Unalakleet, Alaska

Unalakleet is an adaptation of the Iñupiaq word "Una-la-thliq",[http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CF_CIS.htm Community Information Summaries: "Unalakleet."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070402120839/http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CF_CIS.htm |date=April 2, 2007 }} Alaska Community Database Online, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Retrieved on April 13, 2007. which means "from the southern side".

Unalakleet is located at the Norton Sound end of the Unalakleet-Kaltag Portage, an important winter travel route between Norton Sound and the Yukon River. Unalakleet has long been a major trade center between the Athabascan people, who lived in the interior of Alaska, and the Inupiat, who lived on the coast.

In the 1830s Russian explorers and traders came: The Russian-American Company built a trading post here at Unalakleet. In 1898 the United States arranged for Sami reindeer herders from Lapland to be brought to Unalakleet, to work with the people about herding practices. In 1901, the United States Army Signal Corps built a {{convert|605|mi|km|adj=on}} telegraph line from St. Michael that passed through Unalakleet.

File:Iditarod National Historic Trail between Kaltag and Unalakleet.jpg

Unalakleet is located at {{Coord|63|52|44|N|160|47|23|W|type:city}} (63.878907, −160.789680).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

Unalakleet is located on the Norton Sound of the Bering Sea at the mouth of the Unalakleet River, {{convert|148|mi|km}} southeast of Nome and {{convert|395|mi|km}} northwest of Anchorage. Unalakleet has a subarctic climate (Koppen: Dfc) with considerable maritime influences. Winters are cold and dry. Average summer temperatures range {{convert|47|to|62|F|C}}; winter temperatures range from {{convert|-40|to|11|F|C}}. Precipitation averages {{convert|14|in|mm}} annually, with {{convert|41|in|cm}} of snow.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|5.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|2.9|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|2.3|sqmi|km2}} of it (44.25%) is water.

{{Weather box

|collapsed = Y

|location = Unalakleet (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1941–1998)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 47

|Feb record high F = 46

|Mar record high F = 47

|Apr record high F = 62

|May record high F = 78

|Jun record high F = 86

|Jul record high F = 87

|Aug record high F = 85

|Sep record high F = 75

|Oct record high F = 60

|Nov record high F = 48

|Dec record high F = 43

|year record high F = 87

|Jan avg record high F = 34.5

|Feb avg record high F = 31.8

|Mar avg record high F = 36.5

|Apr avg record high F = 45.5

|May avg record high F = 63.0

|Jun avg record high F = 69.0

|Jul avg record high F = 75.2

|Aug avg record high F = 72.9

|Sep avg record high F = 64.0

|Oct avg record high F = 47.2

|Nov avg record high F = 36.2

|Dec avg record high F = 35.2

|year avg record high F = 77.8

|Jan high F = 11.0

|Feb high F = 11.0

|Mar high F = 18.9

|Apr high F = 29.5

|May high F = 45.6

|Jun high F = 54.2

|Jul high F = 61.2

|Aug high F = 59.9

|Sep high F = 51.4

|Oct high F = 33.0

|Nov high F = 19.4

|Dec high F = 12.2

|year high F = 33.9

|Jan mean F = 4.9

|Feb mean F = 3.3

|Mar mean F = 10.9

|Apr mean F = 21.3

|May mean F = 38.4

|Jun mean F = 47.9

|Jul mean F = 54.8

|Aug mean F = 53.1

|Sep mean F = 44.2

|Oct mean F = 27.0

|Nov mean F = 13.5

|Dec mean F = 5.7

|year mean F = 27.1

|Jan low F = -1.3

|Feb low F = -4.4

|Mar low F = 2.9

|Apr low F = 13.2

|May low F = 31.1

|Jun low F = 41.4

|Jul low F = 48.5

|Aug low F = 46.3

|Sep low F = 37.0

|Oct low F = 21.0

|Nov low F = 7.5

|Dec low F = -0.8

|year low F = 20.2

|Jan avg record low F = -30.1

|Feb avg record low F = -32.5

|Mar avg record low F = -25.0

|Apr avg record low F = -10.6

|May avg record low F = 16.6

|Jun avg record low F = 31.9

|Jul avg record low F = 39.0

|Aug avg record low F = 35.3

|Sep avg record low F = 24.1

|Oct avg record low F = 0.9

|Nov avg record low F = -16.3

|Dec avg record low F = -29.9

|year avg record low F = -40.8

|Jan record low F = -59

|Feb record low F = -50

|Mar record low F = -50

|Apr record low F = -32

|May record low F = -11

|Jun record low F = 25

|Jul record low F = 32

|Aug record low F = 28

|Sep record low F = 6

|Oct record low F = -20

|Nov record low F = -47

|Dec record low F = -52

|year record low F = -59

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.69

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.51

|Mar precipitation inch = 0.70

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.63

|May precipitation inch = 0.87

|Jun precipitation inch = 1.35

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.28

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.04

|Sep precipitation inch = 2.28

|Oct precipitation inch = 1.24

|Nov precipitation inch = 1.09

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.91

|year precipitation inch = 15.59

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch

|Jan precipitation days = 7.6

|Feb precipitation days = 6.6

|Mar precipitation days = 8.5

|Apr precipitation days = 7.8

|May precipitation days = 7.7

|Jun precipitation days = 10.2

|Jul precipitation days = 13.5

|Aug precipitation days = 15.9

|Sep precipitation days = 13.4

|Oct precipitation days = 10.7

|Nov precipitation days = 10.0

|Dec precipitation days = 9.3

|year precipitation days = 121.2

|Jan snow inch = 4.5

|Feb snow inch = 3.6

|Mar snow inch = 5.3

|Apr snow inch = 3.6

|May snow inch = 1.5

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.2

|Oct snow inch = 3.0

|Nov snow inch = 6.4

|Dec snow inch = 5.4

|year snow inch = 33.5

|unit snow days = 0.01 inch

|Jan snow days = 6.8

|Feb snow days = 5.8

|Mar snow days = 7.5

|Apr snow days = 6.0

|May snow days = 1.8

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.2

|Oct snow days = 5.5

|Nov snow days = 8.6

|Dec snow days = 8.3

|year snow days = 50.5

|source 1 = WRCC{{Cite web

|url = https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMNCDC.pl?ak9564

|title = NCDC 1961–1990 Monthly Normals, UNALAKLEET FLD, ALASKA (509564)

|publisher = Western Regional Climate Center

|date = January 27, 2024

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240127054659/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMNCDC.pl?ak9564

|archive-date = January 27, 2024}}

|source 2 = XMACIS (snowfall)[https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ XMACIS]

}}

{{update|date=February 2025|reason=Newer information is available from the 2020 census reports}}

{{US Census population

|1880= 100

|1890= 175

|1900= 241

|1910= 247

|1920= 285

|1930= 261

|1940= 329

|1950= 469

|1960= 574

|1970= 434

|1980= 623

|1990= 714

|2000= 747

|2010= 688

|2020= 765

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}{{failed verification|date=February 2025|reason=No mention of Unalakleet at this reference}}

}}

Unalakleet first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Oonalakleet."{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr9RAQAAMAAJ&q=unalakleet&pg=PA49 |title = Geological Survey Professional Paper|year = 1949}} All 100 of its residents were listed as Inuit.{{cite web |title=Statistics of the Population of Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1880}} It was listed in the 1890 census as "Unalaklik." Of its 175 residents, 170 were Native, 3 were Creole (mixed Russian & Native), and 2 were White.{{cite web |title=Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v8-01.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=Government Printing Office}} It was listed again as Unalaklik in 1900 and in 1910 under that name, although the latter census also listed it as spelled Unalakleet. Since 1920, it has been recorded in the censuses as Unalakleet. It was formally incorporated in 1974.

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2010, there were 688 people, 225 households, and 172 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|237.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 268 housing units at an average density of {{convert|92.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 15.0% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 77.3% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 6.4% from two or more races. 1.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2013 there were 882 people.

There were 224 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 21.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.82.

The population was spread out, with 37.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $41,964 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,845. About 12.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Unalakleet is the first checkpoint on the Norton Sound in the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, some {{convert|851|mi|km}} from the start in Anchorage. The first musher to reach this checkpoint each year is awarded the Gold Coast Award, which includes $2,500 in gold nuggets. Unalakleet also plays an important role in the Iron Dog snowmobile race.

The Mission Covenant Church of Sweden established a mission in Unalakleet in 1887. The Evangelical Covenant Church later started a boarding high school in 1954. It served students from all over western Alaska until it closed in 1985 due to changing educational practices following establishment of home rule in the 1970s. Most villages in Alaska established local schools, including high schools.

The district office for the Bering Strait School District has been located in Unalakleet since 1983. Serving fifteen village schools, the Bering Strait School District covers territory of approximately {{convert|75000|sqmi|km2}}.

Unalakleet's local schools include Unalakleet School, a K-12 school that is internally divided into Unalakleet Elementary, Unalakleet Middle School, and Unalakleet High School. The combined school population of Unalakleet Schools is 195, 180 of whom are full or part Alaska Native.

Unalakleet High School maintains an active and successful athletics program, offering student participation in basketball, mix-six volleyball, wrestling, cross-country running, cross-country skiing/biathlon, track and field, and Native Youth Olympics.

Despite its classification as a 1A-sized institution (fewer than 60 students), Unalakleet has long competed at the 2A level (60–150 students) in basketball. Since 1991, no school has qualified for the Alaska 2A state basketball tournament more frequently than Unalakleet. The boys’ basketball program has secured a total of seven state championships, with three attributed to Covenant High. The most recent title came in 2025, with a 40–36 victory over Cordova in the championship game. That team was led by head coach Thurman Jack, a former state champion as a player for Unalakleet in 1996. His father, Bill Jack, coached multiple championship teams at Nome-Beltz High School, making them one of the few father-son duos in Alaska high school history to each claim state titles. Thurman Jack also joins a select group of individuals who have achieved championships both as a player and a coach.

Unalakleet has had three Alaska 2A Player of the Year in boys’ basketball: Kevin Ivanoff (1992), Aidan Ivanoff (2019), and Paxson Commack (2025).

In volleyball, Unalakleet High School has won two state championships in the mix-six division. The school has also achieved success in individual sports. In track and field, Ourea Busk captured consecutive state titles in the 400-meter dash in 2023 and 2024, and also won back-to-back Division III state championships in cross-country running in those same years. In wrestling, Jack Koutchak III earned a state championship in the 103-pound weight class in 1999.

Unalakleet Airport is a central hub for outlying villages, providing air cargo and air taxi services. It is served by daily airline service to Anchorage by Ravn Alaska, along with frequent cargo services by Everts Air Cargo and Northern Air Cargo. Daily flights to Nome and outlying villages are made by Bering Air, Ryan Air, and Ravn Connect (under Ravn Alaska).

Unalakleet has an Alaska State Troopers station. Its local police department works with local VPOs and VPSOs. A court system serves Unalakleet and surrounding villages.

Unalakleet health services are provided by the Anikkan Inuit Iluaqutaat Sub-Regional Clinic, a division of Norton Sound Health Corporation, based in Nome, Alaska. The clinic has permanent staff including medical providers, certified health aides, behavioral health specialists, and a pharmacist. It also hosts specialists in other fields regularly throughout the year.

• William E. Beltz (1912–1960), carpenter, politician, lived in Unalakleet. Fairbanks Daily News Miner, November 25, 1960, pg. 1
• Ticasuk Brown (1904–1982), educator, writer; born and raised in Unalakleet. Carson, Johanna and Bill (October 8, 2013). "Ticasuk Brown 1st Fairbanks school named for Alaska Native". Daily News-Miner. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
• Henry Ivanoff Sr. “Chalaavaluq” (1944–2022), Alaska Native broadcaster and leader; founder of KNSA Radio and longest-serving chairman of Bering Straits Native Corporation.
• Timothy Martin Towarak (1944–2019), Native leader, businessman, and public official; mayor of Unalakleet, CEO of BSNC, and chair of the Federal Subsistence Board.
• Frank A. Degnan (1901–1980), legislator, Alaska Native rights advocate, and AFN co-founder; first Alaska Native elected to the Territorial Legislature.
• Eva P. Ryan (1929–2022), aviation pioneer and educator; co-founded Unalakleet Air Taxi (later Ryan Air) and first recipient of AFN’s Hunter/Fisher Award.
• James B. Tweto (1954–2023), pilot and aviation entrepreneur; co-owner of Era Alaska and star of Discovery Channel's Flying Wild Alaska.
• Nick "Eskimo Ninja" Hanson, athlete and public speaker; first Alaska Native on American Ninja Warrior, known for youth suicide prevention advocacy.
• Cindy Aġnaqhiq Towarak Massie, business executive and philanthropist; BSNC President, former media company co-founder, and recipient of AFN Small Business Award.
• Dr. Adrian Ryan, board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and joint replacement.
• Ella Anagick, attorney with over 30 years of experience in criminal and civil law; served on the Governor’s Advisory Board on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Anchorage Bridge Builders, and the National Board for the Indian Child Welfare Act.

{{reflist}}

• [http://library.state.ak.us/asp/edocs/2007/04/ocn123495361.pdf Subsistence wildlife harvests in five northwest Alaska communities, 2001–2003 : results of a household survey / by Kawerak, Inc., Maniilaq Association, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game; by Susan Georgette ... [et al.].] Hosted by [https://web.archive.org/web/20071012120420/http://library.state.ak.us/asp/ Alaska State Publications Program].

{{Nome Census Area, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Alaska

Category:Cities in Nome Census Area, Alaska

Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean

Category:Sámi-American history