Development of a Canadian Alaska?

It would be impossible to know, the origins of place names is very random.

Without the panhandle dispute that whole area will be different having avoided the need for overlapping development and many of the towns/cities there that spring up will vary in value. Without the government capital Juneau will likely be much smaller and wherever Britain sticks the capital will be bigger (Sitka?).

I mean, it's very possible they might just name the place after whoever instigated the purchase/conquest of the region. Douglasville?
 
I'm sure we can look at examples of that in the Yukon and Northwest territories for that.
There's a mix. Some place got named by the colonists, some are taken from the local language.

Yukon is a native name. Northwest territories isn't obviously but Yellowknife, the capital, is the name of the native group that was in the area. Dawson City, the center of the Klondike gold rush, is not local but Klondike is local. Random mountains are names after random people.

Of course if Alaska is taken in a conquest there may be a need to rename everything to instill pride or something.
 
I mean, it's very possible they might just name the place after whoever instigated the purchase/conquest of the region. Douglasville?

It's just as likely as anything else. The naming of the west was fairly random, though by the time settlers start to arrive I think it would be a mix of royalish name, Anglicized local names and things named after the locals.
 
An interesting possibility is the extension of the Canada Pacific line from Vancouver up into Alaska. The promise to build it was part of BC's terms for joining confederation.
There's a more interesting one: the route runs through Kicking Horse instead of south, coming by way of Saskatoon & Edmonton, & terminates in *Juneau or Prince Rupert.
 
There's a more interesting one: the route runs through Kicking Horse instead of south, coming by way of Saskatoon & Edmonton, & terminates in *Juneau or Prince Rupert.

Prince Rupert was specifically founded as a deep water port and a possible terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
 
There's a more interesting one: the route runs through Kicking Horse instead of south, coming by way of Saskatoon & Edmonton, & terminates in *Juneau or Prince Rupert.

Charles Melville Hays was constructing such a route in OTL but died aboard the Titanic, it only takes a very small POD to get that railway built.
 
Charles Melville Hays was constructing such a route in OTL but died aboard the Titanic, it only takes a very small POD to get that railway built.
It was actually the originally planned route by Fleming, rejected for reasons IDK in favor of a harder route through a pass that hadn't been discovered when construction began.:eek::confounded:

Given more Canadian territory further north, it's very likely the original (northerly) route is kept. That means Regina doesn't exist, & Saskatoon is much bigger.:cool::cool:
 
It was actually the originally planned route by Fleming, rejected for reasons IDK in favor of a harder route through a pass that hadn't been discovered when construction began.:eek::confounded:

Given more Canadian territory further north, it's very likely the original (northerly) route is kept. That means Regina doesn't exist, & Saskatoon is much bigger.:cool::cool:

I still think they'll opt for the southerly route just to prevent any American acquisition as per OTL, but a Yellowhead line in early 20th century is pretty acheivable regardless.
 
I still think they'll opt for the southerly route just to prevent any American acquisition as per OTL, but a Yellowhead line in early 20th century is pretty acheivable regardless.
IMO, it'll depend on when *Alaska is obtained, to some degree; before the Fenian Raids, maybe less fear.

If you're right, & good chance you are, I'd say this means the northerly "spurs" will happen sooner than OTL, with salutory effect on Saskatoon, Edmonton, Prince George (if it exists), & Prince Rupert. Possibly also on the BC Gold Rushes, too. It almost certainly makes access to the Klondike easier.

I'd suggest it might damp down the Riel Rebellion, due to easier & more numerous white access, plus easier access by NWMP.
 
I worked on survey crews of both the Fort Nelson branch and the Fort St. James- Dease Lake proposed extension of B.C. Rail back in the 1970s. That was rough country to try and put a railway through, even with the technology available then.
 
Top