Alaskan Engineering Commission

[[File:Mears Memorial Bridge AK.jpg|right|thumb|[[Mears Memorial Bridge]]]] {{short description|Former American federal agency}} The '''Alaskan Engineering Commission''' (AEC) was a U.S. Federal agency, sometimes known by its initials or by alternate spelling '''Alaska Engineering Commission'''. It was created by the Alaska Railroad Act in 1914 by U.S. President [[Woodrow Wilson]] in order to arrange for the construction of a [[Alaska Railway|railway system in Alaska]]. [[William C. Edes]] was named chairman, chief engineer Colonel [[Frederick Mears]]. In 1915, the AEC became part of the U.S. [[Department of the Interior]]. In 1923, after the railroad began operation and construction was complete, it became the '''Alaska Railroad Commission''', later renamed to '''The Alaska Railroad'''.<ref name=library>{{cite web|url=http://library.alaska.gov/hist/hist_docs/finding_aids/PCA131.doc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324142802/http://library.alaska.gov/hist/hist_docs/finding_aids/PCA131.doc |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 24, 2014 |title=Alaskan Engineering Commission / U.S. Alaska Engineering Commission Photograph Collection, 1916-1919 |publisher=Alaska library}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Joshua Bernhardt|title=The Alaskan Engineering Commission: its history, activities, and organization|publisher=D. Appleton|year=1922|url=https://archive.org/details/alaskanengineeri00bern}}</ref>

Among other accomplishments, it designed and/or built a number of works listed on the U.S. [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

Works include: *[[Mears Memorial Bridge]], built in 1923 *[[Alaska Engineering Commission Cottage No. 23]], 618 Christensen Dr. [[Anchorage, Alaska]], NRHP-listed<ref name=nris/> *[[Alaska Engineering Commission Cottage No. 25]], 645 W. Third Ave., Anchorage, AK, NRHP-listed<ref name=nris/> *[[Pioneer School House]], 3rd Ave. and Eagle St., Anchorage, AK, NRHP-listed<ref name=nris/> *[[Seward Depot]], 501 Railway Ave. [[Seward, Alaska]], NRHP-listed<ref name=nris/> *[[Wasilla Depot]], Parks Highway and Knik Rd. [[Wasilla, Alaska]], NRHP-listed<ref name=nris/> *[[Whitney Section House]], 3400 W. Neuser Dr., Wasilla, AK, NRHP-listed<ref name=nris/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

===External links=== *[http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/search/collection/alaskawcanada/searchterm/ph%20Coll%20495*/field/descri/mode/all/conn/and/order/admin/ad/asc/cosuppress/0 Alaska Engineering Commission Photograph Collection] - University of Washington Digital Collection

[[Category:Agencies of the United States government]] [[Category:Alaska Railroad]] [[Category:History of transportation in Alaska]]