1. In 1906, the first shipment of ore from the Fairbanks mining district was made. This marked the beginning of a major gold rush in Alaska, which helped to transform the economy and settlement patterns of the state.

2. On April 18, 1945, a US Navy plane crashed into a mountain near Admiralty Island, killing all 19 crew members on board. The tragedy was due to the combination of bad weather and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the area.

3. In 1964, the Great Alaska Earthquake struck on April 18, registering as a 9.2 magnitude earthquake and triggering a massive tsunami. The disaster resulted in over 100 deaths and caused widespread destruction throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

4. On April 18, 1975, the Alyeska Pipeline was officially completed, stretching over 800 miles from the North Slope to Valdez. The pipeline is a critical part of Alaska's economy, transporting oil from the state's oil fields to the rest of the country.

5. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred on April 18, when the tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling over 11 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean. The disaster had devastating effects on Alaska's wildlife and environment, and it took years for the region to fully recover.