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Bethel
(BETH-ul); a.k.a. Orutsararmuit
For Photos of Bethel click here
For a Map of Bethel click here
| Current Population: |
5,665
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
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| Incorporation Type: |
2nd Class City |
| Borough Located In: |
Unorganized |
| Taxes: |
Sales: None,
Property: None, Special: None
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| National Flood Insurance Program Participant: |
Yes |
| Coastal Management District: |
Bethel |
|
| Location
and Climate |
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Bethel is located at the mouth of the Kuskokwim River, 40 miles inland from the Bering Sea. It lies in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, 400 air miles west of Anchorage. The community
lies at approximately 60.792220° North Latitude
and -161.755830° West Longitude.
(Sec. 09, T008N, R071W, Seward Meridian.)
Bethel is located in the
Bethel Recording District.
The area encompasses 43.8
sq. miles of land and 5.1 sq. miles
of water.
Precipitation averages 16 inches a year, and snowfall averages 50 inches per year. Summer temperatures range from 42 to 62 °F. Winter temperatures range from -2 to 19 °F. |
Topographic
map of
Bethel
area
 |
| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| Bethel was first established by Yup'ik Eskimos who called the village "Mumtrekhlogamute," meaning "Smokehouse People," named for the nearby fish smokehouse. There were 41 people in Bethel during the 1880 U.S. Census. At that time, it was an Alaska Commercial Company Trading Post. The Moravian Church established a mission in the area in 1884. The community was moved to its present location due to erosion at the prior site. A post office was opened in 1905. Before long, Bethel was serving as a trading, transportation, and distribution center for the region, which attracted Natives from surrounding villages. The city was incorporated in 1957. Over time, federal and state agencies established regional offices in Bethel.
A federally-recognized tribe is located in the community -- the Orutsararmuit Native Village (aka Bethel).
The population of the community consists of 68%
Alaska Native or part Native.
The region is fortunate in that rapid development did not occur before the importance of protecting Native culture was realized. The traditional Yup'ik Eskimo practices and language remain predominant in the area. Subsistence activities and commercial fishing are major contributors to residents' livelihoods.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 1,990, and vacant housing units numbered 249.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 61.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 2,459 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
8.95 percent,
although
33.49 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $57,321, per capita income was $20,267, and
11.18 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Some residents are connected to the central piped water and sewer system. Approximately 75% of households have water delivered and sewage hauled by truck. Several facilities in Bethel have individual wells and septic tanks.
Electricity is provided by Bethel Utilities Corporation.
There are 6 schools located in the community,
attended by 1,317
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital (907-543-6300); Bethel Family Clinic (907-543-3773).
The hospital is a qualified Acute Care facility, and the clinic is a qualified Emergency Care Center and a Primary Health Care facility. Specialized Care: YKHC Phillips Alcohol Program (City-operated health care, lodging, rehabilitation); YKHC Outpatient Services (Calista-operated health care, information); Bethel Community Services' Malon. Bethel is classified as a large town/Regional Center, it is found in EMS Region 7A in the Yukon/Kuskokwim Region. Emergency Services have limited highway, river, floatplane and airport access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service, volunteers and a health aide
Auxiliary health care is provided by Bethel Fire Dept. & Ambulance Service (543-2131); Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corp. Ambulance & Aeromed Int'l. Medevac (677-7501/888-283-7220).
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| Economy
and Transportation |
Bethel serves as the regional center for 56 villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Food, fuel, transportation, medical care, and other services for the region are provided by Bethel. 50% of the jobs in Bethel are in government positions. Commercial fishing is an important source of income; 186 residents hold commercial fishing permits, primarily for salmon and herring roe net fisheries. Subsistence activities contribute substantially to villager's diets, particularly salmon, freshwater fish, game birds, and berries. Poor fish returns since 1997 have significantly affected the community.
The state-owned Bethel Airport is the regional transportation center and is served by a number of passenger airlines, cargo carriers, and numerous air taxi services. Bethel is the third busiest state-owned airport in Alaska. It offers a 6,398' long by 150' wide asphalt runway and 1,850' long by 75' wide gravel crosswind runway. Two float plane bases (Hangar Lake and H Marker Lake) are nearby. The Port of Bethel includes a small boat harbor, dry land storage, and up to 5,000 feet of transient moorage on the seawall. River travel is the primary means of local transportation in the summer, and it becomes a 150-mile ice road to surrounding villages in the winter. A barge service based in Bethel provides goods to the Kuskokwim villages. There are 16 miles of graded dirt roads maintained by the city and 22 miles of paved roads maintained by the state DOT. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
Chamber of Commerce -
Bethel Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 329
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-2911
Fax 907-543-2255
E-mail bethelchamber1@alaska.com
Web http://www.bethelakchamber.org/
City -
City of Bethel
P.O. Box 1388
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-2047
Fax 907-543-4171
E-mail lfoley@cityofbethel.net, lstrickler@cityofbethel.net
Web http://www.cityofbethel.org
Economic Development -
Lower Kuskokwim Resource Conser. & Dev.
P.O. Box 1869
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-7157
Electric Utility -
Bethel Utilities Corporation
3380 C Street, Suite 210
Anchorage, AK 99503-3952
Phone 907-562-2500
Fax 907-562-2502
Housing Authority -
AVCP Regional Housing Authority
P.O. Box 767
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-3121
Fax 907-543-3933
E-mail ron@avcphousing.org
Web http://www.avcphousing.org
Media -
The Delta Discovery
P.O. Box 1028
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-4113
Fax 907-543-4116
E-mail realnews@deltadiscovery.com
Web http://www.deltadiscovery.com
Media -
Tundra Drums
PO Box 868
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-3500
Fax 907-543-3312
E-mail drums@unicorn-alaska.com
Web http://www.alaskanewspapers.com
Other -
Alaska Legal Services Corp. (Bethel Office)
P.O. Box 248
Bethel, AK 99559-0248
Phone 907-543-2237
Fax 907-543-5537
E-mail bethel@alsc-law.org
Other -
Cenaliulriit Coastal Resource Service Area
P.O. Box 219
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 877-827-8747
E-mail cenaliulriit@starband.net
Regional Development -
Lower Kuskokwim Economic Development Council
P.O. Box 2021
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-5967
Fax 907-543-3130
E-mail carl_berger@ddc-alaska.org
Web http://www.lkedc.org/
Regional Health Corporation -
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.
P.O. Box 528
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-6020
Fax 907-543-6006
E-mail gene_peltola@ykhc.org
Web http://www.ykhc.org/
Regional Native Corporation -
Calista Corporation
301 Calista Court, Suite A
Anchorage, AK 99518-3028
Phone 907-279-5516
Fax 907-272-5060
E-mail calista@calistacorp.com
Web http://www.calistacorp.com
Regional Native Non-Profit -
Association of Village Council Presidents, Inc.
101 A Main Street, Pouch 219
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-7300
Fax 907-543-3596
E-mail Myron_Naneng@avcp.org
Web http://www.avcp.org
School District -
Lower Kuskokwim School District
P.O. Box 305
Bethel, AK 99559-0305
Phone 907-543-4810
Fax 907-543-4904
E-mail gary_baldwin@lksd.org
Web http://www.lksd.org
Village Corporation -
Bethel Native Corporation
P.O. Box 719
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-2124
Fax 907-543-2897
Village Council -
Orutsararmuit Native Council
P.O. Box 927
Bethel, AK 99559-0927
Phone 907-543-2608
Fax 907-543-2639
E-mail folrun@nativecouncil.org, msamuelson@nativecouncil.org
Web http://www.nativecouncil.org
Regional
Organizations
Regional Native Corporation - Calista Corporation
301 Calista Court, Suite A
Anchorage, AK 99518-3028
Phone 907-279-5516
Fax 907-272-5060
E-mail calista@calistacorp.com
Web http://www.calistacorp.com
Regional Native Health Corporation - Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.
P.O. Box 528
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-6020
Fax 907-543-6006
E-mail gene_peltola@ykhc.org
Web http://www.ykhc.org/
Native Housing Authority - Orutsararmuit Native Council
P.O. Box 927
Bethel, AK 99559-0927
Phone 907-543-2608
Fax 907-543-2639
E-mail folrun@nativecouncil.org, msamuelson@nativecouncil.org
Web http://www.nativecouncil.org
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