National Alaska Day

National Alaska Day, observed on October 18, celebrates the history, culture, and remarkable character of America’s largest state. The date commemorates the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States in 1867, an important moment that shaped the region’s future.

It is also an opportunity to appreciate Alaska’s breathtaking landscapes, distinctive wildlife, and the enduring traditions of its Indigenous peoples and communities. From its vast wilderness and towering mountains to its rich cultural heritage, National Alaska Day invites everyone to learn more about the state often known as “The Last Frontier.”

National Alaska Day is observed on October 18 to commemorate the formal transfer of Alaska from the Russian Empire to the United States in 1867. Although the Treaty of Cession was signed in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1867, the official handover took place months later at Sitka, then known as New Archangel. On October 18, Russian and American representatives gathered for a flag-raising ceremony, marking the beginning of United States administration in Alaska.

The transfer followed Russia’s decision to sell its North American territory to the United States for $7.2 million. Russia had established settlements and pursued commercial interests in Alaska, particularly through the Russian-American Company, but maintaining the distant territory had become increasingly difficult. The United States, meanwhile, viewed Alaska as strategically important and rich in natural resources. The purchase was initially criticized by some Americans as “Seward’s Folly,” after Secretary of State William H. Seward, who negotiated the agreement, but later developments demonstrated the territory’s economic and geopolitical importance.

Over time, October 18 developed from a commemoration of the 1867 transfer into a broader celebration of Alaska’s history and identity. The observance recognizes the state’s Russian and American-era past while also drawing attention to the much older and continuing presence of Alaska Native peoples, whose cultures, nations, and traditions predate both colonial administrations. In Alaska, October 18 has been marked with civic programs, historical ceremonies, educational events, and community gatherings, especially in Sitka, where the transfer occurred.

Today, National Alaska Day offers an opportunity to reflect on the complex history of the territory’s incorporation into the United States. It can commemorate the diplomatic event of October 18, 1867, while also encouraging a fuller understanding of Alaska’s Indigenous heritage, multicultural communities, vast geography, and evolving political significance. The date therefore represents not only a change in sovereignty, but also the beginning of a long and complicated chapter in Alaska’s modern history.