Some of the things that make the U.S. unique is the fact that it is made up of 50 individual States, all with their own symbols, laws, widely varying climates, landscapes, and cultures.
As well as these major differences, each state has its own nickname usually derived from an event associated with its historical past, a notable landmark within the State, a cultural icon, or even the weather. Let’s take a look at Alaska’s nickname.
Alaska, unlike the majority of other states, doesn’t own an official nickname. However, the nickname commonly associated with the state has been Alaska’s unofficial nickname since 1959.
If you are interested in seeing the Nicknames for states in the US (all 50 of them), including the date each state was entered into the Union, then head over to our page that lists them in alphabetical order.
So, what is Alaska’s nickname? It is The Last Frontier.
The Last Frontier is located in the very North-West of America, with coastlines facing the Arctic and North Pacific oceans. Alaska is the largest state in the U.S. by land area and is the 49th and second to last state to be admitted to the Union in 1959.
To many people’s disbelief, Alaska has never been owned or a part of Canada, despite what the location might suggest. Instead, it was actually owned by Russia until March 30, 1867, when the United States bought Alaska for $7.2 million, this works out at roughly 2 cents per acre!
Alaska State Nickname
Alaska is one of the most unique states in America, bordering southern Canada, many would assume by looking at the map that it isn’t a part of the U.S. at all. The climate is very different from anywhere else in the states, with day-to-day temperatures and weather replicating that of the Antarctic rather than America.
The list of Alaska state nicknames is virtually endless, with 12 unofficial nicknames all given for different reasons and factors. The Last Frontier, which is the most well-known nickname associated with Alaska is derived from the sheer distance from the 48 contiguous states beneath it. Also, the climate and landscape of Alaska have played roles in the adoption of this nickname.
The second most popular Alaska state nickname is Land of the Midnight Sun, which originates from Alaska’s northern location, where, for a period of time in the history of Alaska, during the summer, the sun would never completely dip below the horizon, the sun was even visible at midnight!
Like all other states, Alaska has been given a state motto. Alaska’s motto was created and given to the state in 1967 by Juneau newsman, Richard Peter, “North to the Future”. This motto is supposed to represent Alaska as a land of promise and future success!
If you are interested in knowing more about the Alaska state abbreviation, check out our page dedicated to this. Most people think it is “AL,” the first two letters of the name, but you’ll soon discover that this is not the case. Here is the page for the AL state abbreviation.
