Port Alexander, Alaska Explained

Official Name:Port Alexander, Alaska
Native Name:Shee Yat’aḵ.aan
Settlement Type:City
Pushpin Map:USA Alaska
Pushpin Relief:yes
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the United States
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Alaska
Subdivision Type2:Census Area
Subdivision Name2:Prince of Wales-Hyder
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Deb Gifford
Leader Title1:State senator
Leader Name1:Bert Stedman (R)
Leader Title2:State rep.
Leader Name2:Rebecca Himschoot (I)
Established Title:Incorporated
Established Date:July 9, 1974[1]
Area Footnotes:[2]
Area Total Km2:38.89
Area Land Km2:9.07
Area Water Km2:29.82
Area Total Sq Mi:15.01
Area Land Sq Mi:3.50
Area Water Sq Mi:11.51
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:78
Population Density Km2:8.60
Population Density Sq Mi:22.29
Timezone:Alaska (AKST)
Utc Offset:-9
Timezone Dst:AKDT
Utc Offset Dst:-8
Elevation M:13
Elevation Ft:43
Coordinates:56.24°N -134.6572°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:99836
Area Code:907
Area Code Type:Area code
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:02-62510
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1424551
Unit Pref:Imperial

Port Alexander (Lingít: Shee Yat’aḵ.aan[3]) is a city at the southeastern corner of Baranof Island in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area,[4] Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 52, down from 81 in 2000.

History

Port Alexander once was a bustling city with as many as 2,500 people in the early 20th century,[5] Prior to the 1920s, Port Alexander was the salmon fishing capital of the world.

Port Alexander originally incorporated in 1936. It became a part of the Greater Sitka Borough in 1963, following the state legislature's passage of the Mandatory Borough Act. The original municipality was dissolved when it unified with Sitka's city and borough governments in 1971, which formed the present-day entity known as the City and Borough of Sitka. However, residents were independent and desired to govern themselves so they successfully sought to detach themselves from the new municipality. Port Alexander reincorporated as a second class city in 1974.

The Port Alexander Historical Society successfully completed the project of creating a small museum celebrating the town's history in the 2000s.

Geography

Port Alexander is located at 56.24°N -134.6572°W (56.239871, -134.657177).[6]

Port Alexander is the only city on a small sliver of land at the southeastern corner of Baranof Island that is not part of the City and Borough of Sitka. It comprises less than one-quarter of one percent of Baranof Island's land area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.1sqmi, of which, 3.8sqmi of it is land and 11.3sqmi of it (74.88%) is water.

The city is served by the Baranautica Air Service with seasonal Essential Air Service flights and the EYAK brings supplies and mail weekly. Port Alexander Seaplane Base.

Climate

Despite its latitude at 56°14'N Port Alexander has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb) with cool, wet (In Port Alexander's case snowy) winters, and mild, dry summers.

Demographics

Port Alexander first reported on the 1930 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1936. It merged with the City of Sitka in 1971, but detached itself and reincorporated in 1974. Port Alexander is a second-class city.

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 81 people, 34 households, and 19 families residing in the city. The population density was 21.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 79 housing units at an average density of 20.9/mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 83.95% White, 4.94% Native American, and 11.11% from two or more races. 4.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, and 41.2% were non-families. 38.2% 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 2.38 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 30.9% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 2.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,563, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $51,250 versus $41,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,767. There were 25.0% of families and 22.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including 18.5% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education

The school is the Port Alexander School, operated by Southeast Island School District.[8] The students created this video in 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLTIJ7rN-uY&t=66s

Notes and References

  1. Book: 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau. Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. January 1996. 122. The incorporation followed the detachment of the area from the original boundaries of the City and Borough of Sitka.
  2. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. October 29, 2021.
  3. Web site: Comprehensive List of Tlingit Names for All the Present-Day Communities in Lingít Aaní. August 7, 2018.
  4. Web site: Archived copy . December 17, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141217223547/http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/maps/bor/02198.pdf . December 17, 2014 .
  5. Kirchhoff, M. J. "Baranof Island, An Illustrated History." Alaska Cedar Press, 1990, p. 76.
  6. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. April 23, 2011. February 12, 2011.
  7. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  8. Web site: Port Alexander School . . June 2, 2019.