Free Alaska Digital Archives for Genealogy
are featured in Sassy Jane Genealogy‘s States on Sunday series
providing links to free digital resources for each of the fifty states.
Alaska’s Digital Archives
Hoo-Hoo-Ye (courtesy Alaska’s Digital Archives)
Partners in this collaborative project include the Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, the Consortium Library at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and the Alaska State Library in Juneau. For a full list of contributing libraries and archives, click here.
Stampeder Genealogy
The National Park Services writes, “There are a number of sites that list resources and maintain searchable databases of people who went north to Alaska and Canada during the gold rush. These sites are an easy place to begin your research.”
- Ghosts of the Klondike Genealogical Database – The Dawson City Museum maintains 80,000 genealogical records online including records of the Northwest Mounted Police, Yukon Order of Pioneers, Palm Sunday Avalanche victims and a variety of other genealogical records.
- Valdez Museum and Historical Archives – The Valdez Museum has put information and images related to the gold rush on-line, including 2,900 names of people who were known to have either passed through or lived in Valdez in 1897-1898.
- British Columbia Archives – Vital Events Indexes – The British Columbia Archives has online the births registration index (1872-1899), marriage registration index (1872-1924) and the death registration index (1872-1979).
- How to find your gold rush relative: Sources on the Klondike and Alaska gold rushes (1896-1914) is a comprehensive list of resources. It was revised in 2001 and contains many obscure sources that might otherwise be overlooked.
- Lists of April 3, 1898 Avalanche Victims – The deadliest event of the Klondike gold rush occurred on April 3, 1898, between Sheep Camp and the Scales on the Chilkoot Trail.
- Klondike Gold Rush Historical Database is a comprehensive site for all your gold rush research needs
- Census Information and other resources from USGenWeb
SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway)
Information Resources For, By, and About Alaska
Developed by the Alaska State Library and University of Alaska libraries, SLED is a portal providing access to many databases and online resources, including Heritage Quest, Alaska’s Digital Archives and other databases from A-Z, licensed for Alaska residents.
Alaska State Archives
For family history researchers, the rest of the Archives collection can be a valuable resource, even though the bulk of their materials are offline. See the Alaska State Archives’ Alaska Genealogy page for a description available resources and procedures for requesting information.
Alaska’s Digital Archives at the University of Alaska
1. Pathways for Alaska Native Materials
- Religion and Church Leadership
- Traditional Spiritual Practices
- Native Organizations
- Ceremonial Life
- Education
- Native Leadership and Politics
- Traditional Ways of Learning
- Traditional Technology
- Health Care Providers
- Make a Living
- Art
- Health Care Facilities
2. Pathways for Movement to Statehood Materials
- Government
- Military
- People
- Transportation
- Business and Commerce
- Natural Resources
- Society and Daily Life
Alaska State Historical Library
Their online resources includes database indices linking to other resources, such as the Index for Biographies of Alaska-Yukon Pioneers, 1850-1950, v. 1-5. This searchable database includes many thousands of names, with links to local records. The Schools in Rural Alaska Exhibit is a collections of 20 photographs selected from collections at the Alaska State Library.
- Guide to Alaska Newspapers on Microfilm
- Index to names found in Alaska Searchlight
- Index to cover photographs of Alaskan Sportsman magazine
- Index to photographers of Alaska, by Candace Waugaman
- Index to mining-related articles in Ketchikan newspapers
- Index to Alaska Gold Rush Pioneers of the Juneau-Douglas Area 1880-1921.
- Published by: Juneau Pioneers of Alaska Igloo and Auxiliary No. 6 Juneau, Alaska
- Index to Alaska Free Press
- Index to Alaska Weekly and Alaska Sportsman obituaries
Archives West
Archives West provides access to descriptions of primary sources at archives and libraries in Alaska and the western United States, including correspondence, diaries, and photographs. Digital images are available in some cases.
Alaska Digital Map Data
The Alaska Mapping Initiative is a U.S. Geological Survey program to support and improve maps and digital map data for Alaska, bringing Alaska topographic map and digital map data quality in line with the conterminous United States.
Other Alaska Resources Online
- Netstate Alaska
http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ak_intro.htm - A Guide to the Fifty States – Alaska
http://www.theus50.com/alaska/ - WorldAtlas.com Alaska
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usstates/ak.htm - Learning Network Alaska http://www.infoplease.com/us-states/alaska.html
- 50States Alaska http://www.50states.com/alaska.htm
- National Register of Historic Places Alaska
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ak/state.html - Alaska Cemetery Records at Interment.net
That’s it for free Alaska Digital Archives from Sassy Jane. Tune in next Sunday for free Arizona Digital Archives for Genealogy. Check out the other states in this series here.
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