Alaska Became a Possession of the United States 150 Years Ago

October 18 - On this day, the United States formally took possession of Alaska—159 years since the transfer from Russia at Sitka. The ceremony was simple but symbolic: as the Russian flag tangled on its way down and had to be cut free, the American flag rose, marking a shift that few at the time fully understood. Critics mocked the purchase as “Seward’s Folly,” yet it proved a strategic and economic masterstroke. Gold in the Klondike, timber, fisheries, and later oil and gas transformed Alaska into a powerhouse of resources, while its vast geography reshaped America’s defense posture across the North Pacific and Arctic.

A lesser-known wrinkle: the U.S. paid $7.2 million in gold, but Congress delayed appropriations long enough that Russia had to keep paying to supply Sitka’s garrison for months after the deal—an awkward postscript to a bargain that would redefine American horizons. 

Alaska’s story since has been one of Indigenous resilience, environmental wonder, and frontier ingenuity, expanding the nation’s map and imagination alike.