McCarthy Alaska

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#6666CC" TEXT="#080000" background="49301573.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>AST2</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AST2"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="alaska_directory.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alaska Directory"><B><IMG SRC="0010e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>     </B><A HREF="marshall_alaska.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marshall Alaska"><B><IMG SRC="0020e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>  </B><A HREF="mcgrath_alaska.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="McGrath Alaska"><B><IMG SRC="0030e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#6666CC" TEXT="#080000" background="005d2013.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>McCarthy Alaska</I></div> <div> <B>Editors note:</B></div> <div> <I>in the heart of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve</I></div> <div> <I>A great Ghost Town and mining town are in the area, plus the famous million dollar bridge</I></div> <div> <I>The Famous Kennecott copper mines and camp were established about 1908 across from the Kennicott Glacier</I></div> <div> <I>the richest concentration of copper ore known in the world</I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="627" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <B>Current Population:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> 60 (2006 Estimated Population (not Certified))</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <B>Incorporation Type:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="423"><div> Unincorporated</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <B>Borough Located In:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="423"><div> Unorganized</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="197"><div> <B>Taxes:</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="423"><div> No taxing authority </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="05c66000.gif" border=0 width="358" height="256" ALT="alaska map of McCarthy Alaska" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="0"></B><B>Location and Climate</B></div> <div> McCarthy lies 61 miles east of Chitina off the Edgerton Highway.</div> <bR> <div> It is on the Kennicott River at the mouth of McCarthy Creek, 12 miles northeast of the junction of the Nizina and Chitina Rivers, <I><B>in the heart of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> The community lies at approximately 61.433330° North Latitude and -142.921670° (West) Longitude. (Sec. 16, T005S, R014E, Copper River Meridian.)</div> <bR> <div> McCarthy is located in the Chitina Recording District.</div> <bR> <div> The area encompasses 148.3 sq. miles of land and 0.0 sq. miles of water.</div> <bR> <div> It is located in the continental climate zone.</div> <div> Temperature extremes range from -58 to 91.</div> <div> Snowfall averages 52 inches, with total precipitation of 12 inches per year.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Organizations with Local Offices</B></div> <div> <B>Community Non-Profit</B> - McCarthy Area Council</div> <div> P.O. Box MXY</div> <div> Glennallen, AK 99588</div> <bR> <div> <B>Media</B> - Wrangell-St.Elias News</div> <div> P.O. Box MXY</div> <div> Glennallen, AK 99588</div> <div> Phone 907-554-4454</div> <div> Fax 907-554-4494</div> <div> E-mail <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >wsen@starband.net</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Facilities, Utilities, Schools and Health Care</B></div> <div> Water is drawn by hand from a clear water spring.</div> <div> Outhouses are prevalent, although a few septic systems are in use.</div> <div> Incinerating, composting and recycling of solid wastes is encouraged.</div> <div> There is no central electric system.</div> <div> Funds have been requested for a long-term Master Plan to examine alternatives for transporting fuel, sewage and solid waste across the Kennicott River.</div> <div> Electricity is provided by Individual Generators.</div> <div> There are no state operated schools located in the community.</div> <div> Local hospitals or health clinics include Chitina Health Clinic (823-2213) in Chitina or Copper Center Clinic (822-3541); Cross Road Medical Center in Glennallen (822-3203).</div> <div> Auxiliary health care is provided by Chitina Health Clinic, Copper Center Clinic or Cross Road Medical Center in Glennallen.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Economy and Transportation</B></div> <div> Employment is limited and seasonal. Local businesses include lodges, a museum, a small store, gift shop, and guide services.</div> <div> McCarthy is accessible from the Richardson and Edgerton Highways.</div> <div> The 58-mile McCarthy Road starts in Chitina and continues into the Park.</div> <div> A footbridge is used to cross the Kennicott River.</div> <div> There are two gravel airstrips in the vicinity.</div> <div> The Jake's Bar airstrip is 1,000' long by 25' wide; McCarthy No. 2 is 3,500' long by 60' wide.</div> <div> DOT performs irregular winter maintenance of the McCarthy Airport.</div> <div> The May Creek Airport, across the Nizina River from McCarthy, is currently under expansion.</div> <bR> <div> <B>History, Culture and Demographics</B></div> <div> The Kennecott copper mines and camp were established about 1908 across from the Kennicott Glacier, 4.5 miles up the mountain from McCarthy.</div> <div> An early misspelling named the mine and mining company Kennecott, while the town, river and glacier are spelled Kennicott.</div> <bR> <div> In 1911, the Copper River & Northwestern Railway carried its first car load of ore from Kennecott to Cordova.</div> <div> Since no gambling or drinking were allowed at the town of Kennicott, nearby McCarthy developed as a colorful diversion for the miners.</div> <div> It provided a newspaper, stores, hotels, restaurants, saloons, a red light district, housing over 800 residents.</div> <div> Kennicott became a company town with homes, a school, hospital, gym, tennis court and silent movie theater.</div> <div> Over its 30-year operation, $200 million in ore was extracted from Kennecott, <I><B>the richest concentration of copper ore known in the world</B></I>.</div> <div> In 1938, the mines closed and both towns were abandoned. </div> <div> The population of the community consists of 0% Alaska Native or part Native.</div> <bR> <div> The old mine buildings, artifacts, and colorful history attract visitors during the summer months.</div> <div> The area ranks as one of the nation's most endangered landmarks by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.</div> <div> Emergency stabilization of the old buildings has been required, and future work will be necessary.</div> <div> During the 2000 U.S. Census, total housing units numbered 47, and vacant housing units numbered 21. Vacant housing units used only seasonally numbered 21. U.S. Census data for Year 2000 showed 3 residents as employed.</div> <div> The unemployment rate at that time was 80 percent, although 89.66 percent of all adults were not in the work force.</div> <div> The median household income was $17,188, per capita income was $16,045, and 15.2 percent of residents were living below the poverty level.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ast2.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ast2.com"> <img src="HTMLobj-118/aniGif.gif" alt="Rent this Space" border="0" align="bottom" width="468" height="60">  </A></div> <div> <A HREF="advertise.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Advertise">Add a Listing to this Site</A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ast2.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ast2.com">Webmaster Services</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>