Alaska 50th Anniversary: “WE’RE IN”: Weekend
On January 3rd, 1959 Alaska became the 49th State. We’re in the midst of a yearlong celebration of our golden anniversary. This weekend is “We’re In Weekend”. June 30th is the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Senate’s 64-20 vote in favor of Alaska’s admission to the Union. (And just who were those 20 senators who voted against us??????)
This morning, I called Mom and asked if she wanted to head downtown for the Noon re-enactment of the “Pinning the Star on the Flag Ceremony”. Mom was totally pysched and she was over here within 20 minutes and off we went.
We had a great time - There were tons of people - both locals and tourists, Alaska flags, dignitaries, [short]speechifying, firemen, trumpets, etc. Everything one needs for a nifty civic ceremony.
It really was a special event and is yet another example of why Mom and I think that Alaska is just about the greatest place ever.
“We’re In” banner draped on the historic 4th Avenue Theatre:
Celebratory Mom:
A celebratory Slat Rat:
A very cool era-appropriate pink Thunderbird.
Dignitaries. From Left to Right: Vic Fisher, Katie Hurley (Vic and Katie were participants in the Alaska Constitutional Convention.), Governor Palin, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, Mayor Mark Begich.
Firemen and the Flag.
Firemen unfurling the flag from the roof of the Old Federal Building. The flag is a 50 state flag - I have a feeling a 48 state flag was hard to come by.
Katie and Vic after pinning the star on the flag.
Pinned Flag.
Hello. I am 
I love how proud you are of your state.
Strom Thurmond was one of ‘em — his crowd was worried that, if it ever came down to it, Alaska would side with the Commies given its geographic proximity to the USSR. Wrong kind of red state, apparently…