The Aleutians East Borough School District is in Southwestern Alaska along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Chain The District was formed in 1988 from smaller districts that consolidated and formed a Borough with taxing authority. The Borough and District boundaries are the same, and stretch over approximately 15,000 square miles (39,000km2) of roadless, mostly treeless tundra, from the middle of the Alaska Peninsula to the north and east, going southwest out to Akutan just east of Dutch Harbor.
Sand Point was founded by a San Francisco fishing company in 1898 as a cod fishing station and trading post. Aleuts and Scandinavians were among the early residents. Gold mining was briefly a part of the economy during the early 1900s. Fishing remains an important industry, as Sand Point is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the Aleutian Chain.
Description
Almost half the inhabitants are of Aleut descent - mainly from the Qagan Tayagungin tribe, and support themselves by fishing and fish processing. There is a cold storage and fish-processing plant owned and operated by Trident Seafoods and Peter Pan has a support facility. There is an airport with a 5,200 feet (1,600m) paved runway and daily flights (weather permitting) to Anchorage, 575 nautical miles (1,100km) to the northeast.
The town is above the treeline, and there is a small herd of 120 bison (first introduced in the 1930s) which provides some meat for the island's inhabitants. It is notorious for the high winds caused by the meeting of cold air flows from the Bering Sea with the warm air over the Japan Current. It has a maritime climate, with temperature averages ranging from −9 to 76°F (−23 to 24°C), an average snowfall of 52 inches (130cm) and an average rainfall of 33 inches (84cm).
The Russian Orthodox St. Nicholas Chapel was built in Sand Point in 1933.[4]
Sand Point first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as the Sand Point Station under Popof Island, but did not report a separate figure (the total population for the island and docked ships was 146). It first reported a separate figure in 1900 as Sand Point. It did not appear on the 1910 census, but returned in 1920 and in every successive census. It formally incorporated in 1966 and with the formation of the Aleutians East Borough in 1987, became the seat of government.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 952 people, 229 households, and 155 families residing in the city. The population density was 122.1 inhabitants per square mile (47.1/km2). There were 282 housing units at an average density of 36.2 per square mile (14.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 27.73% White, 1.47% Black or African American, 42.33% Native American, 23.21% Asian, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 2.21% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races. 13.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 229 households, out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 20.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 165.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 181.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,417, and the median income for a family was $58,000. Males had a median income of $20,000 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,954. About 10.3% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 32.1% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
Like all of Southwest Alaska, Sand Point has a subpolar oceanic climate (KöppenCfc), though compared to most parts of the region it is a little less rainy and has fewer wet days - 145 as compared to over 220 throughout the Aleutian Islands and in most of Southeast Alaska.
↑ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
↑ Temperature extremes from 1941 to 1994 are recorded by WRCC,[7][8][9] and extreme values from 2009 to the present are recorded by NOAA.[10]
Culture
Sand Point is a mixed Native and non-Native community. More than 50% of the permanent residents in Sand Point are known as Aleuts or Unangan. Every July the town hosts a Culture Camp in which Aleut traditions such as dance, sewing Aleut dresses, playing drums, building kayaks, knot tying, and weaving are taught. Culture Camp has an Aleut language component built into the program.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.9 square miles (75km2), of which, 7.8 square miles (20km2) of it is land and 21.1 square miles (55km2) of it (73.05%) is water.
There are approximately one hundred students in the Sand Point School.[14][when?] In addition to classroom space, the school houses a library media center, gymnasium, weight room, indoor pool and shop. The Sand Point School is part of the Aleutians East Borough School District. The superintendent of the AEBSD[when?] is Dr. Doug Conboy and the principal of the Sand Point School is Joseph VonDoloski Sr.[15] Circa 1978 the school, then a part of the Aleutian Region School District, had a 13 teachers,[16] and 136 students.[17]
Transportation
Ravn Alaska offers flights from Anchorage to Sand Point four days a week. The two-hour flight costs more than $500 for a round-trip ticket.[18]
Cargo service to Sand Point is available on Alaska Central Express (ACE) Air Cargo. ACE Air Cargo flies to Sand Point several days a week. Coastal Transportation is a Seattle-based marine carrier that provides weekly year-around service to communities throughout the Aleutians, including Sand Point.
During the summer and into the fall, the Alaska Marine Highway operates the Tustumena. The Tustumena stops in Sand Point four times per month. From Sand Point the ferry goes to King Cove, Cold Bay, False Pass and Dutch Harbor. The ship has staterooms and dining room service. The ferry takes cars and trucks. As of 2017 ferry delays have been common.
In Sand Point, rental cars are available from the Harbor Cafe and the Marine View Bed & Breakfast.
Wind Power
In 2012, two .5MW wind turbines were installed with blade diameters of 19.5 meters and a height of 59.5 meters.
Activities
Many people enjoy hunting for ptarmigan and bison. Commercial and pole fishing are enjoyable pastimes for the residents of Sand Point. Boating and riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are popular pastimes as well. There is an annual Silver Salmon Derby in which contestants try to catch the largest fish to earn a cash prize. Adults can play Bingo and pull tabs on Sunday. The Boys and Girls Club offers after-school activities. Many adults spend their time at the local tavern and lounge both owned and operated by the Shumagin Corporation. Due to the small community and the lack of entertainment, many newcomers find themselves leaving. This includes many of the teachers.
Fishing industry
Like most Aleutian communities, commercial fishing drives the local economy. The Aleutians' largest fishing fleet is based in Sand Point.[4]Trident Seafoods has a major Pacific cod, pollock, salmon and halibutprocessing plant, and provides fuel and other services. Peter Pan Seafoods owns a storage and transfer facility. In 1991, New West Fisheries had a floating processor near the city dock for Pacific cod processing. Residents in Sand Point have to acquire commercial fishing permits to participate in the fisheries.
The city completed a major rehabilitation of the Robert E. Galovin Small Boat Harbor in the summer of 2014. The harbor can hold more than 150 boats in permanent slips, as well as transient vessels. There is also a new boat harbor on the waterfront next to the small boat harbor and City dock. This harbor was built by the Borough and Army Corps of Engineers, but does not have any floats.
Business and shopping
The AC Store (Alaska Commercial Company) provides groceries, apparel, motorized vehicles such as ATVs, and toiletries. Small local stores provide goods like hardware, toys, groceries, and electronics. There is a small selection of restaurants and a coffee shop in the town. Alcohol can be purchased at two locations. A bed and breakfast is near the Trident bunkhouses.
Media
Radio
KSDP 830 AM (Local NPR and APRN affiliate) (non-commercial community service)
Related Research Articles
Aleutians East Borough is a 2nd class borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census the borough's population was 3,420. The borough seat is Sand Point.
Aleutians West Census Area is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,232, down from 5,561 in 2010.
Akutan is a city on Akutan Island in the Aleutians East Borough of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, United States. The population was 1,589 at the 2020 census, up from 1,027 in 2010, making it the 4th fastest-growing city of the decade in Alaska. Akutan Harbor is adjacent.
Cold Bay is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 108, but at the 2020 census this had reduced to 50.
False Pass is a city on Unimak Island, in the Aleutians East Borough of southwestern Alaska, United States. Although the population was marked 397 including seasonal fish processing plant workers at the 2020 census, approximately 35 residents call it home year-round.
King Cove is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 938, up from 792 in 2000, but at the 2020 census this had reduced to 757.
Nelson Lagoon is a census-designated place (CDP) in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 41, down from 52 in 2010 and 83 in 2000.
Adak, formerly Adak Station, is a city located on Adak Island, in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 171, down from 326 in 2010. It is the westernmost municipality in the United States and the southernmost city in Alaska. The city is the former location of the Naval Air Facility Adak, NAVFAC Adak.
Nikolski is a census-designated place (CDP) on Umnak Island in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 39 at the 2020 census, up from 18 in 2010. Nikolski is on Nikolski Bay, off the southwest end of the island. It is 116 air miles west of Unalaska, and 900 air miles from Anchorage. Residents are known as Unangan, and Aleut is spoken in most of the remaining homes.
St. Paul is a city in the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, United States. It is the main settlement of Saint Paul Island in the Pribilofs, a small island group in the Bering Sea. The population was 413 at the 2020 census, down from 479 in 2010. Saint Paul Island is known as a birdwatching haven.
The City of Unalaska is the main population center in the Aleutian Islands. The city is in the Aleutians West Census Area, a regional component of the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Unalaska is located on Unalaska Island and neighboring Amaknak Island in the Aleutian Islands off mainland Alaska. The population was 4,254 at the 2020 census, which is 81% of the entire Aleutians West Census Area. Unalaska is the second largest city in the Unorganized Borough, behind Bethel.
Adak Island or Father Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost city, Adak, is located on the island. The island has a land area of 274.59 square miles (711.18 km2), measuring 33.9 miles (54.5 km) long and 22 miles (35 km) wide, making it the 25th largest island in the United States.
Southwest Alaska is a region of the U.S. state of Alaska. The area is not exactly defined by any governmental administrative region(s); nor does it always have a clear geographic boundary.
Popof Island is an island in the Shumagin Islands south of mainland Alaska. The largest community in the area, Sand Point, is located on the northwest coast. Popof Island is 10 miles (16 km) long, 5 miles (8.0 km) wide and the peak elevation is 1,550 feet. It is located at 55°18′49″N160°22′29″W. It has a land area of 93.651 km2 and a total population of 578 persons at the 2020 census.
Korovin Island is one of the Shumagin Islands in the Gulf of Alaska south of the Alaska Peninsula in the Aleutians East Borough of Alaska, United States. The island lies northeast of Popof Island and across the Unga Strait from the mainland peninsula. To its southeast are Andronica Island, and further southeast, Nagai Island. Korovin island has a land area of 67.85 km2 and is uninhabited by humans.
Andronica Island is one of the Shumagin Islands in the Gulf of Alaska south of the Alaska Peninsula in Aleutians East Borough of Alaska, United States. It lies east of Popof Island, southeast of Korovin Island, and northwest of Nagai Island. The island has a land area of 14.661 km2 and is uninhabited.
Andrew Gronholdt was a famous Aleut from Sand Point, Alaska, in the Shumagin Islands south of the lower Alaska Peninsula and became famous for rejuvenating the ancient Unangan art of carving hunting hats called chagudax. In January 2012, a book was published posthumously by Gronholdt titled "Chagudax: A Small Window into the Life of An Aleut Bentwood Hat Carver" Gronholdt's woodworking techniques, wood steaming and bending methods, and instructional design methodologies were legendary.
The Aleutian Islands, also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a chain of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller islands. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the U.S. state of Alaska, but some belong to the Russian federal subject of Kamchatka Krai. They form part of the Aleutian Arc in the Northern Pacific Ocean, occupying a land area of 6,821 sq mi (17,666 km2) and extending about 1,200 mi (1,900 km) westward from the Alaska Peninsula toward the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, and act as a border between the Bering Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. Crossing longitude 180°, at which point east and west longitude end, the archipelago contains both the westernmost part of the United States by longitude and the easternmost by longitude. The westernmost U.S. island in real terms, however, is Attu Island, west of which runs the International Date Line. While nearly all the archipelago is part of Alaska and is usually considered as being in the "Alaskan Bush", at the extreme western end, the small, geologically related Commander Islands belong to Russia.
Pauloff Harbor Village is a federally recognized Aleut Alaska Native tribal entity.
Big Koniuji Island is an island located in the Aleutians East Borough, Gulf of Alaska, southwest of mainland Alaska, United States. It is part of the Shumagin Islands, which consist of 20 islands, and lies southeast of Popof Island.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
