Anchorage Area 1950-1963

Anchorage Area 1950-1963. . , In the early 1950's, Anchorage had 2 paved streets, 1 stoplight, 2 small skyscraper apartments and a new high school. The road to Seward and the new Anchorage International Air Terminal were completed. We were the first American city to have non-stop passenger service to both Europe and Asia. Pan American Airways started Clipper Service from Anchorage to other American cities; this greatly reduced the geographic isolation. Anchorage became a major refueling stop for over the pole air routes; the "Crossroads of the Air World". This enabled international artists to schedule stopovers for concerts and preformances [sic]. Anchorage citizens were priv[i]leged to see and hear a wide variety of world reknown[ed] artists., A new Distant Early Warning System was constructed. Information, mainly about the Soviet Union, was transmitted from 34 sites around Alaska into Elmendorf Air Force Base. Anchorage became critical to the military containment of the Soviet Union., In 1956 Anchorage was designated an All American City for "successfully tackling a skyrocketing population that threatened to swamp city facilities and pushing for needed civic improvements"., For many years, Alaska had lobbied for statehood. From November 1955 to February 1956 delegates met in a Constitutional Convention to draft and adopt a state constitution. It was decided that drafting this document would show Washington that Alaska was serious about statehood. On July 7, 1959 President Eisenhower signed the Statehood Bill and on August 26 Alaska voted to join the Union as the 49th state., During the 1950's, the Federal government sold oil leases for areas near Anchorage. On July 15, 1957 Atlantic Richfield struck oil at Swanson River, 25 miles from the nearest road. Oil prospecting became big business with Anchorage as the headquarters city. By 1960 the population of the Anchorage area had grown to almost 83,000 people. 18 oil companies had opened offices in the city., [Photo captions, clockwise from bottom left, read] , A. Statehood celebration. 4th Avenue, B. Distant Early Warning System Antenna, C. Opening ceremonies at the Alaska Constitutional Convention, D. Late 1950's. 4th Avenue and E Street, E. Fur Rendezvous carnival. Sled dog races and blanket toss, F. Alaskan congressional delegation congratulating the Hawaiian congressional delegation on their admission to the Union., G. Atlantic Richfield, Swanson River oil well, H. Anchorage, Air Crossroads of the World