Editing Ambler, Alaska

{{short description|City in Alaska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Ambler
|native_name              = Ivisaappaat
| native_name_lang        = ik
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = <!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Ambler, Alaska summer aerial view.jpg
|imagesize                = 240px
|image_caption            = Aerial summer view of Ambler
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Northwest Arctic Borough Alaska incorporated and unincorporated areas Ambler highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska|Northwest Arctic Borough]] and the state of [[Alaska]].

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Borough]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska|Northwest Arctic]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Morgan Johnson
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Donny Olson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Robyn Burke]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = March 26, 1971<ref>{{cite book|title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=[[Juneau]]|publisher=Alaska Municipal League/[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]]|date=January 1996|page=23}}</ref>

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 30.68
|area_land_km2            = 26.62
|area_water_km2           = 4.06
|area_total_sq_mi         = 11.85
|area_land_sq_mi          = 10.28
|area_water_sq_mi         = 1.57

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 274
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 24
|elevation_ft             = 79
|coordinates              = {{coord|67|5|6|N|157|51|37|W|region:US-AK|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99786
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-01970
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1412509}}
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 26.66
|unit_pref = Imperial
|population_density_km2 = 10.29
}}

'''Ambler''' ({{langx|ik|Ivisaappaat}}, {{IPA|ik|ivisaːpːaːt|IPA}}) is a city in [[Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska]], United States. At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] the population was 258, down from 309 in 2000. The city is located in the large [[Iñupiaq language]] speaking region of Alaska, and the local dialect is known as the Ambler dialect (related to the Shugnak dialect). {{as of|1999}}, over 91% of the community speaks and understands the language (Kraus, 1999), with many young children actively learning the language in school. It has important relationships with the "hub" city of [[Kotzebue, Alaska]] and has important relationships with [[Maniilaq Association|Maniilaq Health Association]].

==Geography==
Ambler is located at {{coord|67.085000|-157.860331|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}},<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> on the north bank of the [[Kobuk River]], near the confluence of the [[Ambler River|Ambler]] and the Kobuk Rivers. It lies 45 miles north of the Arctic Circle. It is 138 miles northeast of Kotzebue, 30 miles northwest of Kobuk and 30 miles downriver from Shungnak. Ambler is located in the Kotzebue Recording District.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|10.8|sqmi|km2}}. {{convert|9.5|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|1.3|sqmi|km2}} of it (11.91%) is water.

==Climate==
Ambler is located in the continental climate zone. Temperatures have  ranged from 93F to -74F.  The [[Kobuk River]] is navigable from early June to mid-October. Ambler has a [[subarctic climate]] with long, extremely cold winters and short, warm summers. Temperatures in the winter often drop below -40&nbsp;°C/°F, just like most of interior [[Alaska]], but it frequently gets mild spells where the temperatures stay above 10&nbsp;°F (-12&nbsp;°C) for several days in a row because of the relative closeness to the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally gets above freezing in winter, even in January, although it is not very common. Places further East like [[Fairbanks]] and [[Fort Yukon]], for comparison, are usually lightly affected by the mild Pacific air. Ambler is also wetter because of this. Summers are quite variable too, as the weather alternates between warm days and cooler days. The highest temperature of any given year is about 80&nbsp;°F (26&nbsp;°C) and occasionally above 86&nbsp;°F (30&nbsp;°C), occurring as recently as June 18 and 19, 2013 with a maximum temperature of 90&nbsp;°F (32&nbsp;°C) recorded on both days.
Below is a table containing data for the period 1981-1992:

{{Weather box
|single line = Y
|location=     Ambler West, Alaska

|Jan record high F = 37
|Feb record high F = 38
|Mar record high F = 40
|Apr record high F = 53
|May record high F = 85
|Jun record high F = 93
|Jul record high F = 92
|Aug record high F = 85
|Sep record high F = 75
|Oct record high F = 46
|Nov record high F = 39
|Dec record high F = 35
|year record high F =

|Jan high F =−0.7
|Feb high F = 0.8
|Mar high F =14.1
|Apr high F =25.3
|May high F =50.7
|Jun high F =69.4
|Jul high F =71.1
|Aug high F =62.0
|Sep high F =49.2
|Oct high F =26.8
|Nov high F = 7.4
|Dec high F = 6.6
|year high F=

|Jan mean F =−9.3
|Feb mean F =−9.4
|Mar mean F = 2.1
|Apr mean F =13.5
|May mean F =40.2
|Jun mean F =56.3
|Jul mean F =59.3
|Aug mean F =52.1
|Sep mean F =40.7
|Oct mean F =19.7
|Nov mean F = 0.1
|Dec mean F =−1.7
|year mean F =

|Jan low F =−17.9
|Feb low F =−19.6
|Mar low F =−10.0
|Apr low F =  1.8
|May low F = 29.7
|Jun low F = 43.3
|Jul low F = 47.6
|Aug low F = 42.2
|Sep low F = 32.1
|Oct low F = 12.5
|Nov low F = −7.3
|Dec low F = −9.9
|year low F =

|Jan record low F = −74
|Feb record low F = −65
|Mar record low F = -54
|Apr record low F = -38
|May record low F = -12
|Jun record low F =  25
|Jul record low F =  32
|Aug record low F =  25
|Sep record low F =  6
|Oct record low F = -23
|Nov record low F = -49
|Dec record low F = -58
|year record low F=

|precipitation colour= green
|Jan precipitation inch=1.15
|Feb precipitation inch=1.13
|Mar precipitation inch=0.92
|Apr precipitation inch=1.59
|May precipitation inch=1.48
|Jun precipitation inch=1.33
|Jul precipitation inch=2.66
|Aug precipitation inch=4.50
|Sep precipitation inch=4.35
|Oct precipitation inch=1.72
|Nov precipitation inch=0.55
|Dec precipitation inch=1.67
|year precipitation inch=

|Jan snow inch = 19.7
|Feb snow inch = 16.7
|Mar snow inch = 17.6
|Apr snow inch = 17.2
|May snow inch =  4.1
|Jun snow inch =  0
|Jul snow inch =  0
|Aug snow inch =  0
|Sep snow inch =  3.7
|Oct snow inch = 17.9
|Nov snow inch =  9.6
|Dec snow inch = 27.5
|year snow inch=

|source 1= <ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ak0260|title= Ambler West, Alaska - Climate Summary|publisher= Western Regional Climate Center|access-date=May 22, 2012 }}</ref>
}}

==History==
[[File:Aerial winter view of the village of ambler Alaska.jpg|thumb|right|Historical aerial view of Ambler in winter]]
The community was named for a tributary of the Kobuk River, which was named for Dr. [[James M. Ambler]], who died of starvation after his ship was trapped in the Arctic ice in 1881.<ref>{{cite web|title=AMBLER, Alaska|url=http://www.nwabor.org/villages.html|publisher=NWAbor|access-date=October 14, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Herman|first1=Jan K.|title=James M. Ambler (1848–1881)|url=http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Ambler_James_M_1848-1881|publisher=[[Encyclopedia Virginia]]|access-date=October 14, 2015}}</ref> Ambler was permanently settled in 1958 when people from Shungnak and Kobuk moved downstream because of the variety of fish, wild game and spruce trees in the area. An archaeological site is located nearby at [[Onion Portage Archeological District|Onion Portage]]. A post office was established in 1963 First Post Master was Sarah Tickett. The city was incorporated in 1971.  The story of the prophet [[Maniilaq]] states that he predicted in the future a great whale would swim upriver and arrive at Ambler.<ref>LLT Productions VHS, Maniilaq—The Eskimo Prophet</ref> Founding fathers were Harry Tickett, Truman Cleveland, Nelson Greist Sr, Mark Cleveland, Tommy Lee, Charlie Douglas and Tommy Douglas.  Current 2023 Ambler IRA President Miles Cleveland Sr.

==Transportation==
Ambler's major means of transportation are by plane, small boat and snowmachine. There are no roads linking the city to other parts of the state. [[Ambler Airport]], a  State-owned 3,000' long by 60' wide lighted gravel airstrip, with a 2,400' long by 60' wide gravel crosswind airstrip, is located one and a half miles from the city. [[Bering Air]], [[Hageland Aviation]], and [[Ambler Air]] offer passenger flight service. In addition, daily scheduled services are provided out of Kotzebue, and air taxis provide charter flights. The airstrip has recently<sup>(written 2008)</sup> undergone major improvements. Boats are used for inter-village travel and subsistence activities. ATVs and snowmachines are commonly used in winter. In connection with plans to start mining, there are plans to build [[Ambler Road|a {{convert|211|mi}} road]] from the [[Dalton Highway]] to the Ambler region.<ref name="miningnewsnorth.com">[https://www.miningnewsnorth.com/story/2018/08/03/news/resolved-to-help-build-the-ambler-road/5289.html Resolved to help build the Ambler Road]</ref>

==Economy==
Cash employment is limited to the school, City, clinic, and local stores, and some mining occurs. Five residents hold commercial fishing permits. Subsistence is a major part of the local economy. Chum salmon and caribou are the most important food sources. Freshwater fish, moose, bear, and berries are also harvested. Birch baskets, fur pelts, and jade, quartz, bone and ivory carvings are sold in gift shops throughout the state. The community is interested in developing a lapidary facility for local artisans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maniilaq.org/northwest-alaska/ambler/|title=AMBLER {{!}} Maniilaq Association|website=www.maniilaq.org|language=en-US|access-date=November 22, 2018}}</ref> There are plans to start mining in the region. There are large deposits.<ref name="miningnewsnorth.com"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1960= 70
|1970= 169
|1980= 192
|1990= 311
|2000= 309
|2010= 258
|2020= 274
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Ambler first appeared on the 1960 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Number of Inhabitants |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/37721577v1p3ch2.pdf |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> It formally incorporated in 1971.

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 309 people, 79 households, and 63 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|32.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 98 housing units at an average density of 10.4 per square&nbsp;mile (4.0/km{{sup|2}}).  The racial makeup of the city was 12.94% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.32% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 84.79% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], and 1.94% from two or more races.

There were 79 households, out of which 54.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.0% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 3.91 and the average family size was 4.33.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 41.7% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,500, and the median income for a family was $43,571. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $36,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $13,712.  About 19.0% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 22.2% of those 65 or over.

==Education==
The Ambler School, operated by the [[Northwest Arctic Borough School District]], serves the community. {{As of|2017}} it had 7 teachers and 69 students, with [[Alaska Natives]] making up 94% of the student body.<ref>[http://www.nwarctic.org/Domain/8 Home]. Ambler School. Retrieved on March 26, 2017.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
Tribal Court:
PO Box 47
Ambler, AK 99786
(907) 445-2238
FAX (907) 445-2257

==External links==
{{Portal|Alaska}}
* [https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/community/Details/ceea5ed4-f88d-47ee-81dd-58cd8921b6da Ambler] at the Community Database Online from the [[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs]]
* Maps from the [[Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190144/http://labor.alaska.gov/research/alari/images/maps/4_19_13map.pdf 2000], [https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082707/http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/placemaps/01970.pdf 2010]

{{Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated places of the Arctic United States]]
[[Category:Road-inaccessible communities of Alaska]]