Seward’s Day

Seward’s Day honors the man behind one of the most talked-about purchases in American history.

It commemorates William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia.

This holiday began in 1917, fifty years after the historic treaty was signed. Alaskan officials wanted to recognize Seward’s role in securing the vast land that eventually became a treasure trove of natural resources.

At the time of the purchase in 1867, many people ridiculed it. They called Alaska a useless, frozen wasteland. Critics even labeled the deal “Seward’s Folly” because they didn’t see the value in it. However, the discovery of gold, oil, and other resources in the region changed public opinion over time.

By 1959, Alaska had become the 49th state in the Union. The state’s unique contribution to the U.S. only reinforced the wisdom of Seward’s decision.

Today, the holiday stands as a reminder of Seward’s bold vision and the lasting impact of his efforts. It continues to be observed each year, with events occurring across the state​.

Facts About Seward’s Day

Hidden Gold Rush That Changed Opinions 

When the U.S. bought Alaska in 1867, many politicians mocked it as useless, but the Klondike and Alaskan gold rushes in the 1890s helped flip that view by revealing rich mineral wealth in the broader region and spurring massive investment and migration into Alaska and the Yukon.  

A Bargain at About Two Cents an Acre

The United States paid $7.2 million for roughly 586,000 square miles of Alaska, which worked out to about two cents per acre, a price that historians point out is tiny compared with the long-term value of its oil, gas, minerals, timber, and fisheries.  

Russia’s Fear of Britain Helped Sell Alaska

Russia’s leaders worried that their distant North American colony would be impossible to defend in a future war with Britain, particularly from nearby British Columbia, so they decided it was better to sell Alaska to the United States than risk losing it to the British Empire without compensation.  

An All-Night Negotiation in Washington 

The Alaska treaty was hammered out in an all-night bargaining session in Washington, D.C.; Russian minister Eduard de Stoeckl and Secretary of State William H. Seward completed the draft on March 29, 1867, and the final agreement was signed around 4 a.m. on March 30.  

The Senate’s Overwhelming but Controversial Vote 

Despite public jokes about “Seward’s Folly,” the U.S. Senate strongly backed the Alaska deal, ratifying the treaty 37–2 in April 1867 after powerful senator Charles Sumner argued in a marathon speech that Alaska would be critical for Pacific trade and North American security.  

From “Seward’s Icebox” to Strategic Front Line

What critics dismissed as a frozen wasteland later became a front-line region in the 20th century; Alaska hosted critical air bases and radar sites during World War II and the Cold War because of its location only a short great-circle distance from both Asia and the Soviet Union.   

Seward as Architect of a Larger American Empire 

Alaska was only part of William H. Seward’s wider expansionist vision: as secretary of state he pursued islands in the Caribbean and Pacific, promoted a transcontinental telegraph and railroad connections, and saw Alaska as a stepping stone toward increased American influence across the northern Pacific.