| What makes it historical? |
In 1903, roughly near this spot, journalist, army officer, and gubernatorial secretary, John Ballaine, landed for the first time. He founded the city of Seward, naming it after Secretary of State, William Seward, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia!
Mr. Ballaine also founded the Alaska Central Railroad Company in the hopes of opening up Alaska’s interior! Construction started here on April 16, 1904 and cost about $16,000 per mile of rail! It was so expensive, in fact, that the tracks only went 54 miles before the company went bankrupt! It reorganized as the Alaska Northern Railway and laid another 20 miles until the federal government took over and finished the job! Now, the rail extends from Seward all the way to Fairbanks, and you can still ride it today! |
