50 years young

One thing the casual observer may not know - this is the 50th anniversary of statehood for Alaska. I certainly had no idea up until a month or so ago. Last week when I came home from a business trip, I was making my way through the airport to the baggage claim with my fellow passengers, when we passed under a banner announcing some 50th anniversary celebration. A father and his young son were behind me, and the boy asked his father about the sign. The father replied “Oh, no. That must be old and it’s here as art or they forgot to take it down. Alaska’s much older than that.” They then launched into a debate about whether the sign could have meant that Alaska was the 50th state. I couldn’t help myself, and turned around to set them straight. “Oh, no.” I said, “Alaska is the 49th state, and got voted in by congress as a state in ‘59, which then got signed into law in early ‘59.” I didn’t remember exact dates, but I did at least refrain from asking the kid if he knew what the 50th state was (Hawaii, for those of you playing along at home). I am a very new Alaskan, but a proud and reasonably well-informed one.