Module 7-American Period:Society

Essential: How have settlement patterns been a reflection of  natural landscape, distance, resources, and the economy?

 Most of Alaska is very sparsely populated, less than one person for every square mile (see Alaska's Census Profile) In 2010, the entire state had only about three quarters of a million people in it.  The population is centered around Fairbanks in central Alaska, Anchorage and the Kenai Penninsula in the southcentral, Juneau and other towns in southeast  and some other small concentrations of population are in Nome, Bethel, Dillingham, Bristol Bay area and some parts of the Aleutian Islands in the north and northwest part of the state.

Natural resources and landscape dictated where the first Alaskans settled. They presumably came across the Bering Strait from Asia and fished and hunted as they traveled and settled along the coast of Alaska.
  

Dip-netting in the Kenai

Fishing in the Kenai, Southeast and  Southwest Alaska helped to settle and populate these areas. The timber industry in Southeast Alaska also brought many people to the area. Gold, copper and coal mining started many towns all over Alaska, some of which were only short-lived, once the resources were gone, they moved on. 

Trapping for furs replaced some of the mining in the interior of Alaska, although the industry had its ups and downs in the market.

Oil, of course, had a huge impact on the population by bringing people to work in the oil fields and on the pipeline. The discovery of oil in the Kenai and Prudhoe Bay led to doubling of the population during the 1970's. Many people came to Alaska seeing it as the land of opportunity. Goods and services, including schools, developed in relation to the population growth.

In this way the economy also brought more population.  Where there was work, people came, which in turn brought more work.

 Anchorage began as  a construction camp for the railroad.    It grew in population as a center where jobs and goods and services were available.

Many areas in Alaska have a seasonal population.  For example Dillingham almost doubles in size when the fishing season starts.  It has not only commercial, but subsistence and sport fishing.

Skagway in the Summer

Many towns in Southeast Alaska during the summer also are much larger in population because of the tourist trade as well as fishing .  My husband spent some winters in Skagway which he described as living in a ghost town, in contrast to the summer when the town came alive and was bustling with activity, much as in the days of the Gold Rush.


Distance and proximity to transportation routes helped populate areas of Alaska.

The Russians and later the Americans settled along the coasts of Alaska as well as some interior communities accessible by rivers, for greater access to transportation and trade.  Sitka  became the Russian center for trade and commerce, and was where many Americans were initially sent by the government.   

Later when the Gold Rush and mining activities began, railroads and roads were built so that communities sprang up en-route.

There were towns such as Cordova and Seward which started because of their location as port towns.  Copper was transported by rail to Cordova and from there to southern ports.  

Airports and air travel helped communities to grow in population because more remote places suddenly became accessible.


World War II brought the military to places such as Kodiak, Sitka, Unalaska, Fairbanks and Anchorage which helped these areas to grow. (from Alaska history course,)(Alaska's Heritage)

At first, landscape was the main contributor to settlement patterns in Alaska.  Natural resources and the economy that grew from these resources were strongly tied to the landscape.  Distance to ports where goods could be delivered and shipped also contributed to settlement patterns.


 

Examine: What are the reasons for Alaska population trends?(identify reasons for increases and decreases)

According to J. Gregory Williams in Alaska Population Trends the population is projected to grow modestly by 2018, with the greatest areas of growth in the Anchorage and Mat-Su region and some growth in northern and southwestern regions. However, there is  decline in population expected in some Southeast Alaska towns.  There is also an expected increase in school age children and in older adults as the population stabilizes and is not as subject to boom and bust cycles.

Boom and bust cycles in the exploitation of natural resources contributed greatly to the increase and decrease of population in Alaska.   Oil is probably the greatest contributor to an unstable economy.  Many people, including the military, came here for temporary jobs and then left.  Although some who came in the 1970's and 1980's stayed and made their homes here. Slower oil production is having an affect on population growth.


Today the population is getting older and becoming more stable according to the Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage.  Most people are concentrated in Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks where there are more jobs and access to goods and services.  Alaska has a growing Native population, the most of any state, probably in part because of better access to health care.

Government projects also contribute to fluctuations in population.  In Dillingham there are road and bridge building projects which bring many temporary workers in the summer. These workers and the influx of fisherman makes  housing scarce.  It is questionable whether or not this will last.


The main reasons for decreases and increases in population in Alaska have to do with the availability of jobs.  Salaries in Alaska used to be quite a bit higher than the national average, however now they seem to be leveling out,  particularly in education.  The economic downturn in the lower 48 has brought a lot of people to Alaska seeking work. Better transportation systems have made living in Alaska easier, prices aren't quite as high(except in Dillingham!) and most goods are available.  The Internet and satellite TV have also made living in Alaska almost like living anywhere in the United States.


Extend:  What is the history of your school district?

Old School Snag Point, Dillingham

A woman told me that when she was a little girl and lived near Wood River in Dillingham, her mother would bundle her up and sit her on a dogsled which would take her the three miles to school in Snag Point(now Dillingham)  The dogs would wait outside all day and then take her home, even during blinding snow storms.  Most students today in Dillingham go to school by car or bus like most other American school children.  Unlike other schools though, Dillingham students are predominately Native and there are a number of Native teachers and staff.

There isn't  much information on the history of the Dillingham School District. I found one book in the library which was written by the Dillingham high school class of 1972/73 from stories told by elders.(The Last of Yesterday...)  They said the school began in 1910, but I couldn't find anything about who started it.  The Moravian Church came to Nushagak (a few miles up river from Snag Point, now considered part of Dillingham) in 1884 to start a school, but they found that there was already an active Russian Orthodox mission school so the Moravians went further north.  The school in Nushagak was later closed because of erosion and the students were sent to the school in Snag Point.

  The school continued to grow and its name was changed to Dillingham Schools.  The town applied to the government to establish a post office and a visiting Judge decided to name the town Dillingham after another visiting official a U.S. Senator from Vermont. (Alaska History Course) (I wonder if the Natives had any say in the name chosen for their town.)


In 1949 the first senior class graduated from Snag Point, before that high school students had to go to the city to finish high school.

It was interesting that the school received its power from a wind generator which was later abandoned when diesel generators took over.  Today there are a number of wind generators around town because the Dillingham branch of the University of Alaska is testing their efficacy.


Today not many students come to school by dog sled, however there are a number of students who come by "snow-go".  The school has grown to about 450 students with a separate high/middle school and elementary school.  There is a bilingual class offered once a week to all students to teach students about their culture.

Reference:
The Last of Yesterday:  The History of Dillingham and Nushagak Bay, John Parker,editor.  Dillingham City Schools, 1974

Evaluation:
This was a fun module for me because I enjoyed getting information and speaking to some of my Native colleagues.  That took me in lots of directions, but I am still enjoying reading stories from the area.
Also population trends are very interesting, however there is so much information its difficult to narrow it down.  I envy those people who have their blogs done by Thursday.  I can't seem to get it all together before Sunday.  I do appreciate the deadlines, otherwise I would be moving much more slowly.

Please note:  my pictures are linked to their sources, it seemed the easiest way to get all the information in.
 
Blogs I have visited:

Peter's Alaska Blog tells of personal experiences when better communication systems came to Alaska, like night and day!  He also talks about river and ocean transportation and how the original pipeline was designed to go through the Northwest Passage.
Dancing Light Blog says that oil is the center of the Alaska economy.  She also talks about the positive aspects of the proposed Donlin Gold Mine in  the lower Kuskokwim valley, namely jobs and vocational/technical training.
Heather talks about the boom/bust cycle of mining.  Is there such a thing as sustainable mining?

Module 6-American Period: Transportation and Communication

Essential:  What are issues facing Alaskans today related to transportation and communication?

from http://www.oil-electric.com/2012/01/renda-has-landed.html

The valiant delivery of much needed heating oil to Nome, Alaska earlier this year exemplifies some of the transportation and communication problems faced by Alaskans. 

Nome, like many towns and villages in Alaska, is dependent on ocean barges to deliver supplies for the winter.  Because of a big fall storm the original American tanker was unable to make its pre-winter delivery of heating oil to Nome. 

Nome, Alaska. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Peggy Fagerstrom)

Residents of Nome were forced to look for another way to get the oil delivered. Because there are not many American ships capable of breaking through the thick ice, they had to rely on a private Russian tanker.
 A waiver of the Jones Act, which doesn't allow foreign vessels to bring cargo between U.S. ports, had to be given so that the tanker could go through.   Television cameras followed the U.S. Coast Guard boat which cleared the ice for the Russian Tanker to successfully deliver the fuel. (from Alaska Dispatch)

Aerial view of the village of Kake in Southeast, Alaska

There are almost 280 small villages scattered throughout

Alaska some ranging in size from 30 to 6,000 residents and

nearly all of them are accessible only by plane or water.(from Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation)  Extreme weather can directly affect whether or not Alaskan residents receive supplies for the winter.

 Many residents depend on fishing and hunting throughout the year, but they also need other things to sustain them such as heating fuel, fresh and canned food, building materials,etc.  Many of these supplies come by barge during the summer months and then by plane throughout the year.  During the winter, plane travel is much more limited and unreliable. Costs for fuel, food and other supplies are very high in these isolated places. 

 Alaska is part of but not connected to of the United States which contributes to its isolation.  Although Alaska is rich in  oil and gas deposits, it must be shipped out to be refined and then shipped back in, an expensive process.  The feasibility of building a refinery in Alaska makes it unlikely because of costs and potential environmental damage from the disposal of bi-products. 
   

Examine :  Identify the three major railroads in Alaska history - where? when? why? ownership?current status?

The White Pass/Yukon Railroad
 from http://www.wpyr.com/index.html

The three major railroads are the "White Pass and Yukon
Railway running from Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory; the Alaska Railroad running from Seward to Fairbanks; and the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, running from Cordova to the Kennecott Copper Mines in the Wrangell Mountains."(from Alaska's Heritage, chapter 4-11) 

The White Pass/ Yukon Railroad
from http://www.wpyr.com/index.html

The White Pass and Yukon Railway was an engineering marvel built from 1898 to 1900 during the gold rush to transport miners from Skagway to Whitehorse.  When gold rush fervor died down, the railroad stayed afloat by delivering  tourists and supplies to Skagway from Whitehorse.  During World War II the government leased the railroad from the owners to deliver war supplies. In the 1980's the railroad was shut down due to lack of funds. The Canadian railroad was re-opened in 1988 to take tourists on the awe-inspiring ride from Skagway to Whitehorse which endures profitably today from May to September.

from http://byways.org/explore/byways/12399/travel.html

The Alaska Railroad was begun in1900 by John E. Ballaine, a Seattle  real-estate developer and journalist, who dreamed of connecting the coast of Alaska with the interior. He was interested in all of the natural resources that Alaska had to offer.  The railroad began in Seward and went as far as Turnagain Arm before the company was forced to stop construction for financial reasons.





  Later it was bought by the federal government and construction continued to Fairbanks.  Financial difficulties persisted for the railroad. However, there was a brief reprieve during World War II when war supplies were transported from Seward to the interior of Alaska. After the war, the railroad was again in financial trouble and a drain on the U.S. Treasury.  Finally in 1968, the State of Alaska bought the railroad.  The railroad, which has been supported through government grants through the years, survives today by operating a tourist passenger service and transporting oil, timber and coal.  

from http://www.alaskagold.com/copper/mcarthy/mcarthy.html

The Copper River and Northwestern Railway was originally constructed to carry copper 196 miles from the mines near Kennecott Glacier to the coast at Cordova.  Amazingly, 95 miles of this railroad were built over bridges and trestles, another feat of engineering.  Except for a little activity during World War II, the railroad all but shut down in 1938.  The railroad is now defunct and Cordova is only accessible by sea or air.

Extend:  Transportation and communication issues in my community

from http://www.city-data.com/city/Dillingham-Alaska.html

Dillingham is a community which depends on air and sea  to bring in supplies. Although planes frequently fly in and out of Dillingham, they are expensive.





There are no roads connecting to Anchorage but one 25 mile road which connects to Alegnigik Lake community.  There is a road out to the hospital, airport,  and some minor subdivisions.    All of the roads, thanks to stimulus funds, have been recently paved with added bike paths. 

Peter Pan Cannery photo by Elzabeth Tilden

Vegetables and fruit are very expensive and often times old and not very appetizing.  However, there is an organic fruit and vegetable co-op which makes air deliveries to Dillingham.  The deliveries, though often delayed, especially in the winter, are greatly anticipated each week. Fish, especially salmon is readily available, fresh in the summer months and frozen and canned in the winter.



Communication has greatly increased with a new Internet and cell phone provider.  Cable TV has been here for a few years.  The availability of newspapers is somewhat lacking, although one grocery store does carry the Anchorage Daily News.  NPR and a few other radio stations have been here for a number of years.



This community, like many other Alaskan communities, is very dependent on the post office for communication with the outside world as well as for shipment of goods.  Sometimes boxes come a little broken up, but otherwise the mail service works surprisingly well.  Parcels can be shipped by other means, but have to be picked up at the airport.


Evaluation:  
 This posting seemed a little easier to me.  My blogs sometimes inexplicably double space.  The only way I found to remedy this was to revert the font size back to normal, then again to large font, and then the double spacing  disappeared!  There is probably a better way, but whatever works!


Communication and transportation are all interconnected and it seems like small changes could have a huge impact on communities.  What was it like before radio and TV in these small Alaskan villages?  The effect on children and families had to have been dramatic!  Was it all good or all bad?( which I suppose depends on your perspective.)  I also wonder what the long term affects of the Internet will be. It is seems great for education, but what about for families in Alaska?


I am looking forward to the next module which includes education.  Schools have brought enormous change to Alaskan Natives. 


Blogs I have visited:

In Gary's Alaska Blog Gary uses pictures to answer questions in a effective yet direct and simple manner.  I thought the oil industry was a higher percentage of the Alaska economy.
Tim is trying to catch-up in his blog.  He lives at the end of the end of the Aleutians island and often has to deal with Internet difficulties.  He wants to help his students broaden their sense of place. 
In Heather's Alaskan Exploration, Heather weaves the economy in with the history of Alaska, illustrating some cause and effect relationships we need to be aware of.

Module 5- American Period:Alaska's Economy

Essential Questions:  What have been the major components of the Alaska economy during the American period of 1867-present?
 

Alaska's economy during the American period developed largely from a desire to profit from and exploit the natural resources of the area.  Whaling, fishing, seal hunting, mining, oil drilling, logging and have all been part of the  Alaska economy at one time or another. Unfortunately it often entailed wiping out one resource, then moving on to the next. An example was the whaling industry which was decimated through over-harvesting, then the whalers moved on to hunting of walruses.

The gold rush in Alaska was a major part of the economy  not for finding gold, some would argue, but for what the gold miners brought with them and demanded once they settled in Alaska.  Because of the gold rush, Alaska's roads and towns were built and communication and legal services grew.  The gold rush, according to the web site Alaska's Gold "changed Alaska forever."


Farming and the timber industry have also played a roll in the Alaskan economy.  The long daylight hours in the summer cause vegetables to grow very large, reportedly nineteen pound carrots and one hundred pound cabbages.  Lumber is also a significant part of the economy. At first lumber was used in the fishing and mining industry, then later was sold overseas. More recently the government passed legislation to protect forests which limited the sale of lumber.

Today the oil and gas industry make up 85% of the Alaskan economy.  This industry is very dependent on worldwide prices and availability of oil. Alaska's economy is on very shaky ground because of these variables. The market changes often and sources of oil are not infinite.

http://northpacificseafoods.com/content/view/96/362/

Fishing in Alaska is also very important to Alaska. It is one of the biggest sources of wild salmon in the world and according to the Alaska Department of Economic Development has the only designated "sustainable" salmon fishing industry.  

http://www.alaskadenalitours.com/

 Tourism and exploration/adventure is also a vital part of the Alaska economy.  Alaska is seen as the last frontier with its low population and pristine untouched landscapes.



The military has had a strong presence in Alaska since the purchase from Russia.  Initially the military was sent to protect our interests.  Since then they, among other things, built the Alcan Highway and used Alaska for strategic bases during World War II.

Examine:  Why did the United States buy Alaska? 

The check used to purchase Alaska

The United States bought Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars, about 2 cents per acre.  Former Secretary of State William Seward was instrumental in the sale. At first the sale was thought to be foolish and wasteful and was so named "Stewart's Foley", but later the value of Alaska's natural resources and strategic location became apparent.

The United States wanted to extend its borders throughout the North American continent. And with expansion in mind, they wanted to be closer to British Columbia. Also, according to American Heritage's Chapter 4-1: Americans Come to America, Americans came to Alaska to reap the benefits of all of the natural resources. They followed in the footsteps of the Russian settlers and hunted, trapped and fished.  They also mined and logged wherever it was feasible.  There were also political reasons for the purchase.  The United States wanted to keep up good relations with Russia who served as an ally against France and Mexico.  Russia needed the money and did not want to sell to it's enemy, Great Britain. 

 One other economic reason for the purchase according to American Heritage's Chapter 4-1 was the  proximity to the Asian markets. Russians initially opened the doors for Asian trade by selling furs to the Chinese.

 

Extend: What are economic issues in my area?

City of Dillingham

 Dillingham's main economy is fishing, commercial, subsistence, and sport.  Some residents depend on the summer's catch to support them throughout the year, others use fishing to supplement their income.  Fishing in Dillingham creates a need for housing, so there are numerous bed and breakfasts and apartment houses as well as two grocery stores, a post office, Department of Motor Vehicles and City Hall.  There are a few restaurants, most are open only during the summer.  Dillingham is the center for a number of smaller villages in Southwest Alaska. Many people are employed by the City, Fish and Game and the Native Corporation.

Nushagak River in Bristol Bay Watershed

A Canadian company has proposed the opening of the Pebble Mine near Lake Illiamna in the Bristol Bay watershed to extract copper and gold. This is some of the most pristine salmon and trout fishing areas in the world.   There has been a great outcry against it because of its impact on the environment and the fishing industry. There are pros and cons to the issue.  It would, of course, bring more revenue and jobs to the area.  Also a road would be built which would connect the area to Anchorage which would have enormous changes on Dillingham, both positive and negative. It would bring more people and development to the area, but food and housing prices might go down. The unknown affect on the environment is what is in question for most people, especially those who depend on fishing for their livelihood. The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and its negative impact on the people and environment has not been forgotten by Alaskan residents. There is also a question of whether or not this mining would actually benefit Alaskans. The Pebble Mine is still in an exploratory stage, outcomes have not yet been determined.  The Pebble Mine Alaska web site proposes sustainable mining in which the mining company is aware of mining and its impact on the environment throughout the process.

Evaluation:
I liked that this module made me think about some of the industries  such as oil and mining which have really made Alaska a much richer state.  Although my inclination is to protect the environment above all else, I realize, from the module that this would be a "very different place" without these industries.  Maybe there is a way to blend the two so that Alaska has a thriving economy as well as a clean and protected environment.  
This is a challenging class for me to keep up with and it can be discouraging at times.  I am getting more comfortable with blogging and am actually enjoying it ! I appreciate feedback, it is nice to know what I need to work on, as well as what I might be doing right! 

 Blogs I have visited:

KSmith's blog is very visually appealing, I like the seamless incorporation of pictures which I am working on.  She also enjoyed The Russian American Reader. 
Marg talks about how most of the Russians exploited the natives and natural resources of Alaska, although there were some scientists and artists who studied and respected the area. 
Tina's blog is about the large impact of the Russians on Alaska.  She also mentioned the lack of videos and other sources of information which I too missed.

Module 4-Russian America

Examine: Why were the Russians interested in Alaska?

Of the European countries, the Russians were the first  explorers of the Northern Pacific .   They heard of the  land beyond Siberia from the Yupik settlers who traveled  between Siberia and Alaska over a temporary narrow strip of  land that is now under water. They came to Alaska and waters around Alaska in search of power and commercial  opportunities.  Later they realized commercial gain by exploiting the natural  resources, especially fur bearing land and sea animals.  Sometimes they treated the Natives fairly, but often they   exploited them. They forced Aleut hunters to trap and  hunt for them and then took the furs  with little compensation given to the Aleuts.  Although the  Aleuts initially resisted they soon succumbed to the  Russians because of their superior fire power.  Sometimes the Siberian Russians came to trade with the  fur trappers and later sold to the Chinese, making a large  profit while the Native trappers barely survived. Other industries such as boat building and farming sprang  up to support the fur trading industry.  The boats helped  to ship the furs far and wide while the farming cut down  on the costs of shipping food into Alaska.  from http://www.pbs.org/harriman/1899/exploration.html Kodiak Island became the center of Russian farming.   Later they grew potatoes and cabbage in Sitka and  the Kenai Peninsula.  Lumber also became an important  industry.  Some of it was shipped out but most was used  to build boats right in Alaska. Most of the ship building was done in Kodiak and Sitka.   Many boats were built and repaired there.  American artisans  worked for the Russian ship builders.  Later the Russians  bought boats from further South because they found the oak  and pine to be much more durable and long-lasting than  fir and cedar found in Alaska. The Russians also attempted brick-making, ice making,  fish exporting and coal mining with more or less success.   There is little evidence of these enterprises  left in Alaska. Essential: What is the legacy of the  Russian colonization of Alaska? There were never very many Russians in Alaska, around 1,000 during the peak, but they were a forceful presence.  They  explored the coastlines and waterways, but not much of the  interior of Alaska.  They adapted Native clothing, food and shelters out of  necessity. The Natives welcomed the Russians introduction of iron  to Alaska which the Natives used in making tools.  Natives also traded for firearms and cannons. The  Russians also brought with them to Alaska animal drawn  sleighs and wagons as well as simple machinery and steam, water and wind power. Before the Russians came to Alaska, Natives had a relatively  peaceful society in which they worked together and lived  in harmony.  The Russians brought with them disease and distrust of white people because they often treated the  Natives unfairly.  Because the Russians had fire power they could force the Natives to work for them and do things they didn't necessarily want to do.  The Russians didn't always respect the culture, but at times such as when they were unable to feed themselves they had to accept  Native ways of doing things to survive. Not all Russians treated the Natives poorly. Notably some of  the missionaries from the Russian Orthodox Church helped and defended the Natives. Ioann Veniaminov , the first  Orthodox bishop taught the Natives carpentry and brick  laying and helped to vaccinate them against small pox. The Russian Orthodox church had a major influence on  Alaska Native cultures.  There are still many churches in  much of Southeast Alaska as well as smaller villages in  Southwest and South central.  The language, customs and rituals have survived in Alaska. St Micheal's Cathedral, Sitka, Alaska

Evaluation:This was an interesting chapter in Alaska's
history.  New arrivals coming into a country unfortunately
almost always exploit the natural resources and Native
populations.  It was good to read about some Russians
who helped the people. 
On the technical side, I don't know how to set the margins on my blog so I had to manually get the type in the right
place.
 

Blogs I have visited: 

Brenda's Alaska Blog  has beautiful pictures of mountain ranges and volcanoes.  She addressed how natural systems influence cultural systems and understanding the relationship helps her to understand the lives of Native peoples.

There are beautiful pictures of Southeast Alaska in My Cove and Beyond.  The author talks about water and its cycles in her environment and the relationship between natural and cultural systems.
In Diane's Awareness through Adventure blog she talks about the resilience of the Natives and their ability to survive the harsh treatment of the Russians.