Happy Alaska Day!

Alaska Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Alaska, observed on October 18. It is the anniversary of the formal transfer of territories in present-day Alaska from the Russian Empire to the United States, which occurred on Friday, 18 October [O.S. 6 October] 1867.

The Alaska Purchase in 1867 resulted in the transfer of Russian America to the United States for $7.2 million (equivalent to $132 million in 2024).

On March 30, 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire for the sum of $7.2 million, equivalent to $132 million in 2024. It was not until October of that year that the commissioners arrived in Sitka and the formal transfer was arranged. The formal flag-raising took place at Fort Sitka on October 18, 1867. The original ceremony included 250 United States Army troops, who marched to the governor’s house at “Castle Hill”. There, the American soldiers raised the American flag, and the Russian flag was lowered.

The official account of the affair as presented by General Lovell Rousseau to Secretary of State William H. Seward:

... The troops being promptly formed, were, at precisely half past three o'clock, brought to a 'present arms', the signal given to the Ossipee ... which was to fire the salute, and the ceremony was begun by lowering the Russian flag ... The United States flag ... was properly attached and began its ascent, hoisted by my private secretary [and son], George Lovell Rousseau, and again salutes were fired as before, the Russian water battery leading off. The flag was so hoisted that in the instant it reached its place the report of the big gun of the Ossipee reverberated from the mountains around ... Captain Pestchouroff stepped up to me and said, "General Rousseau, by authority from his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, I transfer to the United States the Territory of Alaska" and in a few words I acknowledged the acceptance of the transfer, and the ceremony was at an end.

The transfer ceremony occurred on October 18, 1867, according to the Gregorian calendar used by the United States. However, Russia still used the Julian calendar at that time, which was 12 days behind the Gregorian calendar in the 19th century. Therefore, the date in the Russian calendar was October 6 (Old Style), though some sources cite October 7 due to the 11-hour time difference between Sitka and St. Petersburg.