If you have photographs or stories about Southwest Alaskan history that you would like to share with the National Park Service contact John Branson at john_branson
@nps.gov

Alaska became a state in 1959. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve was established in 1980. The dates in Alaska history are recent, but the history of the people can be traced back thousands of years.

The Natives may have inhabited the area for the last 7,000 years. Kijik village and Tanalian Point enrich the areas history. The Lake Clark area first attracted outsiders interested in mining and then homesteaders, resulting in the settlement of Port Alsworth. By the 70's the American public was aware of the special characteristics of Alaska. Alaska was and is still a pristine and wild place. As a result, in 1980 the Alaska national parks and several public land areas were created or expanded. This doubled the size of the National Park system and set aside over 104 million acres in National Parks and Preserves, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests and Bureau of Land Management Lands.