Hammond, Jay S.

Jay Sterner Hammond was born in Troy, New York, in 1921. He studied petroleum engineering at Penn State University (1940-1942). He came to Alaska in 1946, where he worked as a bush pilot and guide. He also attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, graduating with a degree in biological sciences in 1949. Hammond then worked as a hunter for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and became a master hunting and fishing guide. He homesteaded near Lake Clark in the early 1940s and married Bella Gardiner of Dillingham in 1952. He entered politics in 1959, serving as a representative in the Alaska State Legislature from Bristol Bay (1959-1965), and later as state senator (1967-1972) and President of the Senate (1971-1972). After leaving the state legislature, Hammond served as Mayor of Bristol Bay Borough (1972-1974) and governor of Alaska (1974-1982). His administration was noted for its conservation efforts, the creation of the Alaska Permanent Fund (1976), and the passage of a constitutional amendment to limit state spending (1982). After retirement from office, Hammond wrote articles for Alaska newspapers and continued to advocate conservation and fiscal responsibility at the state level.

From the description of Papers, 1946-1993. (UAA/APU Consortium Library). WorldCat record id: 58994808