Cecil Clegg

Cecil Clegg. Father of Alaska Day. , On July 4, 1906 at Seward, Alaska the Hon. Cecil H. Clegg gave a speech in which he suggested that Alaskans should officially designate a day to be celebrated as Alaska Day within the Territory. At that time, Clegg was the deputy United States District Attorney at Seward. In 1913, October 18th was officially designated as Alaska Day commemorating the official transfer from Russia to the United States. The transfer ceremony took place in Sitka on October 18, 1867 and here is how it happened:, "A dual cannon salute was fired for each flag. The Russian flag stuck fast in the lanyards during its lowering. Several soldiers were unsuccessful in their attempts to climb the flagpole and free the flag. A sling was rigged and a Russian soldier raised the flag, but he dropped it after freeing it. Gasps were heard as the flag dropped and was blown onto the Russian soldiers' bayonets. The ceremony continued with the quick raising of the American flag. The Commissioners exchanged a few words and Alaska's 586,412 square miles belonged to the United States.", Clegg later moved to Fairbanks and served our community for many years as a United States District Court Judge. He was also a past president of Men's Igloo No. 4, as well as the 1919 Grand Igloo President of the Pioneers of Alaska., Story provided by the Fairbanks Igloos of the Pioneers of Alaska..