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Old 07-22-2013, 12:44 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
791 posts, read 1,154,434 times
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The three biggest cities in Alaska are Anchorage, Fairbanks, & Juneau. How come the three cites got so very big in the state of Alaska?
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Old 07-22-2013, 12:53 PM
 
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Anchorage 295,570 (2011)
Fairbanks 32,036 (2011)
Juneau 32,164 (2011)

They are not really large cities when you look at the populations. Let me guess you think a road connecting all 3 should be built, so they can grow, grow, grow.
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:28 PM
 
Location: Alabama
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Anchorage is the only one that could be considered a major city.

I don't know a whole lot about Alaska history, but I would say Anchorage grew because of the harbor.

Juneau is one of the biggest cities because it's the capital. Fairbanks, I have no idea. Maybe it had something to do with the gold rush?
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:30 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles County, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YellowstoneDate View Post
The three biggest cities in Alaska are Anchorage, Fairbanks, & Juneau. How come the three cites got so very big in the state of Alaska?
Location, oil, gold.
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:32 PM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
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Fairbanks intial growth was its location on the river and proximity to the gold fields. Anchorage was born as a railroad construction camp. Both saw most of their growth due to the establishment of their respective military bases during World War II, and then the continued need for the bases during the Cold War.
Juneau's claim to fame was the gold mines. As the territory was being established, Juneau was already the biggest city and so it was the natural choice for the seat of the Territorial government. And without state government there today, it would become a much smaller city.

If you lump the core towns of the MatSu (Houston, Meadow Lakes, Knik/Fairview, Wasilla, Gateway, Palmer) into one "community", it is larger than both Fairbanks & Juneau.
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:51 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles County, CA
29,094 posts, read 26,008,825 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AKStafford View Post
If you lump the core towns of the MatSu (Houston, Meadow Lakes, Knik/Fairview, Wasilla, Gateway, Palmer) into one "community", it is larger than both Fairbanks & Juneau.
Don't give YellowstoneDate any ideas - now he will want to advocate for your post to be literally implemented!
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Old 07-22-2013, 03:57 PM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
2,795 posts, read 5,616,028 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrier View Post
Don't give YellowstoneDate any ideas - now he will want to advocate for your post to be literally implemented!
Sorry... My bad. But hey, maybe that would be a better spot for Hollywood to locate to than Fairbanks!
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Old 07-23-2013, 12:53 AM
 
Location: Alaska
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Fairbanks also benefits today from the University being one of its economic drivers. U of Alaska-Fairbanks is the flagship school in the U system for the state.
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Old 07-23-2013, 01:28 AM
 
Location: Los Angeles County, CA
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Does Fairbanks actually live up to its name?

Are the banks there truly fair - or do they hit everyone with inane "service charges"?
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Old 07-23-2013, 02:47 PM
 
4,715 posts, read 10,520,099 times
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At one point they were filled with Gold... Does that make them Fair?

Even though the town was named after Charles Fairbanks...
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