Whittier 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="wasilla_alaska.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wasilla 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="willow_alaska.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Willow 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>Whittier Alaska</I></div> <div> <B>Editors note:</B></div> <div> Whittier has a great boat Harbor, and is a popular sport fishing area for residents of Anchorage, I like to Sport fish out of Seward rather then Whittier though.</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= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>Current Population:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="428"><div> 117 (2006 DCCED Certified Population)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>Incorporation Type:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="428"><div> 2nd Class City</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>Borough Located In:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="428"><div> Unorganized</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="192"><div> <B>Taxes:</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> Sales: 3% April - Sept., Property: 5.0 mills, Special: None </div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0ad66000.gif" border=0 width="358" height="256" ALT="Alaska map of Whittier" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Location and Climate</B></FONT></div> <div> Whittier is on the northeast shore of the Kenai Peninsula, at the head of Passage Canal.</div> <bR> <div> It is on the west side of Prince William Sound, 75 miles southeast of Anchorage. </div> <div> The community lies at approximately 60.773060° North Latitude and -148.683890° (West) Longitude. (Sec. 24, T008N, R004E, Seward Meridian.)</div> <bR> <div> Whittier is located in the Anchorage Recording District.</div> <bR> <div> The area encompasses 12.5 sq. miles of land and 7.2 sq. miles of water.</div> <bR> <div> Winter temperatures range from 17 to 28; summer temperatures average 49 to 63. </div> <div> Average annual precipitation includes 66 inches of rain and 80 inches of snowfall.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Organizations with Local Offices</B></div> <div> <B>Chamber of Commerce</B> - Greater Whittier Chamber of Commerce</div> <div> P.O. Box 607</div> <div> Whittier, AK 99693</div> <div> Web <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.whittieralaska.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whittieralaska.com/">www.whittieralaska.com/</A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.whittieralaska.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whittieralaska.com/"> </A></div> <bR> <div> <B>City</B> - City of Whittier</div> <div> P.O. Box 608</div> <div> Whittier, AK 99693</div> <div> Phone 907-472-2327</div> <div> Fax 907-472-2404</div> <div> E-mail <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >admin@ci.whittier.ak.us</FONT></div> <div> Web <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.ci.whittier.ak.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ci.whittier.ak.us">www.ci.whittier.ak.us</A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Regional Organizations</B></div> <div> <B>Regional Native Health Corporation</B> - Chugachmiut</div> <div> 1840 South Bragaw Street</div> <div> Anchorage, AK 99508</div> <div> Phone 907-562-4155</div> <div> Fax 907-563-2891</div> <div> E-mail <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >info@chugachmiut.org</FONT></div> <div> Web <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.chugachmiut.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.chugachmiut.org">www.chugachmiut.org</A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Regional Development</B> - Pr. Wm. Sound Econ. Dev. District</div> <div> 2207 Spenard Road #207</div> <div> Anchorage, 99503</div> <div> Phone 907-222-2440</div> <div> Fax 907-222-2411</div> <div> E-mail <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" >pwsedc@alaska.net</FONT></div> <div> Web <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.pwsedd.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.pwsedd.org/">www.pwsedd.org/</A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Facilities, Utilities, Schools and Health Care</B></div> <div> Water is derived from wells and a reservoir. Water storage capacity is 1.2 million gallons.</div> <div> The entire community is served by a piped water and sewer system, and over 95% of homes are fully plumbed.</div> <div> The older portions of the City sewer system need replacement. Refuse is hauled out by a private contractor to Anchorage - the landfill has been closed.</div> <div> An oil and hazardous waste recycling center was completed in 1998.</div> <div> Electricity is provided by Chugach Electric Association.</div> <div> There is one school located in the community, attended by 40 students. Local hospitals or health clinics include Whittier Health Clinic (907-472-2303). The clinic is a qualified Emergency Care Center.</div> <div> Whittier is classified as a large town/Regional Center, it is found in EMS Region 2F in the Prince William Sound Region.</div> <div> Emergency Services have limited highway, marine and air access.</div> <div> Emergency service is provided by 911 Telephone Service and volunteers Auxiliary health care is provided by Whittier Volunteer Ambulance (Clinic 472-2303/472-2340).</div> <bR> <div> <B>Economy and Transportation</B></div> <div> The City, school, local services and summer tourism support Whittier. Tours, charters and sport fishing in Prince William Sound attract seasonal visitors. Eight residents hold commercial fishing permits.</div> <bR> <div> Whittier has an ice-free port and two city docks (70 ft cargo dock & 60 ft floating passenger dock). A small boat harbor has slips for 360 fishing, recreation and charter vessels. It is served by road, rail, the state ferry, boat and aircraft.</div> <bR> <div> A $70 million road connection was completed in the Summer of 2000.</div> <div> The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was reconstructed to accommodate both rail and road vehicles.</div> <div> The railway carries passengers, vehicles and cargo 12 miles from the Portage Station, east of Girdwood.</div> <div> The State-owned 1,480' long by 58' wide gravel airstrip accommodates charter aircraft, and a City-owned seaplane dock is available for passenger transfer.</div> <bR> <div> <B>History, Culture and Demographics</B></div> <div> Passage Canal was once the quickest route from Prince William Sound to Cook Inlet. Chugach Indians would portage to Turnagain Arm in search of fish. Nearby Whittier Glacier was named for the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier, and was first published in 1915 by the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey.</div> <bR> <div> A port and railroad terminus were constructed by the U.S. Army for transport of fuel and other supplies into Alaska during World War II. The railroad spur and two tunnels were completed in 1943, and the Whittier Port became the entrance for troops and dependents of the Alaska Command. The huge buildings that dominate Whittier began construction in 1948.</div> <bR> <div> The 14-story Hodge Building (now Begich Towers) was built for Army bachelors quarters and family housing, with 198 apartments. The Buckner Building, completed in 1953, had 1,000 apartments and was once the largest building in Alaska. It was called the "city under one roof," with a hospital, bowling alley, theater, gym, swimming pool and shops for Army personnel.</div> <bR> <div> Whittier Manor was built in the early 1950s by private developers as rental units for civilian employees. The Port remained an active Army facility until 1960; at that time, the population was 1,200. Whittier Manor was converted to condominiums in 1964; Begich Towers now houses the majority of residents, as the Buckner Building is no longer occupied.</div> <bR> <div> The City was incorporated in 1969. </div> <div> The population of the community consists of 12.6% Alaska Native or part Native. Residents enjoy sport-fishing, commercial fishing and subsistence activities. During the 2000 U.S. Census, total housing units numbered 213, and vacant housing units numbered 127.</div> <div> Vacant housing units used only seasonally numbered 79. U.S. Census data for Year 2000 showed 90 residents as employed.</div> <div> The unemployment rate at that time was 15.89 percent, although 37.06 percent of all adults were not in the work force. The median household income was $47,500, per capita income was $25,700, and 7.1 percent of residents were living below the poverty level.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="advertise.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Advertise"> <img src="HTMLobj-1036/aniGif.gif" alt="Rent this Space" border="0" align="bottom" width="468" height="60">  </A></div> <bR> <div> Web Site by: AST2.com   <A HREF="web_site_services.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Site Services">Low Cost Business Sites</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>