Don Young Port of Anchorage

Mayor Dave Bronson’s proposal to rename Alaska’s leading seaport as the Don Young Port of Alaska is a great idea.

Since our airport is named for the late Ted Stevens, it is fitting that our two primary transportation facilities would be permanently identified with two hard-working and capable men who had a great impact on our state and its economy.

Ted Stevens and Don Young largely made Alaska and Anchorage what they are today. Their hard work and determined efforts in the United States Congress brought billions of federal dollars here beginning in the years after statehood. And those initiatives resulted in billions more in private investments.

Certainly there were many others who played important roles in the development of America’s 49th state but the contributions of Ted Stevens and Don Young are worthy of special recognition. Naming our largest airport and our primary seaport for them seems especially appropriate.

And looking ahead it seems likely that Alaska might someday be home to a significant spaceport. Our position on Planet Earth suggests that such a development could be in our future, though few if any of us will be around when that happens.

In the meantime we have many years ahead when the people of Alaska will be able to benefit from the career achievements of Don Young and Ted Stevens.

Stevens represented Alaska in the United States Senate from 1968 to 2009. Young was Alaska’s champion in the U.S. House from March 6, 1973 until he passed away last Friday, a total of 49 years.

Naming the Port of Alaska for Young would be appropriate recognition for the work he did on behalf of all the communities of Alaska. And since Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city and Don Young’s work was critical in its development, attaching his name to the port seems the right thing to do.

People and goods will be entering our state through Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Don Young Port of Alaska for many years to come.

And someday, perhaps in the distant future, regular space travel will become a reality. If that happens we could conceivably have a spaceport somewhere in Alaska that would be named for a future man or woman who becomes its champion.

That champion could be a young person already living here and perhaps getting ready to work for our state’s future. Or it could be either someone yet to be born or perhaps someone currently living elsewhere in this nation and getting ready to move here and take on the challenges of the North Country.

Alaska has always drawn people willing and able to take on great challenges. With Alaskans like Ted Stevens and Don Young leading the way, our young people and those to come after us have outstanding role models to guide their future decisions.

It seems likely that Anchorage International Airport and the Port of Alaska will play major roles in whatever lies ahead. So naming them for two such capable and inspiring people would illustrate for future Alaskans many of the things we value most.

By all means, let’s name the Port of Alaska for Congressman Don Young.

Tom Brennan is an Anchorage columnist and author of six books. He was a reporter/columnist for The Anchorage Times and an editor and columnist at The Voice of The Times.