text:
Unalakleet, Alaska

Unalakleet (Uŋalaqłiq, or Uŋalaqłiit; Yup'ik: Ungalaqliit; Koyukon: Kk'aadoleetno’) is a city in Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States, in the western part of the state. At the 2010 census the population was 688, down from 747 in 2000. Unalakleet is known in the region and around Alaska for its salmon and king crab harvests; the residents rely for much of their diet on caribou, ptarmigan, oogruk (bearded seal), and various salmon species.

Unalakleet is also known for its aesthetic value. It is located next to the Bering Sea and the large, clean Unalakleet River. The landscape also has trees, tundra, and hills behind it.

History
Unalakleet is an adaptation of the Iñupiaq word "Una-la-thliq", which means "from the southern side".

Unalakleet is located at the Norton Sound end of the Unalakleet-Kaltag Portage, an important winter travel route between Norton Sound and the Yukon River. Unalakleet has long been a major trade center between the Athabascan people, who lived in the interior of Alaska, and the Inupiat, who lived on the coast.

In the 1830s Russian explorers and traders came: The Russian-American Company built a trading post here at Unalakleet. In 1898 the United States arranged for Sami reindeer herders from Lapland to be brought to Unalakleet, to work with the people about herding practices. In 1901, the United States Army Signal Corps built a 605 mi telegraph line from St. Michael that passed through Unalakleet.

Geography and climate
Unalakleet is located at 63.87889°N, -160.78972°W (63.878907, -160.789680).

Unalakleet is located on the Norton Sound of the Bering Sea at the mouth of the Unalakleet River, 148 mi southeast of Nome and 395 mi northwest of Anchorage. Unalakleet has a subarctic climate (Koppen: Dfc) with considerable maritime influences. Winters are cold and dry. Average summer temperatures range 47 to 62 F; winter temperatures range from -40 to 11 F. Precipitation averages 14 in annually, with 41 in of snow.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 sqmi, of which, 2.9 sqmi of it is land and 2.3 sqmi of it (44.25%) is water.

Demographics
Unalakleet first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Oonalakleet." All 100 of its residents were listed as Inuit. It was listed in the 1890 census as "Unalaklik." Of its 175 residents, 170 were Native, 3 were Creole (mixed Russian & Native), and 2 were White. It was listed again as Unalaklik in 1900 and in 1910 under that name, although the latter census also listed it as spelled Unalakleet. Since 1920, it has been recorded in the censuses as Unalakleet. It was formally incorporated in 1974.

As of the census of 2010, there were 688 people, 225 households, and 172 families residing in the city. The population density was 237.2 PD/sqmi. There were 268 housing units at an average density of 92.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 15.0% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 77.3% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 6.4% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2013 there were 882 people.

There were 224 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 21.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.82.

The population was spread out, with 37.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $41,964 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,845. About 12.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Role in mushing races
Unalakleet is the first checkpoint on the Norton Sound in the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, some 851 mi from the start in Anchorage. The first musher to reach this checkpoint each year is awarded the Gold Coast Award, which includes $2,500 in gold nuggets. Unalakleet also plays an important role in the Iron Dog snowmobile race.

Education
The Mission Covenant Church of Sweden established a mission in Unalakleet in 1887. The Evangelical Covenant Church later started a boarding high school in 1954. It served students from all over western Alaska until it closed in 1985 due to changing educational practices following establishment of home rule in the 1970s. Most villages in Alaska established local schools, including high schools.

The district office for the Bering Strait School District has been located in Unalakleet since 1983. Serving fifteen village schools, the Bering Strait School District covers territory of approximately 75000 sqmi.

Unalakleet's local schools include Unalakleet School, a K-12 school that is internally divided into Unalakleet Elementary, Unalakleet Middle School, and Unalakleet High School. The combined school population of Unalakleet Schools is 195, 180 of whom are full or part Alaska Native.

The basketball teams of Unalakleet, Alaska, have secured a total of six State titles, with three attributed to Covenant High and three to Unalakleet High School. Unalakleet High has also won two mix-six volleyball state championships. The school actively participates in various athletic activities, including cross-country running, wrestling, mix-six volleyball, cross-country ski/biathlon, basketball, track, and Native Youth Olympics. In the year 2023, Unalakleet High School celebrated its inaugural track state champion in the 400M event. Furthermore, during the same year, the school produced its first state champion in the Division 3 State cross-country running championships. Additionally, Unalakleet boasts one state champion wrestler in its athletic history.

Unalakleet schools has a Gifted & Talented program. The school's students also participate in Academic Decathlon, Battle of the Books, as well as other academic programs.

Transportation and law
Unalakleet Airport is a central hub for outlying villages, providing air cargo and air taxi services. It is served by daily airline service to Anchorage by Ravn Alaska, along with frequent cargo services by Everts Air Cargo and Northern Air Cargo. Daily flights to Nome and outlying villages are made by Bering Air, Ryan Air, and Ravn Connect (under Ravn Alaska).

Unalakleet has an Alaska State Troopers station. Its local police department works with local VPOs and VPSOs. A court system serves Unalakleet and surrounding villages.

Healthcare
Unalakleet health services are provided by the Anikkan Inuit Iluaqutaat Sub-Regional Clinic, a division of Norton Sound Health Corporation, based in Nome, Alaska. The clinic has permanent staff including medical providers, certified health aides, behavioral health specialists, and a pharmacist. It also hosts specialists in other fields regularly throughout the year.

Notable people

 * William E. Beltz (1912–1960), carpenter, politician, lived in Unalakleet
 * Ticasuk Brown (1904–1982), educator, writer; born and raised in Unalakleet
 * Dr. Adrian Ryan is a board-certified sports medicine and joint replacement orthopedic surgeon.
 * Ella Anagick an experienced criminal and civil lawyer of 30+ years. Accomplishments including: serving as attorney for the governor’s advisory board on alcohol and drug abuse, serving on the Anchorage Bridge Builders, and on the National Board for the Indian Child Welfare Act.
 * Frank Auvnue Degnan (1901–1980), held a number of local leadership positions in the village, was a co-founder of the Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association, in 1950 he was elected as the first Yup'ik legislator in the Alaska Territorial Legislature. In the early 1960s, he represented Unalakleet at the first Inupiaq Paitot, a conference of northern Alaska indigenous people that focused its attention on aboriginal rights. In 1966, he was one of the founding delegates to the statewide conference that became the Alaska Federation of Natives. Later, he testified in favor of Native land claims in Washington, D.C. In 1971, he was honored as the first AFN Citizen of the Year. The University of Alaska Fairbanks bestowed an honorary doctorate of public service on him on May 18, 1975.
 * Timothy M. Towarak (1944–2019), helped incorporate the City of Unalakleet. He also served as mayor, city council member and city administrator. He was the first manager of the Unalakleet Native Corporation and worked as the Director of Facilities for the Bering Strait School District during the time when most of the schools were being built. He was a founding member of KNSA radio station. He was appointed by Governor Tony Knowles as the Special Assistant for Rural Affairs. Upon returning home from Juneau, he became the president and CEO of Bering Straits Native Corporation. Served as the U.S. Department of the Interior Federal Subsistence Board Chair where he fought for Alaska Native peoples’ subsistence rights. He also served as co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives.

title: Unalakleet, Alaska


text:
Wales, Alaska

Wales (Kiŋigin, ; Уэйлс) is a city in the Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 145, down from 152 in 2000. It is the westernmost city on the North American mainland, although Adak, located on Adak Island, is the westernmost city in Alaska. Wales Airport serves Wales with flights on Bering Air and Ravn Alaska to Nome.

History
A burial mound from the Birnirk culture (CE 500 to 900) was discovered near Wales and is now a National Historic Landmark.

In 1827, a Russian Navy report listed the Inupiat villages of "Eidamoo" near the coast and "King-a-ghe" inland in the area.

In 1890, the American Missionary Association established a mission at the site of present-day Wales. In the 1890s, reindeer (domesticated caribou) were brought to the area and in 1894 a reindeer station was established. Wales became an important whaling center due to its location along whale migratory routes, and it was the region's largest and most prosperous village, with more than 500 residents. Wales is named after the country Wales.

The 1918 flu pandemic decimated the population and economy of Wales.

In 2002 a wind-diesel system became operational.

On November 9, 2011, the city experienced the 2011 Bering Sea superstorm. Wind gusts of 89 mph were recorded in Wales.

On January 17, 2023, a polar bear entered the community of Wales and chased multiple residents. The bear fatally attacked a woman and her 1-year-old son. It was shot and killed by a local resident as it mauled the pair. This was Alaska's first reported polar bear attack in over 30 years.

Geography
Wales is located at 65.61222°N, -168.08917°W (65.612116, −168.089285).

Wales is located on the westernmost point of the American mainland, Cape Prince of Wales, on the western tip of the Seward Peninsula. It is at the northern end of the Continental Divide where the Pacific Ocean and Arctic Ocean meet. It is 111 mi northwest of Nome.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 sqmi, all of it land.

Demographics

Wales first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Kingigamute." It was returned in 1890 as "Kingaghee." In 1900 and 1910, it was returned as Cape Prince of Wales (Settlements). In 1920, it was shortened to its present name of Wales. It formally incorporated in 1964.

At the 2000 census there were 152 people in 50 households, including 28 families, in the city. The population density was 53.9 PD/sqmi. There were 59 housing units at an average density of 20.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 8.55% White, 0.66% Black or African American, 83.55% (127 people) Native American, 0.66% from other races, and 6.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66%.

Of the 50 households 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.0% were non-families. 40.0% of households were one person and 6.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 4.43.

The age distribution was 38.2% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 141.0 males.

The median household income was $33,333 and the median family income was $39,583. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $22,188 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,877. About 17.2% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under the age of 18 and 50.0% of those 65 or over.

Climate
Wales is located within the polar climate zone (Köppen ET).

Education
Wales is served by the Bering Strait School District. Wales Kingikmiut School serves grades Pre-K through 12.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Wales, Alaska


text:
White Mountain, Alaska

White Mountain (Nasirvik, Nachirvik, or Nachizrvik) is a city in Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 190 at the 2010 census, down from 203 in 2000. The city is an Iġaluŋmiut (Fish River tribe) Inupiat village, with historical influences from and relationships with Qawiaraq (Mary's Igloo) Inupiat and Golovin and Elim Yup’iks. 86.2% of the population is Alaska Native or part Native. Subsistence activities are prevalent. White Mountain is the only village on the Seward Peninsula located inland, not on the ocean.

History
The area that is present day White Mountain began as the Eskimo fish camp Nachirvik which means "mountain look-out point." The bountiful resources of both the Niukluk and the Fish rivers supported the Native populations there. The community grew with the influx of white prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush. The first non-Native structure was a warehouse built by the miner Charles D. Lane to store supplies for his claim in the Council District. It was the site of a government-subsidized orphanage, which became an industrial school in 1926. The Covenant Church was built in 1937. A Russian Orthodox Church was built about 1920 (although no longer utilized, the church log cabin building is still standing). A post office was opened in 1932. The tribal government re-organized under the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) in 1939. The city was incorporated in 1969.

Today, White Mountain is most notable as the last of three mandatory rest stops for teams competing in the annual Iditarod. All mushers are required to take an 8-hour rest stop at White Mountain before making the final push to the end of the race, 77 mi away in Nome.

Geography
White Mountain is located at 64.68083°N, -163.40667°W (64.680856, -163.406538). The city is located on the eastern bank of the Fish River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.3 km2), of which 1.8 square miles (4.6 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km2) (11.82%) is water.

Demographics
White Mountain first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1969.

As of the census of 2000, there were 203 people, 69 households, and 46 families residing in the city. The population density was 113.7 PD/sqmi. There were 75 housing units at an average density of 42.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 13.30% White, 83.74% Native American, 0.49% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population.

Of the 69 households, 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.6% were married couples living together, 26.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.55.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 40.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 132.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,833, and the median income for a family was $29,688. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,034. About 16.3% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 12.5% of those 65 or over.

Education
White Mountain is served by the Bering Strait School District. White Mountain School serves grades Pre-K through 12. Prior to the 2009 school year, students were housed in two different buildings, the high school building and the elementary building. In February 2006, the high school building burned down as a result from a fire in the furnace room. High school and Jr. High students moved to three separate buildings and schooled there until the end of the 2008 school year. The elementary school was the oldest operating school building in Alaska up until 2009 when the new school building was completed. The old elementary building was burned down in the summer 2010 because there was no longer a use for it. The new White Mountain School is one building that has three elementary rooms for K-6 students, a Jr. High room, two Sr. High rooms, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, library, a staff room and storage rooms.

title: White Mountain, Alaska


text:
Alpine, Alaska

Alpine is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place in the North Slope Borough of Alaska within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska on native lands. The population was 0 at the 2000 United States Census, but it was not included in the 2010 census.

Alpine is the site of a major oil drilling operation by ConocoPhillips, producing since 2000 with a peak in November 2005, further expansion in 2015 to build CD-5 and oil wells in Greater Mooses Tooth Unit 1 and 2. The infrastructure of Greater Mooses Tooth unit with pipelines, roads and mudplants to be used by the much larger Willow project located further West in the Bear Tooth Unit. Alpine is staffed primarily by commuter residents of Nuiqsut working a two-week on and two week off work schedule.

Geography
Alpine is located at 70.2382°N, -150.9944°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 39.2 mi2, of which 38.3 mi2 is land and 0.9 mi2, or 2.40%, is water. It is located 8 miles north of Nuiqsut, Alaska.

Transportation
The area is served by the Alpine Airstrip. The closest commercial airport is at Deadhorse.

Demographics
Alpine first appeared as a census-designated place (CDP) in 2000, but did not report any residents. As of the census of 2000 there were no permanent people living in the CDP, but approximately 250 workers in the work camp. Its status as a CDP was abolished as of the 2010 census.

Oil production
Discovered in 1994 and declared commercial in 1996, the Alpine Oil Pool was the largest oil field discovered in the US in over a decade. Development drilling began in 1998, and nine facilities modules were delivered to the North Slope via sealift during July 1999. Regular production began in November 2000. The Alpine Oil Pool produced an average of 97,485 BOPD during 2003 and 98,895 BOPD in 2004. Major upgrades were undertaken in 2004 to the water handling capacity and in 2005 to the oil handling, seawater injection and gas handling capacity. These upgrades enabled the production to peak at 130687 oilbbl in November 2005. Since that peak, production from the pool has declined, despite continued development drilling operations and stood at an average of 44126 oilbbl during first six months of 2019.

In June 2023, Alaska regulators proposed that Conoco Philips receive a 914,000$ penalty for its handling of a “shallow underground blowout” of a well in 2022, as gas was released uncontrollably at the surface for days across various locations.

CD-5
In the fourth quarter of 2015, oil production from a new "CD-5" drill on-pad site began, located to access both the Nanuq Kuparuk and the Alpine participating areas. It is part of the Colville River Unit, operated by ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. (78%) and a subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (22%). The CD-5 site became the first commercial oil development on Alaska Native lands within the boundaries of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska on land owned by "Kuukpik Corporation", the village corporation for Nuiqsut, with subsurface rights owned by Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. The CD-5 project has 33 wells, includes a 6 mile road, four bridges, 32 miles of pipelines and electrical infrastructure and cost more than $1 billion. Oil from CD-5 is processed in Alpine, then flows through Kuparuk to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Alpine field production gradually increased, averaging 54,720 barrels per day in February, up from 53,007 barrels per day in January and 50,389 barrels per day year over year, from February 2021. In 2016, ConocoPhillips planned more wells.

Greater Mooses Tooth Unit 1 and 2
In 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permitted this satellite project in Greater Mooses Tooth area, west of the Colville River delta, also on lands owned by Kuukpik Corporation. In 2017, two bridges were constructed, one to carry a drilling ridge, the other to carry drill rig module. First oil was expected in late 2018.

The Greater Mooses Tooth unit 2 was planned for 48 wells, cost to exceed $1 billion with first oil expected between late-2020 and 2021.

The infrastructure of Greater Mooses Tooth unit is to be used by the much larger Willow project located further West in the Bear Tooth Unit.

title: Alpine, Alaska


text:
Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska

Anaktuvuk Pass (Anaqtuuvak,, Anaqtuġvik or Naqsraq, ) is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 282 at the 2000 census and 324 as of the 2010 census.

History
Anaktuvuk Pass was named after the Anaktuvuk River. Anaktuvuk is the English way of spelling "anaqtuġvik", place of caribou droppings in Inupiaq, the language of the Inupiat.

A nomadic group of Inupiat called Nunamiut lived inland in northern Alaska, hunting caribou instead of the marine mammals and fish hunted by the rest of the Inupiat, who live on the coast. The Nunamiut traded with the coastal people for other items they needed. A decline in caribou populations around 1900 and in the 1920s caused many Nunamiut to move to the coast. In 1938, several Nunamiut families moved back to the Brooks Range, around Tulugak and the Killik River. In 1949 the Killik River group moved to Tulugak Lake, 15 miles north of where the village lies today. Anaktuvuk Pass is the only Nunamiut settlement.

This settlement attracted Inupiaq people from many other locations, and villagers today lead a somewhat more sedentary lifestyle than in nomadic times. The city was incorporated in 1959. A Presbyterian church was constructed in 1966.

A federally recognized tribe is in the community: the Village of Anaktuvuk Pass (a.k.a. Naqsragmiut Tribal Council). The community population is 88.3% Alaska Natives or part Native. Anaktuvuk Pass is a Nunamiut Eskimo community dependent upon subsistence activities. Sale, importation and possession of alcohol are banned in the village.

Anaktuvuk Pass post office was established in May 1951. The first postmaster was Homer Mekiana. As of 2009, its post office was considered the most isolated in the United States.

Geography
Anaktuvuk Pass is slightly north of the Brooks Range on the divide between the Anaktuvuk River and the John River, at an elevation of 2200 ft. Anaktuvuk Pass is the last remaining settlement of the Nunamiut (People of the Land) Iñupiat Inuit in Alaska.

The community lies at approximately 68.14306°N, -151.73361°W. It is in Section 18, Township 15 South, Range 2 East, Umiat Meridian, within the Utqiaġvik Recording District. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 4.9 sqmi, of which 4.8 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (1.63%) is water.

Climate
Anaktuvuk Pass has a typical subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfc) bordering on a tundra climate (Köppen climate classification: ET), with the average temperature in January -13.4 F while the warmest month, July, averages 50.3 F. Temperatures have ranged from -47 to 91 F. Anaktuvuk Pass receives about 11 in of rain yearly, with snowfall averaging about 63 in. The area is known for its intense winds and 50-below winters and the generic, framed houses built there in the 1970s. The houses are inefficient for such a climate, according to a Fairbanks Daily News Miner story. On June 28, 1971, the temperature fell to a record summer low of -11 F, though the data for that year is extremely sparse. The climate record as a whole is irregular, with data compiled only between 1953 and 1973, with most observations in the 1950s.

Demographics
Anaktuvuk Pass first appeared on the 1950 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated (before statehood) in 1957.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 324 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 81.2% Native American, 7.1% White, 0.3% Black, 0.3% Pacific Islander and 9.0% from two or more races. 2.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 282 people, 84 households, and 57 families living in the city. The population density was 58.2 PD/sqmi. There were 101 housing units at an average density of 20.8 sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 9.57% White, 1.42% Black or African American, 87.59% Native American, 0.71% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 84 households, of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.36 and the average family size was 4.26.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 38.7% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 26. For every 100 females, there were 107.4 males. For every 100 females over 18, there were 121.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,500, and the median income for a family was $56,250. Males had a median income of $42,500 versus $32,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,283. About 3.2% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under 18 and none of those 65 or older.

Facilities, utilities, schools, health care and museum
The North Slope Borough provides all utilities to Anaktuvuk Pass. Two central wells and a treated watering point at Nunamiut School serve the town for water. Most households have water delivered by truck to holding tanks. A few residents haul their own water. Almost 80% of homes have running water in the kitchen. In 1996, a $17 million project to provide piped water and sewer and household plumbing began construction, which will provide flush toilets and showers for all residences. A new landfill is also near completion. Electricity is provided by North Slope Borough.

There is one school in the community, the Nunamiut School, attended by 110 students as of August 10, 2017.

The only local health clinic is the Anaktuvuk Pass Health Clinic, a primary health care facility. Anaktuvuk Pass is classified as an isolated village, found in EMS Region 6A in the North Slope Region. Emergency services have access to the town by air. Emergency service is provided by volunteers and health aides; there are no doctors on site. Auxiliary health care is provided by Anaktuvuk Pass Volunteer Fire Department.

The Nunamiut's culture is described and preserved through photographs and artifacts at the Simon Paneak Memorial Museum in Anaktuvuk Pass.

Economy and transportation
Economic and employment opportunities are limited in Anaktuvuk Pass, due to its isolation. Hunting and trapping for sale of skins, guiding hunters, or making traditional caribou skin masks or clothing provides income, though some residents have sought seasonal employment outside the town.

Caribou is the primary source of meat, with other subsistence foods including trout, grayling, moose, sheep, brown bear, ptarmigan and water fowl.

Anaktuvuk Pass Airport, a 4800 ft gravel airstrip, is owned and operated by the North Slope Borough, and provides Anaktuvuk Pass with year-round access. A $3.4 million airport improvement project was completed by fall 1999, allowing many air companies to provide passenger flight service to Anaktuvuk Pass. There is no road to Anaktuvuk Pass, but Cat trains transport cargo from the Dalton Highway (which serves as the Trans-Alaska pipeline haul road) during the winter. Snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles are used for local transportation, though some standard vehicles are used.

Media
Anaktuvuk Pass is home to two low-power FM translators. K268AB (FM 101.5) is a rebroadcaster of KBRW-FM, a public radio station in Utqiaġvik and K232DU, a rebroadcast of KYKD, a religious station from Bethel. Anaktuvuk Pass also has two low-power translators of the statewide Alaska Rural Communications Service on K04IX and K09RS.

Notable people

 * Dennis Schmitt, veteran explorer, adventurer

title: Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska


text:
Atqasuk, Alaska

Atqasuk  is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 276 at the 2020 census and 233 as of the 2010 census.

Geography
Atqasuk is located at 70.47778°N, -157.41806°W (70.477663, -157.418056), on the Meade River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.3 sqmi, of which 38.9 sqmi is land and 3.5 sqmi (8.22%) is water.

Atqasuk has one airport, Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr. Memorial Airport, that is uncontrolled and has a single 4370 by runway at an elevation of 96 ft.

Climate
Atqasuk at 70.2 degrees north latitude has a cold and dry subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) closely bordering on a tundra climate (Köppen ET).

Demographics
Atqasuk first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Meade River." It reported on the 1950 census as "Tikikluk." In 1960, it returned again as Meade River. It did not appear on the 1970 census. It next reported on the 1980 U.S. Census as "Atkasook", and was made a census designated place (CDP). It formally incorporated in 1982 as Atqasuk.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 233 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 92.3% Native American, 6.9% White and 0.9% from two or more races.

As of the census of 2000, there were 228 people, 55 households, and 44 families living in the city. The population density was 5.9 /mi2. There were 60 housing units at an average density of 1.5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 94.30% Native Alaskan, 4.82% White, 0.44% Asian, and 0.44% from two or more races.

There were 55 households, out of which 50.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 21.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.15 and the average family size was 4.49.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 40.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $66,607, and the median income for a family was $53,750. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $27,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,732. About 25.0% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 57.1% of those 65 or over.

Education
The North Slope Borough School District operates the Meade River School in Atqasuk.

Health
Sale, importation and possession of alcohol are banned in the village.

title: Atqasuk, Alaska


text:
Utqiagvik, Alaska

Utqiagvik (Utqiaġvik, ), formerly known as Barrow, is the borough seat and largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Located north of the Arctic Circle, it is one of the northernmost cities and towns in the world and the northernmost in the United States, with nearby Point Barrow as the country's northernmost point.

Utqiagvik's population was 4,927 at the 2020 census, an increase from 4,212 in 2010. It is the 12th-most populated city in Alaska.

Name
The location has been home to the Iñupiat, an indigenous Inuit ethnic group, for more than 1,500 years. The city's Iñupiaq name refers to a place for gathering wild roots. It is derived from the Iñupiat word utqiq, also used for Claytonia tuberosa ("Eskimo potato"). The name was first recorded, by European explorers, in 1853 as "Ot-ki-a-wing" by Commander Rochfort Maguire, Royal Navy. John Simpson's native map dated 1855 has the name "Otkiawik", which was later misprinted on a British Admiralty chart as "Otkiovik."

The former name Barrow was derived from Point Barrow, and was originally a general designation, because non-native Alaskan residents found it easier to pronounce than the Inupiat name. Point Barrow was named after Sir John Barrow of the British Admiralty by explorer Frederick William Beechey in 1825. A post office was established in 1901 helping the name "Barrow" to become dominant.

On December 1, 2016, following a referendum on October 4, the city's name was changed from Barrow to Utqiaġvik,  City Council member Qaiyaan Harcharek said the name change supports the use of the Iñupiaq language and is part of a decolonization process.

Another recorded Iñupiaq name is Ukpiaġvik, which comes from ukpik "snowy owl" and is translated as "the place where snowy owls are hunted". A spelling which is a variant of this name was adopted by the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation when it was established in 1973.

Prehistory to the 20th century
Archaeological sites in the area indicate the Iñupiat lived around Utqiagvik as far back as 500 AD. Remains of 16 sod dwelling mounds, from the Birnirk culture of about 800, can be seen on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Located on a slight rise above the high-water mark, they are at risk of being lost to erosion.

Bill Streever who chairs the North Slope Science Initiative's Science Technical Advisory Panel, wrote in his 2009 book Cold: Adventures in the World's Frozen Places:

"Barrow, like most communities in Alaska, looks temporary, like a pioneer settlement. It is not. Barrow is among the oldest permanent settlements in the United States. Hundreds of years before the European Arctic explorers showed up... Barrow was more or less where it is now, a natural hunting place at the base of a peninsula that pokes out into the Beaufort Sea... Yankee whalers sailed here, learning about the bowhead whale from Iñupiat hunters... Later, the military came, setting up a radar station, and in 1947 a science center was founded at Barrow."

British Royal Navy officers came to the area to explore and map the Arctic coastline of North America. The US acquired Alaska in 1867. The United States Army established a meteorological and magnetic research station at Utqiagvik in 1881.

In 1888, a Presbyterian church was built by United States missionaries at Utqiagvik. The church is still in use today. In 1889 a whaling supply and rescue station was built. It is the oldest wood-frame building in Utqiagvik and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The rescue station was converted for use in 1896 as the retail Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station. In the late 20th century, the building was used as Brower's Cafe.

20th century to the present
A United States Post Office was opened in 1901. In 1935, famous humorist Will Rogers and pilot Wiley Post made an unplanned stop at Walakpa Bay, 15 mi south of Utqiagvik, en route to the city. As they took off again their plane stalled and plunged into a river, killing them both. Two memorials have been erected at the location which is now called the Rogers–Post Site. Another memorial is located in Utqiagvik, where the airport was renamed as the Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport in their honor.

In 1940, the indigenous Iñupiat organized as the Native Village of Barrow Iñupiat Traditional Government (previously, Native Village of Barrow), which is a federally recognized Alaska Native Iñupiat "tribal entity", as listed by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs around 2003. They wrote a constitution and by-laws, under the provisions of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934. An IRA corporation was also created.

Utqiagvik was incorporated as a first-class city under the name Barrow in 1958. Natural gas lines were brought to the town in 1965, eliminating traditional heating sources such as whale blubber.

The Barrow Duck-In was a civil disobedience event that occurred in the spring of 1961. During the Duck-in, the Iñupiat protested a federal hunting ban on ducks, which threatened their livelihood and rights to food security.

The residents of the North Slope were the only Native people to vote on acceptance of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; they rejected it. The act was passed in December 1971, and despite their opposition, became law. The Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation is the for-profit village corporation established under the act.

In 1972, the North Slope Borough was established. The borough has built sanitation facilities, water and electrical utilities, roads, and fire departments, and established health and educational services in Utqiagvik and the villages of the North Slope with millions of dollars in new revenues from the settlement and later oil revenues.

In 1986, the North Slope Borough created the North Slope Higher Education Center. Renamed Iḷisaġvik College, it is an accredited two-year college providing education which is based on the Iñupiat culture and the needs of the North Slope Borough.

The Tuzzy Consortium Library, in the Iñupiat Heritage Center, serves the communities of the North Slope Borough and functions as the academic library for Iḷisaġvik College. The library was named after Evelyn Tuzroyluk Higbee, an important leader in the community.

Utqiagvik, like many communities in Alaska, has enacted a "damp" law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages. However, the import, possession, and consumption of such beverages is still allowed.

In 1988, Utqiagvik became the center of worldwide media attention when three California gray whales became trapped in the ice offshore. After a two-week rescue effort (Operation Breakthrough), a Soviet icebreaker freed two of the whales. Journalist Tom Rose details the rescue and the media frenzy that accompanied it, in his 1989 book Freeing The Whales. The movie Big Miracle is based on the rescue and was released on February 3, 2012.

Geography
Utqiagvik is roughly 1300 mi south of the North Pole. Only 2.6% of the Earth's surface lies as far or farther from the equator as Utqiagvik.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21 sqmi, of which 3 sqmi are covered by water (14% of the total area). The predominant land type in Utqiagvik is tundra, which is formed over a permafrost layer that is as much as 1300 ft deep.

Utqiagvik is surrounded by the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska.

The city of Utqiagvik has three sections, which can be classified as south, central, and north; they are known to residents as Utqiagvik, Browerville, and NARL respectively.

 * The southernmost of the sections, known historically as the "Barrow side", is the oldest and second-largest of the three; it serves as downtown. This area includes Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport, Barrow High School, North Slope Borough School District, and Fred Ipalook Elementary School, as well as restaurants, hotels, the police station, the Utqiagvik City Hall, a Wells Fargo bank, and numerous houses.

 * The central section is the largest of the three and is called Browerville. This has traditionally been a residential area for the City of Utqiagvik, but in recent years, many businesses have opened or moved to this area. Browerville is separated from the south section by a series of lagoons, with two connecting dirt roads. This area in addition to the houses includes Tuzzy Consortium Library, the US Post Office, Eben Hopson Middle School, Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital, the Iñupiat Heritage Center, two grocery stores, one hotel, and two restaurants.
 * The north section is the smallest and most isolated of the three sections, known to the residents as NARL because it was originally the site of the Naval Arctic Research Lab. It is connected to the central section only by Stevenson Street which is a two-lane dirt road. The NARL facility was transferred by the federal government to the North Slope Borough, which adapted it for use as Iḷisaġvik College. This area also includes a small broadcasting station, which is run by the college students.

An ancient 8 km-sized crater, Avak, is situated near Utqiagvik.

Climate

Owing to its location 330 mi north of the Arctic Circle, Utqiagvik's climate is cold and dry, classified as a tundra climate (Köppen ET). Winter weather can be extremely dangerous because of the combination of cold and wind, while summers are cool even at their warmest. Weather observations are available for Utqiagvik dating back to the late 19th century. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Monitoring Lab operates in Utqiagvik. The United States Department of Energy has a climate observation site in Utqiagvik as part of its Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility.

Despite the extreme northern location, temperatures at Utqiagvik are moderated by the surrounding topography. The Arctic Ocean is on three sides, and flat tundra stretches some 200 mi to the south. No wind barriers or protected valleys exist where dense cold air can settle or form temperature inversions in the lower atmosphere, as commonly happens in the interior between the Brooks and the Alaska ranges.

Utqiagvik has the lowest average temperatures of cities in Alaska. Although Utqiagvik rarely records the lowest temperatures statewide during cold waves, extremely low wind chill and "white out" conditions from blowing snow are very common. Temperatures remain below freezing from early October through late May and below 0 F from December through March.

The high temperature reaches or tops the freezing point on an average of only 136 days per year, and 92 days have a maximum at or below 0 F. Freezing temperatures and snowfall can occur during any month of the year.

Regarding precipitation Utqiagvik has a desert climate, and averages less than 6 in "rainfall equivalent" per year. One inch of rain has an estimated equal water content to 12 in of snow. According to 1981−2010 normals, this includes 37 in of snow, compared to 99 in for Kuujjuaq in Nunavik, Quebec, or 87 in and 69 in for much warmer Juneau and Kodiak, Alaska, respectively. Even Sable Island, at around 44 degrees latitude and under the influence of the Gulf Stream, received 44 in, or 20 percent more snowfall than Utqiagvik. Snowfall in Utqiagvik has increased in recent years, with an average annual snowfall of 46 in according to the more recent 1991–2020 normals.

The first snow (defined as snow that will not melt until next spring) generally falls during the first week of October, when temperatures cease to rise above freezing during the day. October is usually the month with the heaviest snowfall, with measurable amounts occurring on over half the days and a 1991−2020 normal total accumulation of 10.3 in. By the end of October, the amount of sunlight is around 6 hours.

When the sun sets on November 18, it stays below the horizon until January 23, resulting in a polar night that lasts for about 66 days. When the polar night starts, about 6 hours of civil twilight occur, with the amount decreasing each day during the first half of the polar night. On the winter solstice (around December 21 or December 22), civil twilight in Utqiagvik lasts for a mere 3 hours. After this, the amount of civil twilight increases each day to around 6 hours at the end of the polar night.

Particularly cold weather usually begins in January, and February is generally the coldest month, averaging -11.9 F. By March 1, the sun is up for 9 hours, and temperatures begin to warm, though winds are usually higher. Starting on March 23, no more night (the phase of day) happens, with only daylight and twilight until the start of the midnight sun in May. This is also true from the end of the midnight sun at the beginning of August to September 22. April brings less extreme temperatures, with an average of 4.0 F, and on April 1, the sun is up for more than 14 hours. By May 1, the sun is up for 19 hours, and by May 10 or 11 (depending on the year's relationship to the nearest leap year) the sun will stay above the horizon for the entire day. This phenomenon is known as the midnight sun. The sun does not set for 83 days, until either August 1 or 2 (again depending on the year's relationship to the nearest leap year). In May, the temperatures are much warmer, averaging 22.7 F. On June 6, the daily mean temperature rises above freezing, and the normal daily mean temperature remains above freezing until September 21.

July is the warmest month of the year, with a normal mean temperature of 41.7 F. Beginning in mid-July, the Arctic Ocean is relatively ice-free, and remains so until late October. The highest temperature recorded in Utqiagvik was 79 F on July 13, 1993, while the lowest is −56 F on February 3, 1924; the highest minimum is 56 F on August 5, 2023, while the lowest maximum is −47 F on January 3, 1975. On average during the 1991 to 2020 reference period, the coldest winter maximum was -29 F and the warmest summer minimum was 47 F. Utqiagvik records an average 26 days per year where the high reaches at least 50 F. Temperatures above 60 F are rare, but have been recorded in most years. Even in July and August, the low falls to or below the freezing mark on an average of 18 days.

In addition to its low temperatures and polar night, Utqiagvik is one of the cloudiest places on Earth. Owing to the prevailing easterly winds off the Arctic Ocean, it is completely overcast slightly more than 50% of the year. It is at least 70% overcast some 62% of the time. Cloud types are mainly low stratus and fog; cumuli forms are rare. Peak cloudiness occurs in August and September when the ocean is ice-free. Dense fog occurs an average of 65 days per year, mostly in the summer months. Ice fog is very common during the winter months, especially when the temperature drops below -30 F.

Variation of wind speed during the year is limited, with the fall days being windiest. Extreme winds from 40 to 60 mph have been recorded in every month. Winds average 12 mph and are typically from the east.

Consequences of global warming
The Arctic region is warming three times the global average, forcing major adjustments to life on the North Slope with regard to a prior millennium of hunting and whaling practices, as well as habitation. Thinner sea ice endangers the landing of bowhead whale strikes on offshore ice by springtime whalers. Caribou habitat is also affected, while thawing soil threatens homes and municipal and commercial structures. The city's infrastructure, particularly water, sanitation, power, and road stability, is endangered. The shoreline is rapidly eroding and has been encroaching on buildings for decades. According to Dr. Harold Wanless of the University of Miami, an anticipated rise in sea level and consequent global warming is inevitable, meaning the existence of Utqiagvik at its current location is doomed in the relative geological short term. Smoothed data from NOAA show that Utqiagvik has warmed by more than 11 F-change since 1976. On December 5, 2022, Utqiagvik broke its previous record for the warmest winter temperature, hitting 40 F.

Demographics
The town first appeared in census records on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Ootiwakh". All 225 of its residents were Inuit. In 1890, the community and area was returned as the "Cape Smythe Settlements", which was including the refuge and whaling stations, Pengnok, Utkeavie, Kugaru (Inaru) River villages, four other camps and Whaling Steamer Balaena. Of the 246 residents, 189 were Natives, 46 were White, one was Asian, and 10 were other races. This did not include nearby Point Barrow, which was a separate community. In 1900, it reported again as "Cape Smythe Settlements". In 1910, it first reported as Barrow, and in every successive census to 2010. It formally incorporated in 1959. The native name of Utqiagvik was adopted in 2016 and appeared on the 2020 census.

As of the 2010 United States Census, 4,212 people were living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 60.5% Alaskan Native, 16.2% White, 8.9% Asian, 8.1% from two or more races, 3.1% were Hispanic or Latino of any race, 2.3% Pacific Islander, 0.9% African.

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,683 people, 1,399 households, and 976 families living in the city. The population density was 249.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,620 housing units at an average density of 88.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city is 57.2% Alaska Native, 21.8% White, 9.4% Asian, 1.0% African American, 1.4% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 8.5% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.3% of the population.

Of the 1,399 households, 56.5% had children under 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were not families; 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.35, and the average family size was 4.80.

In Utqiagvik, the age distribution was 27.7% under 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $63,094.09, and the median income for a family was $68,223. Males had a median income of $51,959 versus $46,382 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,902. About 7.7% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under 18 and 13.1% of those 65 and older.

As of December 2022, the city's website says: "The largest city in the North Slope Borough, Utqiagvik has 4,429 residents, of which approximately 61% are Iñupiat Eskimo."

Economy
Utqiagvik is the economic center of the North Slope Borough, the city's primary employer. Many businesses provide support services to oil field operations. State and federal agencies are employers. The midnight sun has attracted tourism, and arts and crafts provide some cash income. Because transporting food to the city is very expensive, many residents continue to rely upon subsistence food sources. Whale, seal, polar bear, walrus, waterfowl, caribou, and fish are harvested from the coast or nearby rivers and lakes. Utqiagvik is the headquarters of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, one of the Alaska Native corporations set up following the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 to manage revenues and invest in development for their people in the region.

Politics
The city is the center of the North Slope borough, and has been a swing city for presidential elections. A substantial number of third-party voters have existed from time to time.

Special events

 * Kivgiq, the Messenger Feast, in more recent times has been held almost every year, but "officially" is held every two or three years in late January or early February, at the discretion of the North Slope Borough mayor. Kivgiq is an international event that attracts visitors from around the Arctic Circle.
 * Piuraagiaqta, the Spring Festival, celebrates breaking a path in the ice for boats to hunt whales. Held in mid-April, it includes many outdoor activities.
 * Nalukataq, the Blanket Toss Celebration, is held on multiple days beginning in the third week of June to celebrate each successful spring whale hunt.
 * July 4, Independence Day, in Utqiagvik is time for Eskimo games, such as the two-foot high kick and ear pull, with the winners going on to compete at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics.
 * Whaling generally happens during the second week of October.
 * Qitik, Eskimo Games, also known as Christmas Games, are held from December 26 through January 1.

Depictions in popular culture
Singer-songwriter John Denver visited the town for his 1979 television special Alaska, The American Child.

The ABC TV special “The Night They Saved Christmas” was filmed here, and first aired December 13, 1984.

Fran Tate, a local restaurant owner, was a frequent guest by telephone on a Chicago radio program, the Steve and Johnnie Show on WGN, during the 1990s. She also appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

The town is the setting for a series of horror comic books titled 30 Days of Night. A commercially successful film, named after and based upon the comic, was released on October 19, 2007, followed by a straight-to-video sequel on July 23, 2010.

Karl Pilkington is sent to the town in the second season of An Idiot Abroad.

On the Ice, a film released in 2011 about teenagers dealing with a tragic accidental death, was filmed entirely in the town, with locals acting in most roles.

Big Miracle, a 2012 film starring Drew Barrymore, is based on the true story of whales trapped under ice near Point Barrow, and features scenes in and characters from the town.

Stephen Fry visited the town and its people during the last segment of his documentary Stephen Fry in America.

In 2015, the NFL Network began an eight-part documentary series focusing on the Barrow High School Whalers football team.

In 2023, the location was chosen as the starting point for season 8 of Nebula and YouTube series Jet Lag: The Game, a travel competition show.

Football
On August 19, 2006, the Whalers of Barrow High School played the first official football game in the Arctic against Delta Junction High School. Barrow High School recorded its first win two weeks later; the coaches and players celebrated the historic win by jumping into the Arctic Ocean, just 100 yd from the makeshift dirt field.

On August 17, 2007, the Whalers football team played their first game of the season on their new artificial-turf field. The historic game, which was attended by former Miami Dolphins player Larry Csonka, was the first live Internet broadcast of a sporting event in the United States from north of the Arctic Circle.

Since the team's formation, it has gathered a record of 33–24, and most recently, the team reached the semifinal round of the Alaskan State Small School Football Championship.

In 2017, the Barrow High School football team won their first-ever state championship with a win against the Homer Mariners 20–14.

Basketball
In 2015, the Barrow High School boys' basketball team won the Alaska Class 3A State Championship with a 50–40 victory over two-time defending state champion, Monroe Catholic. The Whalers' team was led by 5-star recruit Kamaka Hepa. As a 6'7" freshman he was regarded as one of the top basketball recruits in the country. He was ranked as the #68 ranked basketball recruit in the country by ESPN for the class of 2018. Hepa transferred to Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon, for his junior year. By October 2017, at 6'8" tall, he had committed to go to the University of Texas.

The Whalers' boys' basketball team finished the 2014–2015 season with a 24–3 record, the highest win percentage in school history. Guard Travis Adams was a standout as well. Coach Jeremy Arnhart's teams won 186 games in 10 seasons. In 2015, the Barrow High School girls' team also easily won the ACS tournament.

Education
Utqiagvik is served by the North Slope Borough School District. The schools serving the city are Ipalook Elementary School, Hopson Middle School, Barrow High School, and an alternative learning center known as the Kiita Learning Community. Iḷisaġvik College, which is a two-year college and the only tribal college in Alaska, is located in Utqiagvik. The school offers associate's degrees in accounting, allied health, business and management, construction technology, dental health therapy, Indigenous education, information technology, Iñupiaq studies, liberal arts, and office management. It also offers a bachelor's degree in business administration. The school additionally offers adult education courses for GED preparation and certificates in various programs. Local students may attend University of Alaska Fairbanks, and other colleges in Alaska and in other states in the country.

Newspaper
The Arctic Sounder is a newspaper published weekly by Alaska Media, LLC, which covers news of interest to the North Slope Borough, which includes Utqiagvik, and the Northwest Arctic Borough, which includes Kotzebue in northwestern Alaska.

Radio
KBRW (AM)/KBRW-FM broadcasts in Utqiagvik on 680 kHz AM and 91.9 MHz FM. KBRW is also broadcast via FM repeaters in all of the North Slope Borough villages, from Kaktovik to Point Hope.

Transportation
The roads in Utqiagvik are unpaved due to the permafrost, and no roads connect the city to the rest of Alaska. Utqiagvik is served by Alaska Airlines with passenger jet service at the Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport from Anchorage and Fairbanks. New service between Fairbanks and Anchorage began from Era Aviation on June 1, 2009. Freight arrives by air cargo year round and by ocean-going marine barges during the annual summer sealift.

Utqiagvik is the transportation hub for the North Slope Borough's Arctic coastal villages. Multiple jet aircraft, with service from Deadhorse (Prudhoe Bay), Fairbanks, and Anchorage provide daily mail, cargo, and passenger services, which connect with smaller single- and twin-engined general aviation aircraft that provide regular service to other villages, from Kaktovik in the east to Point Hope in the west. The town is also served by several radio taxi services, most using small four-wheel drive vehicles.

Health care
Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital which is located in the City of Utqiagvik, is the primary healthcare facility for the North Slope region of Alaska. Individuals in need of medical care in the city are able to access the hospital by road. Because no roads lead in or out of Utqiagvik, though, individuals in surrounding communities and towns (including Point Hope, Prudhoe Bay, and Wainwright) must be airlifted in by plane, helicopter, or air ambulance. The facility operates continuously, and is the northernmost hospital or medical facility in the United States.

Notable people

 * Harry Brower Sr. (1924–1992), whaling captain, community leader
 * Kamaka Hepa (born 2000), college basketball player for the Texas Longhorns and Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
 * Eben Hopson (1922–1980), former member of the Alaska Senate
 * Morgan Kibby (born 1984), actress, singer, songwriter
 * Edna Ahgeak MacLean (born 1944), linguist, educator, and former President of Iḷisaġvik College
 * Sadie Neakok (1916–2004), first female magistrate in Alaska
 * John Nusunginya (1927–1981), former member of the Alaska House of Representatives
 * Josiah Patkotak (born 1994), former member of the Alaska House of Representatives, mayor of the North Slope Borough
 * Tara Sweeney (born 1973), former Assistant Secretary for Native American affairs at the United States Department of the Interior.

title: Utqiagvik, Alaska


text:
Kaktovik, Alaska

Kaktovik (Qaaktuġvik, ) is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 283 at the 2020 census.

History
Until the late nineteenth century, Barter Island was a major trade center for the Inupiat and was especially important as a bartering place for Inupiat from Alaska and Inuit from Canada.

Kaktovik was a traditional fishing place—Kaktovik means "Seining Place"—that has a large pond of good fresh water on high ground. It had no permanent settlers until people from other parts of Barter Island and northern Alaska moved to the area around the construction of a runway and Distant Early Warning Line station in the 1950s. The area was incorporated as the City of Kaktovik in 1971.

Due to Kaktovik's isolation, the village has maintained its Inupiat Eskimo traditions. Subsistence is highly dependent upon the hunting of caribou and whale.

In the early twenty-first century Kaktovik became a tourist destination to view polar bears. This is in part due to the native Inupiat, who are permitted to kill three bowhead whales a year, and after flensing the bodies of the whales, they leave the carcasses on the beach at the edge of town.

Geography
Kaktovik is located at 70.13278°N, -143.61611°W (70.132832, -143.616230).

Kaktovik is on the north shore of Barter Island, between the Okpilak River and Jago River on the Beaufort Sea coast. It lies in the 19.6 e6acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, of which, 0.8 sqmi of it is land and 0.2 sqmi of it (21.00%) is water.

Transportation
Barter Island LRRS Airport is located near the city.

Climate
Being located at 70°N, Kaktovik experiences a Tundra climate (Köppen ET). Winters are long, very cold and owing to its high latitude the sun does not rise above the horizon leaving only twilight as the source of light during mid-winter. Summers on the other hand are cool, typical of the North Slope of Alaska. The midnight sun occurs a few weeks in the spring and summer every year. Precipitation totals are similar to desert regions as only about 5 inches with most of it falling from July to September. While snowfall is more common in the colder months, it can still fall in the summer, which is still cold, as well.

Demographics
Kaktovik first appeared on the 1950 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. In 1960 it returned as Barter Island. In 1970, the name of Kaktovik was restored and it was formally incorporated in 1971.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 239 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.7% Native American, 10.0% White and 1.3% from two or more races.

As of the census of 2000, there were 293 people, 89 households, and 70 families living in the city. The population density was 371.0 PD/sqmi. There were 95 housing units at an average density of 120.3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 14.68% White, 75.43% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.68% from other races, and 8.87% from two or more races.

There were 89 households, out of which 47.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.76.

In the city the population was spread out, with 35.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $55,624, and the median income for a family was $60,417. Males had a median income of $50,000 versus $38,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,031. About 9.9% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

Politics
As of 2019, residents have benefited from oil development and some see more drilling as an opportunity to think that drilling and caribou can co-exist.

Education
The North Slope Borough School District operates the Harold Kaveolook School in Kaktovik. The school suffered a major loss due to fire on the night of February 6, 2020.

title: Kaktovik, Alaska


text:
Nuiqsut, Alaska

Nuiqsut (Nuiqsat, ) is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 512 at the 2020 Census and 92.5% Alaska Native. It is located in the midst of a vast quantity of oil reserves and the closest community to ConocoPhillips oil drilling project named Willow Project in the Alpine, Alaska oil field of the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska. It owns the surface rights, but not the subsurface rights of the Alpine field, which are with the regional Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.

Geography
Nuiqsut is located at 70.21639°N, -151.00583°W (70.216338, -151.005725).

Nuiqsut is in the North Slope Borough on the Nechelik Channel, about 35 mi from the Beaufort Sea coast. It is located on the Colville River, about 5 miles north of its confluence with the Itkillik River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.2 sqmi, all of it land. Air travel to the Nuiqsut Airport provides the only year-round access to Nuiqsut. Nuiqsut is accessible during the winter via an ice road. It is about 10 miles South of Alpine, Alaska and about 80 miles West of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

Demographics
Nuiqsut incorporated in 1975 and first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as an incorporated city.

As of the 2000 census there were 433 people, 110 households, and 90 families living in the city. The population density was 47.0 PD/sqmi.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 402 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 87.1% Native American, 10.0% White, 0.2% Black and 2.7% from two or more races.

There were 126 housing units at an average density of 13.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.22% Native American, 10.16% White, 0.23% Black or African American, 0.46% Asian, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.23% of the population.

There were 110 households, out of which 54.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.93 and the average family size was 4.24.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 42.0% under 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 147.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,036, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $25,625 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,876. About 3.2% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

In the 2020 Census, the Hispanic or Latino population dropped to zero.

Economy, commerce and social centers
There is one commercial store in Nuiqsut, one mail receiving location (operated by the City of Nuiqsut not the United States Postal Service), and one church (Presbyterian). Other areas of social activity include the city recreation center and the school. An elder's living center is also present.

Since 1973, Nuiqsut has an Alaska Native corporation in form of a village corporation named "Kuukpik", in which more than 600 shareholders are enrolled.

Before 2001, Nuiqsut's economy was primarily subsistence-based. When ConocoPhillips found oil and gas at the Alpine, Alaska oil field to which and Kuukpik owns the surface rights, it negotiated a surface-use agreement. Since oil production began in 2001, Kuukpik has received a small royalty from ConocoPhillips. It was the first Native village impacted in this way. The subsurface rights of the Alpine field, however, are with the regional Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.

Since May 2018, ConocoPhillips has officially requested to develop the so called Willow project oil field from the Bureau of Land Management. Kuukpik submitted comments to the draft Environmental Impact Statement reducing drill sites to four, shorter gravel roads and requesting protection of Teshekpuk Lake amongst other things. In March 2023, then Mayor Rosemary Ahtuangaruak opposed the project, because of impacts on caribou and subsistence lifestyle.

Education
There is one school in Nuiqsut for grades kindergarten through 12th grade, Nuiqsut Trapper School of the North Slope Borough School District. The school also provides preschool. There are approximately 100 students. There are approximately 12 teachers and 6 other staff members. Many community functions are held in the school and it serves as social center as well as school. The school facilities also serve as an emergency shelter for the community in times of power outages.

Health
The sale, importation, and possession of alcohol are banned in the village.

Culture and history
The native people of the village are Iñupiat. In the early 1970s, the village was re-established, when the residents moved to the region from Utqiaġvik. For one year they lived in tents while housing was built. These original residents were the first to receive dividends from the oil companies in exchange for land use. The dividends are passed from the original shareholders on to the community member of their choice (often parent to child).

Native traditions such as hunting (whale, caribou, fox, ptarmigan, etc.) and the making of native clothes and crafts continues, although the influence of modern society has reduced both need and interest in these activities to some degree. The traditional whale hunted by the whalers of Nuiqsut is the bowhead whale.

In 2022, a gas leak forced some villagers to evacuate their homes. In 2023, Nuiqsut officials criticized the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) public input process for ConocoPhillips so called Willow project, as the BLM denied to extend the public comment period without explanation.

Natural resources
Nuiqsut is located in the midst of a vast quantity of oil. Many major oil companies have oil facilities in the region (ConocoPhillips, Hilcorp, etc.). The relationship with the community of Nuiqsut is such that the oil company using the land, considered to be the property of the native Nuiqsut residents (Inupiat Eskimos), pay dividends to residents in exchange for use of the land. For many native residents, the dividends are the primary, or only, source of income, but the region's local development and global fossil fuel-generated climate disruption has had major negative impacts on their traditional hunting, fishing and whaling activities. Permafrost thawing, rising sea levels and warming of the Arctic Ocean present a cash-versus-culture conundrum to the inhabitants.

In popular culture
Nuiqsut was featured in season four episode one of the History television channel series Ice Road Truckers, when a convoy of truckers delivered supplies to the village.

title: Nuiqsut, Alaska


text:
Point Hope, Alaska

Point Hope (Tikiġaq, ) is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 674, down from 757 in 2000. In the 2020 Census, the population rose to 830.

Like many isolated communities in Alaska, the city has no road or rail connections to the outside world, and must be accessed by sea or by air at Point Hope Airport.

History
Before any modern settlement, the Ipiutak lived here.

The descriptive Inuit name of the place, "Tikarakh" or "Tikiġaq", commonly spelled "Tiagara", means "forefinger". It was recorded as "Tiekagagmiut" in 1861 by P. Tikhmeniev Wich of the Russian Hydrographic Department and on Russian Chart 1495 it became "Tiekaga". This ancient village site was advantageous, because the protrusion of Point Hope into the sea brought the whales close to the shore. At Tikigaq, they built semi-subterranean houses using mainly whalebone and driftwood. Point Hope is one of the oldest continually occupied sites in North America. While some of the earlier dwellings have been lost to erosion as the point shrinks, it still provides valuable information to archaeologists on how early Eskimos survived in their harsh environment. The Tikigaq site is "by far the most extensive and complete one-period site yet discovered and described in the entire circumpolar region." - Helge Larsen.

The first recorded Europeans to sight this cape were Russian explorers Mikhail Vasiliev and Gleb Shishmaryov of the Imperial Russian Navy on the ships Otkrietie and Blagonamierennie. Vasiliev and Shishmaryov named this landhead Mys Golovnina, after Vice Admiral Vasily Golovnin (1776–1831).

The cape at Point Hope was renamed by Captain Frederick William Beechey of the Royal Navy, who wrote on August 2, 1826: "I named it Point Hope in compliment to Sir William Johnstone Hope". According to Archdeacon Stuck Hope was from a "well-known house long connected with the sea".

Noel Wien made the first flight here in Aug. 1927.

Point Hope residents successfully opposed Project Chariot in 1962. The project would have involved buried thermonuclear detonations some 30 mi from the village to create a deep-water artificial harbor, which would only have been usable about three months out of the year.

Geography
Point Hope is located in the Point Hope landhead, at the northwestern end of the Lisburne Peninsula, on the Chukchi Sea coast, 40 mi southwest of Cape Lisburne, Arctic Slope at 68.34694°N, -166.76306°W (68.347052, -166.762917). It is just above the Arctic Circle.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.4 sqmi, of which, 6.3 sqmi of it is land and 0.1 sqmi of it (1.09%) is water.

In December 2017, The New York Times profiled Point Hope, reporting that "a surprising, and bittersweet, side effect of global warming" would soon bring Point Hope "one of the fastest internet connections in America". The people largely rely on traditional subsistence activities such as hunting whales. However, the melting of sea ice and thawing of permafrost as a result of global warming threaten the traditional lifestyles.

Demographics
Point Hope first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit settlement of "Tikirak." All of its 276 residents were Inuit. In 1890, it returned as Point Hope. Out of its 301 residents, 295 were Natives, 5 were White and 1 was "Other." It continued to return as Point Hope in 1900 and 1910. From 1920-40, it returned as the village of "Tigara" (with the alternative name of Point Hope). In 1950, it returned as Point Hope and has continued to do so to date. In 1966, it formally incorporated.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 674 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 87.8% Native American, 5.8% White, 0.4% Black, 0.1% from some other race and 3.9% from two or more races. 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 757 people, 186 households, and 151 families living in the city. The population density was 119.4 PD/sqmi. There were 215 housing units at an average density of 33.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 8.72% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 87.05% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 3.83% from two or more races. 1.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 186 households, out of which 54.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.07 and the average family size was 4.50.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 42.5% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 122.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $63,125, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $41,750 versus $35,625 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,641. About 13.9% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The North Slope Borough School District operates the Tikiġaq School in Point Hope.

Health
Sale, importation and possession of alcohol are banned in the village.

Notable people

 * John B. Driggs (1852–1914), physician who wrote Short Sketches of Oldest America (1905), a collection of stories and sketches of the Inupiat natives of Point Hope
 * Caroline Cannon, awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2012. In addition to her environmental activism, Cannon has served on Point Hope's city council on and off for many years, including serving as mayor from 1998 to 2001

title: Point Hope, Alaska


text:
Point Lay, Alaska

Point Lay (Kali in Inupiaq- "Mound") is a census-designated place (CDP) in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 330, up from 189 in 2010.

Geography and climate
Point Lay is located on the shores of the Chukchi Sea.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 34.5 sqmi, of which, 30.5 sqmi of it is land and 4.0 sqmi of it (11.66%) is water.

Point Lay once was on a barrier island of Kasegaluk Lagoon, but moved to the mainland near the mouth of the Kokolik River during the 1970s. A weather station was operated from October 1949 to March 1958.

Apart from its landmass that is in mainland Alaska, it also consists two peninsulas that are found on its most northwestern side.

Point Lay has a tundra climate (Koppen ET) with long, very cold winters and short, cool to mild summers.

Demographics
Point Lay first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as an unincorporated Inuit village. All 30 of its residents were Inuit. It returned again in 1890 with 77 residents, all native. It did not appear again until 1940 and again in 1950. The original settlement on the barrier island was relocated a mile to the east on the mainland in the 1970s. The new village of Point Lay returned on the 1980 U.S. Census and was made a census-designated place (CDP). It has continued to return on each successive census.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 189 people living in the CDP. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.4% Native American, 10.1% White, 0.5% Pacific Islander and 0.5% from two or more races. 0.5% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 247 people, 61 households, and 45 families living in the CDP. The population density was people per square mile (/km2). There were 67 housing units at an average density of per square mile  (/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 11.34% White, 82.59% Native American, 0.40% Asian, and 5.67% from two or more races. 2.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 61 households, out of which 50.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.93 and the average family size was 4.57.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 46.2% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 2.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females, there were 135.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $68,750, and the median income for a family was $75,883. Males had a median income of $46,071 versus $25,625 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,003. About 11.4% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

Lifestyle and economy
The village has an annual hunt of beluga whales within the Kasegaluk Lagoon. On the Fourth of July, a parade runs through town led by the fire engines and ambulances of the town's modern fire department.

The Inupaiq name for the village is Kali, which means "mound", after a raised area on the barrier island where the old village stood. The school and fire department bear the name Kali.

The Kali school is a part of the North Slope Borough School District.

Military radar
Until recently, a cluster of radar dishes existed near Point Lay. These were a part of the Distant Early Warning Line, a system of defensive radar installations built during the Cold War. The station was decommissioned during the 1990s, and the radar dishes were dismantled sometime between 2004 and 2006.

title: Point Lay, Alaska


text:
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

Prudhoe Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) located in North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the CDP was 1,310 people, down from 2,174 residents in the 2010 census, and up from just 5 residents in 2000; however, at any given time, several thousand transient workers support the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. The airport, lodging and general store are located in Deadhorse, and the rigs and processing facilities are located on scattered gravel pads laid atop the tundra. It is only during winter that the surface is hard enough to support heavy equipment, and new construction happens at that time.

Overland access is by the Dalton Highway. As the bay itself is still 10 miles further north through a security checkpoint, open water is not visible from the highway. A few tourists, arriving by bus or their own vehicles after a two-day ride up the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks, come to see the tundra, the Arctic Ocean and the midnight sun, staying in lodgings assembled from modular buildings. Tours must be arranged in advance to see the Arctic Ocean and the bay itself.

Prudhoe Bay was named in 1826 by British explorer Sir John Franklin after his classmate Captain Algernon Percy, Baron Prudhoe. Franklin traveled westerly along the coast from the mouth of the Mackenzie River in Canada almost to Point Barrow.

Geography
Prudhoe Bay is located on the Sagavanirktok River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 558.0 sqmi of which, 416.3 sqmi is land and 141.8 sqmi is water. The total area is 25.40% water.

Climate
Prudhoe Bay, along with similar communities on the North Slope of Alaska, features a tundra climate (Köppen ET). Winters are long and frigid, and because the area is above the Arctic Circle, the sun does not rise during several weeks of each winter. Summers bring long daylight hours, with 24 hours of daylight during some summer weeks, but are still cool, being mostly between 45 and 55 F and sometimes dropping to the freezing point.

Demographics

Prudhoe Bay first appeared on the 1970 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,174 people living in the CDP. The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.0% White, 1.9% Black, 7.5% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race and 1.6% from two or more races. 4.0% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Health care
Prudhoe Bay is classified as an isolated town/sub-regional center. It is found in EMS Region 6A in the North Slope Region. Emergency services have limited highway, coastal and airport access. Emergency service is provided by a paid emergency medical services unit and Fairweather Deadhorse Medical Clinic. Auxiliary health care is provided by oil company medical staff and the Greater Prudhoe Bay Fire Dept. Individuals requiring hospital care are usually transported to the nearest hospital/medical center, Sammuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital, in Utqiaġvik. Because no roads connect Prudhoe Bay to Utqiaġvik, patients are transported by helicopter or air ambulance (a flight of approximately 45 minutes).

title: Prudhoe Bay, Alaska


text:
Wainwright, Alaska

Wainwright (Ulġuniq in Iñupiaq), also known as Ulguniq or Kuuk, is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 628, making it the third largest city in the North Slope Borough, up from 556 in 2010. The community was named after Wainwright Lagoon, which in turn was named after Lt. John Wainwright, an officer under Capt. F. W. Beechey, who were the first non-native people to travel to the lagoon in 1826. An unincorporated area known as Wainwright Inlet by 1890, Wainwright was founded as an incorporated municipality in 1904.

Geography and climate
Wainwright is located on the Chukchi Sea about 72 mi southwest of Utqiaġvik.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.5 sqmi, of which, 17.6 sqmi of it is land and 24.9 sqmi of it (58.63%) is water.

Wainwright has a dry-winter Arctic climate (Köppen ETw) with temperatures ranging from -56 to 84 F. There is little precipitation, mostly snow; however, the dry winters make the annual snowfall totals more modest than they would otherwise be. The Chukchi Sea is unfrozen from early July to late September.

Demographics
Wainwright first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as the unincorporated area of "Wainwright Inlet." This included the native settlement Kugmiut, camps on Kug River, Setorokamiut, Nuklwok, Nutnago and Shinnowok. All 72 residents were native. It did not appear again on the census until 1920, this time as Wainwright. It was formally incorporated in 1962.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 556 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 90.1% Native American, 7.9% White and 1.6% from two or more races. 0.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

At the 2000 census, there were 546 people, 148 households and 117 families living in the city. The population density was 31.1 PD/sqmi. There were 179 housing units at an average density of 10.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 6.78% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 90.29% Native American, and 2.75% from two or more races.

There were 148 households, of which 50.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.69 and the average family size was 4.17.

37.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 14.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.9 males.

The median household income was $54,722 and the median family income was $58,125. Males had a median income of $36,667 versus $40,313 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,709. About 8.5% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
There is one school in Wainwright, the Alak School of the North Slope Borough School District, which serves students pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

title: Wainwright, Alaska