Governor Walter J. Hickel Day
Effective Date: Friday, August 17th, 2012
WHEREAS, Walter Joseph “Wally” Hickel was born into a farming family on August 18th, 1919, in Claflin, Kansas, and is remembered by the people of Alaska for his wit, vision, and commitment to our state’s future; and
WHEREAS, drawn north to Alaska by his enterprising spirit at the age of 21, he went on to play an influential role not only in the establishment of Anchorage as a major Alaskan city, but also in the fight for Alaska statehood, for which he personally advocated in the nation’s capital; and
WHEREAS, the people of Alaska elected Governor Hickel as the second Governor of the State of Alaska, during which time his efforts to open the North Slope to oil development and capitalize on energy resources helped spread the recognition of Alaska’s tremendous wealth and potential; and
WHEREAS, Governor Hickel served as United States Secretary of the Interior under President Richard Nixon, where he worked to finalize the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and establish the 200-mile fishing limit to protect Alaska’s fisheries and oversaw the beginning of the permitting process for the Trans Alaska Pipeline System; and
WHEREAS, Governor Hickel was elected to a second term as Governor in 1990, becoming one of four Alaska governors to serve more than one term; and
WHEREAS, Governor Hickel cherished a vision of Alaska’s best future. By developing the Commonwealth North, the Northern Forum, and the Institute of the North, he sought to continue his public legacy by bringing attention to Alaska’s unique role as a resource-rich state and our nation’s door to the Arctic; and
WHEREAS, from Alaska’s territorial days to statehood and development, Governor Hickel’s devotion and dedication changed the future of the Last Frontier. With his conviction, earnestness, and confidence in the people of Alaska, he will always remain one of our state’s remarkable visionaries.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sean Parnell, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim August 18, 2012 as:
Governor Walter J. Hickel Day
in Alaska, and encourage Alaskans to honor his memory by remembering his steadfast service to our great state.
Dated: August 17, 2012
