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Barrow
(BARE-row); a.k.a. Ukpeagvik
For Photos of Barrow click here
For a Map of Barrow click here
| Current Population: |
4,054
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
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| Incorporation Type: |
1st Class City |
| Borough Located In: |
North Slope Borough |
| Taxes: |
Sales: None,
Property: 18.5 mills (Borough), Special: 5% Room (City); 3% Alcohol (City); $1 Tobacco (City); 12% Smokeless Tobacco (City)
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| Coastal Management District: |
North Slope Borough |
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| Location
and Climate |
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Barrow, the northernmost community inthe United States, is located on the Chukchi Sea coast, 10 miles south of Point Barrow, from which it takes its name. It lies 725 air miles from Anchorage. The community
lies at approximately 71.290560° North Latitude
and -156.788610° West Longitude.
(Sec. 06, T022N, R018W, Umiat Meridian.)
Barrow is located in the
Barrow Recording District.
The area encompasses 18.4
sq. miles of land and 2.9 sq. miles
of water.
The climate of Barrow is Arctic. Annual precipitation is light, averaging 5 inches, and annual snowfall is 20 inches. Temperatures range from -56 to 78 °F, with an average temperature of 40 °F during summer. The sun does not set between May 10th and August 2nd each summer and does not rise between Nov. 18th and January 24th each winter. The daily minimum temperature is below freezing 324 days of the year. Prevailing winds are easterly and average 12 mph. The Chukchi Sea is typically ice-free from mid-June through October. |
Topographic
map of
Barrow
area
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| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| Archaeological sites in the area indicate habitation from 500 to 900 A.D. Inupiats traditionally depend on subsistence marine mammal hunting, supplemented by inland hunting and fishing. Archaeological remains of sixteen dwelling mounds from the Birnirk culture exist today. Barrow was named for Sir John Barrow, 2nd Secretary of the British Admiralty. Barrow's Eskimo name is known as Ukpeagvik (place where owls are hunted.) In 1881, the U.S. Army established a meteorological and magnetic research station near Barrow. The Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station was constructed there in 1893. A Presbyterian church was established in 1899, and a post office was opened in 1901. Exploration of the Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 4 (now National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, NPR-A) began in 1946. The Naval Arctic Research Laboratory, 3 miles north of Barrow, soon followed. The city was incorporated in 1958. Formation of the North Slope Borough in 1972 and the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, as well as construction of the Prudhoe Bay oil fields and Trans-Alaska Pipeline, have each contributed to the development of Barrow. Today, tax revenues from the North Slope oil fields fund borough-wide services.
A federally-recognized tribe is located in the community -- the Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government.; Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope.
The population of the community consists of 64%
Alaska Native or part Native.
The majority of residents are Inupiat Eskimos. Traditional marine mammal hunts and other subsistence practices are an active part of the culture. Bowhead, gray, killer, and beluga whales migrate near Barrow each summer. The sale of alcohol is banned in the community, although importation or possession is allowed.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 1,620, and vacant housing units numbered 249.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 41.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 1,986 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
12.74 percent,
although
35.29 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $67,097, per capita income was $22,902, and
8.62 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Water is derived from a dam on Isatkoak Lagoon and is stored in a tank. Most residents have piped water. Funds have been requested to serve remaining houses and to construct a second water reservoir. The member-owned Barrow Utilities & Electric Cooperative operates the water and sewage treatment plants, generates and distributes electric power, and distributes piped natural gas for home heating. The North Slope Borough provides all other utilities. Refuse collection services are provided by the North Slope Borough. The Barrow Power Plant is fueled by natural gas.
Electricity is provided by Barrow Utilities & Electric Cooperative.
There are 4 schools located in the community,
attended by 1,037
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital (907-852-9248); North Slope Borough Health Clinic (907-852-0260).
North Slope Borough Health Clinicis Primary Health Care facility. The hospital is a qualified Acute Care facility and State-certified Medevac Service. The Clinic is a qualified Emergency Care Center. NSB Search & Rescue provides Critical Care Air Ambulance Service. Specialized Care: NSB Substance Abuse Treatment Center (852-0260); NSB Community Counseling Center. Barrow is classified as a large town/Regional Center, it is found in EMS Region 6A in the North Slope Region. Emergency Services have coastal, helicopter and floatplane access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service, volunteers and a health aide
Auxiliary health care is provided by Borough Volunteer Fire Dept./EMS/Search & Rescue/Medevac (852-0234/6111).
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| Economy
and Transportation |
Barrow is the economic center of the North Slope Borough, the city's primary employer, and numerous businesses provide support services to oil field operations. State and federal agencies also provide employment. The midnight sun has attracted tourism, and arts and crafts provide some cash income. Four residents hold commercial fishing permits. Many residents rely upon subsistence food sources: whale, seal, polar bear, walrus, duck, caribou, grayling, and whitefish are harvested from the coast or nearby rivers and lakes.
Regularly-scheduled jet services provide Barrow's only year-round access. The state-owned Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport serves as the regional transportation center for the borough. The airport has a 6,500' long by 150' wide asphalt runway. Marine and land transportation provide seasonal access. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
City -
City of Barrow
P.O. Box 629
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-5211
Fax 907-852-3529
E-mail jane.nelson@cityofbarrow.org
Web http://www.cityofbarrow.org/
Electric Utility -
Barrow Utilities & Electric Cooperative
P.O. Box 449
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-6166
Fax 907-852-6372
Housing Authority -
Tagiugmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority
P.O. Box 409
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-7160
Fax 907-852-2038
E-mail daryl.kooley@tnha.net
Web http://www.tnha.info
Media -
Arctic Sounder, Barrow
301 Calista Court Suite B
Anchorage, AK 99518
Phone 907-272-9830
Fax 907-272-9512
E-mail rhowell@alaskanewspapers.com
Web http://www.alaskanewspapers.com
Other -
Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission
P.O. Box 570
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-2392
Fax 907-852-2303
E-mail aewc@barrow.com, aewc1@barrow.com
Regional Health Corporation -
North Slope Health & Social Services
P.O. Box 69
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-0366
Fax 907-852-0389
E-mail ellen.sovalik@north-slope.org
Web http://www.north-slope.org/departments/health/
Regional Native Corporation -
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
P.O. Box 129
Barrow, AK 99723-0129
Phone 907-852-8633
Fax 907-852-5733
E-mail bquintavell@asrc.com
Web http://www.asrc.com
Regional Native Non-Profit -
Arctic Slope Native Association, Ltd.
P.O. Box 1232
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-2762
Fax 907-852-2763
E-mail ebenh@barrow.com
Village Corporation -
Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation
P.O. Box 890
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-4460
Fax 907-852-4459
E-mail lkanayurak@ukpik.com, polemaun@ukpik.com
Web http://www.ukpik.com
Village Council -
Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government
P.O. Box 1130
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-4411
Fax 907-852-8844
E-mail tolemaun@nvbarrow.net; rbrower@nvbarrow.net
Web http://www.nvbarrow.net
Village Council -
Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope
P.O. Box 934
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-4227
Fax 907-852-4246
E-mail aib@co.north-slope.ak.us
Regional
Organizations
Borough - North Slope Borough
P.O. Box 69
Barrow, AK 99723
Phone 907-852-2611
Fax 907-852-0337
E-mail sheila.burke@north-slope.org; jeannie.brower@north-slope.org
Web http://www.north-slope.org/
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