Where were you during the Good Friday quake?

Some dates hold so much historical and personal significance, remembering where you were at that point in time becomes ingrained in our memories. The Nov. 22, 1963, assassination of President John F. Kennedy is one such date, as is Sept. 11, 2001. In Alaska, March 27, 1964, marks one of the most terrifying and significant natural disasters in the state’s history, the Good Friday earthquake.

Measuring a magnitude of 9.2, the quake still remains the second largest recorded earthquake in history and accounted for 115 deaths in the state.

With Thursday marking the 50th anniversary of the 1964 earthquake, we want to know where were you? Are you a survivor of the event, and if so, what do you remember about that day?

Share your experiences. Send us a letter to the editor and tell us where you were and what you remember about the shakeup. Then, look for a special anniversary retrospective in Sunday’s print edition sharing your stories of survival and perseverance.

It’s not breaking news to us that Alaskans are some of the most resourceful and resilient folks on the planet, and we know there are some harrowing and inspiring tales of survival from this event.

Wasilla resident Barbara Adams was in eighth grade when the earthquake hit and in recent years, she and husband Gary — also a survivor — have been advocates for local earthquake awareness. That includes making emergency plans and putting together 72-hour emergency kits for when disaster strikes. These are all things we all should have in place while living in one of the most earthquake-prone places in the world.

We will all have a chance to practice our earthquake response skills during the world’s largest earthquake drill, dubbed “The Great Alaska Shakeout,” at 1:36 p.m., March 24.

On today’s front page, Wasilla resident Barbara Adams writes about earthquake awareness and in photographs shared with the Frontiersman and our readers, some striking images showing the aftermath of the Good Friday trembler.

So we ask, where were you March 27, 1964? If it was here in Valley riding out the earthquake, share your stories by mail at 5751 E. Mayflower Court, Wasilla AK 99654; by email at news@frontiersman.com; or visit the Frontiersman on Facebook — Facebook.com/Frontiersman.

It is important that all Alaskans remember the stories from this chapter in our history. Scientists say it is not a question of if such an earthquake will tear open the ground again and causing a repeat of the devastation of 50 years ago. A repeat is certain, only the time and day of the next destructive earthquake is unknown.

In this solemn anniversary we also hear a call to action, be prepared.