He was the only U.S. president to hang a map of Alaska on the wall of the Oval Office. By championing the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, he helped create millions of acres of national parks and refuges across the state.

Jimmy Carter will be forever linked to the fabric of Alaska, a character in the story of the 49th State. Carter, president of the United States from 1977 to 1981, died Sunday at his home in Georgia. He was 100.

If the nation had listened to Jimmy Carter around these energy issues back in the 1970s, we would be in much better shape for dealing with the climate crisis today.”

The U.S. response to the threat was an "all of the above" energy approach that began under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford but was largely enacted by Carter. The moves set the stage for greater U.S. energy development, particularly in natural gas, and cut America’s crude oil imports in half between 1979 and 1983.

The 39th U.S. president led the fight to preserve vast swaths of Alaskan wilderness. It forever changed the state and the National Park Service.

The nation will pay final homage to the 39th President on Tuesday. A Commander in Chief who drew enormous praise for the leadership and the service he consistently delivered long after his White House years.