Today in History, 18 October

What great world event happened today? Well, for starters I did not take breakfast this morning, which increased my appetite during lunch. Ok..it’s not about me.

Well, today is the day when the United States of America purchased a 586,412 square miles of land. It’s something like twice the size of Texas. It was bought for $7.2 million dollars. This happened on in 1867. It was not accepted by many folks back in the US during that time. Who sold it? Well mother Russia of course. A good investment though. Today, 25 percent of America’s oil and over 50 percent of its seafood come from Alaska. By the way, the name Alaska is derived from the Aleut word ‘alyeska’, which means “great land.”

Now you know.

This song by Johnny Horton may give us an idea about Alaska.

Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.

Big Sam left Seattle in the year of ‘92,
With George Pratt, his partner, and brother, Billy, too.
They crossed the Yukon River and found the bonanza gold.
Below that old white mountain just a little south-east of Nome.

Sam crossed the majestic mountains to the valleys far below.
He talked to his team of huskies as he mushed on through the snow.
With the northern lights a-running wild in the land of the midnight sun,
Yes, Sam McCord was a mighty man in the year of nineteen-one.

Where the river is winding,
Big nuggets they’re finding.
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.

Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.

George turned to Sam with his gold in his hand,
Said: “Sam you’re a-lookin’at a lonely, lonely man.
“I’d trade all the gold that’s buried in this land,
“For one small band of gold to place on sweet little Ginnie’s hand.

“‘Cos a man needs a woman to love him all the time.
“Remember, Sam, a true love is so hard to find.
“I’d build for my Ginnie, a honeymoon home.
“Below that old white mountain just a little south-east of Nome.”

Where the river is winding,
Big nuggets they’re finding.
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.
North to Alaska,
They’re goin’ North, the rush is on.

Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)

Source: History.com & good ol’ Wiki

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