Unimak Island is a remote island located in the Aleutians chain, about 170 miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. The island was first charted in 1741 by the Russian navigator G.M. Shemyakin and named Angara, after an Aleut leader.
In 1799, Unimak Island was sighted by British explorer George Vancouver and named for Captain George Unimak, of the Russian navy. It was annexed by the United States in 1867 and today is a military reservation administered by the Department of the Interior.
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History
Unimak Island has a long and varied history. The island was first charted in 1741 by the Russian navigator G.M. Shemyakin, who named it Angara after an Aleut leader. In 1799, British explorer George Vancouver sighted the island and named it for Captain George Unimak of the Russian navy. It was annexed by the United States in 1867, and today is a military reservation administered by Department of Interior (DOI).
The area around Unimak Island has been populated for over 10,000 years; numerous archaeological sites dating to different periods of human presence have been located. In particular, Unimak’s Chalky Pots 1-4 and Site 5 are among the earliest known sites in Alaska dating back about 3,000 years.
At present two major archaeological excavations occur on Unimak Island: one conducted by archaeologists from The University of Alaska Museum of Natural History (UMNH) (an affiliate property with UMNH) that is ongoing since 1980 at Holowachuk Camping Area while a joint project with DOE employees has avoided disturbance at historic sites east of Vinalhaven Harbor including Retamal Camping Area, Udi Creek and its beach.
Climate
Unimak Island has a subarctic climate, with long, cold winters and short summers. Due to its northerly latitude and elevation, Unimak experiences significant seasonal variation in temperature. The island is generally much colder than the mainland due to marine influence.
Summers can be incredibly hot and humid (especially near Unalaska), while winter temperatures are generally quite mild but windy. Precipitation falls mainly in the summer months, although some light snowfall does occur from time to time during winter .
Rainfall is fairly limited, averaging just over per year on the island; however, tropical cyclones have caused periods of measurable storm precipitation.
Severe storms are not common but can be numerous and significant in size including the January 1964 Storm which dropped 30 cm (12 inches) of snow atop Unalaska Observatory near which it was named: overall damages were around $78 million – equivalent to approximately $1.6 billion at 2006 values[citation needed].
Culture
The traditional Inupiat lifestyle is based on hunting, fishing, and gathering. The major subsistence animal resources are caribou (Rangifer tarandus), seal (Phoca vitulina), sea otter (Enhydra lutris), and salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). There are also smaller numbers of arctic hares (Lepus arctos) and ermine(Mustela eversmanni).
Unimak Island has few permanent residents today, but the island’s culture is still alive in the traditions passed down by some of the over 200 people who live on the island.
Members of one family still make use of a native hunting boat that was built in 1955 to take their young men onto sea mammals such as seals, fish and whales; today it is used for whale watching season starting Oct 15 then every Sunday during seal hunt season (a three week period around mid-May).
The village itself consists mostly elderlies living together in traditional skin tents with sleeping mats (matsaw) made from Fern root fiber until about 1960’s when they switched to canvas or marine coated fabric which was imported from Unalaska Air.
Politics
The Unalaska-Dutch Harbor Borough forms the county seat for unincorporated Aleutians East Borough, and is located at the northeastern tip of the island on Dutch Harbor. The borough has a population of 2,621 as of 2010 census.
Unalaska Island was part of the Russian America Company holdings in 1825 until sold to United States including stipulations that it not be used for military purposes; this became a major issue during World War II when Dutch Harbor was needed by U.S Navy as a naval airbase and later naval shipyard.
The submarine base on Severnaya Zemlya was not developed until after World War II and it soon became the largest non-military facility in Alaska. Finally, by 1967 its use of between 5,000 to 14,000 workers made its annual municipal budget near $100 million dollars which was nearly three times that of any other municipality in Alaska (Walter Mummy’s total 2009 state taxable income of about $11 million).
Government Services
Unalaska-Dutch Harbor Borough is served by a single, five-member borough council. The mayor is elected by the voters and serves a four year term. Council members are elected to two year terms (with one seat up for election every other year).
The borough operates its own social services, including police and fire protection, trash collection and recycling, road maintenance and emergency medical services.
Tourism
Unalaska-Dutch Harbor Borough is the most visited municipality in Alaska, with an estimated 9.5 million visitors annually. The main tourist destinations are Dutch Harbor and the Russian settlement of Unalaska Island.
Tourism has played a significant role in the borough’s economy, supporting many jobs and generating large amounts of tax revenue for municipal services.
Transport
The nearest commercial airport is Unalaska Airport, which is located in the neighboring Municipality of Kotzebue. It offers scheduled service to Anchorage and other regional destinations.
The borough also has an ice-road system that allows year-round access to the interior of Alaska. The two main routes are the 101 Highway and Naknek Channel Road.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a place to escape from the city, Unimak Island is the perfect place for you. With its serene and unspoiled landscape, Unimak Island is one of the most beautiful places in the state of Alaska.
It has a long history as a place of refuge, and it’s still used today to protect the environment and the people who live there. With so much to see and do, here are 10 reasons why you should visit Unimak Island!
FAQs
1 . What Is The Transportation Infrastructure Like On Unimak Island?
The only practicable means of transport on Unimak Island is by air, water or land. There are no roads.
- What Are The Primary Languages Spoken In Unimak Island?
English and Aleut.
- What Is The Population Of Unimak Island?
There are no permanent residents on Unimak Island, which is a military reservation administered by the Department of the Interior. The population varies seasonally due to visits by personnel and visitors to the island for hunting, fishing and other activities. During peacetime there are usually around 100 people living on the island; in 2013-2014 there were 340 people staying on or visiting Unimak Island at any given time.
- What Is The Temperature Range On Unimak Island?
The average summer temperature is around 78 degrees Fahrenheit and the average winter temperature is around 57 degrees Fahrenheit.
- What Are Some Of The Primary Attractions On Unimak Island?
Some of the primary attractions on Unimak Island include Abercrombie River State Wildlife Preserve, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Bering Land Bridge National Monument, Mount Saint Elias National Forest and Glacier Bay National Park.
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