STATE CAPITOL 550 West Seventh Avenue, Suite 1700 P.O. Box 110001 Anchorage, AK 99501 Juneau, AK 99811-0001 907-465-3500 907-269-7450
Governor Michael J. Dunleavy STATE OF ALASKA
August 24, 2020
The Honorable David Bernhardt Secretary of the Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20240
Dear Secretary Bernhardt:
On behalf of all Alaskans, thank you for your efforts toward establishing a National Garden of American Heroes honoring those dedicated to American ideals. The responses to your July 21, 2020 request are as follows;
1. Are there locations ofnatural beauty within your State that would serve as a reputable location for these monuments, statues, and the National Garden ofAmerican Heroes? In addition to the numerous federal conservation system units, we have world-class state parks, including Denali State Park, with easy access to the limited road system in Alaska, that could serve as host to the National Garden.
2. Are there any statues or monuments the State can donate or loan to this effort that will honor our Nation's heroes? Currently Alaska does not have statues or monuments that can be provided for donation or loan. We will continue to review possibilities for future consideration.
3. Are there any other American heroes who should be recognized in the National Garden of American Heroes? Here is a small sample of Alaskans who should receive national recognition:
• Elizabeth Peratrovich, 1911 -1914: Recently honored by portrayal on the U.S. dollar coin, Petratrovich was an American civil rights activist whose work resulted in the Alaska Territory's Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, the first such law in the United States. • War Chief Katlian, early 19 th Century: Katlian led Tlingit warriors of the Kiks.adi tribe in a four-day battle against heavily armed contingent of the Russian-American Company to prevent enslavement of tribe members, and the successful relocation of the tribe to Chichagof Island. Secretary David Bernhardt August 24, 2020 Page 2 of2
• Walter Harper, 1893 -1918: First person to summit Denali, North America's tallest peak. • Alaska Territorial Guard, 1942 -1947: After the Japanese occupation of two Aleutian Islands in 1942, the U.S. Army was eager to enlist Alaskans to prevent further occupation of strategic sites such as the only U.S. platinum mine. Over 6,000 Alaska Natives served in the Alaska Territorial Guard without pay.
If further information is required, please contact my office. s
Mike Dunleavy Governor