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Adak
(A-dack); formerly Adak Station
For Photos of Adak click here
| Current Population: |
178
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
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| Incorporation Type: |
2nd Class City |
| Borough Located In: |
Unorganized |
| Taxes: |
Sales: 3%,
Property: None, Special: None
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| Coastal Management District: |
Aleutians West CRSA |
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| Location
and Climate |
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Adak is located on Kuluk Bay on Adak Island. It lies 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage and 350 miles west of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Island Chain. Flight time to Anchorage is three hours. Adak is the southern-most community in Alaska, on the latitude of Vancouver Island in Canada. The community
lies at approximately 51.872500° North Latitude
and -176.628610° West Longitude.
(Sec. 10, T096S, R195W, Seward Meridian.)
Adak is located in the
Aleutian Islands Recording District.
The area encompasses 122.4
sq. miles of land and 4.9 sq. miles
of water.
Adak lies in the maritime climate zone, characterized by persistently overcast skies, high winds, and frequent cyclonic storms. Winter squalls produce wind gusts in excess of 100 knots. During the summer, extensive fog forms over the Bering Sea and North Pacific. Average temperatures range from 20 to 60 °F, but wind chill factors can be severe. Total precipitation is 64 inches annually, with an average accumulated snowfall of 100 inches, primarily in the mountains. |
Topographic
map of
Adak
area
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| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| The Aleutian Islands were historically occupied by the Unangas. The once heavily-populated island was eventually abandoned in the early 1800s, as the Aleutian Island hunters followed the Russian fur trade eastward, and famine set in on the Andreanof Island group. However, they continued to actively hunt and fish around the island over the years, until World War II broke out. Adak Army installations allowed U.S. forces to mount a successful offensive against the Japanese-held islands of Kiska and Attu. After the war, Adak was developed as a Naval Air Station, playing an important role during the Cold War as a submarine surveillance center. Large earthquakes rocked the island in 1957, 1964, and 1977. At its peak, the station housed 6,000 naval personnel and their families. In 1994, severe cut-backs occurred, and family housing and schools were closed. The station officially closed on March 31, 1997, and currently houses civilians. The Aleut Corporation acquired Adak's facilities under a land transfer agreement with the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Navy/Department of Defense. Properties are currently under lease. About 30 families with children relocated to Adak in September 1998, most of them Aleut Corp. shareholders, and the school was reopened. The City of Adak is currently developing Adak as a commercial center. The community formed a second-class city government in April 2001.
The population of the community consists of 37.3%
Alaska Native or part Native.
After World War II, the U.S. Navy developed outstanding facilities and recreation opportunities at Adak. A movie theater, roller skating rink, swimming pools, ski lodge, bowling alleys, skeet range, auto hobby shop, photo lab, and racquetball and tennis courts were developed. An $18-million hospital was built in 1990. As of 2009, all of these facilities are closed and blowing away. The Aleut Corporation is the owner of these facilities, and the city operates the facilities that the city owns.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 884, and vacant housing units numbered 725.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 7.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 200 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
7.55 percent,
although
16.32 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $52,727, per capita income was $31,747, and
4.66 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Water is derived from Lake Bonnie Rose, Lake De Marie, and Nurses Creek, stored in any of the seven water tanks throughout the community, and piped to facilities and housing units. The wastewater treatment system discharges through a marine outfall line to Kuluk Bay. Roberts Landfill is a class 2, permitted landfill with balefill.
Electricity is provided by City of Adak.
There is one school located in the community,
attended by 17
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Adak Medical Clinic (907-592-8383).
Adak Medical Center is a qualified Emergency Care Center and Primary Health Care facility. The clinic is staffed by a physician's assistant and provides emergency care, family practice and referral services. Lab, pharmacy, and public health services are available. Adak is classified as an isolated town/sub-regional center, located in EMS Region 2H in the Aleutian/Pribilof Region. Emergency Services have coastal and airport access to Adak.
Auxiliary health care is provided by Adak Volunteer Fire Dept./EMS (907-592-4145).
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| Economy
and Transportation |
A land exchange between Aleut Corp., the U.S. Navy, and the Department of the Interior has transferred most of the naval facilities to the Aleut Corporation. A portion of the island remains within the National Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Adak currently provides a fueling port and crew transfer facility for foreign fishing fleets, and an airport, docks, housing facilities, restaurant, grocery, and ship supply store are available. Contractors are performing an environmental clean-up. Two residents hold commercial fishing permits, primarily for groundfish.
Adak Airport is a State of Alaska Owned & Maintained Certificated Airport. It has two asphalt paved runways; one measures 7,790' long by 200' wide, and the other runway measures 7,605' by 200' wide.. Alaska Airlines operates passenger and cargo jet service. There are three deep water docks and fueling facilities. The city is in the process of expanding the Sweeper Cove small boat harbor,to include new breakwaters, a 315' dock, and new moorage floats. Adak has approximately 16 miles of paved roads, as well as gravel and dirt roads. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
City -
City of Adak
P.O. Box 2011
Adak, AK 99546
Phone 907-592-4513
Fax 907-592-4262
E-mail adakcityclerk@yahoo.com
School District -
Aleutian Region School District
P.O. Box 92230
Anchorage, AK 99509
Phone 907-277-2648
Fax 907-277-2649
E-mail aleutreg@aleutregion.org
Web http://www.aleutregion.org
Regional
Organizations
Native Housing Authority - Aleutian Housing Authority
520 E. 32nd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone 907-563-2146
Fax 907-563-3105
E-mail dand@aleutian-housing.com
Web http://www.aleutian-housing.com/
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