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Fairbanks
(FAIR-banks)
For Photos of Fairbanks click here
| Current Population: |
30,367
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
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| Incorporation Type: |
Home Rule City |
| Borough Located In: |
Fairbanks North Star Borough |
| Taxes: |
Sales: None,
Property: 17.113 mills (City and Borough), Special: 8% Bed Tax, 5% Alcohol Tax, 8% Tobacco Tax (Borough); 8% Bed Tax, 5% Alcohol Tax, 8% Tobacco Tax (City)
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| National Flood Insurance Program Participant: |
Yes |
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| Location
and Climate |
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Fairbanks is located in the heart of Alaska's Interior, on the banks of the Chena River in the Tanana Valley. By air, Fairbanks is 45 minutes from Anchorage and 3 hours from Seattle. It lies 358 road miles north of Anchorage. The community
lies at approximately 64.837780° North Latitude
and -147.716390° West Longitude.
(Sec. 10, T001S, R001W, Fairbanks Meridian.)
Fairbanks is located in the
Fairbanks Recording District.
The area encompasses 31.9
sq. miles of land and 0.8 sq. miles
of water.
Interior Alaska experiences seasonal temperature extremes. Average January temperatures range from -19 to -2 °F; average July temperatures range from 53 to 72 °F. Annual precipitation is 11.5 inches, with 67.8 inches of snowfall. Temperatures have been recorded as low as -62 °F in mid-winter, and as high as 96 °F in summer. During the winter months, if the temperature drops below -20 °F, ice fog can occur. Fairbanks is known for its lingering summer days. When the solstice arrives, there are more than 22 hours of daylight. |
Topographic
map of
Fairbanks
area
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| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| Koyukon Athabascans have lived in this area for thousands of years. In 1901, Capt. E.T. Barnette established a trading post on the Chena River - "Barnette's Cache." A year later, gold was discovered 16 miles north of the post. The town grew as the Chena steamboat landing brought many prospectors during the Pedro Dome gold rush. Fairbanks was named in 1902 after Indiana Senator Charles Fairbanks, who became Vice President of the U.S. from 1905-1909. In 1903, Judge Wikersham moved the seat of the Third Judicial District from Eagle to Fairbanks. The population of the area continued to increase as Fairbanks became the hub of the Interior, with the addition of the court, government offices, a jail, a post office, and the Northern Commercial Company. Barnette was elected as the first mayor of the City of Fairbanks in 1903 and established telephone service, fire protection, sanitation ordinances, electricity, and steam heat. He also founded the Washington-Alaska Bank. By 1910, the official population had grown to 3,541, although more than 6,000 miners lived and worked their claims on creeks north of town. Ladd Field (now Fort Wainwright) was constructed in 1938. Construction of the Alcan Highway in the 1940s and the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline in the 1970s fueled growth and development.
The population of the community consists of 13.3%
Alaska Native or part Native.
The Fairbanks area is the second-largest population settlement in Alaska.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 12,357, and vacant housing units numbered 1,282.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 121.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 14,463 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
10.88 percent,
although
34.92 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $40,577, per capita income was $19,814, and
10.5 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Fifteen circulating pump stations distribute treated water throughout the greater Fairbanks area. City water, sewer, and electric systems are operated by private companies. The Chena power site has four steam turbines fueled by coal and one oil-fueled generator. Garbage collection services are provided by the city for a fee, and refuse is hauled to the Class 1 Borough landfill on South Cushman. Fort Wainwright operates its own landfill.
Electricity is provided by Golden Valley Electric Association.
There are 24 schools located in the community,
attended by 10,373
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (907-452-8181); Interior Community Health Center (907-455-4567); Fairbanks Regional PHN (907-452-1776); Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center (907-451-6682); Bassett Army Community Hospital/Ft. Wainwright (907-353-5563).
The hospitals are qualified acute care facilities and State-certified Medevac services. Specialized Care: FNA Regional Center for Alcohol & Other Addictions (907-456-6251). Long Term Care: Fairbanks Pioneers' Home; Denali Center. Fairbanks is classified as a small city. It is found in EMS Region 1C in the Interior Region. Emergency Services have highway, airport and floatplane access. Emergency service is provided by 911 telephone service, paid EMS service, volunteers, a health aide and the military
Auxiliary health care is provided by Fairbanks Fire Dept. (907-450-6500); Airport Fire Dept. (907-474-2500); University Fire Dept. 907-(474-7721); Chena Goldstream Fire & Rescue (907-479-5672); Steese Area Vol. Fire (907-457-1508/907-474-7721); Warbelow's Air Ambulance (907-474-4683); Ft. Wainwright Fire/Emergency (907-384-0774).
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| Economy
and Transportation |
As the regional service and supply center for Interior Alaska, Fairbanks offers a diverse economy, including city, borough, state, and federal government, transportation, communication, manufacturing, financial, and regional medical services. Tourism and mining also comprise a significant part of the economy. Including Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright personnel, over one-third of the employment is in government services. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is also a major employer. Approximately 325,000 tourists visit Fairbanks each summer. The Fort Knox hardrock gold mine produces 1,200 ounces daily with 360 permanent year-round employees. 117 city residents hold commercial fishing permits.
Fairbanks is at the confluence of the Richardson Highway, George Parks Highway, Steese Highway, and Elliott Highway, connecting the Interior to Anchorage, Canada, and the lower 48 states. The Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay begins about 75 miles north of town. Goods are transported to Fairbanks by truck, air, and the Alaska Railroad. Regularly-scheduled jet flights are available at the state-owned Fairbanks International Airport. An 11,800' asphalt runway, heliport, and seaplane landing strip are available. A public seaplane base is also located on the Chena River. In addition, there are several privately-owned airstrips and heliports in the vicinity. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
Chamber of Commerce -
Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce
800 Cushman Street, Suite 114
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone 907-452-1105
Fax 907-456-6968
E-mail info@fairbankschamber.org
Web http://www.fairbankschamber.org
City -
City of Fairbanks
800 Cushman Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone 907-459-6715
Fax 907-459-6710
E-mail mayor@ci.fairbanks.ak.us; jjhovenden@ci.fairbanks.ak.us
Web http://www.ci.fairbanks.ak.us
Electric Utility -
Golden Valley Electric Association
P.O. Box 71249
Fairbanks, AK 99707-1249
Phone 907-452-1151
Fax 907-451-5680
E-mail info@gvea.com
Web http://www.gvea.com/
Housing Authority -
Interior Regional Housing Authority
828 27th Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone 907-452-8315
Fax 907-456-8941
E-mail icatalone@irha.org
Web http://www.irha.org/
Media -
Clear Channel Communications
546 9th Ave.
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Media -
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
P.O. Box 70710
Fairbanks, AK 99707
Phone 907-456-6661
Fax 907-452-7917
E-mail newsroom@newsminer.com
Web http://www.newsminer.com
Other -
Alaska Legal Services Corp. (Fairbanks Office)
1648 Cushman Street, Suite 300
Fairbanks, AK 99701-6202
Phone 907-452-5181
Fax 907-456-6359
E-mail fairbanks@alsc-law.org
Other -
Gwich'in Steering Committee
122 First Avenue, Box 2
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone 907-458-8264
Fax 907-457-8265
E-mail gwichin1@alaska.net
Web http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin/
Other -
Fairbanks Community Food Bank
725 26th Ave.
Fairbanks, AK 99701-2377
Phone 907-457-4273
E-mail sam@fairbanksfoodbank.org
Web http://www.fairbanksfoodbank.org
Other -
The Alaska Sea Otter Commission
, AK
Regional Health Corporation -
Tanana Chiefs Conference, Department of Health Services
122 First Avenue, Suite 600
Fairbanks, AK 99701-4897
Phone 907-452-3141
Fax 907-459-3950
E-mail jisaac@tananachiefs.org
Web http://www.tananachiefs.org
Regional Native Corporation -
Doyon, Limited
1 Doyon Place, Suite 300
Fairbanks, AK 99701-2941
Phone 907-459-2000
Fax 907-459-2060
E-mail info@doyon.com
Web http://www.doyon.com
Regional Native Non-Profit -
Denakkanaaga, Inc.
299 First Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99701-4804
Phone 907-456-5827
Fax 907-452-6641
E-mail dnakanga@gci.net
Regional Native Non-Profit -
Fairbanks Native Association
605 Hughes Avenue, Suite 100
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone 907-452-1648
Fax 907-456-4148
E-mail info@fairbanksnative.org
Web http://www.fairbanksnative.org
School District -
Yukon/Koyukuk School District
4762 Old Airport Way
Fairbanks, AK 99709-4456
Phone 907-374-9400
Fax 907-374-9463
E-mail kboyd@yksd.com
Web http://www.yksd.com
Regional
Organizations
Borough - Fairbanks North Star Borough
P.O. Box 71267
Fairbanks, AK 99707
Phone Clerk 907-459-1401; Mayor 907-459-1304
Fax Clerk 907-459-1224
E-mail clerks@co.fairbanks.ak.us; mayor@co.fairbanks.ak.us
Web http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us
Regional Native Health Corporation - Tanana Chiefs Conference
P.O. Box 129
Tok, AK 99780
Phone 907-883-5181
Fax 907-883-1114
E-mail rose.isaac@tananachiefs.org
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