Representative Frank Hinman Waskey

Frank Hinman Waskey (April 20, 1875 – January 18, 1964) was a delegate from the District of Alaska to the United States House of Representatives from 1906 to 1907. A member of the Democratic Party, he served one term as the first congressional delegate from Alaska, representing the interests of the territory during a formative period in its political development and in American history.

Waskey was born on April 20, 1875, in Lake City, Wabasha County, Minnesota. He attended the public schools of Minneapolis, Minnesota, receiving the basic education that would support his later business and political activities. In February 1898, amid the era of gold rushes and expanding American settlement in the Far North, he moved to Alaska and settled in Nome, which was then emerging as a major mining center.

In Nome, Waskey engaged extensively in mining and related enterprises. He became president of a mining company, reflecting his early success and leadership in the region’s mineral development. He also broadened his business interests beyond mining, serving as a director of a bank and a publishing company in Nome. These roles placed him at the center of the town’s economic and civic life during a period of rapid growth and change in Alaska.

Waskey entered territorial politics as Alaska sought a stronger voice in national affairs. As a member of the Democratic Party representing Alaska, he contributed to the legislative process during one term in office. He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-ninth Congress as the first Delegate from Alaska and served from August 14, 1906, to March 3, 1907. During this time he participated in the democratic process in Washington, D.C., advocating for the interests and development of the District of Alaska. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1906, and his service in Congress concluded at the end of that term.

After leaving Congress, Waskey remained in Alaska and continued to work in fields closely tied to the territory’s economy and culture. He prospected for minerals in Alaska, maintaining his long-standing involvement in mining. Beginning in 1911 and continuing until 1955, he worked as a curio dealer, a line of work that reflected both the growing tourist interest in Alaska and the circulation of regional artifacts and souvenirs. From 1915 to 1918, he also served as a United States commissioner at Fortuna Ledge, Alaska, a position that involved local judicial and administrative responsibilities in a remote area of the territory.

In his later years, Waskey gradually withdrew from active business life. He moved to Oakville, Washington, in 1956, marking his final relocation after more than half a century associated with Alaska. He remained a figure of historical interest; a photograph from around 1961 documents him meeting Ernest Gruening, then a United States Senator from Alaska, underscoring his continuing connection to the territory’s political legacy. Frank Hinman Waskey died in Oakville, Washington, on January 18, 1964. He was interred in Shelton Cemetery in Shelton, Washington, closing a life that spanned the transformation of Alaska from a remote district to a fully represented part of the United States.