Joseph Rhodes was the first settler in the township and 
the area of Alaska. In 1822 he built a cabin on what is 
now called Rhodes Creek. Later in the same year George 
Nicholas and John Mannon came to the area. Other early 
property owners included Ben Dunkin, Arron Blunk, 
William Evans Solomon Watson, and R.R. Manning.
Postal records show that the post offices of this 
township moved around in about a two- mile area. Private 
homes or local stores housed the post office in early 
times. It was often named for the postmaster rather than 
an actual town or village. West Salem in 1848 opened the 
first post office in the township, but the town, which 
was south east of Alaska, was dying by the time the post 
office moved. Graysville post office opened April 24, 1855 
with Frances M.Gray as postmaster and changed to Sheasville 
July 28, 1855. This remained the name of the town for 13 
years. Postmasters Foxworthy, German, Parker, Jefferson, 
Secrest, Sheets, and Span followed until the office closed 
in 1909. Lewisville, just to the east, had no post office, 
but was the trading center as early as 1874.
The United States bought the territory of Alaska in 1867. 
In honor of the purchase and as a publicity stunt, Sheasville 
changed its name to Alaska on May 4, 1868. As the first 
town in the lower forty-eight to be named Alaska it 
received 
much fanfare from the press.
The plat of the town, which included Liberty Christian 
Church, was recorded on April 7, 1869 by proprietor and 
pastor, Rev. John Brown.
At one time the town had a post office, store, blacksmith, 
wagon shop, cooper (barrel maker), and a milliner (hat) 
shop.