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Nome
For Photos of Nome click here
| Current Population: |
3,570
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
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| Incorporation Type: |
1st Class City |
| Borough Located In: |
Unorganized |
| Taxes: |
Sales: 5%,
Property: 10.0 mills, Special: 6% Bed Tax
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| National Flood Insurance Program Participant: |
Yes |
| Coastal Management District: |
Nome |
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| Location
and Climate |
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Nome was built along the Bering Sea on the south coast of the Seward Peninsula, facing Norton Sound. It lies 539 air miles northwest of Anchorage, a 75-minute flight. It lies 102 miles south of the Arctic Circle and 161 miles east of Russia. The community
lies at approximately 64.501110° North Latitude
and -165.406390° West Longitude.
(Sec. 26, T011S, R034W, Kateel River Meridian.)
Nome is located in the
Cape Nome Recording District.
The area encompasses 12.5
sq. miles of land and 9.1 sq. miles
of water.
January temperatures range from -3 to 11 °F; July temperatures are typically 44 to 65 °F. Average annual precipitation is 18 inches, including 56 inches of snowfall. |
Topographic
map of
Nome
area
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| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| Malemiut, Kauweramiut, and Unalikmiut Eskimos have occupied the Seward Peninsula historically, with a well-developed culture adapted to the environment. Around 1870 to 1880, the caribou declined on the peninsula and the Eskimos changed their diets. Gold discoveries in the Nome area had been reported as far back as 1865 by Western Union surveyors seeking a route across Alaska and the Bering Sea. But it was a $1500-to-the-pan gold strike on tiny Anvil Creek in 1898 by three Scandinavians, Jafet Lindeberg, Erik Lindblom, and John Brynteson, that brought thousands of miners to the "Eldorado." Almost overnight an isolated stretch of tundra fronting the beach was transformed into a tent-and-log cabin city of 20,000 prospectors, gamblers, claim jumpers, saloon keepers, and prostitutes. The gold-bearing creeks had been almost completely staked, when some entrepreneur discovered the "golden sands of Nome." With nothing more than shovels, buckets, rockers and wheel barrows, thousands of idle miners descended upon the beaches. Two months later the golden sands had yielded one million dollars in gold (at $16 an ounce). A narrow-gauge railroad and telephone line from Nome to Anvil Creek was built in 1900. The City of Nome was formed in 1901. By 1902 the more easily reached claims were exhausted and large mining companies with better equipment took over the mining operations. Since the first strike on tiny Anvil Creek, Nome's gold fields have yielded $136 million. The gradual depletion of gold, a major influenza epidemic in 1918, the Great Depression, and World War II each influenced Nome's population. A disastrous fire in 1934 destroyed most of the city.
A federally-recognized tribe is located in the community -- the Nome Eskimo Community.
The population of the community consists of 58.7%
Alaska Native or part Native.
The population of Nome is a mixture of Inupiat Eskimos and non-Natives. Although some employment opportunities are available, subsistence activities are prevalent in the community. Former villagers from King Island also live in Nome. Nome is the finish line for the 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race from Anchorage, held each March.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 1,356, and vacant housing units numbered 172.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 39.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 1,544 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
10.96 percent,
although
39.38 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $59,402, per capita income was $23,402, and
6.25 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| A well at Moonlight Springs supplies water to the community, which is treated at the Snake River Power Plant and stored in a 50,000-gal. tank. A million-gallon back-up tank is also available. Water is heated and pumped to residences via a wooden utilidor; trucks also deliver water. Sewage is piped from most homes. Over 95% of residences currently have complete plumbing. Some homes still haul their own honeybuckets (service is not provided) and have water delivered to home tanks. Refuse collection services are provided by a contractor that haul to a landfill on Beam Road.
Electricity is provided by Nome Joint Utility Systems.
There are 5 schools located in the community,
attended by 683
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Norton Sound Regional Hospital (907-443-3311); Nome Health Center (907-443-3221).
The hospital is a qualified Acute Care facility and Medevac Service. Long Term Care: Quyaana Care Center. Specialized Care: Norton Sound Community Mental Health Center; Turning Point - Saquigvik (transitional living 443-5577); XYZ Senior Center. Nome is classified as an a large town/Regional Center, it is found in EMS Region 5A in the Norton Sound Region. Emergency Services have limited highway, coastal and airport access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and volunteers
Auxiliary health care is provided by Nome Volunteer Ambulance Dept (443-7824/5262); Norton Sound Health Corp. Medevac (443-3311).
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| Economy
and Transportation |
Nome is the supply, service, and transportation center of the Bering Strait region. Government services provide the majority of employment. 39 residents hold commercial fishing permits. Retail services, transportation, mining, medical, and other businesses provide year-round income. Several small gold mines continue to provide some employment, and NovaGold Resource Inc.'s, a large gold mining operation, is developing a mine 8 miles north of Nome. Subsistence activities contribute to the local diet.
Nome is a regional center of transportation for surrounding villages. There are two state-owned airports. The Nome Airport has two paved runways, one is 6,001' long and 150' wide, and the other is 5,576' by 150' wide. An $8.5 million airport improvement project is nearing completion. Scheduled jet flights are available, as well as charter and helicopter services. The city field offers a 1,950' long by 110' wide gravel airstrip. The entire seaward side of the city is protected by a 3,350-foot-long sea wall of granite boulders. These huge rocks were trucked in from Cape Nome, 13 miles distant, at a cost of more than one million dollars. A port and berthing facilities accommodate vessels up to 18 feet of draft. Lighterage services distribute cargo to area communities. Local development groups and the city fund harbor dredging, two seasonal floating docks, and a boat launch. Local roads lead to Teller, Council, and the Kougarok River. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
Chamber of Commerce -
Nome Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 250
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-3879
Fax 907-443-3892
E-mail nomechamber@gci.net
Web http://www.nomechamber.org
City -
City of Nome
P.O. Box 281
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-6663
Fax 907-443-5349
E-mail admin@ci.nome.ak.us; clerk@ci.nome.ak.us
Web http://www.nomealaska.org
Economic Development -
Bering Strait Resource Conser. & Dev.
P.O. Box 1009
Nome, AK 99762-1009
Phone 907-443-6015
Economic Development -
Nome Convention & Visitors Bureau
P.O. Box 240
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-5535
Fax 907-443-5832
E-mail tourinfo@ci.nome.ak.us
Web http://www.nomealaska.org
Electric Utility -
Nome Joint Utility System
P.O. Box 70
Nome, AK 99762-0070
Phone 907-443-6304
Fax 907-443-6336
E-mail njus@njus.org
Web http://www.njus.org/
Housing Authority -
Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority
P.O. Box 995
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-5256
Fax 907-443-8652
E-mail bmocan@bsrha.org
Media -
Nome Nugget
P.O. Box 610
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-5235
Fax 907-443-5112
E-mail nancym@nome.net
Other -
Eskimo Walrus Commission
P.O. Box 948
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-4380
Fax 907-443-4461
E-mail ewc.pd@kawerak.org
Other -
Alaska Legal Services Corp. (Nome Office)
P.O. Box 1429
Nome, AK 99762-1429
Phone 907-443-2230
Fax 907-443-2239
E-mail nome@alsc-law.org
Regional Development -
Bering Strait Development Council
P.O. Box 948
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-4248
Fax 907-443-4449
E-mail cpd.pd@kawerak.org
Web http://www.kawerak.org/servicedivisions/csd/cpd/index.html
Regional Health Corporation -
Norton Sound Health Corporation
P.O. Box 966
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-3311
Fax 907-443-2085
E-mail nshcorp@gmail.com
Web http:/www.nortonsoundhealth.org/
Regional Native Corporation -
Bering Straits Native Corporation
P.O. Box 1008
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-5252
Fax 907-443-2985
E-mail info@beringstraits.com
Web http://www.beringstraits.com
Regional Native Non-Profit -
Kawerak, Incorporated
P.O. Box 948
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-5231
Fax 907-443-4452
E-mail exec.sec@kawerak.org
Web http://www.kawerak.org
Regional Native Non-Profit -
Bering Straits Foundation
P.O. Box 1008
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-4305
Fax 907-443-2985
E-mail foundation@beringstraits.com
Web http://www.beringstraits.com
School District -
Nome Public Schools
P.O. Box 131
Nome, AK 99762-0131
Phone 907-443-2231
Fax 907-443-5144
E-mail rluthi@nomeschools.com
Web http://www.nomeschools.com
Village Corporation -
Sitnasuak Native Corporation
400 Bering St
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-2632
Fax 907-443-3063
E-mail mail@snc.org
Village Council -
Nome Eskimo Community
P.O. Box 1090
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-2246
Fax 907-443-3539
E-mail nomeeskimo@gci.net
Web http://www.necalaska.org/
Regional
Organizations
Regional Native Non-Profit - Kawerak, Incorporated
P.O. Box 948
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-5231
Fax 907-443-4452
E-mail exec.sec@kawerak.org
Web http://www.kawerak.org
Native Housing Authority - Nome Eskimo Community
P.O. Box 1090
Nome, AK 99762
Phone 907-443-2246
Fax 907-443-3539
E-mail nomeeskimo@gci.net
Web http://www.necalaska.org/
CDQ Group - Norton Sound Econ. Dev. Corp.
420 L St., Suite 310
Anchorage, AK 99501-1971
Phone 907-274-2248
Fax 907-274-2249
E-mail eugene@nsedc.com
Web http://www.nsedc.com
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