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Soldotna
(soul-DAHT-nuh)
| Current Population: |
4,061
(2008 DCCED Certified Population)
|
| Incorporation Type: |
1st Class City |
| Borough Located In: |
Kenai Peninsula Borough |
| Taxes: |
Sales: 3% (City); 3% (Borough),
Property: 9.1 mills (City and Borough), Special: None
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| National Flood Insurance Program Participant: |
Suspended |
| Coastal Management District: |
Kenai Peninsula Borough |
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| Location
and Climate |
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Soldotna is on the Kenai Peninsula, 150 highway miles south of Anchorage, at the junction of the Sterling and Kenai Spur Highways. It lies 10 miles inland from Cook Inlet and borders the Kenai River. The community
lies at approximately 60.487780° North Latitude
and -151.058330° West Longitude.
(Sec. 32, T005N, R010W, Seward Meridian.)
Soldotna is located in the
Kenai Recording District.
The area encompasses 6.9
sq. miles of land and 0.5 sq. miles
of water.
Winter temperatures range from 6 to 24 °F; summers range from 45 to 66 °F. Average annual precipitation is 17.4 inches. |
Topographic
map of
Soldotna
area
 |
| History, Culture
and Demographics |
| The peninsula has historically been the home of Kenaitze Indians and was developed by non-Natives for its rich resources, including fish, timber, and oil. Soldotna was named for a nearby stream. The name comes either from the Russian word for "soldier" or an Indian word meaning "stream fork." The first homesteaders were World War II veterans who were given a 90-day preference over non-veterans in selecting and filing for property in 1947. That same year, the Sterling Highway right-of-way was constructed from Cooper Landing to Kenai. Soldotna was the site of the bridge crossing the Kenai River. A post office opened in 1949, with stores and a community center shortly thereafter. Soldotna continued to develop because of its strategic location at the Sterling-Kenai Spur Highway junction. In 1957, oil was discovered in the Swanson River region, bringing new growth and development. Soldotna was incorporated as a city in 1960.
The population of the community consists of 6.9%
Alaska Native or part Native.
The Kenai River offers top trophy king salmon fishing during June and July. A 97 lb. 4 oz. world record king salmon was taken from these waters in 1985, and catching kings of over 60 pounds is not uncommon here. The Central Peninsula Sports Center provides an ice rink, racquetball courts, weight room, and meeting facilities.
During the 2000 U.S. Census,
total housing units numbered 1,670, and vacant housing units numbered 205.
Vacant housing units used
only seasonally numbered 59.
U.S. Census data for Year
2000 showed 1,687 residents
as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was
8.91 percent,
although
36.89 percent of
all adults were not in the work force. The median household
income was $48,420, per capita income was $21,740, and
6.59 percent of residents
were living below the poverty level.
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| Facilities,
Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| All homes are completely plumbed. Water is derived from four wells and is treated, stored, and piped throughout the community. A million-gallon steel tank and a second 500,000-gal. tank provide sufficient capacity. Piped sewage receives secondary treatment with an activated sludge process; effluent discharges into the Kenai River. Individual wells and septic tanks are used by a few households outside of the core area. Refuse is collected by a private company, and disposed of in the borough's class 1 regional landfill and baling facility at Mile 98.5 Sterling Highway in Soldotna. Recycling and hazardous waste disposal are available. Natural gas from Enstar is primarily used by residents for home heating. Homer Electric Association operates the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Project and is part owner of the Alaska Electric Generation & Transmission Cooperative, which operates a gas turbine plant in Soldotna. It also purchases electricity from Chugach Electric.
Electricity is provided by Alaska Electric G&T; Homer Electric Assoc.
There are 10 schools located in the community,
attended by 3,560
students.
Local hospitals or health clinics include Central Peninsula General Hospital (907-714-4404) www.cpgh.org; Central Peninsula Health Center (907-262-4120).
The hospital is a qualified Acute Care facility and provides Critical Care Air Ambulance Service. Long Term Care: Heritage Place. Specialized Care: Frontier Training Center (health care, counseling, lodging); Family Recovery Center. Soldotna is classified as a small city, it is found in EMS Region 2J in the Kenai Peninsula Region. Emergency Services have highway, airport and floatplane access. Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and paid EMS Service
Auxiliary health care is provided by Various physician clinics.
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| Economy
and Transportation |
The area economy is highly diverse. Kenai and Soldotna residents are employed in natural gas drilling and exploration and other oil industry services for Cook Inlet oil. Oil refining operations occur north of Kenai in Nikiski. Other important economic sectors include sport, subsistence, and commercial fishing, fish processing, government, timber and lumber processing, agriculture, transportation, construction, services, and retail trade. 144 area residents hold commercial fishing permits. It is the site of the Central Peninsula General Hospital, the Kenai Peninsula Community College, the State Troopers' Headquarters, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and the borough and school district offices.
The Soldotna Municipal Airport provides facilities for charter services and local air traffic. There are two paved runways, one is 5,000' long by 132' wide, the other is 1,500' long by 50' wide. The Kenai Municipal Airport, located 10 miles away, offers scheduled flights and float plane facilities. Seaplanes may also land at nearby Mackeys Lakes. There are four additional private landing strips in Soldotna and a heliport for medical emergencies at Central Peninsula General Hospital. The Sterling Highway provides access to Anchorage and the George Parks and Alcan highways. |
Organizations
with Local Offices
Chamber of Commerce -
Greater Soldotna Chamber of Commerce
44790 Sterling Hwy.
Soldotna, AK 99669
Phone 907-262-9814
Fax 907-262-3566
E-mail info@soldotnachamber.com
Web http://www.soldotnachamber.com/
City -
City of Soldotna
177 North Birch Street
Soldotna, AK 99669
Phone 907-262-9107
Fax 907-262-1245
E-mail tfahning@ci.soldotna.ak.us
Web http://www.ci.soldotna.ak.us
Other -
Kenai River Center
514 Funny River Rd.
Soldotna, AK 99669
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 - Southcentral Foundation
4501 Diplomacy
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone 907-729-4955
Fax 907-729-4972
E-mail katherineg@scf.cc
Web http://www.southcentralfoundation.com
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