James Wickersham
Delegate to Congress
US District Judge
Washington State Legislator
- Introduced the first Alaska Statehood Bill to Congress in 1916
- Responsible for the passage of the Second Organic Act, providing the Territory of Alaska with an elected legislature
- One of the most dominant figures in Alaska political history
- Introduced legislation in Congress to establish the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, the precursor to the University of Alaska
Name James Wickersham
City Eagle, Nome, Fairbanks, Juneau
Occupation Lawyer, Author
Born August 24, 1857 - Patoka, Illinois
Died October 24, 1939 - Juneau, Alaska
Alaska Resident 1900-39
Honors
- Honorary Doctorate, University of Alaska - 1935
- Wickersham Hall on the UAF Campus named in his honor
- Wickersham Wall, one of the ascent routes to the summit of Denali (Mt. McKinley) discovered by him and named in his honor (Wickersham was one of the first to attempt climbing Denali, when he lead a team of four to the 10,000 ft level of the mountain in 1903)
Further Reading
- Frontier Politics: Alaska’s James Wickersham - Evangeline Atwood
