An Invitation to Help Celebrate
Anchorage’s Centennial 2013-15
Dear Friends:
The Mayor of Anchorage and many residents of our community have begun planning Anchorage's Centennial celebration. As a first step last fall Mayor Sullivan issued a proclamation inviting residents to provide ideas on how Anchorage should remember its centennial. He designated the Cook Inlet Historical Society as the recipient for all ideas on how Anchorage's citizens, organizations, agencies, and businesses should recognize and celebrate Anchorage's first on hundred years.
Using this input, the Society issued a final report on February 1, 2012 assembling all ideas received. We suggested that Anchorage's official celebration begin in May 2013 with the opening of the Anchorage Museum's Dena'inaq' Huch' ulyeshi: The Dena'ina Way of Living exhibition, continue through 2014 with the celebration of the Alaska Railroad's Centennial, the Museum's Arctic Ambitions: Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage Exhibit, and conclude with the Museum's 2015 exhibit, tentatively titled Anchorage: the First 100 Years and recognition of the July, 2015 auction and sale of Anchorage's first lots.
We also made three overriding recommendations: First, the Mayor should appoint someone on his staff as the advocate and clearinghouse for all "official" Anchorage centennial celebrations and appoint a volunteer advisory committee. Second, we suggested the Municipality support four legacy projects that are planned to out last the centennial celebration and provide long-term benefits to the citizens of Anchorage: the three Anchorage Museum exhibits mentioned above, the Alaska Railroad Amphitheater commemorating the role of the Alaska Railroad in Anchorage's history, a documentary film and book, and an app that can be downloaded to capture Anchorage's history. Third, the Municipality should finalize a centennial logo, posters, and banners as well as a program of events as soon as possible to market the centennial to citizens and tour operators, generate further centennial activities, and provide a framework for tour operators to begin promoting travel to Anchorage during centennial celebrations.
A copy of our invitation letter, the form for suggestions, the Mayor's proclamation and the February 1, 2012 final report are available below. We welcome your continued interest in this celebration and urge you to offer suggestions to the Society via email at CIHS@anchoragemuseum.org or by mail to the Cook Inlet Historical Society at the Anchorage Museum, 625 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. If you have questions please call me at 346-2755 or send an email to me at JBarnett@alaska.com.
We will continue to keep you informed of centennial planning on this website page.
Best personal regards,
James K. Barnett, President
Cook Inlet Historical Society
