Do you know Alaska's History

In the Beginning Russia's first human beings arrived in Alaska between 15,000 and 13,000 BC.
At that time Alaska was part of a land bridge that extended across to Siberia. People followed the herds of animals they hunted. In the area in

the 18th century, Europeans arrived. In 1741 a man known as Vitus Bering led a Russian expedition to Alaska. During this expedition, they discovered there was great wealth in the form of animal furs in Alaska. Unfortunately, they also brought diseases that the native people had no immunity to. The British arrived in 1778 when Captain Cook sailed there. (Cook Inlet is named after him). George Vancouver sailed to Alaska in 1794.

Aleksandr Andreyevich Baranov

As a native of northern Russia, Alexander Baranov was a middle-aged merchant trader with no experience in the fur trade, when, in 1790, he arrived in North America to take command over Russia's highly profitable sea otter business. Assuming the title of chief manager, he strengthened his leadership role following the formation of the Russian American Company in 1799. A dynamic, adventuresome, and charismatic leader, he proved to be a commercial genius in Alaska. Making enormous profits for company partners and shareholders in Irkutsk and St. Petersburg while receiving little support from the homeland.

Klondike Gold Rush

In many ways, gold put Alaska on the map. Through the 1800s, gold was discovered in all corners of the state, first by Russians and later by long-traveling, hard-working miners from around the world after America purchased Alaska in 1867. In 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush drew around 100,000 prospectors, laborers, and entrepreneurs to Northwest Canada, Dawson City, and the Yukon River. Many made their way there through Southeast Alaska ports. After the Klondike boom went bust, Alaska's gold rush exploded in 1899 when word of dynamic discoveries came from Nome. Goldrush boomtowns sprang up as travelers took different means and routes to Nome – some communities like Skagway, Circle, and Valdez remain alive today while others are ghost towns of a bygone era. Fairbanks and its central location, access to waterways and hills filled with gold is the best example of staying power. It became a prospecting destination of its own after Felix Pedro struck gold there in 1902. Today it is known as the Golden Heart City and celebrates Golden Days every summer.