Editing Port Alexander, Alaska

{{redirect|Port Alexander|the bay in Angola|Port Alexander, Angola}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Port Alexander, Alaska
|native_name              = Shee Yat’aḵ.aan
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map  = USA Alaska
|pushpin_relief           = yes
|pushpin_map_caption  = Location in the United States
<!-- 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|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska|Prince of Wales-Hyder]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Corey Gifford
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Bert Stedman]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Rebecca Himschoot]] ([[Independent politician|I]])
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = July 9, 1974<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=122}} The incorporation followed the detachment of the area from the original boundaries of the City and Borough of Sitka.</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|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 38.89
|area_land_km2            = 9.07
|area_water_km2           = 29.82
|area_total_sq_mi         = 15.01
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.50
|area_water_sq_mi         = 11.51

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 78
|population_density_km2   = 8.60
|population_density_sq_mi = 22.29
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 13
|elevation_ft             = 43
|coordinates              = {{coord|56|14|24|N|134|39|26|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99836
|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               = 02-62510
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1424551
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
}}

[[File:Port_Alexander.png | thumb|right | Aerial image of Port Alexander, Alaska]]
'''Port Alexander''' ([[Tlingit language|Lingít]]: ''Shee Yat’aḵ.aan''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://peterwstanton.medium.com/comprehensive-list-of-tlingit-names-for-all-the-present-day-communities-in-ling%C3%ADt-aan%C3%AD-f93b449a9cc|title = Comprehensive List of Tlingit Names for All the Present-Day Communities in Lingít Aaní|date = August 7, 2018}}</ref>) is a city at the southeastern corner of [[Baranof Island]] in [[Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/maps/bor/02198.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=December 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217223547/http://labor.alaska.gov/research/census/maps/bor/02198.pdf |archivedate=December 17, 2014 }}</ref> Alaska, United States. At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] the population was 52, down from 81 in 2000.

==History==
Port Alexander once was a bustling city with as many as 2,500 people in the early 20th century.<ref>Kirchhoff, M. J. "Baranof Island, An Illustrated History." Alaska Cedar Press, 1990, p. 76.</ref> Prior to the 1920s, Port Alexander was the salmon fishing capital of the world.

Port Alexander originally [[Municipal corporation|incorporated]] in 1936. It became a part of the Greater Sitka Borough in 1963, following the [[Alaska Legislature|state legislature]]'s passage of the Mandatory Borough Act. The original municipality was dissolved when it unified with Sitka's city and borough governments in 1971, which formed the present-day entity known as the City and Borough of Sitka. However, residents were independent and desired to govern themselves so they successfully sought to detach themselves from the new municipality. Port Alexander reincorporated as a second class city in 1974.

The Port Alexander Historical Society successfully completed the project of creating a small museum celebrating the town's history in the 2000s.

==Geography==
Port Alexander is located at the southeastern end of [[Baranof Island]]. It occupies all land on Baranof and its surrounding islets which lies south of 56.27°N and east of 134.6666°W, a total of {{convert|3.8|sqmi|km2}}, or less than one-quarter of one percent of Baranof Island's land area. Additionally, it administers {{convert|11.3|sqmi|km2}} of water, resulting in a total area of {{convert|15.1|sqmi|km2}}. The entirety of the rest of Baranof Island and its surrounding minor islands and rocks is administered by the City and Borough of [[Sitka, Alaska|Sitka]].

The city is served by the Baranautica Air Service with seasonal Essential Air Service flights and the EYAK brings supplies and mail weekly. [[Port Alexander Seaplane Base]].

==Climate==
Despite its latitude at 56°14'N Port Alexander has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''Cfb'') with cool, wet (In Port Alexander's case snowy) winters, and mild, dry summers.

{{Weather box
|location = Port Alexander, Alaska (1991&ndash;2020 normals, extremes 1949&ndash;2017)
|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 52
|Feb record high F = 52
|Mar record high F = 54
|Apr record high F = 71
|May record high F = 77
|Jun record high F = 86
|Jul record high F = 84
|Aug record high F = 82
|Sep record high F = 74
|Oct record high F = 62
|Nov record high F = 55
|Dec record high F = 54

|Jan avg record high F = 47.3
|Feb avg record high F = 47.3
|Mar avg record high F = 49.3
|Apr avg record high F = 59.6
|May avg record high F = 67.2
|Jun avg record high F = 73.7
|Jul avg record high F = 74.2
|Aug avg record high F = 74.0
|Sep avg record high F = 66.0
|Oct avg record high F = 56.5
|Nov avg record high F = 49.9
|Dec avg record high F = 47.8
|year avg record high F = 77.4

|Jan high F = 39.7
|Feb high F = 40.8
|Mar high F = 43.1
|Apr high F = 49.7
|May high F = 56.7
|Jun high F = 61.4
|Jul high F = 64.3
|Aug high F = 64.1
|Sep high F = 58.4
|Oct high F = 50.9
|Nov high F = 44.2
|Dec high F = 40.9
|Jan mean F = 36.0
|Feb mean F = 36.7
|Mar mean F = 37.9
|Apr mean F = 43.2
|May mean F = 49.2
|Jun mean F = 54.1
|Jul mean F = 57.2
|Aug mean F = 57.2
|Sep mean F = 52.6
|Oct mean F = 46.3
|Nov mean F = 40.3
|Dec mean F = 37.2
|Jan low F = 32.3
|Feb low F = 32.5
|Mar low F = 32.7
|Apr low F = 36.8
|May low F = 41.7
|Jun low F = 46.7
|Jul low F = 50.1
|Aug low F = 50.2
|Sep low F = 46.9
|Oct low F = 41.6
|Nov low F = 36.3
|Dec low F = 33.4

|Jan avg record low F = 20.4
|Feb avg record low F = 21.2
|Mar avg record low F = 24.8
|Apr avg record low F = 29.1
|May avg record low F = 33.9
|Jun avg record low F = 39.3
|Jul avg record low F = 43.4
|Aug avg record low F = 43.0
|Sep avg record low F = 37.8
|Oct avg record low F = 31.5
|Nov avg record low F = 25.7
|Dec avg record low F = 21.7
|year avg record low F = 13.1

|Jan record low F = -1
|Feb record low F = 4
|Mar record low F = 7
|Apr record low F = 18
|May record low F = 28
|Jun record low F = 33
|Jul record low F = 35
|Aug record low F = 37
|Sep record low F = 31
|Oct record low F = 22
|Nov record low F = 1
|Dec record low F = 0

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 16.25
|Feb precipitation inch = 11.72
|Mar precipitation inch = 11.05
|Apr precipitation inch = 8.64
|May precipitation inch = 7.86
|Jun precipitation inch = 6.65
|Jul precipitation inch = 9.03
|Aug precipitation inch = 13.94
|Sep precipitation inch = 19.34
|Oct precipitation inch = 19.85
|Nov precipitation inch = 18.12
|Dec precipitation inch = 19.58
|year precipitation inch = 162.03
|Jan snow inch = 12.3
|Feb snow inch = 12.0
|Mar snow inch = 11.9
|Apr snow inch = 1.2
|May snow inch = 0.1
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 4.1
|Dec snow inch = 14.1
|year snow inch = 56.0
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch
|Jan precipitation days = 23.7
|Feb precipitation days = 19.4
|Mar precipitation days = 21.5
|Apr precipitation days = 19.2
|May precipitation days = 16.6
|Jun precipitation days = 15.5
|Jul precipitation days = 16.6
|Aug precipitation days = 18.5
|Sep precipitation days = 23.3
|Oct precipitation days = 25.3
|Nov precipitation days = 24.1
|Dec precipitation days = 24.4
|year precipitation days = 248.1
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 5.7
|Feb snow days = 4.8
|Mar snow days = 4.9
|Apr snow days = 1.2
|May snow days = 0.1
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.2
|Nov snow days = 2.5
|Dec snow days = 4.9
|year snow days = 24.3
|source 1 = NOAA (mean maxima/minima 1981&ndash;2010)<ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00507557&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: PORT ALEXANDER, AK US USC00507557
|access-date = June 10, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230610014034/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00507557&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date = June 10, 2023
}}
</ref><ref name = XMACIS2>
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2
|access-date = June 14, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 107
|1940= 87
|1950= 22
|1960= 18
|1970= 36
|1980= 86
|1990= 119
|2000= 81
|2010= 52
|2020= 78
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Port Alexander first reported on the 1930 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1936. It merged with the City of Sitka in 1971, but detached itself and reincorporated in 1974. Port Alexander is a second-class city.

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 81 people, 34 households, and 19 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|21.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 79 housing units at an average density of {{convert|20.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 83.95% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 4.94% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], and 11.11% from two or more races. 4.94% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 34 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, and 41.2% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 30.9% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 2.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,563, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $51,250 versus $41,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,767. There were 25.0% of families and 22.9% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 18.5% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

==Education==
The school is the Port Alexander School, operated by [[Southeast Island School District]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://education.alaska.gov/DOE_Rolodex/SchoolCalendar/Home/SchoolDetails/440230 |title=Port Alexander School |publisher=[[Alaska Department of Education]] |access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{HAER |survey=AK-57 |id=ak0582 |title=Port Alexander Harbor, Baranof Island, Port Alexander, Sitka Borough, AK |photos=3 |cap=1}}

{{Prince of Wales – Hyder Census Area, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean]]