By THE ALASKA STORY
July 21, 2026 – Alaska Magazine, the iconic publication that has carried stories and images of the Last Frontier to readers around the world for more than nine decades, will cease publication at the end of 2026.
Subscribers received a farewell notice informing them that the December 2026/January 2027 edition will be the magazine’s final issue. Publication will officially end Dec. 31.
“After many years of sharing the stories, people, and landscapes that make Alaska extraordinary, we regret to inform you that Alaska Magazine will cease publication,” the notice said.
The announcement did not give a reason for the closure or say what will happen to the magazine’s website and extensive archives but the magazine has been hinting at the announcement for months.
The Alaska Story reported in December that the magazine had quietly stopped accepting new subscriptions. At the time, no explanation was offered, and the magazine’s subscription page simply told prospective readers that new subscriptions were no longer available.
Alaska Magazine no longer accepting new subscriptions
Founded in Ketchikan in January 1935 as The Alaska Sportsman, the publication predates Alaska statehood by nearly a quarter-century. Its founders were Emery Fridolf Tobin and J. Ray Roady, and its earliest editions focused heavily on hunting, fishing and outdoor life in the Alaska Territory.
Anchorage publishers Robert A. Henning and Robert N. DeArmond purchased the magazine in 1958, the year Congress approved Alaska statehood. They broadened its scope to include the state’s history, people, communities, industries and culture. The name was changed to Alaska Magazine in September 1969.
Over the decades, its pages documented Alaska through statehood, the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the enormous social and economic changes that reshaped the state.
It also became a showcase for Alaska writers and photographers, presenting the state through lavish wildlife photography, outdoor adventures, community profiles, historical features and stories about people living far beyond the road system.
The magazine’s own history describes the publication as a “rugged time capsule” that survived the Great Depression, World War II, the 1964 earthquake and the nation’s worst oil spill. Its closure comes during its 91st year of publication. Alaska Magazine’s history
Morris Communications, a Georgia-based media company, acquired Alaska Magazine in 1995. The publication is currently listed as being produced by MCC Magazines, a division of Morris Communications. It publishes monthly, with combined July/August and December/January editions. Alaska Magazine contact and publication information
The magazine’s 2026 advertising materials had invited businesses to join it as it embarked on its 91st year and included plans for the final December 2026/January 2027 travel edition. There was no public indication in those materials that the publication was preparing to close.
In its farewell, the magazine thanked subscribers for their loyalty.
“It has been our privilege to bring Alaska’s culture, adventure, wildlife, and history to readers around the world,” the Alaska Magazine team wrote.
For generations of readers, particularly those living outside the state, Alaska Magazine was often their first window into the Last Frontier. Subscribers with questions about remaining issues may contact customer service at 800-288-5892 or alaskamagazine@emailcustomerservice.com.
13 thoughts on “Alaska Magazine to fade into history after 91 years”
Alaska Magazine became worthless and uninteresting a long, long time ago when it became politically correct and apologetic. It was at that time I didn’t renew my long-time subscription. I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did.
Alaska hunting and fishing publications are still popular. Maybe Alaska Magazine found the environmentalist publication market too competitive?
the magazine was the foundation for my interest in Alaska in 1961 I was 8 years old.
came in 1972 been here every since.
Alaska sportsman was a great publication before it became just the Alaska magazine.
The way of the world. Electronic publications are closing out the printed versions everywhere. Alaska Magazine is a hard left-leaning rag with a main focus on the environment and man caused climate warming.
I keep most of my Alaska magazines in a stack in the outhouse. Fun to look at the pictures during longer sessions. Comes in handy occasionally, too.
To me it’s heyday was the 1970’s when it covered geography, culture, news about the communities, hunting-fishing, lifestyles of homesteaders and pioneers, history, growth and development, etc. They even occasionally had a gazeteer within with pictures of most of the cities, towns, and villages and brief summaries of each place.
I felt like I was part of the state and had insight into the entire state. I believe it helped create a community of all of us – Alaskans. It ended up becoming, a magazine for everyone outside of Alaska with the editors trying to attract yuppies, environmentalists, and people who in their ignorance believed Alaska should be the place to make up for all the “sins” of the growth and development in the Lower 48.
And because of that they lost me (and my family) as a subscriber.
I do miss that time prior to the 80’s -90’s where it was a magazine for Alaskans.
I also miss the “Alaskan Southeaster” magazine and before that there was in newspaper format a periodical about SE Alaska… can’t remember its name off the too of my head, they are buried somewhere in the basement.
Huh, interesting.
Going by the wayside, not unlike our actual fish and our game. Managed ( better yet “ unmanaged “) by the same indoctrinated few that are devoid of common sense management.
Too bad this isn’t the ADN.
I have long subscribed for a number of relatives. I can think of at least 4 relatives who passed and I then diverted those subscriptions to people to whom those recipients had given their magazines once read. Quite a few of those now deceased relatives, and former professors and employers, also received annual cases of canned sockeye from me back when salmon was widely commercially canned. I long ago became resigned to magazines being left of center. I am disappointed in this publisher decision. Grateful to Suzanne for keeping us informed.
My uncle, Robert Record Spaeth, was the original printer for the Alaska Sportsman magazine, beginning with its founding in Ketchikan in 1935 until his retirement in 1955. The first issue of the Sportsman was published as a supplement to the Ketchikan Alaska Chronicle newspaper, where he was the printer.
Robert came to Ketchikan with his family in 1909. He served in the US Navy during World War I as a radio operator on a cargo ship hauling war materials to France from New York, where he met and married Catherine “Kitty” Mooney. She was working at an aircraft factory on Long Island, initially sewing fabric for the planes’ wings but because of her dimunitive size (4′ 4″ tall) was trained as a flight insturctor. She would squeeze into the cockpit for training flights with the Army pilots who came to the factory to take delivery of the planes. Robert and Kitty had one daughter, Lucy, who with her husband John Poling taught in native schools throughout Alaska. Sadly, Kitty died of pregnancy compilations in 1924 at the age of 26.
Robert Record Spaeth: https://gazlayfamilyhistory.org/family.php?person=10694
Lucy & John Poling: https://juneau.org/library/museum/gastineau-channel-memories-browse/entry/17640
1. Democrats have declined the literacy of Americans. Because most K-12 teachers are voters voting Democrat. With adults literacy so bad. That doesn’t leave many adults to read any magazine, newspaper. Or even websites.
2. The content declined in interesting content and caters to a small audience of Tourists. There was a short time I was reading the Alaska Magazine. But its cuteness got old and it was Touristy and I already know because of being an Alaskan.
Alaska Story, Must Read Alaska, Alaska Landmine, and Alaska Watchman should be concerned by the low literacy level of adults especially with GenZers and GenAlpha now young adults which I see them reading when less.
Ms Downing’s and Mr landfield challenge is how to compose short Tik Tok videos of politics to get GenZers and GenAlpha interested to wander over to their pages while making more snack size content for the even the GenXers, Millennials but mostly for the GenZers and GenAlphas.
Because not many ALASKAN GenZers, GenAlphas, GenXers and Millennials will read websites as Alaska Story.
Unfortunately for Alaska Story the millions of hits the website receives, they aren’t likely voters in Alaska. Some. But not all.
Not all states produce illiterate children who grow up into illiterate adults to not know of and to not be already following Alaska Story. But Alaska does and 75% of Alaskans are illiterate. maybe even more! Because I wouldn’t call our community leaders and managers and supervisors very smart people and they should be representing the twenty five percent who are fortunately literate but likely are only leaders because of false confidence and arrogance that makes them appear confident to be a leader but they aren’t competent to lead.
So for the 90% of illiterate Alaskans. Writers likely need to learn to make their content into snack size like TikToks and Shorts has bait to get them interested in reading a full length article