A look back at how Seward was named.

In March of 1903, Seward founder John Ballaine decided it was important to have the Alaska Railroad starting point named even though it was only virgin forest. Railway Company Chief Engineer C.M. Anderson had designated the Resurrection Bay location as “Vituska” on all the blueprints he had prepared.

“He explained it to be a combination of Vitus, Captain Behring’s given name, with the last syllable of Alaska,” Ballaine explained in the January 1, 1906 edition of the Seward Daily Gateway. “But the only names that occurred to me for serious consideration were Seward, McKinley, and Roosevelt. I finally concluded that the city destined to be the metropolis of the great territory could fittingly bear no other name than that of the man of his day who foresaw the ultimate primacy of the Pacific ocean in the world’s commerce.”

Ballaine bestowed upon the new town the name of Seward, in honor of William H. Seward, President Lincoln’s Secretary of State. Balliane wrote Frederick W. Seward and advised him that he had chosen the name of this father as the most worthy for the future metropolis of Alaska.

“I need hardly say that the selection of the name seems to me an appropriate one, and that it will be gratifying to those who knew him in life, as well as to the still greater number who hold his name in esteem and loving remembrance.” Seward wrote in his reply a month later. “Time has now shown that his predications in regard to the future of Alaska were not at all exaggerated. Your enterprise is well conceived and the proposed route seems judiciously chosen. It is well adapted to the growing needs of the region through which it is to pass. I heartily hope that your anticipations of its success may be realized.”

On the same day, April 6th, the steamship Santa Anna arrived with the first cargo of construction material and thirty workmen dedicated to the preliminary construction of the Alaska Central Railway as well as a score of businessmen. The construction force and these few business men, less than 100 in all, made up the bulk of Seward’s population.

In November, Ballaine carried a petition to Washington, D.C. from almost every man in Seward, asking the post office department to establish a post office there, and appoint Lillie N. Gordon postmistress. The first official Seward city political debacle ensued.

District of Alaska Postal Inspector Wayland had filed a protest against the bestowal of the name Seward on the young city of Resurrection Bay, alleging that there were already several Sewards in the territory.

“I went personally to President Teddy Roosevelt and explained to him the basis of my desire to have the new place named Seward, pointed out to him that the other post offices of that name were canneries or temporary camps which could easily be changed to another name.” Ballaine recalled. “He heartily agreed with my view of the case, and asked me to address a letter to him directly, embodying the reasons I had given him verbally, and bring it to him nest day at 10:00 o’clock.”

Ballaine arrived at the appointed hour with the requested letter in hand. After Roosevelt read the letter, Ballaine reported that he stated:

“You are quite right. This railroad should give rise to an important city at the ocean terminus. That city deserves to be named in honor of the man responsible for making Alaska American territory.”

Roosevelt wrote a note in the letter’s margin addressed to Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow, saying that he agreed with Ballaine’s views and would be glad to have Bristow give the subject of the letter his prompt attention. The marginal note was signed “T.R.”

Ballaine immediately took the letter and the President’s endorsement to the fourth assistance postmaster general, along with Mr. Boynton, the Superintendent of the Associated Press at the National Capital.

“Within ten minutes of the time I entered his office General Bristow had issued an order establishing the new post office of Seward on Resurrection Bay,” Ballaine advised, “and another order appointing Lillie N. Gordon its first Postmistress.”