Kodiak, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island is a large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, separated from the Alaska mainland by the Shelikof Strait. The largest island in the Kodiak Archipelago, Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States and the 80th largest island in the world, with an...

, Kodiak Island Borough
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
-National protected areas:* Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge ** Barren Islands** Semidi Wilderness*** Semidi Islands** Trinity Islands*** Sitkinak Island*** Tugidak Island...

, in the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline. The population was 6,357 in July 2009.

Originally inhabited by Alutiiq
Alutiiq
The Alutiiq , also called Pacific Yupik or Sugpiaq, are a southern coastal people of the Native peoples of Alaska. Their language is called Sugstun, and it is one of Eskimo languages, belonging to the Yup’ik branch of these languages. They are not to be confused with the Aleuts, who live further...

 natives for over 7000 years, the city was settled in the 18th century by Russian immigrants and became the capital of Russian Alaska
Russian Alaska
Russian America was the name of Russian colonial possessions in the Americas from 1733 to 1867 that today is the U.S. state of Alaska and settlements farther south in California and Hawaii...

. Harvesting of the area's sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...

 pelts led to the near extinction of the animal in the following century and led to wars with and enslavement of the natives for over 150 years. As part of the Alaska Purchase
Alaska purchase
The Alaska Purchase was the acquisition of the Alaska territory by the United States from Russia in 1867 by a treaty ratified by the Senate. The purchase, made at the initiative of United States Secretary of State William H. Seward, gained of new United States territory...

 by the United States in 1867, Kodiak became a commercial fishing center which continues to this day. A lesser economic influence includes tourism, mainly by those seeking outdoor adventure trips. Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...

, halibut
Halibut
Halibut is a flatfish, genus Hippoglossus, from the family of the right-eye flounders . Other flatfish are also called halibut. The name is derived from haly and butt , for its popularity on Catholic holy days...

, the unique Kodiak Bear
Kodiak Bear
The Kodiak bear , also known as the Kodiak brown bear or the Alaskan grizzly bear or American brown bear, occupies the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in South-Western Alaska. Its name in the Alutiiq language is Taquka-aq. It is the largest subspecies of brown bear.- Taxonomy :Taxonomist C.H...

, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...

, Sitka Deer
Sitka Deer
The Sitka deer or Sitka black-tailed deer , is a subspecies of mule deer , and similar to another subspecies the black-tailed deer . Their name originates from Sitka, Alaska. Weighing in on average between , Sitka deer are characteristically smaller than other types of black-tailed deer...

 (black tail), and mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...

s invite hunting tourists as well as fishermen to the Kodiak Archipelago. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of Alaska. The Department of Fish and Game manages Alaska's fish, game, and aquatic plant resources.-History:...

 maintains an office in the city and a website to help hunters and fishermen obtain the proper permits and learn about the laws specific to the Kodiak area. The city has four public elementary schools, a middle and high school, as well as a branch of the University of Alaska. An antenna farm
Antenna farm
Antenna farm or satellite dish farm or just dish farm are terms used to describe an area dedicated to television or radio telecommunications transmitting or receiving antenna equipment, such as C, Ku or Ka band satellite dish antennas, UHF/VHF/AM/FM transmitter towers or mobile cell towers.In...

 at the summit of Pillar Mountain above the city historically provided communication with the outside world before fiber optic cable was run. Transportation to and from the island is provided by ferry service on the Alaska Marine Highway
Alaska Marine Highway
The Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System is a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska....

 as well as local commercial airlines.

History

The Kodiak Archipelago
Kodiak Archipelago
The Kodiak Archipelago is an archipelago, or group of islands, south of main land mass of the state of Alaska , about by air south of Anchorage in the Gulf of Alaska. The largest island in the archipelago is Kodiak Island, the second largest island in the United States...

 has been home to native cultures for over 7000 years. In their language, "Kadiak" means island. Their descendants still occupy the island and are considered Alutiiq
Alutiiq
The Alutiiq , also called Pacific Yupik or Sugpiaq, are a southern coastal people of the Native peoples of Alaska. Their language is called Sugstun, and it is one of Eskimo languages, belonging to the Yup’ik branch of these languages. They are not to be confused with the Aleuts, who live further...

, a term used to describe both their language and culture. In 1763, the Russian explorer Stephan Glotov discovered the island, followed by the English Captain James Cook fifteen years later, who first penned "Kodiak" in his journals in 1778.

In 1791, the Russian fur trapper Alexander Baranov had the post at Three Saints Bay
Three Saints Bay, Alaska
Three Saints Bay is a -long inlet on the southeast side of Kodiak Island in southern Alaska, North of Sitkalidak Strait. It is southwest of Kodiak....

, which was founded in 1784, moved to a new site at Saint Paul Harbor, today the location of the city of Kodiak. Baranov considered Three Saints Bay a poor location because it was too indefensible. The relocated settlement was named Pavlovskaia. A warehouse was built in what became one of the key posts of the Shelikhov-Golikov Company
Grigory Shelikhov
Grigory Ivanovich Shelekhov Grigory Ivanovich Shelekhov Grigory Ivanovich Shelekhov (Григорий Иванович Шелехов in Russian; (1747–July 20, 1795 (July 31, 1795 N.S.)) was a Russian seafarer and merchant born in Rylsk....

, a precursor of the Russian-American Company
Russian-American Company
The Russian-American Company was a state-sponsored chartered company formed largely on the basis of the so-called Shelekhov-Golikov Company of Grigory Shelekhov and Ivan Larionovich Golikov The Russian-American Company (officially: Under His Imperial Majesty's Highest Protection (patronage)...

 and a center for harvesting the area's vast population of sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...

s for their prized pelts. The warehouse still stands as the Baranov Museum. Because the First Native cultures revered this animal and would never harm it, wars with and enslavement of the Aleuts occurred during this era. Eastern Orthodox missionaries settled on the island by the end of the 18th century, continuing European settlement of the island, which eventually became the capital of Russian Alaska. The Russian-American Company
Russian-American Company
The Russian-American Company was a state-sponsored chartered company formed largely on the basis of the so-called Shelekhov-Golikov Company of Grigory Shelekhov and Ivan Larionovich Golikov The Russian-American Company (officially: Under His Imperial Majesty's Highest Protection (patronage)...

 was established as a partnership between the two countries in the following century to continue the sea otter harvest. By the mid-19th century, the sea otter was almost extinct and 85% of the First Native population had disappeared from violence and exposure to European diseases.
When Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867, Kodiak became a center for commercial fishing, and canneries dotted the island in the early 20th century until global farm-raised salmon eliminated these businesses. New processing centers emerged and the industry continues to evolve, even today. During the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, animals such as the mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...

, Sitka Deer
Sitka Deer
The Sitka deer or Sitka black-tailed deer , is a subspecies of mule deer , and similar to another subspecies the black-tailed deer . Their name originates from Sitka, Alaska. Weighing in on average between , Sitka deer are characteristically smaller than other types of black-tailed deer...

(black tail), rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s, muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...

s, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...

s, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...

s, and others were introduced to the island and the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge
The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge in the Kodiak Archipelago in southwestern Alaska, United States....

 was created.
As Kodiak was incorporated in 1941, the U.S. feared attack from Japanese during World War II, and turned the town into a fortress. Roads, the airport, Fort Abercrombie
Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site (Kodiak Island, Alaska)
Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site, Kodiak Island, Alaska, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.-External links:*...

, and gun fortifications improved the island's infrastructure. When Alaska became a state in 1959, government assistance in housing, transportation, and education added additional benefits. A tectonic tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...

 struck the city during the 1964 Alaska earthquake with 30 feet (9.1 m) waves that killed 15 people and caused $11 million in damages. It also wiped out the neighboring Native villages of Old Harbor and Kaguyak. The Standard Oil Company, the Alaskan King Crab Company, and much of the fishing fleet were also destroyed.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Because Kodiak is an important environmental asset which affects the fishing industry, particularly salmon fishing, and because the island is coveted by hunters worldwide for its unique Kodiak bear and other game animals, there are strict laws governing fishing and hunting activities as well as hiking near spawning streams. Both the Department and the city maintain websites and publish helpful brochures to help communicate these strictly enforced laws. All of the city's hotels and businesses have these materials in prominent areas for guests and licenses can be purchases in the city's main sporting goods store and online.

Climate

The community of Kodiak lies within the subpolar oceanic climate zone (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...

 Cfc), marked by relatively long and cold winters and mild summers. Precipitation is heavy year-round, though markedly less in the summer months.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,324 people, 1,996 households, and 1,361 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,832.7 people per square mile (706.8/km²). There were 2,255 housing units at an average density of 652.5 per square mile (251.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.40% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.69% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African Americans
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 29.1% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 31.73% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.93% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 4.36% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 5.42% from two or more races. 8.54% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

Transportation

Kodiak Airport
Kodiak Airport
-Top Destinations:-Charter/Tours:Charters are generally available to the Kodiak archipelago and Katmai coast.* Andrews Airways* Island Air Service* Servant Air- External links :* * * * * **...

 attracts both local and regional airlines, air taxis, and charter floatplanes and helicopters which provide transportation to residents and tourists on and off the island. The Alaska Marine Highway provides further transportation via two ferries: the M/V Tustumena
M/V Tustumena
M/V Tustumena is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System.Tustumena was constructed in 1963 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and refurbished in 1969 in San Francisco...

 and M/V Kennicott
M/V Kennicott
M/V Kennicott is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System.Constructed in 1998 by the Halter Marine Group in Gulfport, Mississippi, the M/V Kennicott has been one of the most vital vessels to the Alaska ferry system since its inception...

. These ships can carry a capacity of 211 and 748 passengers, respectively, and include routes between Kodiak, Homer and Seward, Alaska. Floatplane and bushplane companies regularly take tourists to remote areas and wilderness lodges both on the various islands of the Kodiak Archipelago and the Katmai coast for bear viewing, hunting and hikes. The city business community also has a fleet of privately owned taxis as well as kayaks, mountain bikes and ATV's for rent.

Community events

The City of Kodiak is home to a number of annual events that draw locals and people from off-island. The most well-known of these is Kodiak Crab Festival. Organized by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce the event takes place over Memorial Day weekend. It includes a county fair-style main event, with carnival rides, food and game booths, and group activities. In addition, a number of events are organized over the three-day weekend that include a kayak race, a marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...

, an ultra-marathon, a 9.2 miles (14.8 km) mountain run called the Pillar Mountain Run and others.

Education

The city has four public elementary schools, one middle school and one high school as well as a branch of the University of Alaska. Within the public school district, there are eight rural schools. Kodiak Bears sports have a long tradition dating back into the 60's when Joe Floyd was successful in coordinating high school athletics as well as intramural sports. He was a coach for several sports as well as an athletic director for several years before retiring and being replaced by James Couch. There have been a total of eight ASAA affiliated State Championships in the variety of 2 Boys Track, 1 Girls X-Country, 1 Girls Basketball, 1 Boys Basketball, 1 Boys Baseball, and most recently, a string of three consecutive titles in Boys Cross Country (2006–08). The boys cross country team was led by 3-time state individual champion Trevor Dunbar, who now runs for the University of Portland. Kristy Klinnert was the Alaska State Cross-Country Running Champion from 1983-1987. She set and still holds the State record in the 3200. For two years in a row, she won the State Championship in the mile and 3200. In 1986, Kristi was named the Alaska Sports Person of the Year.Kodiak is also home to Saint Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary
Saint Herman's Orthodox Theological Seminary
Saint Herman’s Orthodox Theological Seminary is an Orthodox Christian seminary located in Kodiak, Alaska, with a campus in Anchorage. Established as a pastoral school in 1972, the seminary now provides a number of educational programs to prepare students for work in the Orthodox Church, as readers,...

, a theological school founded in 1972 under the auspices of the Orthodox Church in America
Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...

. Students from villages all over southern and southwestern Alaska study at St. Herman's in order to become readers or clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....

 in the Orthodox Church.

Media

  • KUBD-LP
    KUBD-LP
    KUBD-LP is a low power television station in Kodiak, Alaska, affiliated with the CBS and ION television networks. KUBD-LP is owned by Ketchikan Television LLC....

     (TV Channel 11), the local CBS
    CBS
    CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...

     and ION affiliate
  • KMXT-LP (TV Channel 9), AlaskaOne
    AlaskaOne
    AlaskaOne is a a Public Broadcasting Service member network of public television stations, serving communities in Alaska outside of Anchorage, which has its own PBS channel . It is operated by the University of Alaska....

  • KMXT (100.1 FM) the community public radio station
  • KRXX
    KRXX
    KRXX is a commercial radio station in Kodiak, Alaska, operating as the Jack FM affiliate for South Central Alaska.-External links:* — official website...

     (101.1 FM) commercial radio station
  • KVOK
    KVOK
    KVOK was the first FM radio station in Hawai‘i. The 10-watt station was operated by Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus, beginning October 6, 1953. Governor Samuel Wilder King spoke during the first broadcast....

     (560 AM) country radio station and home of Kodiak Bears athletics
  • Kodiak Daily Mirror
    Kodiak Daily Mirror
    The Kodiak Daily Mirror is the daily newspaper of Kodiak, Alaska, established June 15, 1940. It is owned by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and is issued five days a week....

     (Monday through Friday newspaper)

Military installations

The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 operates a small training base near the city called Naval Special Warfare Cold Weather Detachment Kodiak
Naval Special Warfare Cold Weather Detachment Kodiak
The Naval Special Warfare Cold Weather Detachment Kodiak is a United States Navy base near Kodiak, Alaska used to train United States Navy SEALs. The training includes cold weather survival and advanced tactical training in forested, coastal environments...

 which trains United States Navy SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...

 in cold weather survival and advanced tactics.

The U.S. Coast Guard has a major presence in Kodiak, Alaska.
  • USCG Air Station Kodiak
  • USCGC Alex Haley (WMEC-39)
    USCGC Alex Haley (WMEC-39)
    The United States Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley is a former U.S. Navy vessel that was recommissioned for Coast Guard duty on July 10, 1999. It was first commissioned as the USS Edenton , an Edenton-class salvage and rescue ship on January 23, 1971...

  • USCGC Spar (WLB-206)
    USCGC Spar (WLB-206)
    The USCGC Spar is a United States Coast Guard seagoing buoy tender home-ported in Kodiak, Alaska. The ship tends buoys in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and has acquired the nickname Aleutian Keeper...

  • USCGC Munro (WHEC-724)
    USCGC Munro (WHEC-724)
    USCGC Munro is a High Endurance Cutter of the United States Coast Guard, named for Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro , the only Coast Guardsman to be awarded the Medal of Honor. The vessel is currently commanded by Matt T...

  • Aids to Navigation Team Kodiak
  • Communication Station Kodiak
  • North Pacific Regional Training Center (NPRTC)
  • Marine Safety Detachment Kodiak
  • Naval Engineering Support Unit (NESU) Detachment Kodiak
  • Electronic Systems Support Unit Kodiak (ESU)
  • Loran Station Kodiak

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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