Alaska Answers

Q. When we rode the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Fairbanks one time, we noticed a tall, skinny, strange looking house set in the trees not far from the tracks. We were told it was built when the trees were much shorter, and as they grew, the owner just kept tacking on one more story on top of the previous one, so that he could still view the mountains. Would you know the exact location of this house? Thanks, Pam

A. I called the railroad for you, Pam, and found out there is indeed such a house. It is located somewhere between Willow and Talkeetna which is between 50 and 75 miles north of me. I live in Wasilla. Anyway, she says there is a point along the Parks Highway where you can pull off and look back thru the trees and see it from the road. Next time I travel up the Parks (will be in June when my cousins are visiting) I’ll be sure and look for it and report back its exact location. I’ll put it under a ‘Wierd House Alert’!

I have long been amused and amazed by the different kinds of homes built up here. Everything from the sublime to the ridiculous, believe me. Near us, there is one that is like two small frame houses; one set on a little hill above the other. There is a wooden tunnel going downhill from the top house and connecting to the bottom one. I am thinking maybe it is a one family home with a ‘mother-in-law’ apartment above them, as it is the smaller one. Probably so old mum won’t have to get out in the weather to come to the big house for supper! Suppose? I always speculate on whether there are steps in the tunnel…or maybe just a slide…..Wheeee!

Your question was an interesting one, Pam, and renewed my desire to start an album showing different style houses up here. -BJ

Q. What president bought Alaska from Russia? -Jack

A. That would be Andrew Johnson, Jack. He purchased it in 1867 for 7.2 million. This was a real bargain at only 2 cents an acre! However, many Americans thought it a foolish purchase and called it ‘Seward’s Folly’ after secretary of state William H. Seward. Oh, how wrong they were! For more on the history of the state, see the entry I made on March 4,2006 titled History of Alaska. Thanks for writing, Jack. -BJ

Q. Brittany, Cat, Chris G. and Mike all asked similar questions, so I’ll answer you all at once. They would like to know things like when was it discovered, when was the American acquisition, who did we buy it from, and why didn’t Canada want it?

A. The most recent migration of peoples from Siberia, coming across the land bridge that existed between Russia and Alaska at that time, was about 6,000 yrs ago. Which doesn’t sound very ‘recent’ eh? More recently, it went something like this:

1725 Peter the Great sent Vitus Bering to explore the North Pacific.

1741 On a later expedition, from the decks of two separate ships, Vitus Bering and Alexei Chirikov sight Alaska. A man named
Georg Steller came ashore, becoming the first European to set foot on Alaskan soil.

1743 The Russians begin hunting sea otters and continue until the species is almost decimated.

1772 – 1798 Russia establishes several settlements and outposts and continues harvesting of Alaska’s fur and other treasures.

1799 – Alexander Baranov establishes a trade post known today as Old Sitka and enters into an agreement with the Americans
called the Russian-American Trade Agreement. They prohibited other nations trading in Alaskan waters allowing only
Americans.

During early 1800’s, the Russian exploration of the territory continued. Americans became more prominent in developing the country.

1845 A missionary school opened at Sitka offering the study of Aleut, Tlingit and Eskimo languages, medicine and Latin.

1867 Under President Andrew Johnson, the United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The U. S. Army is given
jurisdiction over what was then called the Department of Alaska.

Gold was discovered near Sitka in 1872; and the Klondike Gold Rush began in 1897 – 1900. 1906 was the peak year for gold production.

1912 Brought territorial status for Alaska.

1914 President Woodrow Wilson authorized construction of the Alaska Railroad. In 1923 President Warren Harding drove the
spike commemorating the completion of the railroad.

In 1916 the first bill was introduced into congress proposing Alaska statehood.

1940 Brought big buildup of the military with the establishment of Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base.

A statehood act was finally passed by congress and we officially became a state on January 3, 1959, I am thinking that Dwight David Eisenhower was president then.

As to why Canada didn’t want Alaska, I don’t know for sure, but I’m betting that it wasn’t even considered – on either side. The Americans were partners with the Russians from the ‘git-go’ in fur trading, exploration, etc. so it would be natural to make the sale between those two.

Hope this answers your questions guys. If not, write again and I’ll try and ferret out more info for you. -BJ

Q. Why do igloos look like they do? Do they still use them? What can you tell me about the way the Eskimos lived in igloos? -Gayle

A. Actually, Gayle, the Eskimos never really ‘lived’ in Igloos as in day to day living, but don’t feel badly because that is a very common misconception. I thought that myself for several years, before we came to Alaska.

The igloo is a snow block structure which can be quickly built for a temporary trail shelter for arctic Alaskan and Canadian Eskimos. So they were built for shelter when hunting trips carried over for more than one day.

To build one, you start from the bottom and lay blocks of snow in a spiral and then continue up, setting each succeeding spiral a bit inset from the preceding, so that as you go up you create a rounded dome shape. A vent hole is left in the top for ventilation. A tunnel of snow makes the entry. Believe it or not, but something as simple as a candle will, along with body heat, keep the interior comfortable. When the kids were young, we built one at Kenny Lake, and found that to be true.

What the indigenous peoples usually have for day to day living is
a simple structure of sod, sometimes built in a quonset shape, with either whale ribs or wood holding up a roof of insulating sod. While there aren’t any trees way up north to use for building, you still see homes built with wood because the natives are very inventive and frugal in using any scrap of wood which comes their way – such as packing crates and wooden pallets from goods flown in. Sometimes the tide will even bring in usuable wood.

I think you have picked my brain clean for this time! Take care, Bonnie J.

Q. Where is Lunacy? -Judy

A. Hey, Judy, are you pullin’ my leg? I don’t know of any place up here named Lunacy! We do have a lot of funny names – such as Nunapitchuk, Kinnickinick, Kasigluk, and even a town called Chicken; which was supposed to be called Ptarmigan, after the state bird. The early founders couldn’t spell Ptarmigan though, and so settled on Chicken. Proof that Alaskans are quite enterprising. Some of us are even great spellers. I’d say I am, but sure as I did, someone would write in to point out a mistake! ha ha

So in answer to your question I’d have to say, I don’t know ‘where’ Lunacy is, but I sure know ‘what’ Lunacy is! It is: Having an interest in, but never coming to see our Great Land.
Come on up, Judy. -BJ

Q. What towns in Alaska don’t have churches? I would like to come and start a church. Would like a building donated by the town and an apartment provided. -Lance

A. Well, Lance, I don’t think it’s gonna happen! Don’t mean to sound negative, but I really don’t think there is any town in Alaska without a church. I mean that. Even the small villages have their mission stations. Missionaries have been active and sowing churches in Alaska for many, many years. I believe that any town big enough to be able to donate a building and provide an apartment, is going to have about a couple dozen churches! Our town of Wasilla, which isn’t considered a big city, although nice sized, has about 58 churches. And I was just counting the ones listed in the phone book! I’m sure there are several that are not listed.

I am not saying that people in Alaska don’t need God. Of course they do, but if they don’t know God, it isn’t for lack of opportunities to do so. If you want to come to Alaska to work for God, you need to come knowing that you will probably have to work at a job to provide for your living and then be open to ideas and opportunities to do more of what you are thinking about. God bless, BJ

Q. What is the job market like for manufacturing and production workers? What does it cost to relocate to Alaska? -Gay

A. You know, I don’t believe that Alaska is just a hotbed for manufacturing and production. We don’t have factories, for instance, like you would find on the east coast and other parts of the country. The thing that comes closest to ‘production’ work that I can think of would be the fish canneries, but of course that is very seasonal. I believe there are a few small companies who make camper shells for on the back of pickups. You can look at the state jobsite at www.jobs.state.ak.us and perhaps get an idea of what is available.

As to the cost of moving to Alaska, that really depends on so many things. Where are you coming from? What are you bringing with you? That type of thing. With the price of gas these days, it can be a bit pricey as we are about 2,400 miles from Seattle. There is a good website at www.uhaul.com where you can actually find costs to bring a U Haul truck or van from anywhere in the U. S. That should get you started. We have found that an average of $50-$60. a nite for motels is about right on the Alcan. Of course, we look for the lower priced, yet clean ones. We usually do things to cut our costs of travel a bit. Like carry cereal and paper bowls and milk with us for ‘breakfast’….then make sandwiches in the car for lunch. In the evening we stop in a real restaurant and have ‘real’ food! Ahhhhh…that tastes good! Take care, Bonnie J.

Q. Is Alaska the widest state and does it have its own time zone? -Ginny

A. Yes, to both. In fact we have two time zones. The main body of the state is one hour earlier than Seattle, for instance. Then, the approximate lower half of the Aleutian chain is two hours earlier than Seattle. At least that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it! =;o) I think years ago it used to be 4 time zones, but some were combined, or so an employee of the telephone company told me.

Wide? We surely are. If superimposed on a map of the lower 48…we would stretch from the Pacific to the Atlantic! (using the Aleutian chain of islands of course.) Hope this answers you. -Bonnie J.

Q. Willis would like to know, does Alaska have state income taxes? What about tax on personal property such as automobiles? Does Alaska tax real property? And what about auto insurance…is it cheaper than in Georgia or South Carolina?

A. At present, we do not have a state income tax, but you know that old saying, “the only two sure things are death and taxes!” Well, not for a long time on both, I say! We also have no tax on buying an automobile, as in other states – with this exception. Some communities have a sales tax, but it is very minimal. The local Ford dealer told me that in Anchorage, for instance, there is no sales tax. Here in the Matanuska Valley, we have a sales tax, but it is very minimal. Probably only amounting to $15. bucks or so on a car. I know our town, Wasilla, instituted a small sales tax for the specific purpose of creating a police department, which we were very happy to have, so we don’t mind the tax.

As to property taxes, just depends on where in Alaska you live. Lots of the smaller, outlying areas still have no real property tax. We do here in the Anchorage/Mat Valley area though.

Auto insurance runs a bit higher in Alaska than in the lower 48, especially the southern states, and since it is mandatory, you need to figure on a bit more for that. I know a good agent – State Farm – in Anchorage. Here is their number (907) 561-0000. Sure is an easy # to remember, eh? Take care, Bonnie J.

Q. What are some bad things about Alaska? My mother is wanting to move there and I don’t want her to do so. -Fred

A. Fred, you bad boy! You have stumped the expert! You aren’t going to like this, but I can’t think of ANY bad things! I’m serious, guy! You didn’t say how old your mother is. Is she able to get around pretty good? Has she always been an adventuresome sort, or maybe wanting to be one? Either way, she’ll like it here.

If your mom is a senior citizen, well, there are an awful lot of us up here! Some folks ‘wimp out’ and go south for their golden years, but not me. Alaska is good to its citizens and its seniors.

I suppose if she hates cold weather, she might not want to come…..but we do have stoves and warm clothing up here. I suppose if she loathes mosquitoes, she might hesitate….but they only last for about 6 weeks and there are solutions to them. (see the archives for that subject).

Does she still work? Is she retired? Tell me a little more. Or better yet, have her tell me. If you dare! (heh heh) She can reach me by e mail at bonnie@alaskaanswers.com Now, be a man, Fred, and give her my addy and trust her to do the right thing. You could always come too you know? Take care, Bonnie J.