And here is the quiet wonder of the place: the Alaska flag was born in Seward. In 1927 a thirteen-year-old boy named Benny Benson, a resident of the town's Jesse Lee Home, entered a territory-wide design contest with eight gold stars on a field of blue — the Big Dipper for strength, the North Star for Alaska's future. His entry beat 142 others and became, in time, the flag of the state. A memorial in town marks the spot, and few small towns can say they gave a state its flag.
Now the wild coast that built Seward draws the world to it. The town is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park — day-boats run out of the harbor past tidewater glaciers, whales, and seabird cliffs, and Exit Glacier and the vast Harding Icefield sit just west of downtown. The Alaska SeaLife Center stands on the waterfront, the brutal Mount Marathon Race charges up the peak behind town every Fourth of July, and the Silver Salmon Derby fills the small-boat harbor each August. A working port became a basecamp for the wild.
Why People Visit Seward
Seward blends marine science with glacier access and harbor life. Visitors mix easy waterfront walks with boat tours, public art, and museums, all beneath the mountains. It is dramatic, friendly, and photogenic, with year-round appeal in its parks, paths, and public spaces. Frontier railroad history and the wild coast sit side by side here — history and everyday Alaska life together in a welcoming way.
