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Kodiak Alaska
Location and
Climate
Kodiak is located near the eastern tip of Kodiak Island
in the Gulf of Alaska. Kodiak Island, "the emerald isle," is
the largest island in Alaska, and is second only to Hawaii
in the U.S. Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge encompasses
nearly 1.9 million acres on Kodiak and Afognak Islands. It
is 252 air miles south of Anchorage, a one-hour flight, and
is a 3-hour flight from Seattle. The area encompasses 3 sq.
miles of land and 1 sq. miles of water. The climate of the
Kodiak Islands is dominated by a strong marine influence.
There is little or no freezing weather, moderate
precipitation, and frequent cloud cover and fog. Severe
storms are common from December through February. Annual
precipitation is 60 inches. January temperatures average 14
to 46; July temperatures vary from 39 to 76.
History, Culture and
Demographics
The Island has been inhabited for the past 8,000 years.
The first non-Native contacts were in 1763, by the Russian
Stephen Glotov, and in 1792 by Alexander Baranov, a Russian
fur trapper. Sea otter pelts were the primary incentive for
Russian exploration, and a settlement was established at
Chiniak Bay, the site of present-day Kodiak. At that time,
there were over 6,500 Sugpiaqs (Koniags) in the area and the
Island was called "Kikhtak." It later was known as "Kadiak,"
the Inuit word for island. Kodiak became the first capital
of Russian Alaska, and Russian colonization had a
devastating effect on the local Native population. By the
time Alaska became a U.S. Territory in 1867, the Koniag
region Eskimos had almost disappeared as a viable culture.
Alutiiq (Russian-Aleut) is the present-day Native language.
Sea otter fur harvesting was the major commercial
enterprise, and eventually led to the near extinction of the
species. However, in 1882 a fish cannery opened at the
Karluk spit. This sparked the development of commercial
fishing in the area. The City of Kodiak was incorporated in
1940. During the Aleutian Campaign of World War II, the Navy
and the Army built bases on the Island. Fort Abercrombie was
constructed in 1939, and later became the first secret radar
installation in Alaska. Development continued, and the 1960s
brought growth in commercial fisheries and fish processing.
The 1964 earthquake and subsequent tidal wave virtually
leveled downtown Kodiak. The fishing fleet, processing
plant, canneries, and 158 homes were destroyed - $30 million
in damage. The infrastructure was rebuilt, and by 1968,
Kodiak had become the largest fishing port in the U.S., in
terms of dollar value. The Magnusson Act in 1976 extended
the U.S. jurisdiction of marine resources to 200 miles
offshore, which reduced competition from the foreign fleet,
and over time, allowed Kodiak to develop a groundfish
processing industry.
12.7% of the population are
Alaska Natives. The local culture surrounds commercial and
subsistence fishing activities. The Coast Guard comprises a
significant portion of the community, and there is a large
seasonal population. Kodiak is primarily non-Native, and the
majority of the Native population are Alutiiq. Filipinos are
a large subculture in Kodiak due to their work in the
canneries. A Russian Orthodox Church seminary is based in
Kodiak, one of two existing seminaries in the
U.S.
Economy and
Transportation
The Kodiak economy is based on fishing, seafood
processing, retail services and government. Adaptability and
diversification in a variety of fisheries has enabled the
Kodiak economy to develop and stabilize. In 1998, Kodiak was
the nation's third highest port in seafood volume and value,
with 358 million pounds of seafood landed, at a value of
$79.7 million. 668 area residents hold commercial fishing
permits, and thirteen fish processing companies operate here
year-round. The largest processors include International
Seafoods, Trident, Ocean Beauty, North Pacific, and Cook
Inlet Processors. The hospital and City also rank among the
top employers. The largest U.S. Coast Guard station lies
just south of the city. A 27-acre low-Earth orbit launch
complex, Kodiak Launch Facility, is under construction 25
miles southwest of Kodiak at Cape Narrow. The $38-million
facility will be completed in July 1999, but will launch its
first payload in October 1998. A $60 NASA launch will occur
in August 2000.
Kodiak is accessible by air
and sea. The State-owned Kodiak Airport provides a 7,500'
paved runway. Kodiak Municipal Airport offers a 2,475'
asphalt airstrip. Three scheduled airlines serve Kodiak with
several daily flights, and a number of air taxi services
provide flights to other communities on the Island.
City-owned seaplane base at Trident Basin and Lilly Lake
serve floatplane traffic. The Alaska Marine Highway System
operates a ferry service to and from Seward and Homer.
Travel time to Homer by ferry is 12 hours. Two boat harbors
provide moorage for 600 commercial and transient vessels.
Boat launch ramps are also provided. A new $20 million
breakwater on Near Island provides another 60 acres of
mooring space at St. Herman Harbor; float expansion will
begin in 1999. Funds have also been provided to replace the
32-year-old float system at the St. Paul Inner Harbor
downtown. Approximately 140 miles of state roads connect
island communities on the east side of the island.
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to Alaska Communities
Source: Department of
Community & Economic
Development
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