Petersburg, Alaska

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Petersburg is a city in Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area, Alaska, in the United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,010.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The north end of Mitkof Island was a summer fish camp utilized by Kake Tlingits from Kupreanof Island. Some began living year-round at the site, including Chief John Lot. Petersburg was named after Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian immigrant who arrived in the late 1890s. and homesteaded on the north end of the island. He built a cannery (thanks to the plentiful number of icebergs from the nearby LeConte Glacier which would provide a source for cooling fish), a sawmill, and a dock between 1890 and 1900. His family's homesteads grew into Petersburg which, by 1910 was incorporated and was populated largely by people of Scandinavian origin thus giving Petersburg the nickname "Little Norway". May 17 (Norwegian Constitution Day) is celebrated annually in Petersburg. The cannery, along with three others have operated continuously since their completion. Petersburg is one of Alaska's major fishing communities.

[edit] Geography

Location of Petersburg, Alaska.

Petersburg is located at 56°48′16″N, 132°56′31″W (56.804414, -132.942013)GR1. It is on the north end of Mitkof Island, where the Wrangell Narrows meets Frederick Sound. Petersburg is halfway between Juneau, 190 km (120 miles) to the north, and Ketchikan, 180 km (110 miles) to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 119.2 km² (46.0 mi²). 113.6 km² (43.9 mi²) of it is land and 5.6 km² (2.2 mi²) of it (4.74%) is water.

The island is largely covered by low mountains, while the lowlands are mainly comprised of muskeg, a type of soil made up of plants in various states of decomposition.

[edit] Demographics

The Petersburg city seal.
The Petersburg city seal.

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 3,224 people, 1,240 households, and 849 families residing in the city. The population density was 28.4/km² (73.5/mi²). There were 1,367 housing units at an average density of 12.0/km² (31.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.64% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 7.20% Native American, 2.76% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 1.86% from other races, and 6.05% from two or more races. 2.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,240 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 108.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,028, and the median income for a family was $54,934. Males had a median income of $42,135 versus $28,792 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,827. About 3.3% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

A view of the Petersburg waterfront.
A view of the Petersburg waterfront.

[edit] Transportation

Being located on an island, Petersburg can only be accessed by air or sea.

[edit] Marine transportation

Petersburg receives service from two separate ferry services: the Inter-Island Ferry Authority and the Alaska Marine Highway.

The Inter-Island Ferry Authority has dedicated daily service with the M/V Stikine on its Coffman Cove-Wrangell-Petersburg-Wrangell-Coffman Cove route. For the Alaska Marine Highway, Petersburg is a stop on its Inside Passage route that sees near-daily service both southbound and northbound to other Southeast Alaskan communities, Bellingham Washington and Prince Rupert, BC Canada.

Small cruise-ships (up to 250 passengers) and private yachts visit from May thru September.

[edit] Air transportation

The jet carrier Alaska Airlines serves Petersburg with both cargo and passenger service from the Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport from Ketchikan and Juneau daily, with service ultimately reaching Anchorage and Seattle. Bush carrier L.A.B. Flying Service also offers service to Petersburg from Kake and ultimately Juneau (via Kake). Three charter air companies are available for regional flights.

[edit] Trivia

  • Petersburg is 12th most lucrative fisheries port in the United States by volume according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. In 2004, 103 million pounds of fish and shellfish passed through Petersburg.
  • Petersburg is served by a weekly newspaper, the Petersburg Pilot.
  • Petersburg usually serves as the jumping off point for the attempted ascents of Devils Thumb, a very advanced peak located in the Stikine Icecap.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ 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 on November 9, 2006.

[edit] External links


Flag of Alaska
 State of Alaska
Juneau (capital)
Regions

Aleutian Islands | Arctic Alaska | Bush Alaska | Interior | Kenai Peninsula | Mat‑Su Valley | North Slope | Panhandle | Seward Peninsula | Southcentral | Southwest | Tanana Valley | Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta
Largest cities

Anchorage | Barrow | Bethel | Fairbanks | Homer | Juneau | Kenai | Ketchikan | Kodiak | Kotzebue | Nome | Palmer | Petersburg | Seward | Sitka | Unalaska | Valdez | Wasilla
Boroughs

Aleutians East | Anchorage | Bristol Bay | Denali | Fairbanks North Star | Haines | Juneau | Kenai Peninsula | Ketchikan Gateway | Kodiak Island | Lake and Peninsula | Matanuska‑Susitna | North Slope | Northwest Arctic | Sitka | Yakutat
Census areas

Aleutians West | Bethel | Dillingham | Nome | Prince of Wales‑Outer Ketchikan | Skagway‑Hoonah‑Angoon | Southeast Fairbanks | Valdez‑Cordova | Wade Hampton | Wrangell‑Petersburg | Yukon‑Koyukuk | (see also) Unorganized Borough


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