Walter Hickel

Walter J. “Wally” Hickel (18 August 1919 – 7 May 2010) was an American politician who served twice as governor of Alaska and as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1969 to 1970.[1]

Governor

Hickel was first elected as a Republican and served from 5 December 1966 to 29 January 1969, when he left to join the cabinet. He returned for a second term from 3 December 1990 to 5 December 1994, elected as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party.[1]

Federal service and writing

He served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President Richard Nixon from 24 January 1969 to 25 November 1970. His 2002 book, Crisis in the Commons: The Alaska Solution, was published by the Institute for Contemporary Studies in association with the Institute of the North.[1]

Early life and business

Walter J. Hickel was born on August 18, 1919, near Claflin, Kansas, and arrived in Anchorage on November 21, 1940, with 37 cents. He founded Hickel Construction Company in 1947, opened the Travelers Inn in Anchorage in 1953, and opened the Northern Lights Shopping Center in 1958, Alaska first such center. After the 1964 earthquake he built the ten-story Captain Cook Hotel, opened in 1965 [2].

Statehood advocacy

Hickel became politically active in the statehood campaign in 1952, served as Republican National Committeeman from 1954 to 1964, and watched from the Senate Gallery as Congress passed the Alaska Statehood Act on June 30, 1958 [2].

Governor and Secretary of the Interior

He served as Alaska second governor from 1966 to 1969. The Prudhoe Bay State No. 1 well struck oil in December 1967, and the 1969 Prudhoe Bay lease sale brought in nearly $1 billion. He then served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1969 and 1970, where he tightened offshore drilling rules, established liability for spills on federal leases, and placed all eight great whale species on the Endangered Species List [2].

Second term and later work

Hickel served as Alaska eighth governor from 1990 to 1994, when he negotiated a $1.4 billion tax settlement with BP and a settlement with Exxon for the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill. He founded the Institute of the North and co-founded The Northern Forum, and received Japan Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1988 [2].

Death and legacy

Hickel died in Anchorage on May 7, 2010, at age 90. In 2012 the Alaska Legislature named a section of roadway in Anchorage the Walter J. Hickel Expressway [2].

FAQs

When was Hickel governor? 1966–1969 and 1990–1994.

What cabinet post did he hold? Secretary of the Interior, 1969–1970.

Where was he born? Ellinwood, Kansas.

When was Walter Hickel governor? 1966 to 1969 and 1990 to 1994 [2].

What did Hickel build in Anchorage? Among other projects, the Captain Cook Hotel, opened in 1965 [2].

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Wally Hickel
2. Alaska Historical Society: Hickel, Walter J. Wally

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue