Hyder, Alaska

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The border between Stewart, British Columbia and Hyder, as seen from the Canadian side.
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The border between Stewart, British Columbia and Hyder, as seen from the Canadian side.

Hyder is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 97.

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[edit] Geography

Location of Hyder, Alaska.

Hyder is located at 55°56′29″N, 130°3′16″W (55.941442, -130.054504)GR1.

Hyder is located at the head of the Portland Canal, a 115 km (70 mile) long fjord which forms a portion of the border between the United States and Canada at the southeastern edge of the Alaska Panhandle. Hyder is 3 km (2 miles) from Stewart, British Columbia and 120 km (75 miles) from Ketchikan by air.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 38.4 km² (14.8 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 97 people, 47 households, and 25 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2.5/km² (6.5/mi²). There were 72 housing units at an average density of 1.9/km² (4.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.88% White, and 4.12% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 47 households out of which 19.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 2.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 46.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 125.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 132.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $11,719, and the median income for a family was $30,500. Males had a median income of $56,250 versus $13,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $11,491. There were 44.4% of families and 54.1% of the population living below the poverty line, including 81.0% of under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.

[edit] History

The Nisga'a, who lived around the Nass River, called the head of Portland Canal "Skam-A-Kounst," meaning safe place, probably because it served them as a retreat from the harassment of the Haidas on the coast. They travelled in the area seasonally to pick berries and hunt birds.

The area around the Portland Canal was explored in 1896 by Captain D.D. Gaillard of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

In 1898, gold and silver lodes were discovered in the region, mainly on the Canadian side in the upper Salmon River basin. The Stewart brothers, for whom the British Columbia town was named, arrived in 1902.

Hyder was originally called Portland City, after the canal. In 1914, when the United States Postal Service told residents that there were too many cities named Portland in the United States (see Portland for a list), it was renamed after Frederick Hyder, a Canadian mining engineer who envisioned a bright future for the area. Hyder was the only practical point of access to the silver mines in Canada, and the community became the port, supply point, and post office for miners by 1917. Hyder's boom years occurred between 1920 and 1930, when the Riverside Mine on United States side extracted gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and tungsten. The mine operated from 1924 until 1950.

In 1948, the town of Hyder, which was built on pilings, was destroyed by fire. By 1956, all major mining had closed except for the Granduc Copper Mine on the Canadian side, which operated until 1984. Westmin Resources Ltd. currently operates the only remaining mine in the area, a gold and silver mine on the Canadian side.

Hyder is accessible by highway from Stewart, British Columbia, which connects with the British Columbia highway system.

One historic custom was 'to get Hyderized'. To accomplish this task, you had to down a glass of 190 proof alcohol. [citation needed]

Hyder is the location of the annual "Hyder-Seek" gathering of long-distance motorcyclists who travel from all over North America each Memorial Day weekend.

[edit] Government Facilities, Utilities and Health Care

(This section was originally excerpted from The Development of the Alaskan Ginseng Industry in Hyder, Alaska)

The community of Hyder is highly dependent on Canada, especially its neighboring town, Stewart. There is no U.S. federal or state law enforcement agency present in Hyder, the town relies on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian court system to handle their legal and criminal affairs. There is a Canadian customs station at the border point in Hyder, but no American one. The only way to get out of Hyder is through Canada, therefore there is no reason for the government to maintain such an installation.

Hyder is the only community in Alaska which does not use the area code 907, it uses instead the local British Columbia area code 250. Telephone service is provided to both Stewart and Hyder by Telus Communications, a Canadian telephone company, although Hyder customers are billed by an American "reseller" of the Canadian service. Electrical power is provided by the Tongass Power and Light Company, which services both of the communities. Plumbing and sewers (present in 90% of Hyder's homes) are maintained by British Columbia Hydro. Recently however, Hyder has requested a state grant to help Hyder maintain its own water and landfill.

The only U.S. federal presence in Hyder is the Hyder Post Office. The Post Office is the only business in Hyder which requires the use of U.S. currency. All other businesses will accept Canadian or American currency.

The State of Alaska maintains the Hyder Deep Water Port and the Hyder Sea Plane Base. Renovations of the seaplane dock and parking are currently under way by the state.

Until 2000, all students living in Hyder were bussed to Stewart each day. A special teacher was hired by the State of Alaska to teach these students American history (not taught in Canadian schools). The state also paid the Canadian government for the use of their educational facilities. In 2000 Hyder received its own school which is attended by 18 students from the community. The school is administrated by the Southeast Island School District from Thorne Bay, Alaska.

[edit] Transportation

(This section was originally excerpted from The Development of the Alaskan Ginseng Industry in Hyder, Alaska)

Hyder is unique in that it is one of only three communities on the Alaskan Panhandle which is accessible by road (the others being Skagway and Haines) from the North American highway network. Hyder is at the western end of the Stewart-Hyder Cutoff, Highway 37A, of Canada's Cassiar Highway (Highway 37). Highway 37A extends west of Highway 37 from Meziadin Lake. It is maintained year round and is in the process of being paved. Many of the goods sent to Stewart and Hyder arrive by truck. Lindsay's Cartage and Storage, Arrow Transportation, Bandstra Transportation, and Seaport Limousine Ltd. provide cargo transport for both Hyder and Stewart.

The Salmon River Road runs north out of Hyder to Mountain View Camp and the Ninemile Ruins. This road at one time provided access to the lucrative Riverside mine.

Hyder has a deep water port which actually lies some distance off of the coast from the town. There is a long wooden causeway which juts out into the Portland Canal which connects the loading site to the town. The state also has built a boat launching ramp and harbor for smaller private craft. The Alaska ferry served Hyder from 1986 until the late 1990's when the route was phased out due to expense and lack of interest. It is roughly a 10 hour trip by boat from Ketchikan, as it is necessary to head south through the Dixon Entrance and then head back up the Portland Canal. As a result of this, travel between Hyder and other southeastern Alaska cities is primarily by air.

The Canadian government maintains a 3900 foot paved airstrip out of Stewart. All planes without floats coming or going to Hyder therefore must go through Canada. The state of Alaska maintains a medivac helicopter landing pad in Hyder in case of emergencies. Air service in and out of the Stewart Airport is provided by Vancouver Island Helicopters and Taquan Air, as well as other charter outfits from surrounding towns. A Taquan Air float plane (based in Ketchikan) flies the U.S. Mail to Hyder on every Monday and Thursday.

Aside from running freight, Seaport Limousine Ltd. also manages the only bus line in the area. It travels to and from Terrace, Canada each weekend and makes connections with the Greyhound Bus Line in Terrace.

[edit] External links

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