Alaska officially became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959. The Alaska Statehood Act, which paved the way for this, was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 7, 1958. Before that, Alaska had been an organized incorporated territory of the United States since August 24, 1912. The statehood was the result of a long campaign by many prominent Alaskans and was marked by high voter approval in a special election held on August 26, 1958.