Census Area
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The Cities and communities of Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska *
Adak,
Atka
Nikolski
St. George,
St.Paul, Shemya
Station
Unalaska (Also
known as Dutch Harbor)
*This list of cities may not be complete. The list may contain towns, cities, villages, boroughs, townships, ghost towns and other populated places.
If you have information about any
of these unlinked communities, please send
it to us and we will add a page for that community. Some of these places
above may only be neighborhoods or local area names and are not listed with
the census at all or just included in a larger surrounding designated census
area..
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Information
& Facts about Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska
Government:
Much of the more densely populated parts of the state are divided into boroughs, which function in a manner similar to counties in other states. Boroughs do not cover the entire land area of the state. The area of Alaska not part of any borough is referred to as the unorganized borough.
For the 1970 census, the government of Alaska and the U.S. Census Bureau divided the unorganized borough into census areas. However, these areas exist solely for the purposes of statistical analysis and presentation. They have no government of their own. There are services provided by borough governments that are provided directly by the Alaska state government in the unorganized borough.
Population:
2000 - 5,465
2003 - 5,241
Density:
2000 - 1 person per square mile
Census Quick facts for the area.
Location:
The Aleutians West Borough contains
the many islands of the western Aleutian chain. Dutch Harbor, (also known as
Unalaska), is located on Unalaska Island and is the center of the borough's
population and economic activity, which is based on commercial fishing and seafood
processing. St. George and St. Paul Islands are further north in the Bering
Sea. The Aleutians East Borough is on the eastern Border. The sea is on all
other borders - the Bering Sea, the North Pacific.
Climate:
Most of the area has a Maritime climate with milder temperatures than other areas. Some areas have several winter storms with high winds up to 100 mph. Most areas have high winds much of the year, but the temperatures don't go below freezing. The wind chill factor actually causes the air to feel colder than it really is most of the time. Summer months tend to have a great deal of dense fog but the winds die down somewhat.
Bering Sea Weather and Climate page
Other Facts & Figures:
Income:
Per capita Income - $24,037
(2000)
Median Household Income - $61,406 (2000)
History:
The Unalaska area has the largest
fishing port in the United States in terms of volume, and second largest in
terms of value. Salmon, crab, pollock, halibut, rockfish, and other species
are harvested by both local and non-resident fishermen and processed at shore
based plants as well as aboard floating processors.
Unalaska is the borough's transportation hub, with regular jet service to Anchorage
and connections to other Aleutian communities.
Prior to 1759, over 3,000 Unangan
lived here in 24 settlements. In 1768, Unalaska became a Russian trading port
for the seal industry. By 1787, many of the workers and their families were
forced to relocate and work n the fur seal harvest. For many years the people
were enslaved. Several churches came into the area and helped the people cope
with their situations and one of the priests, Ivan Veniaminov, helped to construct
a writing system for the Aleut people. The churches prospered, but many people
had fled the area leaving only around 300 when there had been thousands. In
the late 1800s, the Methodist Church arrived and opened a school, church, clinic
and a home for orphans. The city of Unalaska was attacked by the Japanese on
3 June 1942. Most residents were sent to southeast Alaska during the war. Many
did not return and their villages were never re-established.
Adak, which served as a U.S. military base during the Cold War, has been converted
to civilian use and is developing as a fish processing community.
The Pribilof island group was discovered in 1786 by Russian fur traders. It was during their occupation of the islands that Aleuts from various areas were brought here to work in the processing and to hunt for seals. Many of their descendents live on the islands today. Sealing hunting continued for many years resulting in fewer and fewer seals. Finally the Fur Seal Act of 1910 placed restrictions on the industry. Poverty reigned here once sealing was basically prohibited. During World War II, residents were relocated to southeast Alaska and were not treated with much compassion. Later in 1979, many received compensation for their treatment. After the Fur Seal Act of 1983, restrictions were lifted and management of the industry was left to the local governments. Commercial harvesting of the pelts gradually decreased and was halted on St. Paul in 1985. Currently fur seal pelt possession is prohibited except for subsistence activities.
A history
page for the Unalaska/Dutch Harbor area
A history page for
the Aleutians area
Geography:
Alaska
Volcano Observatory
Total area: 14,117 square miles
Land area: 4,397 square miles
Water area: 9,720 square miles
The area is 68.85% water
Here is a geographical description of the area:
chain of rugged, volcanic islands
curving c.1,200 mi (1,900 km) west from the tip of the Alaska Peninsula and
approaching Russia's Komandorski Islands. A partially submerged continuation
of the Aleutian Range, they separate the Bering Sea from the Pacific Ocean.
The Aleutians comprise four main groups: Fox Islands, nearest to the mainland,
including Unimak, Unalaska, Umnak, and Akutan; Andreanof Islands, including
Amlia, Atka, Adak, Kanaga, and Tanaga; Rat Islands, including Amchitka and Kiska;
and Near Islands, the smallest and westernmost group, including Agattu and Attu.
The Semichi Islands, of which Shemya is the largest, are nearby. (the above
excerpt is a portion of the information provided by The Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press)
Genealogy:
US
GenWeb page for the Aleutians West Census Area
Kindred Trails
page for the area
Genealogy
information page with many links for this area.
Schools:
Unalaska
City School District
P.O. Box 570
Unalaska, AK 99685
Phone (907) 581-3151
Fax (907) 581-3152
Pribilof
School District
Pouch 905
St. Paul Island, AK 99660
Phone 907-546-2221
Fax 907-546-2327
Economy:
The area's economy
is mainly that of fish processing and fisheries. Other employment year-round
is mainly with the schools and the government. Some remote areas still operate
mainly on a subsistence level. Some areas have a large tourist presence while
others are building their tourist trade.
Organizations & Groups:
Unalaska/Port
of Dutch Harbor Convention and Visitors Bureau
P.O. Box 545
Unalaska, Alaska 99685
Phone: (907) 581-2612
Toll-free: (877) 581-2612
Fax: (907) 581-2613
Aleutian
Pribilof Islands Association
201 East 3rd Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: (907) 276-2700
Fax: (907) 279-4351
Southwest
Alaska Municipal Conference
3300 Arctic Blvd. Suite 203
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-562-7380
Fax: 907-562-0438
Attractions
& Other Information:
Museum
of the Aleutians
314 Salmon Way
PO BOX 648
Unalaska, AK 99685
Information on the Bering Sea - communities, commerce, weather, cultures, fisheries and more
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This page was last updated on 27
March 2009 at 7:28 pm
This page was created 28 July 2005
This page, and all contents, are Copyright (C) 2009-11 by Key to the City., Norco, California, USA.