Anchorage, Alaska

Located on the upper shores of the Cook Inlet, Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city with a population of about 288,000 people. More than half of the state’s population lives in Anchorage. The city sits on a broad peninsula defined by the Turnagain and Knik Arms of the Cook Inlet with the Chugach Mountains forming a striking backdrop to the east. The community was first established in 1915 as a tent city near Ship Creek, serving as the construction headquarters for the Alaska Railroad. Today, Anchorage remains a major rail depot for both freight and passengers where several sightseeing excursions depart for Denali daily.

The construction of Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson during World War II significantly boosted Anchorage’s growth. Following the war, the city became a key aviation and defense hub, and its population grew rapidly. In 2010, the two military bases were combined into Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson which still plays a major role in the nation’s defense in the North Pacific to this day. During my stay in Anchorage, I witnessed American fighter jets, aerial tankers, and cargo plans departing from the joint base daily.

On March 27, 1964 at 5:36PM AST, Anchorage was struck by a megathrust quake. The earthquake had a magnitude of 9.2 making it the post powerful to ever hit the United States and second largest every recorded on the planet. The event, which became known as the Good Friday Earthquake, resulted in the deaths of 131 people. Most of the fatalities, 122, were as a result of the tsunami which followed and waves reached as far away as California where it killed 13 people. The 1964 earthquake caused significate damage in Anchorage, but the city recovered and the event led to advances in earthquake science and preparedness.

Ship Creek

Ship Creek is a waterway that has its origin in the Chugach Mountains and it flows through the city of Anchorage to eventually empty into the Gulf of Alaska. During the summer, mature salmon make their way up the mouth of Ship Creek, located in the Port of Anchorage, to return to the waters of their birth to spawn. King salmon are the first to arrive in late-May and June. The fish no longer spawn naturally in Ship Creek as there is a large state hatchery about two miles up the creek that harvests and fertilizes the eggs, and then raises the young fish. This has proven to be a more successful way of boosting the salmon’s population and this hatchery is the largest in the state. After the kings, the sockeyes and then the pinks arrive. Ship Creek is a popular fishing location for locals and it has also become a popular tourist attraction to see the salmon run. Just a short walk from the train depot and downtown, there is a viewing bridge where you can watch the salmon swim up the river and the fishermen catch their dinner.

Alaska Native Heritage Center

The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a living cultural center located in Anchorage that celebrates over 10,000 years of Alaska Native culture and traditions. The center is the only statewide cultural and education center dedicated to Alaska’s Indigenous cultures. At the center’s open auditorium called the Gathering Place, visitors can watch demonstrations of Alaska Native dance and games. In the gallery named Ch’k’iqadi (Dena’ina Athabascan term for “things we buy”), guests can meet with artists and purchase handmade items. The cultural gallery has some amazing artifacts and there was a very educational exhibit about the sad history of Alaska Native children being removed from their families and sent to boarding schools.

The outside of the center features six life-sized authentic and traditional Alaska Native dwellings representing 11 major cultural groups. Each of the homes tells the stories of the regions and peoples, relationship to the land, and how the people adapted and thrived for centuries. As you follow the footpath around Lake Tiulana, there are other pieces of evidence of Alaska Native life such as totem poles, food caches, and whale bones. The center offers 1.5 hour guided tours with one of their summer interns or you can do a self-guided tour.

Alaska Aviation Museum

Located out at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the Alaska Aviation Museum. Perhaps no state is more tied to aviation than Alaska for it opened the vast wilderness and brought much needed supplies to remote communities. The museum tells the story of aviation in Alaska with many interactive displays, memorabilia, photographs, films and artifacts. The aircrafts on displays are uniquely Alaskan for there is a heavy representation of float and seaplanes you just don’t see in other aviation museums. In fact, the Alaska Aviation Museum sits on the shores of Lake Hood which is the largest float plane base in the world.

Perhaps the most significant exhibit at the museum is the one covering the Aleutian Island Campaign of World War II. Following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Japanese had a broader plan to split the Pacific Ocean in half with them controlling the western half. In June 1942, the Japanese Imperial Navy sailed towards two major objectives needed to meet this goal: Midway and the Aleutian Islands. American codebreakers foiled the surprise attack on Midway and it was a significant victory for the United States with the sinking of four enemy aircraft carriers. The Japanese where already committed to attacking the Aleutian Islands where they quickly captured the islands of Attu and Kiska with little resistance. Forces of the United States spent the next year regaining the Aleutian Islands where the American flag flew again in August 1943. The exhibit tells the history of the little-known Battle of the Aleutian Islands and has some interesting Japanese artifacts on display.

Alaska Botanical Garden

Since 1993, the Alaska Botanical Garden in Anchorage has been dispelling the myth that only boreal forest can survive in this harsh climate. The 110-acre garden surrounded by natural forest showcases the hardy perennials that flourish in Southcentral Alaska like poppies, iris, Asiatic lilies, and roses. A ½-mile-long paved loop runs through the site with various gardens located along this main loop as well as several art pieces. The Perennial Garden near the entrance showcases perennials that thrive in Southcentral Alaska including geum, blue poppy, peony, primrose, and catmint. The Rock Garden displays over 350 species of alpine plants. Peak season is July, when you can see dramatic displays of peonies (80 different kinds) and Himalayan blue poppies. In addition to the gardens, there is a one-mile nature trail that runs through the boreal forest with interpretive signs to educated visitors about the forest ecosystem that is found throughout much of Alaska.