| |
Hyder
(HIGH-dur)
For a Map of Hyder click here
| Current Population: |
72
(2008 Estimated Population (not Certified))
|
| Incorporation Type: |
Unincorporated |
| Borough Located In: |
Unorganized |
| Taxes: |
No taxing authority
|
|
| Location
and Climate |
|
Hyder is nestled at the head of Portland Canal, a 96 mile-long fjord which forms a portion of the U.S./Canadian border. Hyder is 75 air miles from Ketchikan. It is the only community in southern southeast Alaska accessible by road; the only road into Hyder runs through Stewart, British Columbia, just two miles across the Canadian border. The town lies at approximately 55.916940° North Latitude and -130.02472° West Longitude. (Sec. 01, T069S, R100E, Copper River Meridian.) Hyder is located in the Ketchikan Recording District. The area encompasses 14.8 sq. miles of land and 0.0 sq. miles of water. Hyder is in the maritime climate zone with warm winters, cool summers and heavy precipitation. Summer temperatures range from 41 to 57; winters range from 25 to 43. Temperature extremes have been measured from -18 to 89. Rainfall averages 78 inches annually, with annual mean snowfall of 162 inches. The community
lies at approximately 55.916940° North Latitude
and -130.024720° West Longitude.
(Sec. 01, T069S, R100E, Copper River Meridian.)
Hyder is located in the
Ketchikan Recording District.
Hyder is in the maritime climate zone with warm winters, cool summers and heavy precipitation. Summer temperatures range from 41 to 57; winters range from 25 to 43. Temperature extremes have been measured from -18 to 89. Rainfall averages 78 inches annually, with annual mean snowfall of 162 inches. |
Topographic
map of
Hyder
area
 |
| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| The Nisga'a tribe, who live throughout western British Columbia, called the head of Portland Canal "Skam-A-Kounst," meaning "safe place," probably referring to the site as a retreat from the harassment of the neighboring coastal Haidas. The Nisga'a used this area as a seasonal berry-picking and bird-hunting site. In 1896, Capt. D.D. Gaillard of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers explored Portland Canal. Gold and silver lodes were discovered in this area in the late 1898, mainly on the Canadian side in the upper Salmon River basin. Townships sprung up concurrently on the Alaskan and Canadian sides of the border. On the Alaskan side, the township of Portland City was founded. In 1914, local prospectors applied for a postal permit for the settlement. The request was denied on the basis that too many United States communities shared the name "Portland." The decision was made to name the community after Frederick Hyder, a respected Canadian mining engineer who predicted the area would have a prosperous future in mining. Due to its location along the Portland Canal, Hyder became the access and supply point to Canadian mining. Hyder's boom years occurred between 1920 and 1930, when gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and tungsten were extracted from the Riverside mine on the Alaskan side of the border. The mine operated from 1924 until 1950. In 1928, the Hyder business district was consumed by fire. During the Prohibition era, a small community called "Hyder, BC" was created just across the Canadian border to serve as a legal speakeasy to the Hyder mining community, even housing its own Canadian Customs office. Shortly after Prohibition was repealed, "Hyder, BC" was abandoned. By 1956, all major mining had closed except for the Granduc Copper Mine in Canada, which operated until 1984. Several mining startups near Stewart have come and gone in the past three decades, but no mining activity has occurred on the Alaskan side of the border since the closure of the Riversid mine. The only operating mine in the area is located at Eskay Creek, British Columbia, 50 miles north of Stewart. The Eskay Creek mine is owned by Canadian company Barrick Gold.
The population of the community consists of 4.1%
Alaska Native or part Native.
Hyder is largely dependent on tourism from highway visitors. Hyder continues to pay homage to its mining roots and is known as the "Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska." One tradition carried over from mining days involves nailing currency to the walls of the Glacier Inn Bar. In mining days, it is claimed that miners who went bankrupt could take down their money and buy one last meal before leaving town. Due to its isolation from other Alaskan communities and its close proximity to Stewart, British Columbia (population 500), Hyder has many cultural ties with Canada and also receives electric and telephone service from Canadian companies, thus it uses the (250) area code. Hyder is the only community in Alaska not using the (907) area code. Because of its proximity to the border and the lack of banks in Hyder or Stewart, Hyder businesses operate on either U.S. or Canadian currency.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 72, and vacant housing units numbered 25.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 21.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 24 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
46.67 percent,
although
68.83 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $11,719, per capita income was $11,491, and
54.08 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
|
| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Nearly all residences have individual wells and septic tanks and are fully plumbed. The remainder haul water and use outhouses. Electricity and telephone services are provided by Stewart, British Columbia, Canada. Hyder operates an unpermitted tidewater landfill, but no refuse collection is provided.
Electricity is provided by BC Hydro.
There is one school located in the community,
attended by 10
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Stewart Health Clinic, Stewart, BC, Canada.
Hyder is classified an isolated village, it is found in EMS Region 3A in the Southeast Region. Emergency Services have limited highway, marine, floatplane and helicopter access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and volunteers
Auxiliary health care is provided by SEARHC (907) 463-4000 - Public health nurse visits.
|
| Economy
and Transportation |
Hyder's economy is based primarily on tourism today; visitors cross the border from Canada. Four of the five largest employers are tourist-related, and visitor services are shared with Stewart, B.C. A bottled water business employs local residents. Four residents hold commercial fishing permits. Recreational fishing and hunting provide food for some families. Deer, salmon, shrimp and crab are the favorite resources.
At present, Hyder's economy is based primarily on tourism. Four of the five largest employers are tourist-related, and visitor services are shared with Stewart. Hyder Community Association is in the start-up phase of a bottled water business that employs local residents. In 2006, five residents held commercial fishing permits. Mining activity and exploration are increasing on the Canadian side of the border because of the current high price of minerals. Recreational fishing and hunting provide food for most families. Salmon, halibut, shrimp, and crab are the favorite resources. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
Chamber of Commerce -
Stewart and Hyder International Chamber of Commerce
222 5th Avenue
Stewart, BC V0T 1W0
Phone 250-636-9224
Fax 250-636-2199
E-mail info@stewart-hyder.com
Web http://www.stewart-hyder.com/
Community Non-Profit -
Hyder Community Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 149
Hyder, AK 99923-0149
Phone 250-636-9148
Fax 250-636-2518
E-mail info@stewart-hyder.com
Web http://www.stewart-hyder.com
Electric Utility -
BC Hydro
6911 Southpoint Drive
Burnaby, BC V3N 4X8
Phone 800 224-9376
Web http://www.bchydro.com
Regional
Organizations
Regional Development - Southeast Conference
P.O. Box 21989
Juneau, 99802
Phone 907-523-2327
Fax 907-463-5670
E-mail shellyw@seconference.org
Web http://www.seconference.org
|
 |
|
