In 1925, Nome, Alaska was hit by a diphtheria epidemic and all the available antitoxin had been exhausted. Since land, air, and sea routes were not feasible, 20 mushers and 150 sled dogs bravely carried the serum over a distance of 674 miles in just 5 and a half days despite harsh subzero temperatures, near-blizzard conditions, and winds reaching hurricane force.
alaska
Operation Alaska, Finalaska or New Finland…
Operation Alaska, Finalaska or New Finland was a proposed plan to evacuate entire Finnish population (3.8 million) to Alaska during the WW2.
Chris McCandless’s “Into the Wild” bus…
Chris McCandless’s “Into the Wild” bus in Alaska was removed from Denali after tourists kept getting severely injured or dying while trying to visit it.
in 2012, pranksters posted flyers falsely claiming…
In 2012, pranksters posted flyers falsely claiming a Taco Bell would be opening in their small Alaskan city of 6,000. When Taco Bell discovered this, they shipped in the ingredients for 10,000 tacos.
In Alaska, it is illegal to be drunk…
In Alaska, it is illegal to be drunk in a bar. Per state laws, a person who is already drunk may not “knowingly” enter a bar to drink more, or remain in the bar that got them drunk in the first place.
In Alaska, plants can grow freakishly…
In Alaska, plants can grow freakishly large due to the 20 hours of sunshine they receive per day – which gives them a photosynthesis bonus. Examples include 138 lb cabbage, 65 lb cantaloupe, and 35 lb broccoli. A noted side effect is that the produce is also much sweeter due to the extra sunlight.
Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow)…
Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow), Alaska, saw its last sunset for 65 days Monday afternoon, The next sunrise will be Jan. 23 of 2020. The towns population is 4,000.
The final science exam for 8th grad….
The final science exam for 8th grade students in Ketchikan Alaska is a 2 night survival trip on an uninhabited island.
The USA paid more for the construction…
The USA paid more for the construction of Central Park (1876, $7.4 million), than it did for the purchase of the entire state of Alaska (1867, $7.2 million).
A section of passenger railroad…
A section of passenger railroad in Alaska called the Hurricane Turn. Rather than making scheduled station stops, it operates as a flag-stop meaning passengers in this remote area can simply wave the train down to stop. It’s one of the last true flag-stop trains in the U.S.