Valdez, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area
in the U.S. state of Alaska
. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán.
is loaded onto ships at the Valdez oil terminal. It is sometimes called the Switzerland of Alaska.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
is one of the biggest employers in town but it started to move several positions to its headquarters in Anchorage
since the town council passed a resolution charging a tax to all the tankers coming into the port to be loaded with oil. This has had an impact in the population size and the economy.
Valdez is connected to the interior of Alaska by the Richardson Highway
, and is a port of call in the Alaska Marine Highway
ferry system. Just north of Valdez on the highway is Thompson Pass
, which has spectacular waterfalls and glaciers next to the highway. Thompson Pass is also known for treacherous driving conditions during the winter.
Valdez hosted the World Extreme Skiing Champions (WESC) in the early 1990s. In 1993, WESC champion Doug Coombs, along with his wife Emily, went on to found Valdez Heli-Ski Guides at the historic Tsaina Lodge on Thompson Pass. This was the first guided heli skiing in Valdez. Soon afterwards, another WESC champion, Dean Cummings, founded H2O Guides. Both continue to operate to the present-day. There are five heli-ski outfits based in the greater Valdez area.
The port of Valdez was named in 1790 by the Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo
after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán
. A scam to lure prospectors off the Klondike Gold Rush trail led to a town being developed there in 1898. Some steamship companies promoted the Valdez Glacier Trail as a better way to reach the Klondike
gold fields and discover new ones in the Copper River country of interior Alaska. This was a better route, they said, than from Skagway
. The prospectors who believed the promotion found that they had been deceived. The glacier trail was twice as long and steep as reported and many died attempting the crossing and by contracting scurvy
during the long cold winter. It wasn't gold that caused the town to flourish, but rather the building of the Richardson Highway
in 1899 that connected Valdez and Fairbanks. With a new road and its ice-free port, Valdez became permanently established as the first overland supply route into the interior of Alaska. The highway was a summer-only highway until 1950, when it became a year-round route.
In 1907, a shootout between two rival railroad companies ended Valdez's hope of ever becoming the railroad link from tidewater to the Kennicott Copper Mine. The mine, located in the heart of the Wrangell-St.Elias Mountains, was one of the richest copper ore deposits on the continent. The exact location of the right-of-way dispute, in which one man was killed and several injured, is located at the southern entrance of the canyon on the Valdez side. A half-completed tunnel in the canyon marks the end of railroad days in Valdez. A rail line to Kennicott was later established from the coastal city of Cordova.
The city of Valdez was badly shaken but not destroyed in the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake
. Liquefaction
of the glacial silt that formed the city's foundation led to a massive underwater landslide causing a section of the city's shoreline to break off and sink into the sea. The underwater soil displacement caused a local tsunami
30 feet (9.1 m) high that traveled westward, away from the city and down Valdez Bay. Thirty-two men women and children were on the city's main freight dock to help with and watch the unloading of the SS Chena, a supply ship that came to Valdez regularly. All 32 people perished as the dock collapsed into the ocean with the violent landslide. There were no deaths within the town itself. Residents continued to live there for an additional three years while a new site was being prepared on more stable ground four miles (6 km) away. The new construction was under the supervision of the Army Corps of Engineers. Fifty-four houses and buildings were transported by truck to the new site, reestablishing the new city at its present location. The original town site was dismantled and abandoned.
From 1975-1977, the Trans-Alaska pipeline
was built to carry oil from the Prudhoe Bay oil fields in northern Alaska to a terminal in Valdez, the nearest ice-free port, where the oil is loaded onto tanker ships for transport. The construction and operation of the pipeline and terminal boosted the economy of Valdez.
The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
occurred as the oil tanker Exxon Valdez
was leaving the terminal at Valdez full of oil. The spill occurred at Bligh Reef
, about 40 km (24.9 mi) from Valdez. Although the oil did not reach Valdez, it devastated much of the marine life in the surrounding area. The clean-up of the oil caused a short-term boost to the economy of Valdez.
, the city has a total area of 277.1 square miles (717.7 km²), of which, 222 square miles (575 km²) of it is land and 55.1 square miles (142.7 km²) of it (19.88%) is water.
Valdez is located near the head of a deep fjord
in the of Prince William Sound
in Alaska. It is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains
, which are heavily glaciated. Valdez is the northernmost port in North America that is ice-free year-round. The northernmost point of the coastal Pacific temperate rain forest
is in Valdez, on Blueberry Hill
. Despite the present of temperate rainforest, Valdez under the Köppen climate classification
has a subarctic climate
(Dfc): its winters, though much warmer than most climates of this type, are not sufficiently mild, as those of, say, Ketchikan
or Kodiak
are, to fit into the oceanic
or subpolar oceanic climate category.
According to the Weather Channel, Valdez is the snowiest place in the United States, with an average of 326.0 inches per year. In winters past, they have had years when more than 100 inches of snow fell in 5 separate months (not in the same year).
, 0.42% Black
or African American
, 7.19% Native American
, 2.18% Asian
, 0.45% Pacific Islander
, 1.41% from other races
, and 4.73% from two or more races. 3.96% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,494 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 29.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 107.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $66,532, and the median income for a family was $74,188. Males had a median income of $56,932 versus $31,855 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $27,341. About 5.0% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
port in Valdez, at the southern end of the Alaska Pipeline. The terminal was the point of departure for the Exxon Valdez
just prior to the Exxon Valdez oil spill
.
There are 18 holding tanks at the terminal, and an average of three to five oil tanker
s depart from the terminal each week. Since the pipeline became operational in 1977, more than 15,000 tankers full of oil have left the terminal.
, KVAK
, KVAK-FM
.
Valdez is also home to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference
, hosted by the Prince William Sound Community College
. The annual conference attracts playwrights and actors from around the United States.
On Deadly Ground
(1994) was filmed near Worthington Glacier, Alaska, as well as the Valdez Civic Center and Valdez Airport, and 30 miles (48.3 km) outside Valdez on Thompson Pass in the Chugach Mountains
.
Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska
Valdez-Cordova Census Area is a census area located in the state of Alaska, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 10,195. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat...
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...
. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán.
Economy
Valdez is a fishing port, both for commercial and sport fishing. Freight moves through Valdez bound for the interior of Alaska. Sightseeing of the marine life and glaciers, together with both deep-sea fishing, and heli skiing support a tourist industry in Valdez. The oil from the Trans-Alaska pipelineTrans-Alaska Pipeline System
The Trans Alaska Pipeline System , includes the Trans Alaska Pipeline, 11 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. TAPS is one of the world's largest pipeline systems...
is loaded onto ships at the Valdez oil terminal. It is sometimes called the Switzerland of Alaska.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
The Alyeska consortium refers to the major oil companies that own and operate the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System through the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.-History:...
is one of the biggest employers in town but it started to move several positions to its headquarters in Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
since the town council passed a resolution charging a tax to all the tankers coming into the port to be loaded with oil. This has had an impact in the population size and the economy.
Valdez is connected to the interior of Alaska by the Richardson Highway
Richardson Highway
The Richardson Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, running 368 miles from Valdez to Fairbanks. It is marked as Alaska Route 4 from Valdez to Delta Junction and as Alaska Route 2 from there to Fairbanks. It is also connects segments of Alaska Route 1 between the Glenn Highway and the...
, and is a port of call in 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....
ferry system. Just north of Valdez on the highway is Thompson Pass
Thompson Pass
Thompson Pass is a 2,805 foot-high gap in the Chugach Mountains northeast of Valdez, Alaska. It is the snowiest place in Alaska, recording of snow per year on average. In the winter of 1952–1953, of snow fell—the most ever recorded in one season at one location in Alaska...
, which has spectacular waterfalls and glaciers next to the highway. Thompson Pass is also known for treacherous driving conditions during the winter.
Valdez hosted the World Extreme Skiing Champions (WESC) in the early 1990s. In 1993, WESC champion Doug Coombs, along with his wife Emily, went on to found Valdez Heli-Ski Guides at the historic Tsaina Lodge on Thompson Pass. This was the first guided heli skiing in Valdez. Soon afterwards, another WESC champion, Dean Cummings, founded H2O Guides. Both continue to operate to the present-day. There are five heli-ski outfits based in the greater Valdez area.
History
Salvador Fidalgo
Salvador Fidalgo y Lopegarcía was a Spanish explorer who commanded an exploring expedition for Spain to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century.-Early career:...
after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán
Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán
Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán was a naval officer of the Spanish Royal Navy....
. A scam to lure prospectors off the Klondike Gold Rush trail led to a town being developed there in 1898. Some steamship companies promoted the Valdez Glacier Trail as a better way to reach the Klondike
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
gold fields and discover new ones in the Copper River country of interior Alaska. This was a better route, they said, than from Skagway
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
. The prospectors who believed the promotion found that they had been deceived. The glacier trail was twice as long and steep as reported and many died attempting the crossing and by contracting scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
during the long cold winter. It wasn't gold that caused the town to flourish, but rather the building of the Richardson Highway
Richardson Highway
The Richardson Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska, running 368 miles from Valdez to Fairbanks. It is marked as Alaska Route 4 from Valdez to Delta Junction and as Alaska Route 2 from there to Fairbanks. It is also connects segments of Alaska Route 1 between the Glenn Highway and the...
in 1899 that connected Valdez and Fairbanks. With a new road and its ice-free port, Valdez became permanently established as the first overland supply route into the interior of Alaska. The highway was a summer-only highway until 1950, when it became a year-round route.
In 1907, a shootout between two rival railroad companies ended Valdez's hope of ever becoming the railroad link from tidewater to the Kennicott Copper Mine. The mine, located in the heart of the Wrangell-St.Elias Mountains, was one of the richest copper ore deposits on the continent. The exact location of the right-of-way dispute, in which one man was killed and several injured, is located at the southern entrance of the canyon on the Valdez side. A half-completed tunnel in the canyon marks the end of railroad days in Valdez. A rail line to Kennicott was later established from the coastal city of Cordova.
The city of Valdez was badly shaken but not destroyed in the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake
Good Friday Earthquake
The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage Earthquake and the Good Friday Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that began at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964...
. Liquefaction
Liquefaction
Liquefaction may refer to:* Liquefaction, the general process of becoming liquid* Soil liquefaction, the process by which sediments become suspended* Liquefaction of gases in physics, chemistry, and thermal engineering* Liquefactive necrosis in pathology...
of the glacial silt that formed the city's foundation led to a massive underwater landslide causing a section of the city's shoreline to break off and sink into the sea. The underwater soil displacement caused a local 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...
30 feet (9.1 m) high that traveled westward, away from the city and down Valdez Bay. Thirty-two men women and children were on the city's main freight dock to help with and watch the unloading of the SS Chena, a supply ship that came to Valdez regularly. All 32 people perished as the dock collapsed into the ocean with the violent landslide. There were no deaths within the town itself. Residents continued to live there for an additional three years while a new site was being prepared on more stable ground four miles (6 km) away. The new construction was under the supervision of the Army Corps of Engineers. Fifty-four houses and buildings were transported by truck to the new site, reestablishing the new city at its present location. The original town site was dismantled and abandoned.
From 1975-1977, the Trans-Alaska pipeline
Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
The Trans Alaska Pipeline System , includes the Trans Alaska Pipeline, 11 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. TAPS is one of the world's largest pipeline systems...
was built to carry oil from the Prudhoe Bay oil fields in northern Alaska to a terminal in Valdez, the nearest ice-free port, where the oil is loaded onto tanker ships for transport. The construction and operation of the pipeline and terminal boosted the economy of Valdez.
The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled of crude oil. It is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused...
occurred as the oil tanker Exxon Valdez
Exxon Valdez
Oriental Nicety, formerly Exxon Valdez, Exxon Mediterranean, SeaRiver Mediterranean, S/R Mediterranean, Mediterranean, and Dong Fang Ocean is an oil tanker that gained notoriety after running aground in Prince William Sound spilling hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil in Alaska...
was leaving the terminal at Valdez full of oil. The spill occurred at Bligh Reef
Bligh Reef
Bligh Reef, sometimes known as Bligh Island Reef, is a reef off the coast of Bligh Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska. This was the location of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. After the incident, US Code 33 § 2733 mandated the operation of an automated navigation light to prevent future...
, about 40 km (24.9 mi) from Valdez. Although the oil did not reach Valdez, it devastated much of the marine life in the surrounding area. The clean-up of the oil caused a short-term boost to the economy of Valdez.
Geography and climate
Valdez is located at 61°7′51"N 146°20′54"W. According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 277.1 square miles (717.7 km²), of which, 222 square miles (575 km²) of it is land and 55.1 square miles (142.7 km²) of it (19.88%) is water.
Valdez is located near the head of a deep fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
in the of Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System...
in Alaska. It is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains
Chugach Mountains
The Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska are the northernmost of the several mountain ranges that make up the Pacific Coast Ranges of the western edge of North America. The range is about 500 km long, running generally east-west. Its highest point is Mount Marcus Baker, at , but most of its...
, which are heavily glaciated. Valdez is the northernmost port in North America that is ice-free year-round. The northernmost point of the coastal Pacific temperate rain forest
Pacific temperate rain forests
The Pacific temperate rain forests ecoregion of North America is the largest temperate rain forest ecoregion on the planet as defined by the World Wildlife Fund...
is in Valdez, on Blueberry Hill
Blueberry Hill (wilderness)
Blueberry Hill is located near downtown Valdez, Alaska.-Location:Blueberry Hill is on the north shore of the Valdez Bay. The elevation of Blueberry Hill is 107 meters. On the west side of Blueberry Hill, a grove of Sitka Spruce make up the northernmost forest in the Pacific temperate rain forest...
. Despite the present of temperate rainforest, Valdez under the Köppen climate classification
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...
has a subarctic climate
Subarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
(Dfc): its winters, though much warmer than most climates of this type, are not sufficiently mild, as those of, say, Ketchikan
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
or Kodiak
Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
are, to fit into the oceanic
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
or subpolar oceanic climate category.
According to the Weather Channel, Valdez is the snowiest place in the United States, with an average of 326.0 inches per year. In winters past, they have had years when more than 100 inches of snow fell in 5 separate months (not in the same year).
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,036 people, 1,494 households, and 1,042 families residing in the city. The population density was 18.2 people per square mile (7.0/km²). There were 1,645 housing units at an average density of 7.4 per square mile (2.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.62% WhiteRace (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...
, 0.42% 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 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...
, 7.19% 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...
, 2.18% 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...
, 0.45% 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...
, 1.41% 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 4.73% from two or more races. 3.96% 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.
There were 1,494 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 29.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 107.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $66,532, and the median income for a family was $74,188. Males had a median income of $56,932 versus $31,855 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $27,341. About 5.0% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
Oil terminal
The Valdez Marine Terminal is an oilPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
port in Valdez, at the southern end of the Alaska Pipeline. The terminal was the point of departure for the Exxon Valdez
Exxon Valdez
Oriental Nicety, formerly Exxon Valdez, Exxon Mediterranean, SeaRiver Mediterranean, S/R Mediterranean, Mediterranean, and Dong Fang Ocean is an oil tanker that gained notoriety after running aground in Prince William Sound spilling hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil in Alaska...
just prior to the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled of crude oil. It is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused...
.
There are 18 holding tanks at the terminal, and an average of three to five oil tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
s depart from the terminal each week. Since the pipeline became operational in 1977, more than 15,000 tankers full of oil have left the terminal.
Media and culture
Despite its small size, Valdez was at one time home to two weekly newspapers, the Valdez Star and the Valdez Vanguard. In 2004, the Star bought out the Vanguard. Valdez is also home to radio broadcasters KCHUKCHU
KCHU is a non-commercial radio station in Valdez, Alaska, United States. Through its main transmitter, two full-service FM stations, and two translators,...
, KVAK
KVAK (AM)
KVAK is a radio station licensed to serve Valdez, Alaska. The station is owned by North Wave Communications, Inc. It airs a Country music and Talk radio format....
, KVAK-FM
KVAK-FM
KVAK-FM is a commercial adult contemporary/classic rock radio station in Valdez, Alaska, broadcasting on 93.3FM.KVAK-FM obtains its programming from Dial Global Networks.-External links:*...
.
Valdez is also home to the Last Frontier Theatre Conference
Last Frontier Theatre Conference
The Last Frontier Theatre Conference is an annual conference on American Theatre held in Valdez, Alaska that focuses on playwrighting. Continually held each year since 1993, the conference puts out a call for play submissions, requesting playwrights from around the country to send one-act plays and...
, hosted by the Prince William Sound Community College
Prince William Sound Community College
Founded in 1978, Prince William Sound Community College is a community college located in Valdez, a town in south central Alaska....
. The annual conference attracts playwrights and actors from around the United States.
On Deadly Ground
On Deadly Ground
On Deadly Ground is a 1994 environmental action-adventure film, co-produced, directed by and starring Steven Seagal, and co-starring in an all-star cast, Michael Caine, Joan Chen, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, Kenji Nakano, and Billy Bob Thornton in one of his early appearances. The film held a...
(1994) was filmed near Worthington Glacier, Alaska, as well as the Valdez Civic Center and Valdez Airport, and 30 miles (48.3 km) outside Valdez on Thompson Pass in the Chugach Mountains
Chugach Mountains
The Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska are the northernmost of the several mountain ranges that make up the Pacific Coast Ranges of the western edge of North America. The range is about 500 km long, running generally east-west. Its highest point is Mount Marcus Baker, at , but most of its...
.
Notable natives
- William Allen EganWilliam Allen EganWilliam Allen Egan was an American Democratic politician. He served as the first Governor of the State of Alaska from January 3, 1959 to 1966, and the fourth Governor from 1970 to 1974...
(1914–1984), first Governor of Alaska - Neva EganNeva EganDesdia Neva Egan was an American educator who served as the first First Lady of Alaska from the state's creation in 1959 to 1966, and again from 1970 to 1974...
(1914–2011), first First LadyFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of Alaska - Ed WalkerEd Walker (American veteran)Ed Walker was an American veteran of World War II, businessman, publisher and writer. Walker was the last surviving member of Castner's Cutthroats, a regiment consisting of just sixty-five men who performed reconnaissance missions in the Aleutian Islands during World War II...
(1917–2011), last surviving member of Castner's CutthroatsCastner's CutthroatsCastner's Cutthroats was the unofficial name for the 1st Alaskan Combat Intelligence Platoon , also known as Alaskan Scouts. Castner's Cutthroats fought during World War II and were instrumental in defeating the Japanese during the Battle of the Aleutian Islands...
, former member of the Valdez city council.