Legislation allowing Alaskan communities to legally incorporate as cities did not come about until 1900, and home rule for cities was extremely limited or unavailable until statehood took effect in 1959.
lˌɛdʒɪslˈeɪʃən ɐlˈaʊɪŋ ɐlˈæskən kəmjˈuːnᵻɾiz tə lˈiːɡəli ɪŋkˈoːɹpɚɹˌeɪt æz sˈɪɾiz dɪdnˌɑːt kˈʌm ɐbˌaʊt ʌntˈɪl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd, ænd hˈoʊm ɹˈuːl fɔːɹ sˈɪɾiz wʌz ɛkstɹˈiːmli lˈɪmɪɾᵻd ɔːɹ ʌnɐvˈeɪləbəl ʌntˈɪl stˈeɪthʊd tˈʊk ɪfˈɛkt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti nˈaɪn.