American and Canadian Naval Forces were also stationed off the coast of the island. A combined American and Canadian infantry force was sent to re-take the island. The American military command believed the mission would be quite dangerous; some commanders predicted the casualty rate would be upwards of 90%. However, upon arrival, they found the Japanese forces had already retreated. Rumors of Japanese snipers operating in the area led to significant friendly-fire among the infantrymen which ultimately took the lives of 28 American soldiers and wounded 50 others. The Japanese forces had actually completely left the island before the Americans even arrived. Before they left, Japanese soldiers had installed time-bombs, booby-traps, and mines throughout the Kiska area which continued to injure and kill soldiers in the days following the original battle. The operation ended with over 300 recorded casualties.

Weather and the War [ edit | edit source ]

The soldiers who fought at the battle of Kiska dealt with challenging weather conditions. During their first night, rain and fog came in from the Bering Sea and impaired their vision. In one case, an incidence of friendly-fire was narrowly avoided when a man appeared out of the fog and was mistaken for an enemy soldier. Fortunately, he was able to identify himself before he was shot. In the aftermath of the battle, soldiers were wrought with sickness and disease due to their exposure to the elements. Those serving in the U.S. and Canadian Air Forces were also faced with difficult and sometimes dangerous weather conditions. In the January 1943 issue of Air Force magazine, an article called “North from Great Falls” contained advice specifically for airmen flying in Alaska. For instance, it described how to navigate through the weather conditions, what to do in the event of a crash, and how to use a special heater to warm the engine prior to starting it. The survival kits that these pilots carried with them contained items such as fire starter, a pistol, bouillon cubes, and iodine to purify water. Pilots in Alaska had a wide range of unconventional duties; in addition to operating the planes and equipment, they were expected to guard gasoline and keep bears off the runway at night. The mud and slush that soldiers walked through during the spring and fall seasons made them particularly susceptible to Trench Foot. It was one of the most common medical conditions for soldiers stationed at Kiska. The Air Force Magazine mentioned earlier also had an article titled “How to Keep Well” which discusses the symptoms and treatment of trench foot.

Adjusting to life in Alaskan was especially difficult for servicemen who had come from warmer states. A common issue they dealt with was getting their skin stuck to metal objects. The “How to Keep Well” article discussed earlier talked about how to deal with that situation if it happens. If it happened to someone they could either try to break loose and risk leaving some skin behind or they could pour hot water on the metal piece in order to warm it up and risk getting burned. This was a unique and unfortunate challenge that these soldiers faced that would only add to the misery they felt.

Overall, the weather and battle conditions in Alaska were miserable for all the soldiers who served there. The weather along the Aleutian chain is among the worst in the world. Dense fogs, rough waters, and raging windstorms worn down soldiers from both sides. One physician on the ground noted how he could tell which soldiers had been on the islands for longer than six months: the number of American soldiers suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder steadily increased during this campaign. In order to keep morale up among the United States citizens and to keep them from realizing how close their homeland came to being attacked, and, in some cases such as Kiska occupied, the information given to the public was limited. The failure and the mistakes that the United States faced on Kiska also helped limit the information provided to the public. Due to all these factors, the campaign fought in Alaska has almost been forgotten but remains an important part of both Alaskan history and the history of the United States as a whole.

Aftermath [ edit | edit source ]

Shortly after the Battle of the Aleutian Islands, the Japanese re-positioned themselves in Northern Japan to protect themselves in case of an American attack. No major form of retaliation would come from the Americans. The United States learned many lessons from the fighting that took place on the Aleutian Islands. One of the most important ones was that it was an important strategical point for their military. They learned that they should have taken the islands back quickly to prevent the Japanese from building fortifications. The United States also needed to refine their tactics in order to properly address the conditions commonly seen in Alaska. Weather and terrain needed to be considered when planning infantry attacks. They needed to plan attacks so that they could coordinate both aerial and naval bombardments which synced with the infantry divisions attacking routes. Battles in Alaska were very difficult because of the mountainous terrain and cold conditions. The time spent before battles proved that the United States was not ready logistically. The logistical failings can be seen in the United States soldiers morale. The soldiers were constantly under dressed and under supplied for the battles they were fighting, causing low morale among the troops. The United States also learned how to properly transport goods to their troops so that they could fight properly. It was events like these that forced the United States military to adapt when they built and armed the forces deployed in Alaska.

After the war, thousands of American civilians moved to the sparsely populated region. Larger cities such as Anchorage grew from 3,000 to 47,000 people and Fairbanks grew from 4,000 to 20,0000 people. Between 1940 and 1950, the Alaskan population as a whole expanded by 72,000. In addition, the Secretary of the Interior designated eight sites – including the battlefields and landing sites at Attu and Kiska – as National Historic Landmarks. Furthermore, in December 2008, President George Bush Jr. issued an Executive Order which established the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. The Alaska unit includes the battlefields and landing sites of Attu and Kiska.

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Biden marks Sept. 11 anniversary with U.S. troops in Alaska

President Joe Biden delivered remarks for the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, on the way back to Washington from a trip to India and Vietnam .

Biden spoke at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson before an audience of more than 1,000 service members , first responders and their families, a White House spokesperson said.

“On this day 22 years ago from this base, we were scrambling on high alert to escort planes through the airspace,” Biden said. “Alaskan communities opened their doors to stranded passengers.”

Biden's Alaska remarks were the first he has delivered in a 9/11 anniversary speech as president at a site that was not hit in the attack. Last year , he spoke at the Pentagon. In 2021 , he visited ground zero in New York, traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and then went to the Pentagon.

Biden said Monday he remembered seeing the devastation in New York the day after the attack.

“Ground zero in New York — I remember standing there the next day and looking at the building, and I felt like I was looking through the gates of hell — it looked so devastating,” he said.

But on Sept. 12, 2001, the Senate was in session and Biden was in Washington, D.C., where he delivered remarks on the Senate floor.

Biden did visit ground zero on Sept. 20 that year. The White House declined to comment.

The Republican National Committee quickly put up a post on the social media site X pointing out Biden's whereabouts on Sept. 12, 2001.

Other Biden administration top officials and their families are remembering 9/11 at the more traditional sites for administration commemorations. Earlier Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris visited New York City's September 11th Memorial. First lady Jill Biden laid a wreath at the Pentagon memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff laid a wreath in Shanksville in honor of United Airlines Flight 93.

In his speech Monday, Biden also called for national unity above division, emphasizing the importance of coming together around democracy.

“We must not succumb to the poisonous politics of difference and division,” he said. “We must never allow ourselves to be pulled apart by petty manufactured grievances. We must continue to stand united.”

The administration will also give $4 million to the National September 11 Memorial & Memorial Plaza in New York City, the White House spokesperson said. The funds come from the 9/11 Memorial Act grant program.

On Monday, Biden also tweeted a compilation of moments from his speech last year at the Pentagon on the 9/11 anniversary.

“September 11 is a day not only to remember, but a day of renewal and resolve for every American — in our devotion to this country, to the principles it embodies, to our democracy,” he wrote in the tweet accompanying the video.

In last year's speech, Biden also referred to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and said that "our commitment to preventing another attack on the United States is without end."

The Alaska stop caps off Biden's around-the-world trip. He traveled to New Delhi for the Group of 20 summit, which focuses on international economic cooperation. After the summit, he traveled to Vietnam, which has become a significant U.S. partner in Southeast Asia.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Gary Grumbach produces and reports for NBC News, based in Washington, D.C.

Monica Alba is a White House correspondent for NBC News.

How Many Presidents Visited All 50 States Before Leaving Office?

By mark mancini | apr 26, 2015.

As you may have read, President Obama raised some eyebrows earlier this month when it was reported that he has only visited 49 out of 50 states since his first term began. The lone outlier? South Dakota.

“We’d always love to have him,” said ex-senator Tom Daschle, who suggested one of the state’s nine Indian reservations for a stop on Obama’s next road trip. Back in 2013, South Dakota’s department of tourism officially invited him over, noting “your wife and daughters have visited Mount Rushmore … now it is your turn.” And  don’t miss John Oliver’s brilliant take on Obama’s neglect of South Dakota (complete with a phony, somewhat NSFW ad).

A little over a week after the comedian’s bit aired, Obama announced that he would indeed be dropping by Watertown, S.D., where he’ll deliver a commencement address at Lake Area Technical Institute. By exploring the great states of South Dakota, North Carolina, Idaho, and Utah this year, Obama will soon become only the fourth sitting president in U.S. history to have set foot in all 50 states.

WHERE THE OTHER PRESIDENTS STAND

FDR would be on this exclusive list, if it weren’t for the fact that Alaska and Hawaii didn’t become states until 1959. Fittingly, the longest-serving POTUS managed to explore—or at the very least pass through—those two territories and all 48 extant states during his twelve-year stint in the White House. 

“Unfortunately,” says archive specialist Jim Armistead of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum , “no one has compiled a list of all the states which President Truman visited while he was in office.” Still, his public papers reveal that at least 40 hosted him at one point during his two terms. Furthermore, Armistead notes that before Hawaii joined the union, Truman stopped there “on his way to Wake Island for a conference with General Douglas MacArthur in 1950.” As for America’s other soon-to-be state, he considered taking an Alaskan vacation during the summer of ‘46, but ultimately opted for a New England getaway instead.

Dwight Eisenhower was technically the first president to serve all 50 states—under his watch, two new stars were added to our flag after Alaska and Hawaii joined the union. But despite that—as well as Eisenhower’s part in the creation of America’s interstate highway system —there were a few states that the 34th president never got around to seeing before he left D.C.

For example, Idaho , which got snubbed by Ike and his successor. In John F. Kennedy’s defense, he did manage a visit to every single state at some point (just not during his tragically-short administration). Next up was Lyndon Johnson, who made time for Idaho as chief executive, but neglected places like North Dakota .

Then came Richard Nixon. One day in 1971 , “Tricky Dick” met with Republican fundraisers at a Delaware estate. As unassuming as this little foray was, it capped a remarkable accomplishment. By crossing Delaware off his list, Nixon had done something that no previous president had—he’d checked out all 50 states while in office, and did so in less than three years.

According to his press secretary Ronald L. Ziegler, Nixon firmly believed in getting out and meeting everyday people—as his travels purportedly demonstrated. “He has done that,” said Ziegler . “I think he will continue to do that.” 

Unfortunately, Nixon’s sudden, scandalous departure didn’t give Gerald Ford much time to work with, and he couldn’t keep the fifty-state visitation streak alive. (Just like Johnson, North Dakota was among those Ford missed). Jimmy Carter also fell short during his one-term presidency, failing to reach such states as South Dakota and Vermont .

Let’s pause here for a moment, because the syrup-scented home of Ben & Jerry’s really deserves a shout-out. Historically, presidential visits to Vermont have been quite scarce. Before Obama was sworn in, three of the previous five commanders-in-chief never came calling on the New England gem. After Carter overlooked it, Vermont went on to become one of only four states that Ronald Reagan passed over (along with Maine, Rhode Island, and Delaware). Even so, the whole quartet voted for him in 1984—and all but Rhode Island had done so in 1980.

George H.W. Bush did in a single term what Reagan couldn’t in two, becoming the first president since Nixon to see every state. Bill Clinton then followed suit, squeezing in his final state just under the wire.

While Clinton was in office, GOP leaders in Nebraska began taking pride in an odd piece of trivia. “We have the distinction,” Governor Mike Johanns gloated at the Republican National Convention in 2000, “of being the only state in the union, I repeat the ONLY state in the union, never visited by Bill Clinton since he’s been president.” Naturally, the conservative crowd went wild. Four months later , Clinton finally showed and shook hands with Johanns himself when Air Force One touched down at the Kearney Municipal Airport.

George W. Bush spent time in a grand total of 49 states before calling it quits. Care to guess which one he spurned? (We’ll give you a hint: it starts with a “V” and rhymes with “croissant.”)

To say that the 43rd president wasn’t a popular guy in Vermont would be a serious understatement. After all, in 2008, two Vermont towns—Brattleboro and Marlboro—approved a nonbinding measure supposedly requiring local police officers to arrest Bush and then-VP Dick Cheney on sight. Perhaps it was for the best that the head of state kept his distance.

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President Obama visits Alaska

Spawning fish.

President Obama crossed the Arctic Circle on Wednesday in a first by a sitting U.S. president, telling residents in a far-flung Alaska village that their plight should be the world's wake-up call on global warming.

Obama's visit to Kotzebue, a town of some 3,000 people in the Alaska Arctic, was designed to snap the country to attention by illustrating the ways warmer temperatures have already threatened entire communities and ways of life in Alaska. He said, despite progress in reducing greenhouse gases, the planet is already warming, and the U.S. isn't doing enough to stop it.

As he closed out a three-day tour of the state focused almost entirely on climate change, the president sought to show solidarity with Alaska Natives and rural Alaskans whose immense challenges are rarely in the national spotlight.

Obama came to Alaska with no grand policy pronouncements or promises of massive federal aid. Instead, he sought to use the changes to Alaska's breathtaking landscape to put pressure on leaders in the U.S. and abroad to cut greenhouse gas emissions, as he works to secure a global climate treaty that he hopes will form a cornerstone of his environmental legacy.

Temperatures in the Arctic are rising twice as fast as anywhere else on earth, Obama said. Permafrost, the layer of frozen ice under the surface, is thawing and causing homes, pipes and roads to sink as the soil quickly erodes. Some 100,000 Alaskans live in areas vulnerable to melting permafrost, government estimates show. (AP)

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AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Alaska and Wyoming Democratic presidential contests

W ASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises.

In Wyoming, Democrats will award 13 delegates using a presidential preference vote held at caucuses in each of the state’s 23 counties. Seven names will appear on the ballot, but Biden is the only major candidate competing for votes. Caucusgoers will have the option to vote for “Uncommitted,” which has been used in some other states to register a protest vote against the sitting president.

In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in Saturday’s party-run primary, but the event won’t resemble any other presidential nominating contest held so far this year. Democratic voters will convene in meetings in each of Alaska’s 40 state House districts and indicate their support for Biden in a voice vote. Most of the district meetings will be held virtually by video conference, although participants in Fairbanks and Juneau have the additional option of attending and voting in person. State party officials had originally planned to hold a vote-by-mail primary to conclude on April 6, but they revamped their plans after U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota suspended his campaign , leaving Biden the only remaining candidate to qualify for the Alaska ballot. Rather than cancel the primary as Florida and Delaware did last month, the party changed the event to a simple voice vote and pushed it back a week to coincide with the state House district caucuses. Doing so reduced the cost of the primary from $450,000 to $10,000, according to the state party chairman.

Biden has already surpassed the number of delegates he’ll need to officially claim the nomination at the convention this summer.

Alaska Republicans held presidential caucuses on Super Tuesday in March. Wyoming Republicans will complete their process of awarding presidential delegates next week at their state convention.

In 2020, Biden won the Alaska primary, 55% to 45%, and the Wyoming caucuses, 72% to 28%, over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both events were held shortly after Sanders suspended his campaign but before Biden unofficially clinched the nomination. Sanders carried both states in the 2016 primaries against Hillary Clinton.

Both Alaska and Wyoming vote reliably Republican in presidential general elections. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win either state was President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

In Wyoming, Biden is the favorite in the caucuses as he faces no major challengers on the ballot. The first indication that he is winning statewide on a level consistent with the overwhelming margins seen in most other contests held this year may be sufficient to determine the statewide winners.

In Alaska, Biden is the only eligible candidate. Determining the winner will be a matter of waiting for the state party to announce when the outcome is official.

Here are the Saturday contests at a glance:

Democrats: 28 (Alaska 15, Wyoming 13)

PARTY-RUN EVENTS (2): Alaska primary, Wyoming caucuses

11 a.m. EDT: First county caucus begins in Wyoming

12:15 p.m. EDT: Most county caucuses begin in Wyoming

1 p.m. EDT: Final county caucus begins in Wyoming

2 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

4 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

6 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 8 of 40 Alaska districts

7 p.m. EDT: Deadline to submit Wyoming caucus results to state party

11 p.m. EDT: Final Alaska results expected

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden is the only candidate eligible to receive votes. 15 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only registered Democrats may participate in the party-run primary.

RESULTS EXPECTED: The voice vote sessions will be held at different times throughout the day, depending on the location of the district. The state party chairman is expected to announce the final result no later than 11 p.m. EDT.

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden, Jason Palmer, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, “Uncommitted” and three others. 13 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only Democrats who registered by Tuesday may participate in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses. Caucusgoers must live in the county to participate in that county’s caucus.

RESULTS EXPECTED: Caucus start times vary by county, but caucus officials have until 7 p.m. EDT to report their results to the state party.

As of Saturday, there will be 128 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 206 days until the November general election.

Follow the AP's coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024 .

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AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Alaska and Wyoming Democratic presidential contests

FILE - A welcome sign is shown Sept. 22, 2021, in Tok, Alaska. President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday, April 13, 2024, in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises. In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in a party-run primary, which will be conducted by voice vote in the state’s 40 legislative districts. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - A sign on the border of Wyoming and Montana appears on the side of Belfry Highway, May 24, 2017, in Powell, Wyo. Biden as won the Democratic presidential caucuses in Wyoming, Saturday, April 13. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises.

In Wyoming, Democrats will award 13 delegates using a presidential preference vote held at caucuses in each of the state’s 23 counties. Seven names will appear on the ballot, but Biden is the only major candidate competing for votes. Caucusgoers will have the option to vote for “Uncommitted,” which has been used in some other states to register a protest vote against the sitting president.

In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in Saturday’s party-run primary, but the event won’t resemble any other presidential nominating contest held so far this year. Democratic voters will convene in meetings in each of Alaska’s 40 state House districts and indicate their support for Biden in a voice vote. Most of the district meetings will be held virtually by video conference, although participants in Fairbanks and Juneau have the additional option of attending and voting in person. State party officials had originally planned to hold a vote-by-mail primary to conclude on April 6, but they revamped their plans after U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota suspended his campaign , leaving Biden the only remaining candidate to qualify for the Alaska ballot. Rather than cancel the primary as Florida and Delaware did last month, the party changed the event to a simple voice vote and pushed it back a week to coincide with the state House district caucuses. Doing so reduced the cost of the primary from $450,000 to $10,000, according to the state party chairman.

Biden has already surpassed the number of delegates he’ll need to officially claim the nomination at the convention this summer.

Alaska Republicans held presidential caucuses on Super Tuesday in March. Wyoming Republicans will complete their process of awarding presidential delegates next week at their state convention.

In 2020, Biden won the Alaska primary, 55% to 45%, and the Wyoming caucuses, 72% to 28%, over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both events were held shortly after Sanders suspended his campaign but before Biden unofficially clinched the nomination. Sanders carried both states in the 2016 primaries against Hillary Clinton.

Both Alaska and Wyoming vote reliably Republican in presidential general elections. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win either state was President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

DECISION NOTES

In Wyoming, Biden is the favorite in the caucuses as he faces no major challengers on the ballot. The first indication that he is winning statewide on a level consistent with the overwhelming margins seen in most other contests held this year may be sufficient to determine the statewide winners.

In Alaska, Biden is the only eligible candidate. Determining the winner will be a matter of waiting for the state party to announce when the outcome is official.

Here are the Saturday contests at a glance:

DELEGATES AT STAKE ON SATURDAY

Democrats: 28 (Alaska 15, Wyoming 13)

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS (2)

PARTY-RUN EVENTS (2): Alaska primary, Wyoming caucuses

SATURDAY TIMELINE

11 a.m. EDT: First county caucus begins in Wyoming

12:15 p.m. EDT: Most county caucuses begin in Wyoming

1 p.m. EDT: Final county caucus begins in Wyoming

2 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

4 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

6 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 8 of 40 Alaska districts

7 p.m. EDT: Deadline to submit Wyoming caucus results to state party

11 p.m. EDT: Final Alaska results expected

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden is the only candidate eligible to receive votes. 15 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only registered Democrats may participate in the party-run primary.

RESULTS EXPECTED: The voice vote sessions will be held at different times throughout the day, depending on the location of the district. The state party chairman is expected to announce the final result no later than 11 p.m. EDT.

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden, Jason Palmer, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, “Uncommitted” and three others. 13 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only Democrats who registered by Tuesday may participate in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses. Caucusgoers must live in the county to participate in that county’s caucus.

RESULTS EXPECTED: Caucus start times vary by county, but caucus officials have until 7 p.m. EDT to report their results to the state party.

UNCOMMITTED ON THE BALLOT

Are we there yet.

As of Saturday, there will be 128 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 206 days until the November general election.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024 .

National Politics | What to expect in the Alaska and Wyoming…

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National politics | ahead of 4/20, massachusetts cannabis officials remind people making edibles ‘to be careful’, national politics, national politics | what to expect in the alaska and wyoming democratic presidential contests.

By ROBERT YOON (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President  Joe Biden  will face Democratic voters this Saturday in a pair of nominating contests in  Alaska  and  Wyoming  that are unlikely to produce any surprises.

In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in Saturday’s party-run primary, but the event won’t resemble any other presidential nominating contest held so far this year. Democratic voters will convene in meetings in each of Alaska’s 40 state House districts and indicate their support for Biden in a voice vote. Most of the district meetings will be held virtually by video conference, although participants in Fairbanks and Juneau have the additional option of attending and voting in person. State party officials had originally planned to hold a vote-by-mail primary to conclude on April 6, but they revamped their plans after U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota  suspended his campaign , leaving Biden the only remaining candidate to qualify for the Alaska ballot. Rather than  cancel the primary  as Florida and Delaware did last month, the party changed the event to a simple voice vote and pushed it back a week to coincide with the state House district caucuses. Doing so reduced the cost of the primary from $450,000 to $10,000, according to the state party chairman.

Biden has already  surpassed the number of delegates he’ll need to officially claim the nomination at the convention this summer.

Alaska Republicans held presidential caucuses on Super Tuesday in March. Wyoming Republicans will complete their process of awarding presidential delegates next week at their state convention.

In 2020, Biden won the Alaska primary, 55% to 45%, and the Wyoming caucuses, 72% to 28%, over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both events were held shortly after Sanders suspended his campaign but before Biden unofficially clinched the nomination. Sanders carried both states in the 2016 primaries against Hillary Clinton.

Both Alaska and Wyoming vote reliably Republican in presidential general elections. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win either state was President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

DECISION NOTES

In Wyoming, Biden is the favorite in the caucuses as he faces no major challengers on the ballot. The first indication that he is winning statewide on a level consistent with the overwhelming margins seen in most other contests held this year may be sufficient to determine the statewide winners.

In Alaska, Biden is the only eligible candidate. Determining the winner will be a matter of waiting for the state party to announce when the outcome is official.

Here are the Saturday contests at a glance:

DELEGATES AT STAKE ON SATURDAY

Democrats: 28 (Alaska 15, Wyoming 13)

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CONTESTS (2)

PARTY-RUN EVENTS (2): Alaska primary, Wyoming caucuses

SATURDAY TIMELINE

11 a.m. EDT: First county caucus begins in Wyoming

12:15 p.m. EDT: Most county caucuses begin in Wyoming

1 p.m. EDT: Final county caucus begins in Wyoming

2 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

4 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

6 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 8 of 40 Alaska districts

7 p.m. EDT: Deadline to submit Wyoming caucus results to state party

11 p.m. EDT: Final Alaska results expected

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden is the only candidate eligible to receive votes. 15 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only registered Democrats may participate in the party-run primary.

RESULTS EXPECTED: The voice vote sessions will be held at different times throughout the day, depending on the location of the district. The state party chairman is expected to announce the final result no later than 11 p.m. EDT.

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden, Jason Palmer, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, “Uncommitted” and three others. 13 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only Democrats who registered by Tuesday may participate in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses. Caucusgoers must live in the county to participate in that county’s caucus.

RESULTS EXPECTED: Caucus start times vary by county, but caucus officials have until 7 p.m. EDT to report their results to the state party.

UNCOMMITTED ON THE BALLOT

Are we there yet.

As of Saturday, there will be 128 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 206 days until the November general election.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2024 election at  https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024 .

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AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Alaska and Wyoming Democratic presidential contests

President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises.

In Wyoming, Democrats will award 13 delegates using a presidential preference vote held at caucuses in each of the state’s 23 counties. Seven names will appear on the ballot, but Biden is the only major candidate competing for votes. Caucusgoers will have the option to vote for “Uncommitted,” which has been used in some other states to register a protest vote against the sitting president.

In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in Saturday’s party-run primary, but the event won’t resemble any other presidential nominating contest held so far this year. Democratic voters will convene in meetings in each of Alaska’s 40 state House districts and indicate their support for Biden in a voice vote. Most of the district meetings will be held virtually by video conference, although participants in Fairbanks and Juneau have the additional option of attending and voting in person. State party officials had originally planned to hold a vote-by-mail primary to conclude on April 6, but they revamped their plans after U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota suspended his campaign, leaving Biden the only remaining candidate to qualify for the Alaska ballot. Rather than cancel the primary as Florida and Delaware did last month, the party changed the event to a simple voice vote and pushed it back a week to coincide with the state House district caucuses. Doing so reduced the cost of the primary from $450,000 to $10,000, according to the state party chairman.

Biden has already surpassed the number of delegates he’ll need to officially claim the nomination at the convention this summer.

Alaska Republicans held presidential caucuses on Super Tuesday in March. Wyoming Republicans will complete their process of awarding presidential delegates next week at their state convention.

In 2020, Biden won the Alaska primary, 55% to 45%, and the Wyoming caucuses, 72% to 28%, over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both events were held shortly after Sanders suspended his campaign but before Biden unofficially clinched the nomination. Sanders carried both states in the 2016 primaries against Hillary Clinton.

Both Alaska and Wyoming vote reliably Republican in presidential general election s. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win either state was President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

In Wyoming, Biden is the favorite in the caucuses as he faces no major challengers on the ballot. The first indication that he is winning statewide on a level consistent with the overwhelming margins seen in most other contests held this year may be sufficient to determine the statewide winners.

In Alaska, Biden is the only eligible candidate. Determining the winner will be a matter of waiting for the state party to announce when the outcome is official.

Here are the Saturday contests at a glance:

Democrats: 28 (Alaska 15, Wyoming 13)

PARTY-RUN EVENTS (2): Alaska primary, Wyoming caucuses

11 a.m. EDT: First county caucus begins in Wyoming

12:15 p.m. EDT: Most county caucuses begin in Wyoming

1 p.m. EDT: Final county caucus begins in Wyoming

2 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

4 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts

6 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 8 of 40 Alaska districts

7 p.m. EDT: Deadline to submit Wyoming caucus results to state party

11 p.m. EDT: Final Alaska results expected

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden is the only candidate eligible to receive votes. 15 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only registered Democrats may participate in the party-run primary.

RESULTS EXPECTED: The voice vote sessions will be held at different times throughout the day, depending on the location of the district. The state party chairman is expected to announce the final result no later than 11 p.m. EDT.

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden, Jason Palmer, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson , “Uncommitted” and three others. 13 delegates are at stake.

WHO CAN VOTE: Only Democrats who registered by Tuesday may participate in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses. Caucusgoers must live in the county to participate in that county’s caucus.

RESULTS EXPECTED: Caucus start times vary by county, but caucus officials have until 7 p.m. EDT to report their results to the state party.

As of Saturday, there will be 128 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 206 days until the November general election.

Follow the AP's coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

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Alaskan Independence Party focuses on Legislature seats after Fairbanks convention

The Alaskan Independence Party held its statewide convention last weekend in Fairbanks for the first time since 2008. A new board of directors wants to focus on getting party members to run for state offices.

The AIP holds a convention every two years. John Wayne Howe was elected Saturday as chair of the party, which boasts 19,000 members in Alaska.

In an interview, Howe mingled the names of Alaska’s two main political parties, implicitly critiquing similarities between their platforms.

“We are the third largest. We are the largest one outside of the Democrats and the — Demlicans and Republicrats,” Howe said.

Howe was one of the first Alaskans to register in the party when it was formed in the 1970s. He has run for U.S. House and Senate seats and for governor under the AIP banner.

“The big thing that we are working for — we want to get candidates on the party,” he said. “And if anyone listening wants to run under the Alaskan Independence Party, the only party born in the state of Alaska.”

Bert Williams was just elected as party secretary. He said the party is looking at state legislative races.

“We don’t really have any interest in more federal positions such as Senate or House of Representatives or the presidential election,” Williams said. “And when the party was founded, Joe Vogler, he was very adamant for the party to be focused on the state.”

Vogler founded the party after he didn’t like the way Alaska’s statehood commission prepared the territory to join the U.S. in 1959. The AIP charter says its members would like to have had a vote on other options. In 1973, Vogler started serious advocacy for Alaska to secede, although Howe said the AIP’s platform does not explicitly call for it.

“And it is possible that we could achieve a level of independence and still be connected with the U.S.,” Howe said. “Which Joe was not against, being connected with the U.S.; he just didn’t want the oppression the way that it is currently set up.”

At the state convention, the party reinvigorated its platform, and Howe said members passed some new planks.

“There’s one that I like real well: ‘Independence for every individual Alaskan is our goal and must be executed by all peaceful and lawful means,’” Howe said.

The new board also thanked former chair Bob Bird, saying he organized party affairs after the unexpected death of the previous chair, Lynette Clark, who took over from Vogler.

In addition to recruiting candidates for office, another focus for the party now is communication. Members hope to launch a new website sometime this week.

Robyne, KUAC - Fairbanks

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