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Chitina, Alaska

Chitina (Ahtna Athabascan Tsedi Na' < tsedi "copper" + na' "river") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 126, up from 123 in 2000.

Geography
Chitina is located on the west bank of the Copper River at its confluence with the Chitina River on the Edgerton Highway, and junction with the McCarthy Road. It is 85 km southeast of Copper Center and 106 km southeast of Glennallen. It is outside the western boundary of the Wrangell - St Elias National Park and Preserve.

In 1945, work had begun to convert the CR&NW railroad line, from Cordova to Kennicott, into a highway, but work halted with the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, leaving a significant gap between Chitina and the Million Dollar Bridge near Cordova. The rail route from Chitina to Kennicott is a roadway, the McCarthy Road.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 95.8 sqmi, of which, 84.6 sqmi of it is land and 11.1 sqmi of it (11.62%) is water.

Climate
Chitina has a continental subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc).

Demographics
Chitina first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

As of the census of 2000, there were 123 people, 52 households, and 30 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1.5 PD/sqmi. There were 54 housing units at an average density of 0.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 51.22% White, 33.33% Alaskan Native, and 15.45% from two or more races.

There were 52 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,000, and the median income for a family was $28,750. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,835. There were 3.3% of families and 12.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 15.4% of those over 64.

History
Athabascans have lived in the area around Chitina for centuries as evidenced by the archaeological sites south and east of Chitina. Before 1900, Chitina was the site of large village whose population was slowly decimated by the influx of people, disease and conflicts.

Copper ore was discovered in about 1900 along the northern edge of the Chitina River valley. This brought a rush of prospectors and homesteaders to the area.

Stephen Birch homesteaded the site in 1908. The Copper River and Northwestern Railway enabled Chitina to develop into a thriving community by 1914. It had a general store, a clothing store, a meat market, stables, a tinsmith, five hotels, several rooming houses, a pool hall, bars, restaurants, dance halls and a movie theater. From 1933 until the closure of the mines in 1938, the general store was managed by Otto Moses of Des Moines, Washington, recruited by O.A. Nelson.

The mines closed in 1938 and the remaining support activities moved to what is now the Glennallen area. Chitina became a virtual ghost town. Otto Adrian Nelson, a surveying engineer for the Kennecott Mines, eventually bought up much of the town. He built a unique hydroelectric system that supplied electric power to all his buildings. He also supplied much of the town center with hot and cold running water.

Current activity in Chitina revolves around the dipnet fishing for salmon that occurs every summer. Alaskans are allowed to dip a large number of salmon during their spawning runs and Chitina is an accessible and popular place for this activity.

In late 1977, jeweler Art Koeninger purchased the Chitina Tin Shop with the intention of turning it into a residence. In 1979, the site, formerly known as Fred's Place and Schaupp's, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and has won two historic preservation grants. It currently houses the Spirit Mountain Artworks.

title: Chitina, Alaska


text:
Copper Center, Alaska

Copper Center (Tl’aticae’e in Ahtna) is a census-designated place (CDP) on the Copper River in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. It is two hundred kilometers northeast of Anchorage. At the 2020 census the population was 338, up from 328 in 2000.

History
Copper Center developed where the Valdez Glacier trail reached the Copper River. Andrew Holman was its first resident, establishing a temporary roadhouse near the site in July 1898 to provide shelter for prospectors on their way to the Klondike. He initially erected two tents: one served as Hotel Holman and the other as a makeshift post office. By winter 1899, Holman had replaced his tents with a substantial cabin. Leaving Dick Worthman to run the roadhouse, Holman pioneered the first mail route from Valdez to Eagle.

During the height of the Klondike stampede prospectors set up tent camps along both the Copper and Klutina rivers, but the first cabins were built on a site one half mile west of the Copper. Another camp sprang up at what was called Copper Ferry, where a ferry crossed the river. The area got a boost as a goldfield service center in June 1898, when B. F. Millard brushed a trail from there to the mouth of the Slana River via the foothills of Mt. Drum.

The east bank site of Old Copper Center apparently was settled in 1901 1902 by prospectors intent on investigating mineral prospects on that side of the river. Its days as a mining center were short lived, but it did draw a Native population and existed for many years as a village. Copper Center rapidly became the primary supply center for prospectors and travelers in the Copper River basin. A telegraph station and the trail's first official post office opened in 1901, with Ringwald Blix serving as the community's first postmaster. The next year, John McCrary staked a homestead about a mile north of the Klutina River crossing. Before long, McCrary opened a hotel as well, the first frame roadhouse between Valdez and Fairbanks. Much of McCrary's property remains in the family's hands.

By 1910 American settlers had established over fifty homesteads in the vicinity. The community now received tri-weekly mail delivery in the winter and weekly service in the summer. It also contained the only telegraph station between Valdez and Fairbanks where money could be sent or received by wire.

Florence "Ma" Barnes acquired Hotel Holman in 1922, and renamed it the Copper Center Roadhouse and Trading Post. The original building burned in 1932 and was replaced by the southernmost portion of the current one. When Barnes died in 1948, she left her entire estate to a Valdez orphanage. Later that year, it sold George Ashby the property. Although Ashby died in 1979, his family continued to operate the roadhouse. The replacement roadhouse itself burned on May 20, 2012. The family says they intend to rebuild.

Geography
Copper Center is located at 61.96528°N, -145.31833°W (61.965305, -145.318280), on the Richardson Highway (Alaska Route 4), on the west bank of the Copper River, at the confluence with the Klutina River. It is about 16 miles southeast of Glennallen, which is on the Glenn Highway (part of Alaska Route 1) just west of Route 4. Copper Center is about 100 miles north of Valdez.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.7 sqmi, all of it land.

Climate
Copper Center has a dry-summer subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dsc). Proximity to the ocean allows moderated temperatures enough that record lows aren't all that extreme, save for December, January, and February. While there is minimal seasonal lag when it comes to averages, it is present with regard to record temperatures. November's record low is especially mild.

Demographics
Copper Center first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. In 1980 it was made a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 362 people, 132 households, and 88 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 26.4 PD/sqmi. There were 163 housing units at an average density of 11.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 48.07% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 46.69% Native American, and 4.97% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 132 households, 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 38.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,152. About 18.5% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Public education in the area is provided by Kenny Lake School of the Copper River School District.

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

title: Copper Center, Alaska


text:
Copperville, Alaska

Copperville is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place in the Copper River Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska. The population was 179 at the 2000 United States Census, but it was consolidated into the Tazlina CDP as of the 2010 census.

Geography
Copperville is located at 62.07193°N, -145.41463°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.4 sqmi, all of it land.

Demographics
Copperville first appeared on the 1990 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP). In 2010, it was merged into the neighboring Tazlina CDP.

As of the census of 2000, there were 179 people, 61 households, and 50 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 128.3 PD/sqmi. There were 77 housing units at an average density of 55.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 77.09% White, 13.97% Native American, 1.68% Asian, and 7.26% from two or more races.

There were 61 households, out of which 44.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 34.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 121.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,125, and the median income for a family was $49,286. Males had a median income of $46,563 versus $30,625 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,733. About 11.7% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

title: Copperville, Alaska


text:
Cordova, Alaska

Cordova is a city in Chugach Census Area, Alaska, United States. It lies near the mouth of the Copper River, at the head of Orca Inlet on the east side of Prince William Sound. The population was 2,609 at the 2020 census, up from 2,239 in 2010.

Cordova was named Puerto Córdoba by Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo in 1790. No roads connect Cordova to other Alaskan communities, so a plane or ferry is required to travel there. In the Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 1989, an oil tanker ran aground northwest of Cordova, heavily damaging ecology and fishing. It was cleaned up shortly after, but there are lingering effects, such as a lowered population of some birds.

History
In 1790, the inlet in front of the current Cordova townsite was named Puerto Cordova by Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo. The city of Cordova was named after it, although the inlet itself was later renamed the Orca Inlet. Cordova proper was founded as a result of the discovery of high-grade copper ore at Kennecott, north of Cordova. A group of surveyors from Valdez laid out a town site and Michael James Heney purchased half the land for the terminus of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway after determining that the neighboring town of Katalla was a poor harbor. Heney and his crew held a brief ceremony to organize the town on March 26, 1906. A week later, crews arrived to begin work on the railroad. The first lots in the new town site, making up the heart of present-day Cordova, were sold at auction in May 1908. As the railroad grew, so did the town. Eventually schools, businesses, a hospital, and utilities were established. After the railroad was completed, Cordova became the transportation hub for the ore coming out of Kennecott. From 1911 to 1938, more than 200 million tons of copper ore were transported through Cordova.

The area around Cordova was historically home to the Eyak, with a population of Chugach to the west, and occasional visits from Ahtna and Tlingit people for trade or battle. The last fluent Eyak speaker Marie Smith Jones died in 2008, but the native people, as well as their traditions and lifestyle, continue to thrive in the region. Cordova was also once the home of a booming razor clam industry. Between 1916 and the late 1950s, it was known as the "Razor Clam Capital of the World". Commercial harvest in the area reached as high as 3.5 million pounds. Returns began declining in the late 1950s, presumably due to overharvesting and a large die-off in 1958. The 1964 Good Friday earthquake effectively obliterated the industry; in some areas, the ground was thrust up by as much as six feet, exposing the already depleted clam beds. There has been no commercial harvest in the area since 1988 with the exception of a brief harvest in 1993.

In March 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef north of Cordova causing one of the most devastating environmental disasters in North America. The Exxon Valdez oil spill severely affected the area's salmon and herring populations leading to a recession of the local fishing-reliant economy as well as a disruption to the area's ecology. After many years of litigation, 450 million dollars were awarded for compensatory and punitive damages.

Demographics
Cordova first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated city. It incorporated the year before in 1909.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,239 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 68.3% White, 0.4% Black, 8.7% Native American, 10.7% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander and 7.6% from two or more races. 4.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,454 people, 958 households, and 597 families living in the city. The population density was 40.0 /sqmi. There were 1,099 housing units at an average density of 17.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 71.1% White, 23.6% Alaska Native and other Native American, 10.1% Asian, 0.4% Black or African American, 1.3% from other races, and 6.7% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 958 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 30.3% 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 2.48 and the average family size was 3.17.

The age distribution was 28.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,114, and the median income for a family was $65,625. Males had a median income of $40,444 versus $26,985 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,256. About 4.3% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under the age of 18 and 6.2% of those 65 and older.

Geography
Cordova is located within the Chugach National Forest at 60.54281°N, -145.76016°W (60.542805, −145.760164). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 75.6 sqmi, of which, 61.4 sqmi of it is land and 14.3 sqmi of it is water. The total area is 18.87% water.

Climate
Cordova has a maritime-influenced subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) bordering on both a humid continental climate (Dfb) and a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc), characterised by cool to mild, rainy summers and moderately cold, snowy winters. Precipitation is very heavy year round. The cool temperatures and heavy rainfall are caused by orographic lift. Westerly winds coming off the North Pacific Ocean are forced upwards by the Chugach Mountains which causes the air mass to cool and creates clouds and precipitation.

Yearly average precipitation is 148.37 in, with 125 rainy days out of the year. Snow falls mostly from December to March, and an average of 127 in falls yearly. Winter temperatures reach lows of 15 °F and the warmest summer temperatures are around 77 °F.

Most official climate data is recorded at the airport, which is 11 miles from the settlement. Temperatures and precipitation vary drastically between the city and the airport, and precipitation at the city is commonly twice that of the airport.

Economy
Commercial fishing is the main industry in Cordova. Half of all households in Cordova have at least one person involved in commercial fishing or processing. The fishing fleet mainly fishes the Prince William Sound and Copper River Delta area. There are various fisheries in the area, the most economically important of which is the salmon fishery.

All Pacific salmon species except for the cherry salmon are caught. Fishermen use either a purse seine, drift gillnet, or set gillnet to catch the fish. All fisheries are regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The fisheries in Alaska have a limited entry permit system. The first fish processing plant near Cordova opened in 1887. In 2009 there were 159 purse seine, 511 drift gillnet, and 27 set gillnet permits fished in the Prince William Sound and Copper River Delta area.

Arts and culture
Various festivals and celebrations take place throughout the year. The Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival, hosted by the Cordova Chamber of Commerce, takes place each year in early May. Millions of migrating shorebirds stop in the area to rest and feed before finishing their journey north. The most numerous species are the western sandpiper, least sandpiper, and dunlin. This is a popular time for avid and casual bird watchers to visit. Activities, workshops, and bird watching tours are held throughout the week.

The Cordova Iceworm Festival takes place each February. Activities include a parade, talent show, royal crowning ceremony, and various competitions such as an oyster shucking contest, ping pong tournament, and a survival suit race.

Copper River Wild Salmon Festival takes place in July at the Mt. Eyak ski area and includes various events. Salmon Jam Music Festival serves as one of the main events and a fund raiser for Cordova Arts, where local musicians perform followed by professional acts and takes place over the course of Friday and Saturday nights. Taste of Cordova, a wild food and Copper River salmon cook off, usually starts the events. Entries are made with a variety of wild, locally harvested foods and are judged by a panel of guest chefs and food writers. The Alaska Salmon Runs start Saturday morning and include a marathon, half marathon, 10k, 5k, and a 1-mile race on the Copper River Highway. Small Fry activities are educational events for children and families that take place during the races.

The Cordova Historical Museum has exhibits on the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, the local fishing industry, and Alaska Natives. They also host a juried art show called "Fish Follies".

The Ilanka Cultural Center museum features exhibits on Eyak, Alutiiq, Ahtna and Tlingit history and contemporary life – including artifacts, photographs, and oral histories. The 24-1/2-foot orca whale, Eyak, is one of only five fully rearticulated orca whale skeletons in the world.

The Cordova Ikumat Alutiiq group was formed in 1995, composed of youth and adults, and is open to anyone who wants to join; the group performs songs from the past as well as original pieces. The Ilanka Cultural Center offers traditional arts and skills still practiced including skin sewing, beadwork; mask, totem, and ivory carving; "putting up" fish and deer; berry-picking and jam-making; and subsistence and commercial fishing.

Cordova Center
In late 2010, clearing the site and construction of a 33929 sqft community center, to be named the Cordova Center, began. The Cordova Center hosts a new library, museum, auditorium, conference and meeting space, plus city hall offices. It finally opened in the winter of 2015 for the residents of Cordova. Various events take place in the walls of this building such as community movie nights in the theater, winter bazaars, art shows, and many more.

Sports and recreation
Skiing is a popular activity in the winter. The surrounding Chugach Mountains provide excellent back country ski slopes. The Mt. Eyak ski area operates a single chair ski lift and rope tow. It is the oldest working ski lift in North America. Snowshoeing and ice skating are very popular sports around the Cordova area when conditions are right.

Hiking is available year-round on many trails. Some are within walking distance of the city while many others are a leisurely drive away."Easy Trails" include:
 * Eyak River at Copper River Highway mile 5.7
 * Alaganik Slough Trail via Copper River Highway to mile 16.9; turn south on Alaganik Slough Road then follow the main road for 2.9 miles. The trail begins on the east side of the road.
 * Pipeline Lakes Trail at Copper River Highway mile 21.4
 * McKinley Lake Trail at Copper River Highway mile 21.6
 * Saddlebag Glacier Trail via Copper River Highway to mile 24.6; turn north on firewood cutting road; trail begins one mile away at the end of the road.

In the summer kayaking in Prince William Sound is popular. The Sound has more tidewater glaciers than any other region in North America. 1900000 acre of the western Sound are designated as the Nellie Juan College Fjord Wilderness Study Area.

Indoor recreation includes the Bob Korn Memorial Pool, and the Bidarki Fitness Center, which has a gym with basketball court upstairs, a weight room, and multiple spaces with cardio training equipment

The Meals Reservoir Disc Golf Course is a public disc golf course erected in the summer of 2018, located near Meals Reservoir off Whitshed Rd.

Government
The City of Cordova has a Council-Manager type government. The City Council is the legislative body and has 7 seats. The council is presided over by the Mayor. The Mayor is the ceremonial head of city government and has the power to veto any ordinance. The city council appoints the City Manager for an indefinite term (he may be removed at any time by the council). The City Manager is head of the administrative branch of the city government. He executes all ordinances and laws and administers the government of the city.

The city levies a property tax as well as a 6 percent sales tax.

Education
The Cordova School District operates the schools in the community. Mt. Eccles elementary school is the only public primary education facility in Cordova and had an enrollment of 206 students in 2008. Public secondary education is served by a single combined junior and senior high school. The high school had an enrollment of 205 students in 2008. The Cordova School District has 26 employed teachers. Post secondary education is provided by the Prince William Sound College, a community campus of University of Alaska Anchorage.

Media
The independently owned city newspaper, the Cordova Times, established in 1914 is published weekly and distributed every Friday.

There are three radio stations in the area. KLAM (1450 AM) began broadcasting in 1954 and generally plays classic rock, country, and news and talk shows. KCDV (100.9 FM) started in 1997 and plays top hits, '80s, and '90s music. Both stations are owned by Bayview Communications Inc. KCHU, based in Valdez operates a translator at 88.1 FM that serves Cordova public radio programming.

The Cordova area is often featured in ski films by director Warren Miller.

Transportation
Despite being on the mainland, Cordova is only accessible via boat or aircraft, as there is no road connecting the city to any other. It was previously accessible by railroad however the railway is no longer in use largely due to the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and the resulting destruction it caused to the Million Dollar Bridge. The longest road is the Copper River Highway which follows the old railbed of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway for 49.5 mi. The first 11 mi east of Cordova is paved and the rest is gravel. As of the summer of 2011, vehicle traffic can only reach the 36 mile mark as changes in the river course washed out the 339 bridge. The following 13.5 miles may still be accessed via a river crossing by boat. Cars and trucks can be transported to Cordova by ferry. Regular ferry service is provided by the state owned Alaska Marine Highway System to Valdez and Whittier with whistle stops (the ferry only stops if there are prior reservations) in Tatitlek and Chenega Bay. The M/V Aurora operates in Prince William Sound year round.

Cordova has two airports. Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport is a state-owned airport located 11 mi east of the city. It has regular jet service provided by Alaska Airlines. Its main runway is 7500 ft long with an asphalt surface. The Cordova Municipal Airport is 1 mi from the city and is also state owned. It is located on Lake Eyak which also has a seaplane landing area. The sole runway has a length of 1800 ft with a gravel surface. The municipal airport is mostly used by air taxis and personal aircraft.

Notable people

 * Marie Smith Jones (1918–2008), last native speaker of the Eyak language and last full blood Eyak
 * Cody McKenzie (born 1987), UFC fighter

title: Cordova, Alaska


text:
Gakona, Alaska

Gakona (Ggax Kuna’ in Ahtna Athabascan) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the CDP was 169, down from 218 in 2010. It is home to the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program.

Geography and climate
Gakona is located at 62.30472°N, -145.27333°W (62.301940, -145.30194) (Sec. 18, T006N, R001E, Copper River Meridian). It is positioned in the Chitina Recording District in the center of Copper Valley, surrounded by mountains and the Copper River.

Gakona is at the confluence of the Copper and Gakona rivers, 15 mi northeast of Glennallen. It lies at mile 2 on the Tok Cut-Off to the Glenn Highway, just east of the Richardson Highway. Gakona is located in the continental climate zone, with long, cold winters and relatively warm summers. Temperature extremes have been recorded from -62 to 91 F. Snowfall averages 61 in, with total precipitation of 13 in per year.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 61.3 sqmi, all of it land.

History and culture
Ahtna Athabascans have lived in the Copper River basin for 5,000 to 7,000 years. Gakona served as a wood and fish camp, and later became a permanent village. A federally recognised tribe, the Native Village of Gakona, is located in the community.

In 1904 Doyle's Roadhouse was constructed at the junction of the Valdez-Eagle and Valdez-Fairbanks Trails, and became an essential stopping point for travelers. There was also a post office, stagecoach station and blacksmith shop here. Some buildings are still standing. Gakona Lodge was built in 1929 by Arne N Sundt and was operated by Henra Sundt until 1976 when she sold it to the Strang family. Originally from Norway, Sundt purchased the old roadhouse and property from the Slate Creek Mining Company in about 1926. Sundt was a director of the Nabesna Mining Company. The lodge is on the National Register of Historical Places. It contains 10 rooms in the lodge, 4 cabins, and restaurant and tavern. It is presently a popular destination for sports fishing, particularly king and sockeye salmon.

Demographics
Gakona first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

As of the census of 2000, there were 215 people, 84 households, and 60 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3.5 PD/sqmi. There were 90 housing units at an average density of 1.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 75.35% White, 12.09% Native American, 1.86% from other races, and 10.70% from two or more races. 1.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 84 households, 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 133.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 131.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $44,375. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $46,875 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,143. About 9.4% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 10.5% of those 65 or over.

Public services
Groceries, limited hardware, local clothing, limited sporting goods, and ice are available at the trading post. Salmon fishing and river rafting are popular recreational activities.

All residences have individual wells and septic systems and complete plumbing. The school uses its own well water system. Funds have been requested to construct a new water well and storage tank for a HUD housing complex. Refuse collection services are available from Copper Basin Sanitation, which hauls waste to the Glennallen landfill. Electricity is provided by Copper Valley Electric Assoc. Local hospitals or health clinics include Gakona Health Clinic and the Cross Road Medical Center in Glennallen (about 30 miles away). Gakona is classified as an isolated village; it is found in EMS Region 2E in the Copper River Region. Emergency Services have highway and air access, and are within 30 minutes of a higher-level satellite health care facility. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and volunteers, while auxiliary health care is provided by Delta Medical Transport, Gulkana Clinic, and the Cross Road Medical Center in Glennallen.

Copper River School District previously operated the Gakona Elementary School. Since 2003, it was attended by 15-17 students, until it was closed in 2008. The school still wasn't open in the 2017/2018 school year.

Economy and transportation
Gakona depends upon local businesses and seasonal tourist travel. There is a Historic Lodge (National Register of Historic Places) called Gakona Lodge and Trading Post that has rooms, a restaurant, cabins and tavern. Gakona sawmill and dog sled maker. Summers provide income for local fishing and hunting guides, rafting operations and outfitters. Three residents currently hold commercial fishing permits. Gakona is located adjacent to the Copper, Gakona and Gulkana Rivers allowing access to world class King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon and Rainbow Trout fishing. Some residents rely on subsistence activities and trapping. Recording equipment for the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is located near Gakona.

The Glenn Highway/Tok Cut-Off and Richardson Highway provide access to the Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Lower 48. A 5000 ft paved runway is available at nearby Gulkana.

title: Gakona, Alaska


text:
Glennallen, Alaska

Glennallen (Ciisik’e Na’  in Ahtna) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the CDP was 439, down from 483 in 2010. It is the most populated community in the census area.

Location
Glennallen is located at 62.10917°N, -145.54639°W (62.109170, -145.54639; Sec. 23, T004N, R002W, Copper River Meridian), in the Chitina Recording District and Game Management Unit 13.

It lies along the Glenn Highway at its junction with the Richardson Highway, 189 road miles (304 km) east of Anchorage. It is just outside the western boundary of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 114.9 sqmi, of which, 114.1 sqmi of it is land and 0.8 sqmi of it (0.66%) is water.

Climate
Glennallen features a dry-summer subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dsc) The city is located in the continental climate zone, with long, cold winters, and relatively warm summers.

History and culture
In earlier times, the Ahtna Alaska Natives roamed the Copper River Valley in search of fish and game, both of which are usually plentiful there. Ahtna now live in several communities around Glennallen. In 1899, the U.S. Army built a pack trail for summer use between the port of Valdez and Eagle, which passed through the Copper River Valley. In the early 20th century, the trail was widened and became the Richardson Highway.

During World War II, the United States built a series of military bases in Alaska, primarily for the purpose of supplying aircraft and other war materiel to Russia by way of Alaska and the Russian Far East as part of the Lend-lease program. This made it difficult for the Germans to the west and the Japanese to the south of Russia to interfere with the supply operation. As part of this operation, highways were built to supply the bases. The major highway project of this effort was the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada to the existing Richardson Highway at Delta Junction, Alaska and thus to Fairbanks via the Richardson Highway. Another project was the Glenn Highway, which connected Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, with the Richardson Highway, and thus with the rest of Alaska, Canada, and the then-48 United States.

Construction for the Glenn Highway began at a camp on the Richardson Highway in the Copper River Valley named Glennallen after two U.S. Army explorers of the late 19th century: Capt. Edwin Forbes Glenn and Lt. Henry T. Allen. The highway was completed in 1945. Glennallen developed as a small community around the site of the camp. It became a commercial center for motor traffic along the Glenn and Richardson highways. It is one of the few communities in the region that was not built on the site of a Native village.

During the 1950s and 1960s, another highway, the Tok Cut-Off, was constructed from a point 15 miles north of Glennallen to the community of Tok, 135 miles east on the Alaska Highway. This enhanced Glennallen as a commercial center. Also, in 1956, a Jesuit school, Copper Valley School, was opened. This facility increased the population considerably by bringing to the region a number of staff and students from Holy Cross Mission in western Alaska. In 1961 "Glenallen" was officially renamed "Glennallen" by the US Postal Service, adding the extra 'n'.

Glennallen's economy grew with the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System from 1975–1977 and the continuing service needs of the pipeline. The economy of the area was negatively impacted by the construction of the George Parks Highway, which connected Anchorage to Denali National Park and Fairbanks along the Alaska Railroad route, bypassing Glennallen.

Demographics
Glennallen first appeared on the 1950 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

As of the census of 2000, there were 554 people, 204 households, and 136 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4.9 PD/sqmi. There were 269 housing units at an average density of 0.9/km2 (2.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.20% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 5.05% Native American or Alaska Native, 0.18% Asian, 1.44% Pacific Islander, and 7.94% from two or more races. 0.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 204 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.0% 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 2.63 and the average family size was 3.31.

The age distribution was 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,846, and the median income for a family was $40,909. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $28,125 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,084. About 4.6% of families and 8.04% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Facilities and utilities
Many but not all year-round homes are fully plumbed. Although many residents have private wells in the Glennallen area, the water is often of poor quality. Glennallen Heights utilizes two wells to serve a piped system, and a local private business delivers water by truck to fill home water tanks. The majority of downtown is connected to a piped sewage system operated by The Glennallen Improvement Corp. The sewage system serves 52 homes and businesses, and is being expanded to the Alaska Bible College and the Glennallen Heights subdivision. Most residences have individual septic tank systems, but permafrost and high water tables cause drainage failures. Refuse collection services and the Class II permitted landfill are operated by Copper Basin Sanitation in Glennallen. Copper Valley Electric purchases power from the state-owned Solomon Gulch Hydro Facility, and owns diesel plants in Glennallen and Valdez. Electricity is provided by Copper Valley Electric Assoc.

Schools
There are two schools in the community, attended by 158 students. (Glennallen Elementary School and Glennallen High School ) The schools are part of the Copper River School District.

Prince William Sound Community College is located in Glennallen at mile 188 of the Glenn Highway.

Health Care and Emergency Services
Local hospitals or health clinics include Cross Road Medical Center, and the Copper River Native Association. Cross Roads Medical Center provides 24-hour urgent care, located at Mile 186.6 of the Glenn Hwy. Fire services are provided by the GlennRich Volunteer Fire Department, and paramedic-level Emergency Medical Services are provided by Delta Medical Transport. Law Enforcement is provided by the Alaska State Troopers who have a post in Glennallen. All calls are dispatched out of Wasilla, Alaska, approximately 160 miles away.

Economy
Glennallen is the supply hub of the Copper River region. Local businesses serve area residents and tourism from the Glenn Highway traffic, supplies and services, schools and medical care. State highway maintenance and federal offices are in Glennallen. RV parks, lodging, fuel and other services cater to independent travelers. The National Park Service's Wrangell-St. Elias Visitor Center and the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge were completed in 2002 at Copper Center. Offices for the Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Troopers, and the Dept. of Fish and Game are located here. There are several small farms in the area. Four residents hold commercial fishing permits. Glennallen is home to Ahtna, Incorporated.

Transportation
The Glenn/Tok Cutoff and Richardson Highways provide year-round road access to other areas of the state. Brenwick's Airport provides public air access, and scheduled services are available. The 2,070' turf airstrip is owned and operated by Copper Basin District, Inc. The Gulkana Airport is located 4.3 miles northeast.

Parks
The 17 mile road to Lake Louise State Recreation Area is west of Glenallen on the Glenn Highway. North of town on the Richardson Highway is the Dry Creek State Recreation Site, a 360 acre park with a large campground, trails, and fishing for trout. The access road is known to be rough and the area is known for mosquitos.

title: Glennallen, Alaska


text:
Gulkana, Alaska

Gulkana (C'uul C'ena'  in Ahtna Athabascan) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, U.S. At the 2020 census the population was 110, down from 119 in 2010. It also has an airport.

Geography and climate
Gulkana is located at 62.24028°N, -145.42278°W (62.240213, −145.422883). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 36.5 sqmi, all of it land.

Gulkana has a continental subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc).

 * Notes:

Demographics
Gulkana first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. In 1960, it was reported as Gulkana Reservation (separate from nearby Gulkana Airport, also an unincorporated community, which had a population of 32). In 1970, it was returned again as Gulkana. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.

As of the census of 2000, there were 88 people, 33 households, and 19 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2.4 PD/sqmi. There were 43 housing units at an average density of 1.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 26.14% White, 71.59% Native American, and 2.27% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 33 households, 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.3% were married couples living together, 30.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 35.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,875, and the median income for a family was $27,750. Males had a median income of $60,833 versus $0 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,548. There were 35.3% of families and 40.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including 40.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

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

title: Gulkana, Alaska


text:
Kenny Lake, Alaska

Kenny Lake is a farming community - one of the last to be homesteaded in America. Kenny Lake is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 234, down from 355 in 2010.

Geography
Kenny Lake is located at 61.70333°N, -144.89667°W (61.703384, -144.896546).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 194.58 sqmi, of which, 194.50 sqmi of it is land and 0.08 sqmi of it (0.04%) is water.

Demographics
Kenny Lake first appeared on the 1990 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 410 people, 143 households, and 96 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2.1 PD/sqmi. There were 190 housing units at an average density of 1.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.68% White, 10.24% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 2.68% from other races, and 3.90% from two or more races. 5.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 143 households, 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.52.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 32.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.4 males. There are also large numbers of wild geese.

Males had a median income of $40,938 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,121. About 22.7% of families and 25.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Kenny Lake, Alaska


text:
McCarthy, Alaska

McCarthy is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. It is in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The population was 107 at the 2020 census, up from 28 in 2010.

Geography and location
McCarthy is 120 mi northeast of Cordova at the foot of the Wrangell Mountains. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP of McCarthy has a total area of 148.3 sqmi. None of the area is covered with water. It is connected to the outside world via the McCarthy Road spur of the Edgerton Highway from Chitina, and must be passed through to reach Kennecott, which is also within the McCarthy CDP. Historically, from the end of the road one had to cross the Kennecott River and then a smaller stream using manually propelled ropeways, but a footbridge was built in 1997. Visitors can walk to McCarthy in about 15 minutes, although shuttle vans and buses are available during the tourist season from the bridge to both McCarthy and Kennecott. A private service bridge for vehicle traffic was constructed in 2004 downstream from the footbridge, but use is only available to residents, businesses, and the National Park Service for an annual fee.

Climate
McCarthy has a subarctic climate (Köppen: Dsc).

Demographics
McCarthy first reported on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. With the closure of the post office in 1943, it did not report on the census from 1950 to 1980, though it unofficially returned 22 residents in 1980. It returned again beginning in 1990 when it was made a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 42 people, 26 households, and 6 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.3 PD/sqmi. There were 47 housing units at an average density of 0.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 100.00% White.

There were 26 households, out of which 15.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 15.4% were married couples living together, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 73.1% were non-families. 53.8% 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 1.62 and the average family size was 2.14.

Drawn by an increase in tourism since the founding of Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve, a significant portion of McCarthy's summer population resides elsewhere in the winter. This results in them not being counted during the censuses.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 9.5% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 47.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 147.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 153.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $17,188, and the median income for a family was $20,000. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,045. There were no families and 15.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 65.

History
For centuries, Athabascans hunted in the area of McCarthy. Chief Nikolai and his band of Athabaskan Natives had a summer camp at Dan Creek, 15 miles east of McCarthy, where they collected copper nuggets from Dan Creek. Their permanent camp was on the Copper River at the village of Taral near Chitina where they fished for salmon.

Copper was discovered between the Kennicott Glacier and McCarthy Creek in 1900, after which Kennicott Mine, Kennecott Mining Company, and company town of Kennecott were created. Due to a clerical error, the corporation and town used the spelling of Kennecott instead of Kennicott, named for Kennicott Glacier in the valley below the town. The glacier was named after Robert Kennicott, a naturalist who explored in Alaska in the mid-1800s.

Partly because alcoholic beverages and prostitution were forbidden in Kennecott, McCarthy grew as an area to provide illicit services not available in the company town. It grew quickly into a major town with a gymnasium, a hospital, a school, a bar and a brothel. The Copper River and Northwestern Railway reached McCarthy in 1911.

In 1938, the copper deposits were mostly gone and the town was mostly abandoned. The railroad discontinued service that year. Over its 30-year operation, U.S. $200 million in ore was extracted from the mine, making it the richest concentration of copper ore in the world.

The population of McCarthy and Kennecott fell to almost zero until the 1970s, when the area began to draw young people from the many who came to Alaska in the '70s for adventure and the big money of the Trans Alaska Pipeline project. In the '80s, after the area was designated Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (1980), it began to draw some adventurous tourists to the new national park. The few people that lived there began to provide a variety of tourist services. There has always been at least one family living in the McCarthy area since 1953.

The old mine buildings, artifacts, and colorful history attract visitors during the summer months. The Kennecott and McCarthy area ranks as one of the United States' most endangered landmarks by the National Trust for Historic Places. Emergency stabilization of the old buildings has been done and more will be required.

In 2014, the TV show Edge of Alaska premiered on Discovery Channel. The show has caused controversy though, as many town residents feel the town is portrayed in a bad light due to the troublesome incidents that have occurred there.

1983 shooting
In an attempt to disrupt the Alaska pipeline, 39-year-old Louis D. Hastings, armed with a .223-caliber Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle, murdered six of the 22 citizens of McCarthy on March 1, 1983. The victims were Maxine Edwards, Harley King, Les and Flo Hegland, Tim Nash and Amy Lou Ashenden Nash. He also wounded two people. In July 1984, Hastings was sentenced to 634 years in prison.

This was the worst mass shooting in the history of Alaska.

This case, and the town of McCarthy, were showcased on the Discovery Channel's Alaska Ice Cold Killers episode "Frozen Terror".

title: McCarthy, Alaska


text:
Mendeltna, Alaska

Mendeltna (Bendilna’ in Ahtna) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 36 at the 2020 census, down from 39 in 2010.

Geography
Mendeltna is located at 62.05972°N, -146.43889°W (62.059604, -146.438981).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 457.1 sqmi, of which, 447.6 sqmi of it is land and 9.4 sqmi of it (2.06%) is water.

Demographics
Mendeltna first reported on the 1990 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 63 people, 23 households, and 14 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.1 PD/sqmi. There were 33 housing units at an average density of 0.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.06% White and 7.94% Native American.

There were 23 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.53.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 33.3% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $30,000, and the median income for a family was $28,750. Males had a median income of $22,083 versus $8,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $11,289. There were no families and none of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

title: Mendeltna, Alaska


text:
Mentasta Lake, Alaska

Mentasta Lake (Mendaesde in Ahtna Athabascan) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 112, down from 142 in 2000.

Geography
Mentasta Lake is located at 62.92389°N, -143.53333°W (62.923924, -143.533240).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 305.1 sqmi, of which, 303.1 sqmi of it is land and 2.0 sqmi of it (0.66%) is water.

Demographics
Mentasta Lake first reported on the 1940 U.S. Census as "Montasta Lake", an unincorporated native village. It did not report in 1950. It next appeared in 1960 as "Mentasta." In 1970, it returned as Mentasta Lake. In 1980 it was made a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 142 people, 54 households, and 32 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.5 PD/sqmi. There were 89 housing units at an average density of 0.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 28.87% White, 62.68% Native American, and 8.45% from two or more races.

There were 54 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 35.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $17,344, and the median income for a family was $24,167. Males had a median income of $20,833 versus $30,417 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $11,275. There were 21.9% of families and 35.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including 40.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education
Mentasta Lake is part of the Alaska Gateway School District. Mentasta Lake Katie John School, a K-12 campus, serves community students.

The late subsistence hunting and fishing rights activist Katie John of Mentasta, who died at 97 on 5/31/13, helped develop an Ahtna language alphabet in the 1970s, and has recorded a pronunciation guide of the Mentasta Dialect.

title: Mentasta Lake, Alaska


text:
Nelchina, Alaska

Nelchina (Xaz Ghae Na’) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 45 at the 2020 census, down from 59 in 2010.

Geography
Nelchina appears on the Valdez D-8 on the U.S.Geological Survey Map. The elevation is 2,402 feet. Nelchina is located between Milepost 137.5 and 150.5 of the Glenn Highway, at the junction of the Little Nelchina River and Crooked Creek. It is about 30 miles west of Glennallen and Mendeltna, just east of Mat-Su Borough Boundary. Nelchina is located at the Chitina Recording District.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 46.7 sqmi, of which, 46.0 sqmi of it is land and 0.7 sqmi of it (1.48%) is water.

Climate
Nelchina is located in the subarctic climate zone. Snowshoe Lake is a weather station located nearby at an elevation of 2312 ft. Temperature extremes range from -63 F to 95 F. Snowfall averages 46 in, with total precipitation of 11 in per year.

History
Nelchina is an Ahtna Athabascan name. Gold in the creeks draining from the Chugach Mountains brought prospectors to this area in the late 1800s. The Nelchina area offered several trails into the mountains. Nelchina was a mining settlement established in 1913. It was first reported by Theodore Chaplin in a 1915 USGS publication.

Demographics
Nelchina first appeared on the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP). As of the census of 2000, there were 71 people, 27 households, and 20 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1.5 PD/sqmi. There were 33 housing units at an average density of 0.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.14% White, 4.23% Native American, and 5.63% from two or more races.

Of the 27 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, and 25.9% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 28.2% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 153.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 131.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,625, and the median income for a family was $40,625. Males had a median income of $37,917 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,742. There were 19.0% of families and 17.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including 10.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education
The Copper River School District previously operated the Lottie Sparks School in Nelchina.

title: Nelchina, Alaska


text:
Paxson, Alaska

Paxson is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 26, down from 40 in 2010. It is located on the Richardson Highway at the junction with the Denali Highway.

Currently, there are five accommodations in Paxson, as well as several gift shops, a post office, a gas station and food shops. The activity of the locality is turned to tourism in summer, and by hunting and livelihood activities for permanent residents.

Geography
Paxson is located at 63.04528°N, -145.61417°W (63.045307, −145.614117). The two highways which converge there come through two nearby mountain passes, Isabel Pass and Mentasta Pass.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 318.3 sqmi, of which, 304.0 sqmi of it is land and 14.3 sqmi of it (4.48%) is water.

Climate
Paxson has a continental subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc), closely bordering on an alpine climate (Köppen ET) due to its high elevation and northerly latitude, with only one month above the 50 degree isotherm.

Demographics
Paxson first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 43 people, 21 households, and 11 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.1 PD/sqmi. There were 117 housing units at an average density of 0.4 /sqmi. All residents reported that they were white.

There were 21 households, of which six had children under the age of 18 living with them, ten were married couples living together, one had a female householder with no husband present, and nine were non-families. Eight households were made up of individuals, and one had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 11 persons under the age of 18, three from 18 to 24, ten from 25 to 44, 14 from 45 to 64, and five who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. There were 20 females and 21 males (including 12 females and 20 males over age 18).

The median income for a household in the CDP was $46,500, and the median income for a family was $46,667. Males had a median income of $45,625 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,071. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.

title: Paxson, Alaska


text:
Silver Springs, Alaska

Silver Springs is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 111, down from 114 in 2010.

Geography
Silver Springs is located at 62.02115°N, -145.35431°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.9 sqmi, all of it land.

Demographics
Silver Springs first appeared on the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 130 people, 46 households, and 35 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 45.1 PD/sqmi. There were 55 housing units at an average density of 19.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.15% White, 8.46% Native American, 2.31% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races.

There were 46 households, out of which 50.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 38.5% under the age of 18, 0.8% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 3.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 120.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,750, and the median income for a family was $74,583. Males had a median income of $55,208 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,464. There were 6.9% of families and 7.4% of the population living below the poverty line, including 11.4% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

title: Silver Springs, Alaska


text:
Slana, Alaska

Slana (Stl’ana’) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the CDP was 116, down from 147 in 2010.

History
Slana is an Alaska Native village name, derived from the name of the river Slana. The Nabesna Mine opened in 1923, which employed 60 people at its height. Over thirty different minerals were extracted from this site, although gold was the primary source of profit. It operated sporadically through the late 1940s. Slana developed rapidly in the 1980s when homesteads were offered for settlement by the federal government.

Slana grew around the Slana Roadhouse, which is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Geography and climate
Slana is located in Sec. 29, T011N, R008E, Copper River Meridian in the Chitina Recording District.

Slana stretches along the Nabesna Road, which runs south of the Tok Cut-Off at mile 63 (km 101). It lies at the junction of the Slana and Copper rivers, 85 km southwest of Tok. Slana experiences a continental subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc), with long, cold winters, and relatively warm summers. Temperature extremes range from −57 to 93 °F. Snowfall averages 55.4 in, with total precipitation of 15.35 in per year.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 253.8 sqmi, of which, 252.9 sqmi of it is land and 0.9 sqmi of it (0.37%) is water.

Demographics
Slana first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 124 people, 62 households, and 31 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.5 PD/sqmi. There were 193 housing units at an average density of 0.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 80.7% White, 13.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 2.4% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.

Of the 62 households, 14.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% were non-families. 43.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 20.2% under the age of 18, 1.6% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 41.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 129.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 147.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $19,583, and the median income for a family was $57,917. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,018. There were 20.0% of families and 23.5% of the population living below the poverty line, including 62.5% of under eighteens and 14.3% of those over 64.

Facilities and utilities
Individual wells are the primary source of water in Slana; others draw water from Rufus Creek. The schools operate individual wells. Outhouses, honeybuckets and septic systems are used for sewage disposal. Approximately one third of the homes have complete plumbing. A feasibility study has been funded to examine system alternatives. Funds have been requested for a watering point at the new Community Center/Clinic. The landfill was closed in 1990. Electricity was added in the summer of 2006 by Alaska Power and Telephone.

Schools
There is one school in the community, Slana School, a part of the Copper River School District. It is attended by 14 students.

Health care
Local hospitals or health clinics include Tok Community Clinic (907-883-5855) in Tok or Gulkana Clinic (907-822-3646). A clinic is under construction. Slana is classified as an isolated village, it is found in EMS Region 2E in the Copper River Region. Emergency Services have highway, air and river access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and volunteers Auxiliary health care is provided by Copper River EMS (907-822-3671); Chistochina/Slana First Responders (907-822-3671); Tok Clinic or Gulkana Clinic.

Economy
A roadside lodge provides groceries, gas, liquor, an auto mechanic and RV parking. Other local businesses include a general store, art gallery, canoe rental, bed and breakfast, snowmachine sales and solar panel sales. A Park Ranger Station and state highway maintenance camp are located nearby. Subsistence activities supplement income.

Transportation
Slana has road access to the statewide system by the Glenn and Richardson Highways. Individual adjacent lots have no roads and owners must hike through other's private property. The nearest public airstrip is south, at Chistochina. A 900' gravel private airstrip has been constructed at Duffy's Tavern.

Parks
The Nabesna Road provides access to the interior of the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, a World Heritage Site. Nearby to Slana is the Porcupine Creek State Recreation Site, a 240 acre park with camping and fishing in a dense forest area.

title: Slana, Alaska


text:
Tatitlek, Alaska

Tatitlek (Alutiiq: Taatiilaaq; Татитлек) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chugach Census Area, United States. The population was 88 at the 2010 census, down from 107 in 2000. Tatitlek is in the Chugach School District and has one school, Tatitlek Community School, serving about 15 students from preschool through high school. Tatitlek is served by the Tatitlek Airport.

Geography
Tatitlek is located at 60.86694°N, -146.67722°W (60.867083, -146.677209).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.3 sqmi, all of it land.

Tatitlek is located in the Prince William Sound of Alaska and is most famously known as the nearest village to the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill that decimated the area fishing resources.

Demographics
Tatitlek first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Tatikhlek." All 73 of its residents were listed as Inuit, despite being Chugach Alutiiq. In 1890, it returned as "Tatitlak." This also included an unnamed Creole (mixed Russian and Native) village on Cordova (now Orca) Bay. Of the 90 residents, 53 were Native, 36 were Creole and 1 White. In 1900, it returned as "Tatiklek." In 1910 and in every successive census, it has returned as its present spelling of Tatitlek. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980. Within its boundaries is the former mining village of Ellamar (which reported on the 1910-20 & 1940-50 censuses. 1910: 98; 1920: 106; 1940: 23; 1950: 46).

As of the census of 2000, there were 107 people, 38 households, and 28 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 14.7 PD/sqmi. There were 57 housing units at an average density of 7.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 14.02% White, 84.11% Native American, 0.93% Asian, and 0.93% from two or more races.

Of the 38 households, 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 21.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 36.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,875, and the median income for a family was $36,667. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $8,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,015. There were 17.9% of families and 24.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 18.2% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

title: Tatitlek, Alaska


text:
Tazlina, Alaska

Tazlina (Tezdlen Na’ in Ahtna Athabascan) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 244, down from 297 in 2010.

Geography
Tazlina is located at 62.04917°N, -145.41528°W (62.049082, -145.415224).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.07 sqmi, of which, 8.22 sqmi of it is land and 0.85 sqmi of it (9.37%) is water.

Demographics
Tazlina first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP). In 1990, it lost that designation and was reclassified as an unincorporated Alaskan Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA). In 2000, it regained its status as a census-designated place (CDP). The former CDP of Copperville was consolidated into Tazlina effective as of the 2010 census.

As of the census of 2000, there were 149 people, 59 households, and 37 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 22.7 PD/sqmi. There were 87 housing units at an average density of 13.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.13% White, 24.83% Native American, and 6.04% from two or more races. 2.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 59 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 28.8% 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 2.53 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 30.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 122.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 136.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $56,000, and the median income for a family was $57,917. Males had a median income of $42,500 versus $25,625 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,992. There were 7.3% of families and 8.1% of the population living below the poverty line, including 14.9% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Murder of Mandy Lemaire
On August 22, 1991, 11-year-old Tazlina resident Mandy Lemaire was reported missing by her parents, triggering a massive search by law enforcement and townspeople. Ten days later, a volunteer searcher found Lemaire's body in a wooded area. Authorities suspected 61-year-old retiree Charles Smithart of the murder when another local man, Dave DeForest, told police he had observed Smithart driving near Mandy's house on the day she went missing. Police and forensic investigators found considerable trace evidence in Smithart's truck that suggested Mandy's presence in the vehicle, and learned from Smithart's eldest daughter that he had raped her and her sisters when they were Lemaire's age.

In 1993, Smithart was tried for and convicted of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual battery on a minor, and first-degree murder. He was sentenced to serve 114 years in prison. In 1999, the Alaska Supreme Court overturned Smithart's conviction, ruling that the lower court improperly denied his defense counsel the right to assert that prosecution witness Dave DeForest had committed the crime. All charges were automatically dismissed in 2000, after Smithart died of lung cancer in prison, awaiting a retrial.

Tazlina and the Lemaire murder were featured on the true-crime television series Forensic Files, in the season 8 episode "Sphere of Influence". The television network Investigation Discovery aired two shows about the murder; the series Ice Cold Killers, episode titled "Fear Thy Neighbor" aired in 2014; and the special "Vanished in Alaska" in 2018.

title: Tazlina, Alaska


text:
Tolsona, Alaska

Tolsona is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 12 at the 2020 census, down from 30 in 2010.

Geography
Tolsona is located at 62.1°N, -146.04056°W (62.100045, -146.040432).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 46.1 sqmi, of which 45.0 sqmi of it is land and 1.1 sqmi of it (2.49%) is water.

Demographics
Tolsona first appeared on the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 27 people, 9 households, and 5 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.6 PD/sqmi. There were 46 housing units at an average density of 1.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.19% White, 11.11% Native American, and 3.70% from two or more races. 3.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9 households, out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.3% were married couples living together, and 44.4% were non-families. 33.3% 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 3.00 and the average family size was 4.20.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 37.0% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64,. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 285.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 142.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $11,250, and the median income for a family was $0. Males had a median income of $0 versus $0 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,000. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.

title: Tolsona, Alaska


text:
Tonsina, Alaska

Tonsina is a census-designated place (CDP) in Copper River Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 55, down from 78 in 2010.

Tonsina is part of the Copper River Valley area. The centerpiece of Tonsina valley is the Tonsina River Lodge. This roadhouse alongside the Richardson Highway consists of a bar, restaurant, gas station, convenience and liquor store, laundromat and showers. There is also a camping area, RV park and motel. A main attraction of the roadhouse is the historic hotel.

The Tonsina River Lodge is a rambling, shambling, gravel-covered spread, with weatherbeaten buildings. The historic hotel is an orange, three story Army barracks with a red tin roof. It once was a brothel. The lodge is at the end of an airplane runway. The lodge sits in the foothills of several towering, snow-capped mountain ranges, next to a stream. In 2006, the flooding from the stream took out the two-lane concrete bridge that crosses the stream. Connecting Valdez to Anchorage, the Richardson Highway bridge was repaired in two weeks.

Geography
Tonsina is located at 61.66194°N, -145.1775°W (61.661883, -145.177582).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 148.0 sqmi, of which, 147.8 sqmi of it is land and 0.2 sqmi of it (0.13%) is water.

Climate
Tonsina has a continental subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc).

Demographics
Tonsina first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).

As of the census of 2000, there were 92 people, 34 households, and 21 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 0.6 PD/sqmi. There were 45 housing units at an average density of 0.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.78% White, 2.17% Black or African American, 9.78% Native American and 3.26% Asian.

There were 34 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 32.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 17.4% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 142.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $58,000 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,390. There were 7.4% of families and 6.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Parks
The Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site is a small 160 acre park on the banks of the Tonsina. The park has a campground, and access to the river, a creek, and a small lake, offering fishing for various species of trout and salmon.

title: Tonsina, Alaska


text:
Valdez, Alaska

Valdez (Alutiiq: Suacit) is a city in the Chugach Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to the 2020 US Census, the population of the city is 3,985, up from 3,976 in 2010. It is the third most populated city in Alaska's Unorganized Borough.

The city was named in 1790 after the Spanish Navy Minister Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán. A former Gold Rush town, it is located at the head of Port Valdez on the eastern side of Prince William Sound. The city was incorporated in 1901, but did not flourish until after the road link to Fairbanks was constructed in 1910. It suffered catastrophic damage during the 1964 Alaska earthquake, and is located near the site of the disastrous 1989 Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill. Today, it is one of the most important ports in Alaska, a commercial fishing port as well as a freight terminal. Valdez is also the terminus for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.

Spanish beginnings
The port of Valdez was named in 1790 by the Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán.

In 1790, within the framework of the expeditions of Spain in the Pacific Northwest, under the direction of Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo, then viceroy of New Spain, Salvador Fidalgo was sent to San Lorenzo de Nootka where they founded the Fort of Saint Michael (Nutka). On May 5, 1790, Fidalgo sailed with the San Carlos de Nutka towards Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, off the coast of Alaska, and a few weeks later, he anchored off present-day Cordova, Alaska. The expedition found no signs of a Russian presence and traded with natives in the area. On June 3 they disembarked on the coast of present-day Orca Inlet, and, in a solemn ceremony, Fidalgo erected a large wooden cross and reaffirmed Spanish sovereignty over the territory, naming it "Puerto Córdova." Fidalgo continued along the Alaskan coast, until he reached Point Gravina on June 10, where he celebrated another act of reaffirmation of Spanish sovereignty. On June 15, they discovered a port, which they named Puerto Valdés, in honor of Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán, then "Secretary of State of the Universal Office of the Navy and the Indies" (a position equivalent to Minister for the affairs of the Spanish Navy and the four Spanish Viceroyalties of the Americas, including the Captaincy General of the Philippines).

In the Nootka Conventions, which followed the Nootka crisis, Spain granted Great Britain access rights to the Pacific Northwest, although it did not establish the boundary with Spanish California, nor did it cede Spanish rights in the area. Spain later relinquished any remaining claim to territory north of the 42nd parallel to the United States as part of the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819.

Mining town
A scam to lure prospectors off the Klondike Gold Rush trail led to a town being developed there in 1898. Some steamship companies promoted the Valdez Glacier Trail as a better route for miners to reach the Klondike gold fields and discover new ones in the Copper River country of interior Alaska than that from Skagway. The prospectors who believed the promotion found that they had been deceived. The glacier trail was twice as long and steep as reported, and many men died attempting the crossing, in part by contracting scurvy during the long cold winter without adequate supplies. The town did not flourish until after the construction of the Richardson Highway in 1910, which connected Valdez and Fairbanks. With a new road and its ice-free port, Valdez became permanently established as the first overland supply route into the interior of Alaska. The highway was open in summer-only until 1950, when it started operating as a year-round route.

In 1907, a shootout between two rival railroad companies ended Valdez's hope of becoming the railroad link from tidewater to the Kennicott Copper Mine. The mine, located in the heart of the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, was one of the richest copper ore deposits on the continent. The exact location of the right-of-way dispute, in which one man was killed and several injured, is located at the southern entrance of Keystone Canyon on the Valdez side. A half-completed tunnel in the canyon marks the end of railroad days in Valdez. A rail line to Kennicott was later established from the coastal city of Cordova.

Good Friday earthquake
The city of Valdez was badly shaken and damaged in the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. Soil liquefaction of the glacial silt that formed the city's foundation led to a massive underwater landslide, which caused a section of the city's shoreline to break off and sink into the sea. The underwater soil displacement caused a local tsunami 30 ft high that traveled westward, away from the city and down Valdez Bay. 32 men, women, and children were on the city's main freight dock to help with and watch the unloading of the SS Chena, a supply ship that came to Valdez regularly. All 32 people died as the dock collapsed into the ocean with the violent landslide. There were no deaths in the town.

Residents continued to live there for an additional three years while a new site was being prepared on more stable ground 4 mi away. The new construction was supervised by the Army Corps of Engineers. They transported 54 houses and buildings by truck to the new site, to re-establish the new city at its present location. The original town site was dismantled, abandoned and eventually burned down.

In the early 1900s, city leaders George Cheever Hazelet and Andrew Jackson Meals dreamed of moving the original site of Valdez to higher, more stable ground. Long after they were gone, their vision was finally realized. The 1964 earthquake was the defining moment. What is now known as "Old Town" was devastated. The descendants of both men responded by revitalizing the old partnership of 1898. They formed The Port Valdez Company to donate 115 acres of land, where the failed "Hazeletville" development once stood, so the City of Valdez could rebuild and thrive again.

Trans-Alaska pipeline
From 1975 to 1977, the Trans-Alaska pipeline was built to carry oil from the Prudhoe Bay oil fields in northern Alaska to a terminal in Valdez, the nearest ice-free port. Oil is loaded onto tanker ships for transport. The construction and operation of the pipeline and terminal boosted the economy of Valdez. The first tanker to be loaded with pipeline oil was the ARCO Juneau in early August 1977, bound for the Cherry Point Refinery in Washington.

The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred as the oil tanker Exxon Valdez was leaving the terminal at Valdez full of oil. The spill occurred at Bligh Reef, about 40 km from Valdez. Although the oil did not reach Valdez, it devastated much of the marine life in the surrounding area. The clean-up of the oil caused a short-term boost to the economy of Valdez.

2014 avalanches
On January 24, 2014, a major avalanche occurred just outside Valdez at Mile 16 near Keystone Canyon, prompting the closure of the only highway in or out of town. On January 25, Alaska DOT triggered another massive slide that further choked the roadway. Due to weather conditions at the time, the avalanche dammed the Lowe River, creating a half-mile-long lake that stalled snow removal efforts for nearly a week. The blockage was dubbed the "Damalanche" by local city officials after a name coined by local resident, Joshua Buffington. News of this event spread to media outlets nationwide. Once the water receded, crews worked around the clock to clear about 200,000 cubic yards of snow in five days. No one was injured during this incident.

Geography
Valdez is located at 61.13083°N, -146.34833°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 277.1 sqmi, of which 222.0 sqmi is land and 55.1 sqmi, comprising 19.88%, is water.

Valdez is located near the head of a deep fjord in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. It is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, which are heavily glaciated; nearby Shoup Glacier, which feeds Shoup Bay, served as a source of ice for residents of the town at the turn of the 20th century. Valdez is the northernmost port in North America that is ice-free year-round. The northernmost point of the coastal Pacific temperate rain forest is in Valdez, on Blueberry Hill. The only road access is via the Richardson Highway, which traverses Thompson Pass and Keystone Canyon to end at Valdez.

Climate
Despite the presence of temperate rainforest, Valdez under the Köppen climate classification has a subarctic climate (Dfc): its winters, though much warmer than most climates of this type, are not sufficiently mild, as those of, say, Ketchikan, Kodiak, or even nearby Cordova are, to fit into the oceanic or subpolar oceanic climate category.

According to the Weather Channel and NOAA, Valdez is the snowiest city in the United States, with an average of over 300. in per year. There have been more than 100. in of snow in five separate months (not all in the same year).

Demographics
Valdez first appeared on the 1900 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Valdes." It formally incorporated as Valdez in 1901, and has reported in every successive census. The original townsite was relocated in 1967 from the east side to the north side of Port Valdez after the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, but still lays within the present city limits.

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 3,985 people living in Valdez. The racial makeup of the city was 75.7% White, 0.8% Black, 7.8% Native American or Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 10.3% from two or more races. 6.8% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,758 housing units in the city, with 1,610 total households. The median age was 40 years. The median income for a household was $99,151 and the median income for a family was $102,832. 4.4% of the population was below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those over 65.

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,976 people. The racial makeup was 78.6% White, 0.6% Black, 7.6% Native American or Alaska Native, 1.9% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander and 5.8% from two or more races. 4.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Economy
Valdez is a fishing port, both for commercial and sport fishing. Freight moves through Valdez bound for the interior of Alaska. Sightseeing of the marine life and glaciers, together with both deep-sea fishing, and heli skiing support a tourist industry in Valdez. The oil from the Trans-Alaska pipeline is loaded onto ships at the Valdez oil terminal.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company is one of the biggest employers in Valdez.

Valdez is connected to the interior of Alaska by the Richardson Highway, and is a port of call in the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system. Just north of Valdez on the highway is Thompson Pass, which has spectacular waterfalls and glaciers next to the highway. Thompson Pass is also known for treacherous driving conditions during the winter.

The Valdez Airport, also known as Pioneer Field, has regular scheduled service with Ravn Alaska.

Valdez hosted the World Extreme Skiing Championship (WESC) in the early 1990s.

Media and culture
Despite its small size, Valdez was at one time home to two weekly newspapers, the Valdez Star and the Valdez Vanguard. In 2004, the Star bought out the Vanguard.

Valdez is also home to radio broadcasters KCHU, KVAK, and KVAK-FM.

Valdez is also home to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference, hosted by the Prince William Sound College. The annual conference attracts playwrights and actors from around the United States.

On Deadly Ground (1994) was filmed near Worthington Glacier, as well as the Valdez Civic Center and Valdez Airport, and 30 mi outside Valdez on Thompson Pass in the Chugach Mountains.

Oil terminal
The Valdez Marine Terminal is an oil port in Valdez, at the southern end of the Alaska Pipeline. The terminal was the point of departure for the Exxon Valdez just prior to the oil spill.

There are 14 active aboveground crude oil storage tanks at the terminal, and an average of three to five oil tankers depart from the terminal each week. Since the pipeline became operational in 1976, more than 15,000 tankers full of oil have left the terminal.

The terminal has 2 operational loading berths.

Notable people

 * Neva Egan (1914–2011), first First Lady of Alaska (1959–1966, 1970–1974)
 * William A. Egan (1914–1984), first Governor of Alaska (1959–1966, 1970–1974)
 * Margaret Keenan Harrais (1872-1964), United States Commissioner at Valdez, and after Alaska became a state, she became a deputy magistrate at Valdez
 * Robert Campbell Reeve (1902–1980), Valdez-based bush pilot; founder of Reeve Aleutian Airways
 * Bill Walker (born 1951), former Governor of Alaska
 * Ed Walker (1917–2011), second-to-last surviving member of Castner's Cutthroats, former member of the Valdez city council

title: Valdez, Alaska