Alaska became the 49th U.S. state on January 3, 1959.
The former Russian possession was purchased by the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million. For decades it passed through several administrative stages, including military rule, a district, and an organized territory. Statehood supporters eventually built enough political support for Congress to approve admission.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act in 1958, and Alaska was officially proclaimed a state on January 3, 1959. William A. Egan became the first governor of the new state.
Alaska’s admission came shortly before Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. Its enormous size made it the largest U.S. state by area, even though its population was much smaller than that of most states. Alaska is also separated from the contiguous United States by Canada, a feature that often causes confusion in maps of U.S. expansion.