October 28 - Alaska Connection!

Posted October 28, 2020

The reason the United States is the fourth largest nation in the world, instead of duking it out with Australia for sixth place, is Alaska.

Alaska looms large in the nation.

It’s about two and a half times the size of Texas!

But some map projections make the northernmost U.S. state look even larger!!!

Alaska also looms large in our dreams and psyche!

Key points

But getting to Alaska was always challenging. Traveling there by ship was the major way for a long time, and in the 1930s air travel was added. Finally, on this date in 1942, the Alaska Highway was completed and connected Alaska to already existing railways.

These fellows were part of the Army Corps of Engineers, who built the Alaskan Highway. Here members representing the southbound group and the northbound group shake hands to celebrate completion!

(Speaking of railways, just last year there was an agreement struck to build a railroad connecting Alaskan cities and cities in Canada and the lower forty-eight! It hasn’t even started yet. Crazy, huh?)

The Alaskan Highway used to be famous for being a really rough and challenging drive. A drive that people claimed destroyed ordinary cars! But now the entire route is paved, and many bits of the highway have been re-routed to make a straighter and easier route.