Editing Anchor Point, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Anchor Point, Alaska
|native_name              = K’kaq’ 
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Anchorpoint.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map             = Anchor_Point_Municipal_Map.png
| map_caption           = Location in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|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        = [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Borough [[mayor]]
|leader_name              = [[Peter Micciche]]
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Gary Stevens (politician)|Gary Stevens]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Sarah Vance (politician)|Sarah Vance]] (R)
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_magnitude           = 
|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|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 237.66
|area_land_km2            = 237.36
|area_water_km2           = 0.30
|area_total_sq_mi         = 91.76
|area_land_sq_mi          = 91.65
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.12

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2105
|population_density_km2   = 8.87

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 36
|elevation_ft             = 118
|coordinates              = {{coord|59|46|39|N|151|46|13|W|region:US-AK|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99556
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-03110
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1412516
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|population_density_sq_mi = 22.97
}}
'''Anchor Point''' ([[Denaʼina language|Dena'ina]]: ''K’kaq’'') is an unincorporated community and  [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula Borough]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Alaska]]. As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] the population was 1,930,<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0203110| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Anchor Point CDP, Alaska| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=January 9, 2019}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> up from 1,845 in 2000. The community is located along the [[Sterling Highway]], part of [[Alaska State Route 1]]. Anchor Point is the westernmost point in the [[National Highway System (United States)|North American highway system]].
[[File:Anchor Point, Alaska.JPG|thumbnail|Sign designating North America's most westerly highway point]]

==History==
The name "Anchor Point" comes from a legend that when Captain [[James Cook]] discovered the area, he lost an anchor. Settlers came beginning in the early 1900s.<ref>Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation: [https://web.archive.org/web/20000622074800/http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/anchoriv.htm "Anchor River State Recreation Area and Stariski State Recreation Site"]</ref>

==Geography==
Anchor Point is located at {{coord|59|46|39|N|151|46|13|W|type:city}} (59.777468, -151.770220)<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=April 23, 2011 |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> on the eastern shore of [[Cook Inlet]]. It is bordered to the north by [[Happy Valley, Alaska|Happy Valley]], to the northeast by [[Nikolaevsk, Alaska|Nikolaevsk]], and to the south by [[Diamond Ridge, Alaska|Diamond Ridge]]. The [[Anchor River]] runs through the southern part of the CDP, entering Cook Inlet just west of the town center.

The town is the farthest west on the U.S. highway system.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Journal of the Bicentennial Seward's Folly Expeditionary Force and Drinking Society |last=Christian |first=Phillip |publisher=lulu.com |year=2012 |isbn=978-1105853340 |location=Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |pages=47}}</ref> [[Alaska Route 1]] runs southeast from Anchor Bay {{convert|15|mi}} to [[Homer, Alaska|Homer]] and northeast {{convert|59|mi}} to [[Soldotna, Alaska|Soldotna]]. [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]] is {{convert|206|mi}} to the northeast via Route 1.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the Anchor Bay CDP has a total area of {{convert|238.2|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|237.7|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.5|km2|order=flip|1}}, or 0.23%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Economy==
A large portion of the Anchor Point economy relies on the [[Anchor River]]. Tourists come to fish the river during salmon runs in the summer. The river is also a source of coal. Along the coast, there are good spots for clam-digging, which draws tourists.

==Education==
Anchor Point is in the [[Kenai Peninsula Borough School District]]. The Chapman School is a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school off the main highway.<ref>[https://archive.today/20150413205158/http://chapmanschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/ Chapman School page at KPBSD website]</ref> Older students generally attend [[Homer High School (Alaska)|Homer High School]].

The Anchor Point Public Library has one employee, and its collection includes approximately 12,000 items.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=14253|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318020523/http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=14253|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 18, 2012|title=Anchor Point Public Library|first=Marshall|last=Breeding|work=LibraryTechnology.org|accessdate=March 4, 2015}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1880= 29
|1940= 20
|1950= 65
|1960= 171
|1970= 102
|1980= 226
|1990= 866
|2000= 1845
|2010= 1930
|2020= 2105
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
Anchor Point first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the [[Tinneh]] village of Laida.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics of the Population of Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1880}}</ref> It was listed as the Anchor Point Mining Camp on the 1890 census, but along with Laida, was combined with the population of nearby [[Ninilchik]], which had 81 residents in total.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CRcwAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Annovokhamiut%22&pg=RA2-PA164 |title = Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census, 1890|year = 1893|last1 = Census Office|first1 = United States}}</ref> It did not report again until the 1940 U.S. Census, then as Anchor Point Settlement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alaska - Number of Inhabitants |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/33973538v1ch11.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1940}}</ref> From 1950-onwards, it has reported as Anchor Point.<ref>{{cite web |title=Number of Inhabitants - Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41601749v2p51-54ch2.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1950}}</ref> It became a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |title=Characteristics of the Populations - Number of Inhabitants - Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_akABCD-01.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=May 1982}}</ref>

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,845 people, 711 households, and 467 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|20.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 979 housing units at an average density of {{convert|10.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.

The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.82% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 3.36% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.33% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.11% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.60% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.79% from two or more races. 1.73% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 711 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.0[% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,094, and the median income for a family was $49,821. Males had a median income of $39,688 versus $26,731 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $18,668. About 8.2% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Parks==
[[File:Anchor Point boat launch cropped.png|thumb|Launching a boat into Cook Inlet at the Anchor River SRA]]
There are two [[Alaska State Parks]] units in the area around Anchor Point. [[Anchor River State Recreation Area]] stretches along the banks of the river and down to the beach. Five miles north of Anchor Point is the Stariski State Recreation Site, a small park with a campground on a bluff overlooking Cook Inlet.<ref>[http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/stariskisrs.htm Stariski SRS] [[Alaska Department of Natural Resources]]</ref><ref>''[[The Milepost]]'', 2018 edition, page 561-562 {{ISBN|9781892154378}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Anchor Point}}
{{Commons category|Anchor Point, Alaska}}
{{Portal|Alaska}}
* [https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/community/Details/cc5e52a2-3cac-48d0-98d0-db8f9325d4de Anchor Point] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229212427/https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/dcra/DCRAExternal/community/Details/cc5e52a2-3cac-48d0-98d0-db8f9325d4de |date=December 29, 2016 }} 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/20160304195441/http://labor.alaska.gov/research/alari/images/maps/2_12_15map.pdf 2000], [https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082709/http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/placemaps/03110.pdf 2010]

{{Coord|display=title|59.777468|-151.77022}}
{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean]]