- published: 14 Aug 2015
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The Alaska Highway (also known as the Alaskan Highway, Alaska-Canadian Highway, or ALCAN Highway) was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. Completed in 1942 at a length of approximately 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi), as of 2012[update] it was 2,232 km or 1,387 mi long. The difference in distance is due to constant reconstruction of the highway, which has rerouted and straightened out numerous sections. The highway was opened to the public in 1948. Legendary over many decades for being a rough, challenging drive, the highway is currently paved over its entire length.
An informal system of historic mileposts developed over the years to denote major stopping points; Delta Junction, at the end of the highway, makes reference to its location at "Historic Milepost 1422." It is at this point where the Alaska Highway meets the Richardson Highway, which continues 155 km (96 mi) to Fairbanks. This is often regarded, though unofficially, as the northern portion of the Alaska Highway, with Fairbanks at Historic Milepost 1520.. Mileposts on this stretch of highway are measured from Valdez, rather than the Alaska Highway. The Alaska Highway is popularly (but unofficially) considered part of the Pan-American Highway, which extends south to Argentina.
Alaska (i/əˈlæskə/) is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait. Alaska is the 4th least populous and the least densely populated of the 50 United States. Approximately half of Alaska's 722,718 residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area.
Alaska was purchased from Russia on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million ($120 million in today's[when?] dollars) at approximately two cents per acre ($4.74/km²). The land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized (or incorporated) territory on May 11, 1912, and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.
The name "Alaska" (Аляска) was already introduced in the Russian colonial period, when it was used only for the peninsula and is derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or, more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". It is also known as Alyeska, the "great land", an Aleut word derived from the same root.
Riding down the highway with Cowboy Joe
Met Leonardo DiCaprio, Leo, he's tryin' to get away from
The unwanted advances of Eminem
Em's wearing drawstrings, lispin' along
Sayin', "Please, put me into your highway song"
I say, hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway
Well, I would never be so dumb
To say they stole an election
They bought the damn thing fair and square
Emperor's in his underwear
Old King Cole's a merry old troll
Surgeon General smokes Marlboro
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway
Commandment Three says 'Do Not Kill'
Amendment Two says 'Blood Will Spill'
God sits in his rocking chair
Two flat tires and one good spare
Britney Spears joins Cowboy Joe
With a hey and a ho and a do si do
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway
West Palm Beach and Cheech
And Rae Dawn Chong, can't we all just get along?
Anchored down in Kodiak with a heart attack-ack-ack
You oughta know by now, By Joel
West Palm Beach and Cheech
And Rae Dawn Chong, can't we all just get along?
Anchored down in Kodiak with a heart attack-ack-ack
You oughta know by now, By Joel
Hanging out with Cowboy Joe
Keith Richards stops to say hello
I play my guitar, he plays along
With song after song, after song, after song
That I've played with the likes of him
Ain't never gonna settle for less, my friend
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great, on that great
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway
I say hey, who's goin' my way
On that great Alaska highway