Episode 4 - The Great Alaskan Highway

Perhaps you’ve dreamed to taking a long road trip to enjoy magnificent scenes and amazing experiences.  On many people’s bucket lists of such a trip is the Great Alaskan Highway, also known as the Alcan Highway. 

This great highway, born in the midst of World War II offers breathtaking views of mountains, streams, lakes, and wildlife for which Canada and Alaska are known for.

 I invite you to listen as we explore some of the history of this great highway, yet another example of our rich American heritage.

I invite you to share this podcast with others. If you have interesting stories about historical markers you've discovered, or perhaps are in your area, please email me at: americanhistoricalmarkers@gmail.com.

I also invite you to leave me feedback by clicking on the "Send Us a Text" tab at the top of this discription.

Safe Travels!

Transcript

Hello Friends,

 I’m your host Dave Laton and welcome to Signs of Our Time, Discovering America’s heritage, one sign at a time.

 This podcast is designed to provide the story behind the story found on America’s roadside historical signs.  

 In today’s episode I want to explore a bit about the Great Alaskan Highway also known as the Alcan Highway.

 Did you know that early on in World War II, part of America was occupied by Japan?  It’s true.  Shortly after the start of the war, Japan took over the islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Chain in June 1942.  This event was so dramatic that the US and Canadian governments recognized the potential of further attacks upon the US and Canadian homelands.  As a result, they built the Great Alaskan Highway.

 Today this amazing historical highway that spans portions of Canada and Alaska offers breathtaking views of mountains, streams, lakes, and wildlife for which Canada and Alaska is well known.

The Great Alaskan Highway was originally known as the Alaskan-Canadian Military Highway.  It provided vital transportation links to the Yukon territory and Alaska during World War II. 

 The route was first proposed in 1929 by the International Highway Commission, but it didn’t come about until the occupation by Japan as we mentioned earlier showed it’s necessity for strategic defense.   

 Actual construction began in 1942, taking just 8 months to cover 1,570 miles. At the time, and certainly even today, this was a major engineering feat.  In the 1940’s it cost $135 million dollars, which is equivalent to over $2 billion in today's money.  Today because of all the environmental concerns, it would have taken years just to study if it was possible.

 Now anyone that has traveled on a highway under construction knows that it seems to take years to be completed.  So again, completing the Alcan highway in just over 8 months, through the wilderness and mountainous areas of Alaska and Canada during all kinds of weather is remarkable.

 Construction began shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  It was under the responsibility of Northwest Service Command, 18th Engineering Division, specifically created for the purpose.  It was a major part of the first steps in America’s defense.  

 Constructing the highway required not only technical expertise but also immense resilience. Teams faced everything from subzero temperatures to relentless swarms of mosquitoes, turning every mile into a testament of human determination.

 But also amazing is that the workforce behind this monumental project was as diverse and remarkable as the landscape it crossed. Soldiers, civilians, and engineers from both the United States and Canada labored tirelessly, working through unforgiving weather and dense forests. 

 Among the many soldiers constructing the highway were the segregated African American regiments of the United States Army.  Three all-black engineer regiments, the 93rd, 95th, and 97th, were among the over 11,000 soldiers who worked on the highway's construction. In addition to the brutal cold and challenging terrain, and harsh living conditions all the workers faced, the African American regiments were often given less desirable assignments and equipment compared to their white counterparts. Despite these obstacles, the black soldiers demonstrated exceptional skill and perseverance. As we express in the military when recognizing outstanding service, they served with distinction.  

 Here are some other interesting facts about the Alcan Highway.

 ·       It was named an International Historical Engineering Landmark in 1996.

 ·       The highway spans 1,387 miles starting in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and ending in Delta City Junction, Alaska.

 ·       Upon completion, the route had 133 major bridges and 8,000 culverts, which if stretched end-to-end would stretch over 57 miles.

 ·       As stated, the project cost $135 million. It was the most expensive construction project taken on by the United States government during WWII.

 ·       Initial shipment of equipment of construct the highway included 174 steam shovels, 374 blade graders, 904 tractors and more than 5,000 trucks totaling more than 250,000 tons of equipment. 

 ·       Today the Alcan Highway serves over 100,000 tourists on an average year.  The highway began as a gravel road and today is a modern 2 and 4 lane highway.

 ·       There are 31 "historic signs" in B.C., 22 in Yukon and 5 in Alaska, identifying the significance of the location. 

 ·       There are 18 interpretive panels in B.C., 14 in Yukon and 5 in Alaska which give detailed information.

 Well friends, there you have it.  A story from America’s past.  I hope you enjoyed this episode.  I invite you to continue listening as we bring more episodes about the rich heritage of our great nation.

 I invite you to share this podcast with others.  If you have interesting stories about historical markers, I invite you to email me at: americanhistoricalmarkers@gmail.com

 I’m your host Dave Laton and thank you for listening, and safe travels! 

 Reference:  

·       The Historical Marker Database (https://www.hmdb.org)

·       American Society of Civil Engineers (www.asce.org)

·       The Milepost (https://themilepost.com/Alaska-highway-trivia)