ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº

In 1915, it was an audacious idea — to create a college in tiny, remote ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº, Alaska. Already, the gold rush town was fading. But the man who named the town, James Wickersham, admitted no embarrassment in also proposing a college for it.

As Alaska's nonvoting territorial delegate, Wickersham pushed members of Congress to set aside land for the college at an existing federal experiment farm near ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº. Even his allies lacked enthusiasm, though.

"An agricultural college anywhere else in Alaska — and I’m not sure but one at this place — would be a joke," said Rep. James Mann of Illinois. 

Nevertheless, Wickersham convinced Congress to pass the bill. President Woodrow Wilson signed it on March 4, 1915. On the Fourth of July, Wickersham dedicated a concrete cornerstone for the college on the ridge west of ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº. 

It took two more years for the Alaska Territorial Legislature to approve the idea. An Anchorage senator called ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº a "temporary placer camp" unfit for a college. The Anchorage Times said the college would only "loot the limited funds of the territorial treasury." 

The 1917 territorial Legislature approved the college — by a margin of only one vote in the House. Gov. John Strong signed the bill on May 3. Classes began in fall 1922.

More information:

• Cornerstone newsletter article, ""
• Aurora magazine article, ""
• Aurora magazine article, ""
• UA Journey, ""
• UA Journey, by Harriet Hess
• UA Journey,