Other Half of Alaska

[mowque]

In OPTL there was a strong (but brief) statehood movement for Alaska in the immediate post WW1 period. It mostly revolved around tariffs and other economic issues (where non-states like Alaska could be discriminated against). The main obstacle was that Alaska simply didn't have many people and was considered underdeveloped, doubly so for the northern half. One proposed idea was to simply grant the southern half of Alaska statehood, which would include most of the cities.

In my TL they go along with plan (some other butterflies are at work). My questions is, what do you do with the rest of the state? National Park? Giant Inuit Reservation? Pre-State Territory? Run by the federal government? Run as a giant corporate playground by the Alaska government? Any other ideas?

Thanks.

 

[BlondieBC]

In OPTL there was a strong (but brief) statehood movement for Alaska in the immediate post WW1 period. It mostly revolved around tariffs and other economic issues (where non-states like Alaska could be discriminated against). The main obstacle was that Alaska simply didn't have many people and was considered underdeveloped, doubly so for the northern half. One proposed idea was to simply grant the southern half of Alaska statehood, which would include most of the cities.

In my TL they go along with plan (some other butterflies are at work). My questions is, what do you do with the rest of the state? National Park? Giant Inuit Reservation? Pre-State Territory? Run by the federal government? Run as a giant corporate playground by the Alaska government? Any other ideas?

Thanks.

It is a territory. Much like as parts of the Louisiana purchase becomes states, the rest remained territories. I guess it would get a new name, and a new capital (Fairbanks?), but not much else changes.