After a purchase from Russia in 1867 that critics once mocked as 'Seward's Folly,' Alaska finally achieved statehood on January 3, 1959. The move reflected growing recognition of the territory's strategic Cold War importance and its untapped oil and mineral wealth, doubling the geographic reach of the United States northward toward the Arctic.
Alaska's path to statehood was long and contentious. Purchased from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867—about two cents an acre—the territory spent nearly a century being dismissed by many in Washington as a frozen wasteland unworthy of full representation. Its remoteness, tiny population, and lack of infrastructure made statehood seem impractical for generations.
By the 1950s, though, Cold War strategists saw Alaska's proximity to the Soviet Union as a crucial asset, and the promise of oil beneath its tundra reshaped the economic argument. When Eisenhower signed the proclamation, Alaska instantly became the largest state by area—more than twice the size of Texas—while its population remained smaller than many American cities. Statehood also set the stage for Hawaii's admission just months later, completing the 50-state Union.
Key people: Dwight D. Eisenhower