Alaska Digitization Project
In order to make NARA’s holdings from the former Alaska Region more broadly available to the public, we are digitizing the most in-demand records.
The National Archives began this process by requesting input from stakeholders, including the public, on which records should be prioritized for digitization. In 2014, NARA combined this feedback with historical reference activity, access restrictions that prevent public release (including the existence of Personally Identifiable Information), and preservation concerns to create the first digitization priority list.
Beginning in 2017, the National Archives focused the list to the most popular records based on what records had been requested in 2015 and 2016. During this period, NARA also received specific input from the Alaska Department of Transportation, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Newly identified access restrictions also prevent NARA from digitizing some of the records from the original list.
Digitization Process and Updates
Digitizing the records from the former Alaska region is a top priority of the National Archives. In order to maximize available resources in terms of staff and equipment, the records are being temporarily moved to the National Archives at College Park. Approximately 3,600 cubic feet of records will move in FY 2021 in three shipments:
- Shipment 1 - Arrived at the National Archives at College Park on May 27, 2021
- Shipment 2 - Arrived at the National Archives at College Park on June 25, 2021
- Shipment 3 - Arrived at the National Archives at College Park on July 22, 2021
Digitizing the records from the former Alaska region is a top priority of the National Archives. In order to maximize available resources in terms of staff and equipment, the records are being temporarily moved to the National Archives at College Park. The records will be returned to the National Archives at Seattle for long-term storage after digitization. Approximately 3,600 cubic feet of records were moved in FY 2021 in three shipments:
During the time the records are located in College Park, records will not be available for viewing in the Research Room and reference service will be limited to emergency requests (e.g. requests involving rights and interests, looming court dates, or significant congressional matters) and remote requests for scans, handled on a case-by-case basis, from the National Archives at Seattle. Furthermore, responses to reference inquiries may be impacted during the prep and scanning process. The National Archives at Seattle will provide in-person reference service to the records that currently remain there.
You may send reference inquiries regarding the affected records by email to seattle.archives@nara.gov or by postal mail to 6125 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington 98115-7999.
Progress on the project can be tracked below, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions are available here.
As Alaska records are digitized and made available via the National Archives Catalog, we will update the list below with links to the scanned images. Where digitization is listed as upcoming, links go to the corresponding Catalog series description which provides background information on the records in that series. All series from the former Alaska Region can be viewed in the National Archives Catalog regardless of their digitization status.
In addition to NARA digitization, our partners at FamilySearch have also digitized over four hundred thousand pages from Alaska and made these available via their website.
See the list of Alaska records digitized by FamilySearch
Recently Digitized
Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1868-2008 (RG 022)
- Historical Files for the Lake Hood Land and Seaplane Base Project, 1948-1950
- Natural Resource Damage Assessment Studies, 1989-1992
- Research Reports, 1988-2007
Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007 (RG 029)
Records of the Bureau of Land Management, 1685 – 2006 (RG 049)
- Townsite Trustee General Correspondence, 1905-1946
- Contest Case Files Relating to Native Alaskan Rights, ca. 1965-1972
Records of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1839-2008 (RG 057)
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793-1999 (RG 075)
- Correspondence of the Alaska Native Industries Cooperative, 1953-1956
- Photographs of Schools, Hospitals, and Clinics, 1938-1977
Records of the National Park Service, 1785-2006 (RG 079)
- Correspondence Related to Trails, 1974-1981
- Mission Correspondence, 1974-1980
- Land Planning Group Files, 1971-1979
Records of the Forest Service, 1870-2008 (RG 095)
Records of the Federal Aviation Administration, 1922-2008 (RG 237)
Records of the Federal Highway Administration (RG 406)
Enhanced Discovery
NARA has added additional metadata to several high-interest records This additional metadata supports improved discovery of the material in the National Archives Catalog. Digital images from these records may be added over time.
Records of the Bureau of Public Roads, 1892 - 1972 (RG 030)
- Drawings, 1922 - 1958 (searchable by location)
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (RG 075):
- Tlingit-Haida Tribal Enrollments, 1890-1976 (searchable by name)
- Mt. Edgecumbe Student Case Files, 1941-1983 (searchable by name)
- Wrangell Student Case Files, 1933-1975 (searchable by name)
Upcoming
Donated material from the Anchorage Museum that was transferred to the National Archives in 2010.
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Photographs Relating to Federal Aviation Facilities [Federal Aviation Administration], 1946 – 1972 [Scanning of the second half of the series will continue in College Park.]
Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1868-2008 (RG 022)
Records of the U.S. Coast Guard (RG 026)
Records of the Bureau of Land Management, 1685 – 2006 (RG 049)
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793-1999 (RG 075)
The following two series created by the Bureau of Indian Affairs are being digitized but due to personal personal identifiable information (PII) in the records, they will only be made available to the public after staff reviews and redacts PII.
Records of the Forest Service, 1870-2008 (RG 095)
- Historical Photograph Files, 1906-1994
- Ranger Diaries, 1908-1965
- Historical Case Files, 1910-1970
- Inspection Reports, 1909-1963
- National Forest Road Project Files, 1913-1959
- Administrative Files Relating to the Alaska Spruce Log Program, 1942-1944
Records of the Alaska Power Administration (RG 447)
Digitized in 2020
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 - 1999 (RG 075)
Digitized in 2018
Records of the Army Air Forces (RG 018)
Records of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (RG 022)
- Correspondence Relating to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1957 - 1962
- Endangered Species Recovery Plans, 1982-2008
Records of the U.S. Coast Guard (RG 026)
Records of the Weather Bureau (RG 027)
Records of the Bureau of Public Roads (RG 030)
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (RG 075)
- Alaska Village Census Rolls, 1966 – 1968
- Reindeer Service: Administrative Correspondence, 1934 - 1953
- Reindeer Service: Administrative Correspondence Relating to the Sale of Reindeer and Reindeer Products, 1940
- Reindeer Service: Annual Reports of Reindeer Herds, 1908 - 1932
- Reindeer Service: Correspondence of Lawrence J. Palmer, 1920 - 1945
- Reindeer Service: Correspondence Relating to Declarations of Ownership of Reindeer in Alaska, 1937 - 1941
- Reindeer Service: Correspondence Relating to Reindeer Meat, 1937 - 1943
- Reindeer Service: Correspondence Relating to Sales, 1934 - 1953
- Reindeer Service: Financial Ledgers, 1915 – 1925
- Reindeer Service: Historical Files, 1929 – 1948
- Reindeer Service: Monthly Herd Reports, 1937 – 1968
- School Newspapers, 1960 – 1970
Records of the Forest Service (RG 095)
Records of the Naval Districts & Shore Establishments (RG 181)
Digitized in 2017
Records of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (RG 022)
Records of the Bureau of Land Management, 1685 – 2006 (RG 049)
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (RG 075)
- Village Census Rolls, 1935-1972) [Due to PII concerns, material from this series will be released 75 years from the date of the record.]
- Alaska Resupply Program Logbooks [North Star & Boxer], 1925-1960
- Reindeer Service: Correspondence Relating to Reindeer Herds in Alaska, 1911-1960
Records of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (RG 368)
Records of the Federal Highway Administration (RG 406)
Digitized in 2016
Records of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (RG 022)
Records of the U.S. Geological Survey (RG 057)
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (RG 075)
- Mount Edgecumbe Yearbooks, 1947-1983
- Pribilof Islands Logbooks, 1870-1961
- Village Census Rolls, 1935-1972 [Due to PII concerns, material from this series will be released 75 years from the date of the record.]
Records of the National Park Service (RG 079)
Records of the Federal Aviation Administration (RG 237)
Records of the Indian Arts & Crafts Board (RG 435)
Digitized in 2015
Records of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (RG 022)
Records of the U.S. Coast Guard (RG 026)
Records of the Department of the Treasury (RG 056)
Records of the Army Corps of Engineers (RG 077)