Page Contents for Sand Point, Alaska

Statistics & Facts

Location

Weather & Climate

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Economy

Government

Historical Events

Chamber of Commerce.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Schools.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Alaska state capital is Juneau.
The population of Sand Point is approximately 908 (2004), 976 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 282 (2000), 246 (2010).
The amount of land area in Sand Point is 20.009 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Sand Point is 7.8 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 1.802 sq kilometers.
The distance from Sand Point to Washington DC is 4183 miles.
The distance to the Alaska state capital is 1069 miles. (as the crow flies)
Sand Point is positioned 55.31 degrees north of the equator and 160.49 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Sand Point per capita income is $ 21,954 (2000).
Sand Point median income is $ 55,417 (2000).
Sand Point average annual precipitation is 33 inches peryear.
Sand Point average annual snowfall is 52 inches per year.

Location

on Popuf Island's northwestern side, Sand Point is 575 air miles southwest of Anchorage, and 87 miles west of Cold Bay.

Here is a map page for the area.
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Climate

maritime with temperatures ranging from -9 to 76 degrees during the year. The winters are mild compared with most interior areas. Typical Alaska daylight hours last as long as 17 hours, 27 minutes while the shortest day if about 7 hours, 6 minutes.
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History & History Related Items

Sand Point is also known as Qagun Tayagungin

Popof Island, on which Sand Point is located, is part of the volcanic Shumagin Group. At one time it was covered with ice. With the movement of the ice, the land was ground out creating quite a rugged landscape. Eons of erosion and weathering have smoothed out some of the roughness, but much of it remains, particularly on the coasts. There was on early settlement at Red Cove, but a fishing station wasn’t developed on the north coast until Thomas W. McColam began a fishing station at Pirate Cove. Sand Point was founded in 1897 by Lynde R Hough, a San Francisco company known for its marine-oriented businesses, as a cod fishing station and trading post. The site had already been named Sand Point by the government. The little settlement began to draw people from surrounding areas. Though shortlived, there was a gold mining era in 1904. By the 1930s, fish processing had taken over as the main emphasis of the local economy. About this time, a herd of Bison was brought in and continue to thrive in a remote area of the island. A fox farm was begun by Andrew Grosvold around the same time and employed many local people. When mining and the fur industry dwindled in the entire area, fish processing began to step up. It remains today as the main economic factor for the entire borough. For a brief time in the 1960s, the harvesting of King Crab, Tanner crab and shrimp expanded, but due to restrictions and low prices, the industry has dwindled greatly. The growth of the area was stopped for a time due to the decline.

Here is a history page for the area. Here is a history page Return to Index

Attractions

Sand Point is located on Popof Island off the Alaskan peninsula and is part of the Aleutians East Borough. The most common way to visit Sand Point is by commercial airline with daily flights to and from Anchorage. The state ferry stops at Sand Point during the summer months and three air carriers provide air service to Sand Point.

Great photos of Sand Point and the area.

St. Nicholas Chapel
built in 1933 by the Russian Orthodox community here. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Sand Point has many amenities and features. Among them are:
An airport with a 4000 foot paved runway. The airport has regularly scheduled flights to Anchorage and other area for both passengers and cargo.
A boat harbor of 25 acres, including a lift, 134 boat slips and four docks. Freight service is regularly scheduled by barge.
A Fish processing plant that not only does processing but also provides fuel for the area.
A K-12 school including an indoor pool, internet service, computer lab and a library. These services are also available to the community.
A large commercial fishing fleet
A new health clinic

Many of the local resident also complement their purchased food with hunting, fishing, gathering and gardening. Ptarmigan may be found on the island, but larger game, such as moose, bear and caribou must be hunted on the mainland. The Bison herd is culled by a limited number of hunters each year. Local berries include salmonberries, mossberries and blueberries.

The Qagan Tayagungin is a federally recognized tribe in Sand Point. The community is 44.2% Alaska Native or part Native.
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Economy & Industry

mainly in the fish processing industry. Commercial fishing boats are also a large portion of the local economy.
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Sand Point City Government

City of Sand Point
P.O. Box 249
Sand Point, AK 99661
Phone 907-383-2696
Fax 907-383-2698

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Shumagin Corporation is the ANCSA Village Corporation for Sand Point, Alaska.

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Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point
P.O. Box 447
Sand Point, AK 99661-0447
Phone 907-383-5616
Fax 907-383-5814

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BOROUGH INFORMATION

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Aleutians East Borough
3380 C Street, Suite 205
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone 907-274-7555
Fax 907-276-7569

Sand Point Historical Events

1943, January-June
D Company of the 43rd Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) was stationed on Sand Point, Alaska, from January, 1943 through June, 1943.
There was a general store located on the north shore of Humbolt Bay along with 4 or 5 houses. D company was housed in a two story barracks on the south shore of the Bay. We constructed a pier into the bay from the south shore. Our mess hall was located on the first U turn as the road proceeded up hill from the barracks. A US Navy recon squardron of Kingfisher aircraft was also stationed next to the barracks. A 6 inch coastal gun was in place on the tip of land adjacent to present airport. A creek entered the bay near the south end of the airport. A sod hut was in place at this point where the dweller would pan for gold in the creek. His sluce run was present.
Submitted by Reuben Burton
Richmond, Virginia

Sand Point Chamber

Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference
3300 Arctic Blvd. Suite 203
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-562-7380
Fax: 907-562-0438

Sand Point Organizations

Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference
3300 Arctic Blvd. Suite 203
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-562-7380
Fax: 907-562-0438

Sand Point Schools

Aleutians East School District
P.O. Box 429
Sand Point, AK 99661-0429
Phone 907-383-5222
Fax 907-383-3496 Sand Point

Miscellany

The population of Sand Point was:
1900 - 16
1990 - 878
2000 - 919
2004 - 908