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Seward
(SOO-word)
For Photos of Seward click here
| Current Population: |
2,619
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
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| Incorporation Type: |
Home Rule City |
| Borough Located In: |
Kenai Peninsula Borough |
| Taxes: |
Sales: 4% (City); 3% (Borough),
Property: 8.12 mills (City and Borough), Special: 4% Bed Tax
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| National Flood Insurance Program Participant: |
Yes |
| Coastal Management District: |
Kenai Peninsula Borough |
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| Location
and Climate |
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Seward is situated on Resurrection Bay on the east coast of the Kenai Peninsula, 125 highway miles south of Anchorage. It lies at the foot of Mount Marathon and is the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park. Bear Creek and Lowell Point are adjacent to Seward. The community
lies at approximately 60.104170° North Latitude
and -149.442220° West Longitude.
(Sec. 10, T001S, R001W, Seward Meridian.)
Seward is located in the
Seward Recording District.
The area encompasses 14.4
sq. miles of land and 7.1 sq. miles
of water.
Seward experiences a maritime climate. Winter temperatures average from 17 to 38 °F; summer temperatures average 49 to 63 °F. Annual precipitation includes 66 inches of rain and 80 inches of snowfall. |
Topographic
map of
Seward
area
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| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| Resurrection Bay was named in 1792 by Russian fur trader and explorer Alexander Baranof. While sailing from Kodiak to Yakutat, he found unexpected shelter from a storm in this bay. He named the Bay Resurrection because it was the Russian Sunday of the Resurrection. Seward was named for U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, 1861-1869, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. In the 1890s, Capt. Frank Lowell arrived with his family. In 1903, John and Frank Ballaine and a group of settlers arrived to begin construction of a railroad. Seward became an incorporated city in 1912. The Alaska Railroad was constructed between 1915 and 1923, and Seward developed as the ocean terminus and supply center. By 1960, Seward was the largest community on the Peninsula. Tsunamis generated after the 1964 earthquake destroyed the railroad terminal and killed several residents. As an ice-free harbor, Seward has become an important supply center for Interior Alaska.
The population of the community consists of 20.9%
Alaska Native or part Native.
Seward is primarily a non-Native community, although the Qutekcak Tribe is very active within the community. Seward's annual Fourth of July celebration and its grueling Mount Marathon race attracts participants and visitors worldwide. Other annual events include the Seward Silver Salmon Derby in August and the Polar Bear Jump-Off Festival in January.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 1,058, and vacant housing units numbered 141.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 63.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 1,011 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
17.18 percent,
although
55.48 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $44,306, per capita income was $20,360, and
10.6 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Water is supplied by nine wells and is treated and distributed throughout Seward. Sewage is collected via pipes to a secondary treatment lagoon. Almost all homes are fully plumbed. Refuse collection is provided by the city under contract; the borough provides solid waste disposal. The borough refuse transfer facility is located on Hemlock Street in Seward. Seward Electric System purchases power from Chugach Electric and owns six standby diesel generators.
Electricity is provided by Seward Electric System.
There are 4 schools located in the community,
attended by 594
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Providence Seward Medical Center (907-224-5205); North Star Health Clinic (907-224-3490).
The hospital is a qualified Acute Care facility. Long Term Care: Wesley Rehabilitation and Care. Specialized Care: Seward Life Action Council Counseling Facility. Seward is classified as a large town/Regional Center, it is found in EMS Region 2J in the Kenai Peninsula Region. Emergency Services have highway, limited marine and airport access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and volunteers
Auxiliary health care is provided by Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps (907-224-3987); Bear Creek Volunteer Fire & EMS, Inc. (907-224-3345/3338).
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| Economy
and Transportation |
As the southern terminus for the Alaska Railroad and road link to Anchorage and the Interior, Seward has long been a transportation center. The economy has diversified with tourism, commercial fishing and processing, ship services and repairs, oil and gas development, an Alaska Railroad Corp. export facility for Usibelli coal, Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC), a State Prison, and the University of Alaska's Institute of Marine Sciences. The Alaska SeaLife Center, the the Kenai Fjords National Park, and the Mt. Marathon Race and Fourth of July festivities attract visitors. Over 320,000 cruise ship passengers visit Seward annually. 58 residents hold commercial fishing permits.
Seward is connected to the Alaska Highway system by the Seward Highway. Bus and commercial trucking services to and from Anchorage are available daily. Air services and charters are available at the state-owned airport. Two paved runways are utilized, at 4,240' long by 100' wide and at 2,279' long by 75' wide. The port serves cruise ships and cargo barges and ocean freighters from Seattle and overseas. The small boat harbor has moorage for 650 boats and two boat launch ramps. The Alaska Railroad provides over 1.4 billion pounds of cargo transit each year, importing cargo for the Interior and exporting coal to the Pacific Rim. A new railroad depot was completed in the fall of 1997. Seasonal passenger transportation is available by rail. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
Chamber of Commerce -
Seward Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 749
Seward, AK 99664
Phone 907-224-8051
Fax 907-224-5353
E-mail visitseward@seward.net
Web http://www.seward.com
City -
City of Seward
P.O. Box 167
Seward, AK 99664
Phone 907-224-4046
Fax 907-224-4038
E-mail clerk@cityofseward.net
Web http://www.cityofseward.net/
Media -
Seward Phoenix Log
301 Calista Court, STE B
Anchorage, AK 99518
Phone 907-272-9830
Fax 907-272-9512
E-mail rhowell@alaskanewspapers.com
Web http://www.alaskanewspapers.com
Village Council -
Qutekcak Native Tribe
P.O. Box 1467
Seward, AK 99664
Phone 907-224-3118
Fax 907-224-5874
E-mail tribaladmin@qutekcak.net
Web http://www.qutekcak.net
Regional
Organizations
Borough - Kenai Peninsula Borough
144 North Binkley Street
Soldotna, AK 99669
Phone 907-262-4441
Fax 907-714-2377
E-mail assemblyclerk@borough.kenai.ak.us
Web http://www.borough.kenai.ak.us
Regional Native Health Corporation - Chugachmiut
1840 Bragaw Street, Suite 110
Anchorage, AK 99508-3463
Phone 907-562-4155
Fax 907-563-2891
E-mail info@chugachmiut.org
Web http://www.chugachmiut.org
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