Anchorage Wedding

Anchorage, Alaska is a consolidated city-borough (officially called the Municipality of Anchorage) in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is also a census area. With 260,283 residents according to the 2000 census, Anchorage is the largest city in the state of Alaska, comprising more than two-fifths of the state's population. The population is somewhat misleading as the area of Anchorage is larger than that of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. The Census Bureau's official population estimate as of 2004 was 272,687. Anchorage is administrated by an elected mayor and assembly, and a city manager. The city's current mayor is Mark Begich. Although Begich's party affiliation is Democratic, the office of Anchorage mayor is non-partisan.

Anchorage was carefully laid out by city planners in 1914, originally as a railroad construction port for the Alaska Railroad, and in 1915, the first sales of town lots were held. In 1915 President Woodrow Wilson authorized funds for the construction of the Alaska Railroad. Ship Creek Landing in Anchorage was selected as the headquarters of this effort. Soon a "Tent City" sprang up at the mouth of Ship Creek and the population quickly swelled to more than 2,000. Would-be entrepreneurs flocked to this bustling frontier town, and brought with them everything necessary to build a city. A popular hardware and clothing store, "The Anchorage," was actually an old dry-docked steamship name "Berth." Although the area had been known by various names, the U.S. Post Office Department formalized the use of the name "Anchorage," and despite some protests the name stuck. In 1920, the United States government relinquished its direct control over the city, and elections were held. Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920. Growth began in the 1940s, with the construction of Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson, which made Anchorage a major defense center. After Alaska became a state, Anchorage faced a severe housing shortage, which was solved partially by suburban expansion.