Seward, Alaska
Seward, Alaska | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Seward, Alaska | |
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| Established | 1903 |
| Incorporated | 1912 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Vanta Shafer |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (Alaska) |
| Website | www.cityofseward.net |
Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,016.[1]
It was named after William H. Seward, early member of the United States Republican Party, United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln. As Secretary of State, he fought for the U.S. purchase of Alaska which he finally negotiated to acquire from Russia.
Geography
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Ecology
Nearby Bear Lake has been the site of salmon enhancement activities since 1962.[2]
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 2,830 people, 917 households, and 555 families residing in the city. The population density was 75.7/km² (196.0/mi²). There were 1,058 housing units at an average density of 28.3/km² (73.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.12% White, 2.44% Black or African American, 16.68% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 5.87% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 917 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 150.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 166.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,306, and the median income for a family was $54,904. Males had a median income of $36,900 versus $30,508 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,360. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Seward is unique among most small Alaskan communities in that it has road access in the Seward Highway, a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road, which also brings it bus service, albeit most buses are marketed towards tourists and the costs are higher and service decreases or ceases in the winter. Seward is also the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad. This keeps the port busy with freight coming on and off the trains, but also makes Seward a primary end point for north-bound cruise ships. Cruise ship passengers get off the boats and take the train farther north to Denali or other Alaskan attractions.
Seward used to receive service from the Alaska Marine Highway (ferry) system, however, service has since been cut.
Attractions
- Mount Marathon and its famous Mount Marathon Race
- Kenai Fjords National Park
- Alaska SeaLife Center
- Alaska Vocational Technical Center
- 4th of July Festival
- Seward Silver Salmon Derby
- Seward Polar Bear Jump-Off
Trivia
- Seward is the seventh most lucrative fisheries port in the United States per value. In 2004, 49.7 million dollars worth of fish and shellfish passed through Seward according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
- In 1927, thirteen-year old Benny Benson won a territory-wide American Legion contest to design a flag for Alaska. Benny lived at the orphanage in Seward, and up to that point his life as a Native Alaskan was a typical story of the times. Born in Chignik in 1913, he was three when his mother died of pneumonia. Shortly afterwards the family's house burned down, and his Swedish fisherman father sent him and his brother Carl to the orphanage. Winning the contest changed Benny’s life. The prize for designing the flag included a scholarship of $1000, and he used it to eventually become an airplane mechanic. He married, raised a family, and died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 58. His design became the territorial flag and eventually the state flag. He is memorialized in Seward by the Benny Benson Memorial Park.[3]
References
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Alaska" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21 2006. Retrieved November 9.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|year=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ "Project Bear Lake". Retrieved 2007-02-03.
- ^ http://www.alaska.edu/opa/eInfo/index.xml?StoryID=186
External links
- City of Seward
- Seward Chamber of Commerce and Conference & Visitors Bureau
- SewardCityNews.com Sewards citizen journalism site
- Photos of Seward - Terra Galleria
