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 James Cook - Anchorage, AK Posted by:  Lat34North
N 61° 13.159 W 149° 54.238
6V E 344056 N 6790681
This plaque is on the front of the base of the statue of Capt. James Cook in Resolution Park overlooking Cook Inlet and is on L St in Anchorage, AK.
Waymark Code: WMJ1YJ
Location: Alaska, United States
Date Posted: 09/10/2013
Views: 8
The plaque on the front of the statue reads:
Captain James Cook
R.N.,F.R.S.
Navigator, Explorer, Chartmaker, Scientist, Humanist
1728 – 1779
James Cook was born in Yorkshire, England, on October 27, 1728. He was apprenticed to serve on sailing ships built in Whitby, near his birthplace, to carry coal along the English coast. At age 26, he joined the Royal Navy, took part in actions against France and, through his natural flair for mathematics and science, was promoted “King’s Surveyor” and given command of vessels performing survey work on the coast of Newfoundland. Chosen as commander to lead an expedition of discovery to the Pacific Ocean, he sailed on his first voyage of exploration (1768 – 71) to find the continent of Australia as well as to Haiti, New Zealand and New Guinea where he charted coast in waters previously unknown to the Western World. On his return, he was honored by a grateful nation, made a fellow of the Royal Society, and received by the King.
His second voyage (1772 – 75) to Antarctica and the South Pacific added the Friendly Isles, New Caledonia, Easter Island, Cook Island and New Georgia to the map.
In 1776, Captain Cook set out on his third voyage, aboard his flagship “Resolution”, to find a north-west passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. He surveyed the coast of Northwest America and Alaska, but, failing to find the passage to the Atlantic, turned south from the Bering Sea and sailed to the Sandwich Isles where, on the island of Hawaii, he met his death on February 14, 1779.
James Cook, a farm hand’s son who became a Captain in the Royal Navy and gold medalist of the Royal Society, lives in history is the greatest explorer–navigator the world has known. His real memorial is on the map of the world.
This monument, created by Derek Freeborn after the statue in Whitby, were James Cook began his career as a seaman, was donated by the British Petroleum Company as a contribution to the Bicentennial celebration of the United States of America.
More Information:
Wikipedia - James Cook
Captain Cook Country - Captain Cook Time-line
Wikipedia - Cook Inlet
Marker Name: Captain James Cook
Marker Type: City
Addtional Information:
The statue was donated by the British Petroleum Company as a contribution to the Bicentennial celebration of the United States of America.
Date Dedicated / Placed: Not listed
Marker Number: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Preferred would be to post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Alaska history please include that in your log.
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