Unalakleet, Alaska

Unalakleet (/ˈjuːnələkliːt/ YOO-nə-lə-kleet; Inupiaq: Uŋalaqłiq, IPA: [uŋɐlɑχɬeq] or Uŋalaqłiit; Yup'ik: Ungalaqliit; Koyukon: Kk'aadoleetno’) is a city in Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States, in the western part of the state. At the 2010 census the population was 765, up from 688 in 2000. Unalakleet is known in the region and around Alaska for its salmon and king crab harvests; the residents rely for much of their diet on caribou, ptarmigan, oogruk (bearded seal), and various salmon species.

Unalakleet Uŋalaqłiq (Inupiaq) Ungalaqliit (Central Yupik) Kk'aadoleetno' (Koyukon)
City
Aerial view of Unalakleet, taken 2010
Location of Unalakleet, Alaska
Coordinates: 63°52′44″N 160°47′23″W
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Census Area	Nome
Incorporated	1974
Government
• Mayor	Abel Razzo
• State senator	Donny Olson (D)
• State rep.	Neal Foster (D)
Area
• Total	4.95 sq mi (12.81 km2)
• Land	2.86 sq mi (7.41 km2)
• Water	2.08 sq mi (5.40 km2)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	765
• Density	267.30/sq mi (103.20/km2)
Time zone	UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP code	99684
Area code	907
FIPS code	02-80660
GNIS feature ID	1411517

Unalakleet is also known for its aesthetic value. It is located next to the Bering Sea and the large, clean Unalakleet River. The landscape also has trees, tundra, and hills behind it.

History

Unalakleet is an adaptation of the Iñupiaq word "Una-la-thliq", which means "from the southern side".

Unalakleet is located at the Norton Sound end of the Unalakleet-Kaltag Portage, an important winter travel route between Norton Sound and the Yukon River. Unalakleet has long been a major trade center between the Athabascan people, who lived in the interior of Alaska, and the Inupiat, who lived on the coast.

In the 1830s Russian explorers and traders came: The Russian-American Company built a trading post here at Unalakleet. In 1898 the United States arranged for Sami reindeer herders from Lapland to be brought to Unalakleet, to work with the people about herding practices. In 1901, the United States Army Signal Corps built a 605-mile (974 km) telegraph line from St. Michael that passed through Unalakleet.

Geography and climate

Images taken near Unalakleet show very few trees, reflecting the subarctic and polar boundaries.

Unalakleet is located at 63°52′44″N 160°47′23″W (63.878907, -160.789680).

Unalakleet is located on the Norton Sound of the Bering Sea at the mouth of the Unalakleet River, 148 miles (238 km) southeast of Nome and 395 miles (636 km) northwest of Anchorage. Unalakleet has a subarctic climate (Koppen: Dfc) with considerable maritime influences. Winters are cold and dry. Average summer temperatures range 47 to 62 °F (8 to 17 °C); winter temperatures range from −40 to 11 °F (−40 to −12 °C). Precipitation averages 14 inches (360 mm) annually, with 41 inches (100 cm) of snow.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13 km²), of which, 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²) of it is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²) of it (44.25%) is water.

Climate data for Unalakleet (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1941–1998)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	47 (8)	46 (8)	47 (8)	62 (17)	78 (26)	86 (30)	87 (31)	85 (29)	75 (24)	60 (16)	48 (9)	43 (6)	87 (31)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	34.5 (1.4)	31.8 (−0.1)	36.5 (2.5)	45.5 (7.5)	63.0 (17.2)	69.0 (20.6)	75.2 (24.0)	72.9 (22.7)	64.0 (17.8)	47.2 (8.4)	36.2 (2.3)	35.2 (1.8)	77.8 (25.4)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	11.0 (−11.7)	11.0 (−11.7)	18.9 (−7.3)	29.5 (−1.4)	45.6 (7.6)	54.2 (12.3)	61.2 (16.2)	59.9 (15.5)	51.4 (10.8)	33.0 (0.6)	19.4 (−7.0)	12.2 (−11.0)	33.9 (1.1)
Daily mean °F (°C)	4.9 (−15.1)	3.3 (−15.9)	10.9 (−11.7)	21.3 (−5.9)	38.4 (3.6)	47.9 (8.8)	54.8 (12.7)	53.1 (11.7)	44.2 (6.8)	27.0 (−2.8)	13.5 (−10.3)	5.7 (−14.6)	27.1 (−2.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	−1.3 (−18.5)	−4.4 (−20.2)	2.9 (−16.2)	13.2 (−10.4)	31.1 (−0.5)	41.4 (5.2)	48.5 (9.2)	46.3 (7.9)	37.0 (2.8)	21.0 (−6.1)	7.5 (−13.6)	−0.8 (−18.2)	20.2 (−6.6)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−30.1 (−34.5)	−32.5 (−35.8)	−25.0 (−31.7)	−10.6 (−23.7)	16.6 (−8.6)	31.9 (−0.1)	39.0 (3.9)	35.3 (1.8)	24.1 (−4.4)	0.9 (−17.3)	−16.3 (−26.8)	−29.9 (−34.4)	−40.8 (−40.4)
Record low °F (°C)	−59 (−51)	−50 (−46)	−50 (−46)	−32 (−36)	−11 (−24)	25 (−4)	32 (0)	28 (−2)	6 (−14)	−20 (−29)	−47 (−44)	−52 (−47)	−59 (−51)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.69 (18)	0.51 (13)	0.70 (18)	0.63 (16)	0.87 (22)	1.35 (34)	2.28 (58)	3.04 (77)	2.28 (58)	1.24 (31)	1.09 (28)	0.91 (23)	15.59 (396)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	4.5 (11)	3.6 (9.1)	5.3 (13)	3.6 (9.1)	1.5 (3.8)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.2 (0.51)	3.0 (7.6)	6.4 (16)	5.4 (14)	33.5 (85)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch)	7.6	6.6	8.5	7.8	7.7	10.2	13.5	15.9	13.4	10.7	10.0	9.3	121.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.01 inch)	6.8	5.8	7.5	6.0	1.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	5.5	8.6	8.3	50.5
Source 1: WRCC
Source 2: XMACIS (snowfall)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	100		—
1890	175		75.0%
1900	241		37.7%
1910	247		2.5%
1920	285		15.4%
1930	261		−8.4%
1940	329		26.1%
1950	469		42.6%
1960	574		22.4%
1970	434		−24.4%
1980	623		43.5%
1990	714		14.6%
2000	747		4.6%
2010	688		−7.9%
2020	765		11.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Unalakleet first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Oonalakleet." All 100 of its residents were listed as Inuit. It was listed in the 1890 census as "Unalaklik." Of its 175 residents, 170 were Native, 3 were Creole (mixed Russian & Native), and 2 were White. It was listed again as Unalaklik in 1900 and in 1910 under that name, although the latter census also listed it as spelled Unalakleet. Since 1920, it has been recorded in the censuses as Unalakleet. It was formally incorporated in 1974.

As of the census of 2010, there were 688 people, 225 households, and 172 families residing in the city. The population density was 237.2 inhabitants per square mile (91.6/km²). There were 268 housing units at an average density of 92.4 per square mile (35.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 15.0% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 77.3% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 6.4% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2013 there were 882 people.

There were 224 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 21.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 18.8% 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 3.33 and the average family size was 3.82.

The population was spread out, with 37.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $41,964 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,845. About 12.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Role in mushing races

Unalakleet is the first checkpoint on the Norton Sound in the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, some 851 miles (1,370 km) from the start in Anchorage. The first musher to reach this checkpoint each year is awarded the Gold Coast Award, which includes $2,500 in gold nuggets. Unalakleet also plays an important role in the Iron Dog snowmobile race.

Education

The Mission Covenant Church of Sweden established a mission in Unalakleet in 1887. The Evangelical Covenant Church later started a boarding high school in 1954. It served students from all over western Alaska until it closed in 1985 due to changing educational practices following establishment of home rule in the 1970s. Most villages in Alaska established local schools, including high schools.

The district office for the Bering Strait School District has been located in Unalakleet since 1983. Serving fifteen village schools, the Bering Strait School District covers territory of approximately 75,000 square miles (190,000 km²).

Unalakleet's local schools include Unalakleet School, a K-12 school that is internally divided into Unalakleet Elementary, Unalakleet Middle School, and Unalakleet High School. The combined school population of Unalakleet Schools is 195, 180 of whom are full or part Alaska Native.

The basketball teams of Unalakleet, Alaska, have secured a total of six State titles, with three attributed to Covenant High and three to Unalakleet High School. Unalakleet High has also won two mix-six volleyball state championships. The school actively participates in various athletic activities, including cross-country running, wrestling, mix-six volleyball, cross-country ski/biathlon, basketball, track, and Native Youth Olympics. In the year 2023, Unalakleet High School celebrated its inaugural track state champion in the 400M event. Furthermore, during the same year, the school produced its first state champion in the Division 3 State cross-country running championships. Additionally, Unalakleet boasts one state champion wrestler in its athletic history.

Unalakleet schools has a Gifted & Talented program. The school's students also participate in Academic Decathlon, Battle of the Books, as well as other academic programs.

Transportation and law

Unalakleet Airport is a central hub for outlying villages, providing air cargo and air taxi services. It is served by daily airline service to Anchorage by Ravn Alaska, along with frequent cargo services by Everts Air Cargo and Northern Air Cargo. Daily flights to Nome and outlying villages are made by Bering Air, Ryan Air, and Ravn Connect (under Ravn Alaska).

Unalakleet has an Alaska State Troopers station. Its local police department works with local VPOs and VPSOs. A court system serves Unalakleet and surrounding villages.

Healthcare

Unalakleet health services are provided by the Anikkan Inuit Iluaqutaat Sub-Regional Clinic, a division of Norton Sound Health Corporation, based in Nome, Alaska. The clinic has permanent staff including medical providers, certified health aides, behavioral health specialists, and a pharmacist. It also hosts specialists in other fields regularly throughout the year.

Notable people

• William E. Beltz (1912–1960), carpenter, politician, lived in Unalakleet
• Ticasuk Brown (1904–1982), educator, writer; born and raised in Unalakleet
• Frank Auvnue Degnan (1901–1980), held a number of local leadership positions in the village, was a co-founder of the Alaska Native Industries Cooperative Association, in 1950 he was elected as the first Yup'ik legislator in the Alaska Territorial Legislature. In the early 1960s, he represented Unalakleet at the first Inupiaq Paitot, a conference of northern Alaska indigenous people that focused its attention on aboriginal rights. In 1966, he was one of the founding delegates to the statewide conference that became the Alaska Federation of Natives. Later, he testified in favor of Native land claims in Washington, D.C. In 1971, he was honored as the first AFN Citizen of the Year. The University of Alaska Fairbanks bestowed an honorary doctorate of public service on him on May 18, 1975.
• Timothy M. Towarak (1944–2019), helped incorporate the City of Unalakleet. He also served as mayor, city council member and city administrator. He was the first manager of the Unalakleet Native Corporation and worked as the Director of Facilities for the Bering Strait School District during the time when most of the schools were being built. He was a founding member of KNSA radio station. He was appointed by Governor Tony Knowles as the Special Assistant for Rural Affairs. Upon returning home from Juneau, he became the president and CEO of Bering Straits Native Corporation. Served as the U.S. Department of the Interior Federal Subsistence Board Chair where he fought for Alaska Native peoples’ subsistence rights. He also served as co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives.

External links

• Subsistence wildlife harvests in five northwest Alaska communities, 2001-2003 : results of a household survey / by Kawerak, Inc., Maniilaq Association, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game; by Susan Georgette ... [et al.]. Hosted by Alaska State Publications Program.