Shortest day, Nome Dec 21st. Seiffert Family Photographs, UAF-1985-122-55, Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Seal camp, Kwigillingok. UAF-1997-108-266, George A. Morlander Photographs, Archives, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
“Game Coming to Market” — Residents of Eagle, Alaska pose in front of a sled loaded with caribou and Dall sheep, 1900. P277-4-52, James Wickersham Photographs, Alaska State Library.
Welcome to the Alaska Historical Society
The Alaska Historical Society (AHS) is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information, the preservation and interpretation of resources, and the education of Alaskans about our shared and diverse heritage. Governed by a 15-member board, the Society provides a forum and a vehicle to achieve these goals. AHS is a membership organization with 150+ members.
Join us by visiting our membership page and receive our quarterly newsletter and biannual history journal.
Critical Issues Lectures Coming Up May 21 and 22
One of America’s most preeminent historians and a leading expert on our nation’s early formation, Joanne B. Freeman, will speak in person at two events in Anchorage and Fairbanks May 21 and 22. The author of numerous award-winning books and a consultant for the Hamilton Broadway musical, Freeman is a frequent guest in documentaries and a commentator on national media.
Save the Date: The 2026 Alaska Historical Society Conference will take place in Homer October 7-10, 2026.
2025 Alaska Historical Society Conference Recordings
Thank you all who attended our 2025 Alaska Historical Society Conference! Videos of the recorded sessions are available now on the main conference page.
One of America’s most preeminent historians and a leading expert on our nation’s early formation, Joanne B. Freeman, will speak in person at two events in Anchorage and Fairbanks May 21 and 22. The author of numerous award-winning books and a consultant for the Hamilton Broadway musical, Freeman is a frequent guest in documentaries and a commentator on national media. In Anchorage (and virtually), Freeman will discuss the notion that Americans tend to think about the nation’s founding as inevitable,... (Read More)
See the PDF Press Release To honor the pathbreaking scholarship of Alaska’s preeminent historian, the late Professor Stephen Haycox, the Alaska Historical Society is launching an initiative designed to advance new research into Alaska’s history. The Society has asked more than a dozen historians to undertake research into topics of Alaska history influenced by Haycox’s work. Each will present their findings during the AHS annual conference, scheduled for October 7-10 in Homer. The papers are to be compiled into a... (Read More)
Alaska Historical Society Annual Meeting and Conference,New Directions in Alaska HistoryHomer & Virtual, October 7-10, 2026 The Alaska Historical Society awards two scholarships to attend its annual conference. They are for post-secondary students researching an Alaska history topic or for an emerging professional in a related field. Awards consist of travel expenses and a conference registration package. Eligibility: Applicant must be a member of the Alaska Historical Society at the time of applying. Student applicants must be a graduate or... (Read More)
Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, two of the hardest hit communities from the recent Typhoon Halong, are pictured in a wealth of historical photos in Alaska’s Digital Archives showing the beautiful, strong people of those communities and their traditions, like seal and walrus hunting. Make a gift to support the descendants of those in these photos as they are relocated to mass shelters in Anchorage and figure out the next steps in their lives. Houses in both communities have been deemed unlivable. Make... (Read More)
P.O. Box 100299 Anchorage, Alaska 99510-0299907.615.1255 / alaskahistoricalsociety.orgFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2025 Contact: David Ramseur, 907-317-3657Historical Society Makes a Dozen Awards for Excellence & AccomplishmentsTo recognize outstanding accomplishments to research, preserve and educate aboutAlaska history, the Alaska Historical Society announced a dozen awards at its recent annualconference in Fairbanks. They ranged from a new book documenting the impact of oil dollars onstate politics to innovative archaeological research at Kodiak’s Alutiiq Museum.Here is a summary of the awards: Evangeline Atwood... (Read More)
