1. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Alaska Game Law, which established hunting and fishing regulations aimed at ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of Alaska's wildlife resources.

2. In 1959, Alaska became the 49th state of the United States. The admission of Alaska as a state was the culmination of decades of effort by Alaskans to gain greater control over their own affairs and to achieve equal rights and representation within the United States.

3. In 1964, Alaska was struck by the largest recorded earthquake in North American history. The 9.2 magnitude quake and resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and loss of life, and prompted the development of new building codes and emergency management procedures in Alaska and around the world.

4. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which protected more than 100 million acres of Alaska's wilderness, including vast areas of pristine tundra, forests, mountains, and coastline. The act also established eight new national parks and expanded numerous others, making Alaska home to some of the most spectacular natural areas in the world.

5. In 2015, the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska National Guard worked together to rescue more than 200 stranded walruses on a remote beach near Point Lay, Alaska. Climate change has caused a decline in Arctic sea ice, which is vital habitat for walruses and other marine mammals, forcing them to haul out on shore in ever-increasing numbers, and making them vulnerable to trampling and other hazards. The rescue effort was a testament to the commitment of Alaskans and the U.S. government to preserving the unique wildlife and habitats of the Last Frontier.