Alaska Day celebrates the transfer of the Alaskan Territory from Russia to the United States on 18 October 1867. It’s a state holiday, but the big party is in Sitka.

A quirk: I have many Canadian friends, and for some reason they all insist that the U.S. bought Alaska from Canada. No matter how much I argue, or how much evidence I produce, they dismiss me out of hand. What do they teach over there in the Yukon?

And don’t fret… William Seward gets his own day in March.