Anchorage, municipality in southern Alaska and a seaport on the Knik and Turnagain arms of Cook Inlet, at the base of the Chugach Mountains. Anchorage is the largest city in the state and serves as the transportation, commercial, and communications center for much of central and western Alaska. It is connected by Glenn Highway to the Alaska Highway, a road to Dawson Creek, British Columbia. It is also served by Anchorage International Airport, which is a major international hub for air freight. The city's economy is largely associated with Alaska's abundant natural resources, particularly petroleum, natural gas, and fish. Two nearby United States military bases built during World War II (1939-1945), Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base, are important local employers. In addition, tourism has become a mainstay of the economy.
A campus (established in 1954) of the University of Alaska and Alaska Pacific University (1959) are in Anchorage. Situated in an area of spectacular beauty, the opportunities in Anchorage for outdoor recreation are vast but the city also is home to a number of cultural institutions. Museums include the Anchorage Museum of History and Art; the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, which houses over 20 vintage aircraft dating from 1929 to 1944; and the Potter Section House Railroad Museum, in nearby Chugach State Park. The city is also the site of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, the Alaska Botanical Garden, and the Oscar Anderson House, a restored home built in 1915.
