Editing Seldovia, Alaska

{{short description|City in Alaska, United States}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Seldovia
|native_name              = Angagkitaqnuuq
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = "Alaska's Best Kept Secret"

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Seldovia.jpg
|image_caption            = Seldovia, Alaska
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map             = Seldovia_Municipal_Map.png
| map_caption           = Location in Kenai Peninsula Borough, 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        = [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Dean Lent<ref>{{Cite book|title=2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League|year=2015|page=143}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Gary Stevens (Alaska 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        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = May 7, 1945<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=137}}</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           = 1.42
|area_land_km2            = 1.00
|area_water_km2           = 0.42
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.55
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.39
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.16

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 235
|population_density_km2   = 234.54
|population_density_sq_mi = 607.24
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 16
|elevation_ft             = 52
|coordinates              = {{coord|59|26|22|N|151|42|44|W|region:US_type:city_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99663
|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               = 02-68340
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1413937}}
|website                  = {{URL|https://cityofseldovia.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}

'''Seldovia''' ([[Alutiiq language|Alutiiq]]: {{lang|ems|Angagkitaqnuuq}}; [[Denaʼina language|Dena'ina]]: ''Angidahtnu''; {{langx|ru|Селдовия}}) is a city in [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska]], United States.  Its population was 255 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], down from 286 in 2000. It is located along [[Kachemak Bay]] southwest of [[Homer, Alaska|Homer]]. There is no road system connecting the town to other communities, so all travel to Seldovia is by airplane or boat.

The [[Alaska Native]] people of Seldovia make up approximately one quarter of the population and have ancestors of [[Aleut people|Aleut]] and [[Alutiiq people|Alutiiq (Sugpiaq)]] descent, as well as some [[Dena'ina people|Dena'ina]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ciri.com/content/history/villages.aspx|title = Cook Inlet Villages and Lands}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Seldovia in the early 1900s.jpg|thumb|left|Seldovia as it appeared in the early 20th century.]]
The native residents are mixed [[Dena'ina people|Dena'ina]] [[Alaskan Athabaskans|Athabaskan]] Indian and [[Alutiiq people|Alutiiq (Sugpiaq)]] Eskimo. In 1787 or 1788 a Russian [[fur trade]] post named Aleksandrovskaia was established at today's Seldovia by hunting parties under [[Evstratii Ivanovich Delarov]], of the [[Grigory Shelikhov|Shelikhov-Golikov company]], precursor of the [[Russian-American Company]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Haycox|first=Stephen W.|authorlink=Stephen Haycox|title= Alaska: An American Colony |year= 2002 |publisher= University of Washington Press |isbn= 978-0-295-98249-6 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8yu3pYpzLdUC |page= 74}}</ref>
Although there has been little definitive archeological evidence of human habitation at Seldovia prior to  the 1800s,{{Citation needed|reason=this and subsequent paragraphs are unsupported|date=March 2019}} it is said {{by whom|date=March 2019}} the early Russian [[St. Nicholas Chapel (Seldovia, Alaska)|St. Nicholas Orthodox Church]], started in 1820, was built on top of an older aboriginal [[Inuit]] village site. The town's original Russian name, Seldevoy, translates to "Herring Bay", as there was a significant herring population prior to rampant overfishing early in the 20th century.

[[File:Beach at Seldovia, Alaska, June 21, 1908 (COBB 175).jpeg|thumb|Main Street before the Old Boardwalk, June 1908]]
Until the development of a more complete road system in Alaska, Seldovia was an important "first stop" for ships sailing from Seward, Kodiak and other points outside [[Cook Inlet]].  At one time Seldovia was home to over 2,000 residents, but today fewer than 300 persons reside year round.

The town was one of many communities along the shores of Cook Inlet, noted for having one of the most severe tidal movements in North America. Similar to the dramatic tides of [[Bay of Fundy]], the Cook Inlet's waters prior to 1964 would rise or fall 26 feet every six hours during the peak tides.

After the [[1964 Alaska earthquake|Good Friday earthquake]] on March 27, 1964, which registered 9.2 on the [[moment magnitude scale]], the surrounding land mass dropped six feet.  Seldovia's "boardwalk" before the earthquake was thick wooden plank and piling, and the town's main street was built almost entirely along the waterfront. Most of the community's businesses, and many homes were similarly constructed upon pilings on either side of this "street".  The sudden sinking of the land caused higher tides, peaking at 32 feet, to completely submerge the boardwalk and flood the homes and businesses along the waterfront.

The waterfront was rebuilt (known at the time as "urban renewal") using fill from Cap's Hill, which was demolished to rebuild the town on higher ground. There is only one small portion of the boardwalk left; this section of the boardwalk was built decades after the original boardwalk and it is known to the townfolk as "the new boardwalk", even though it is now the only boardwalk. The original boardwalk is completely gone, destroyed during the urban renewal process, along with many homes and businesses.

Seldovia has been home to many industries, including fox farming, berry picking and commercial fishing, including King Crab fishing. Logging and mining have also featured in local history. Today charter boats keep busy bringing the visiting sport fishermen to the fishing grounds of Kachemak Bay and other nearby waters.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 74
|1890= 99
|1900= 149
|1910= 173
|1920= 258
|1930= 379
|1940= 410
|1950= 437
|1960= 460
|1970= 437
|1980= 479
|1990= 316
|2000= 286
|2010= 255
|2020= 235
|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>
}}
Seldovia first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated villages of Seldovia and Ostrovki.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr9RAQAAMAAJ&q=seldovia&pg=PA49 |title = Geological Survey Professional Paper|year = 1949}}</ref> Of the 74 residents, 38 were Creole (Mixed Russian and Native) and 36 were Inuit.<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> In 1890, it returned as Seldovia, and reported 99 residents, of which 83 were Native and 16 Creole.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v8-01.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=Government Printing Office}}</ref> It has reported in every successive census. It formally incorporated in 1945.

[[File:Seldovia2.jpg|left|thumb|Schooner Beach shop.]]
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 2010, there were 255 people, 121 households, and 66 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|668.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 218 housing units at an average density of {{convert|571.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 72.5% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 13.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.0% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.0% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 11.4% from two or more races.  3.9% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 121 households, out of which 19.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.5% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 20.0% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 37.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 104 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,313, and the median income for a family was $68,750. Males had a median income of $61,875 versus $21,667 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $30,754.  About 1.7% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.2% of those under the age of eighteen and 1.9% of those 65 or over.

==Geography==
[[File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - SELDOVIA AIRPORT,AK.svg|thumb|right|Climate chart for Seldovia]]
Seldovia is on the [[Kenai Peninsula]] on the south shore of [[Kachemak Bay]] opposite [[Homer, Alaska|Homer]]. The community is located in the Seldovia Recording District.

Seldovia sea level change is -9.96&nbsp;mm/yr, over the last 50 years it is about -19.6 inches or -1.6&nbsp;ft.<ref name="NOAA sea level trends">{{cite web |title=NOAA Tides & Currents, Sea Level Trends, World |url=https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends.html |access-date=March 1, 2020}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city of Seldovia has a total area of {{convert|0.6|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|0.4|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}} of it (33.33%) is water.

===Climate===
Seldovia has snowy winters and brief dry summers ([[Köppen climate classification|Koppen]] ''Dsc'').<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web 
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=afc
|title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data 
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
|access-date = June 18, 2023}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|collapsed=
|single line= Y
|location= Seldovia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1997–present)
|temperature colour= 
|Jan record high F= 59
|Feb record high F= 51
|Mar record high F= 62
|Apr record high F= 66
|May record high F= 71
|Jun record high F= 77
|Jul record high F= 85
|Aug record high F= 80
|Sep record high F= 66
|Oct record high F= 69
|Nov record high F= 59
|Dec record high F= 59
|Jan avg record high F = 43.8
|Feb avg record high F = 43.0
|Mar avg record high F = 44.5
|Apr avg record high F = 52.5
|May avg record high F = 62.7
|Jun avg record high F = 68.8
|Jul avg record high F = 72.5
|Aug avg record high F = 70.2
|Sep avg record high F = 61.8
|Oct avg record high F = 55.8
|Nov avg record high F = 47.2
|Dec avg record high F = 45.8
|year avg record high F = 73.6
|Jan high F= 30.8
|Feb high F= 33.5
|Mar high F= 35.5
|Apr high F= 43.3
|May high F= 51.2
|Jun high F= 58.1
|Jul high F= 61.8
|Aug high F= 61.5
|Sep high F= 54.7
|Oct high F= 45.4
|Nov high F= 36.1
|Dec high F= 32.9
|year high F = 45.4
|Jan mean F = 25.8
|Feb mean F = 28.4
|Mar mean F = 29.5
|Apr mean F = 36.9
|May mean F = 44.3
|Jun mean F = 50.9
|Jul mean F = 55.4
|Aug mean F = 54.7
|Sep mean F = 48.6
|Oct mean F = 39.7
|Nov mean F = 31.5
|Dec mean F = 28.2
|year mean F = 39.5
|Jan low F= 20.8
|Feb low F= 23.3
|Mar low F= 23.5
|Apr low F= 30.6
|May low F= 37.3
|Jun low F= 43.7
|Jul low F= 49.0
|Aug low F= 47.9
|Sep low F= 42.4
|Oct low F= 34.1
|Nov low F= 26.9
|Dec low F= 23.5
|year low F= 33.6
|Jan avg record low F = 4.7
|Feb avg record low F = 9.0
|Mar avg record low F = 9.7
|Apr avg record low F = 20.0
|May avg record low F = 29.9
|Jun avg record low F = 36.0
|Jul avg record low F = 42.0
|Aug avg record low F = 39.9
|Sep avg record low F = 31.8
|Oct avg record low F = 23.8
|Nov avg record low F = 13.8
|Dec avg record low F = 8.6
|year avg record low F = 1.7
|Jan record low F= -7
|Feb record low F= -4
|Mar record low F= 0
|Apr record low F= 6
|May record low F= 24
|Jun record low F= 29
|Jul record low F= 37
|Aug record low F= 33
|Sep record low F= 27
|Oct record low F= 16
|Nov record low F= 1
|Dec record low F= 1
|year record low F= -7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.87
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.68
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.19
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.80
|May precipitation inch = 1.15
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.15
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.58
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.71
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.09
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.60
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.83
|Dec precipitation inch = 6.74
|year precipitation inch = 40.39
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch
|Jan precipitation days = 15.1
|Feb precipitation days = 14.6
|Mar precipitation days = 13.3
|Apr precipitation days = 13.2
|May precipitation days = 11.7
|Jun precipitation days = 10.9
|Jul precipitation days = 13.1
|Aug precipitation days = 15.4
|Sep precipitation days = 18.3
|Oct precipitation days = 18.1
|Nov precipitation days = 16.8
|Dec precipitation days = 18.0
|year precipitation days = 178.5
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name= NOAA/><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025516&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: N POLE, AK US USC00506581
|access-date = June 18, 2023
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230618090035/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025516&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|archive-date = June 18, 2023
}}
</ref>}}

==Economy==
[[File:CrabPot Grocery.jpg|thumb|right|The Crab Pot Grocery.]]
[[File:Harbor at Seldovia.jpg|thumb|right|Fishing boats docked in the Seldovia harbor on a foggy day.]]
The school, Seldovia Village Tribe, City, and commercial fishing related businesses are the dominant employers in town.

==Education==
The Susan B. English Grade K-12 School, opened on August 30, 1972. The girls' volleyball team won the 2002 State Championship in the 1A, 2A, 3A West division. The boys basketball team won the state championship in the 1A division in 2015.

==Notable people==
* [[Nell Scott]] (c. 1901),  the first woman elected to Alaska's territorial legislature<ref>[[R. N. DeArmond|DeArmond, Robert N]]. "This Month in Alaska History". Discover Alaska. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Historical Society. Retrieved March 14, 2010.</ref><ref>Nightingale, Suzan (July 4, 1985). "A holiday talk with Alaska's first woman territorial legislator". Anchorage Daily News. Anchorage, Alaska. pp. C13. Retrieved March 14, 2010.</ref><ref>Atwood, Evangeline; DeArmond, Robert N. (1977). Who's Who in Alaskan Politics. Portland, Oregon: Binford & Mort for the Alaska Historical Commission. p. 89.</ref><ref>Alaska Legislature Roster of Members 1913-2008. Juneau: Alaska Legislative Affairs Agency. 2008. p. 17.</ref>
* [[Dana Stabenow]] (born 1952), writer

==In fiction==
In children adventure book ''Pugs of the Frozen North'' by [[Philip Reeve]] and [[Sarah McIntyre]], name, description, and visual depiction of the town ''Snowdovia'' is based on that of Seldovia.{{importance example|date=October 2018}}

A chapter book for elementary students, ''Seldovia Sam and the Very Large Clam'' written by Susan Woodward Springer, is based on the adventures of fictional a boy and his family in Seldovia. There are four books in this series, including Seldovia Sam and the Wildfire Escape; Seldovia Sam and the Sea Otter Rescue, and Seldovia Sam and the Blueberry Bear.

==See also==
{{Portal|Alaska}}
* [[Jakolof Bay, Alaska]] and [[Seldovia Village, Alaska]], populated places located adjacent to Seldovia but outside of its city limits
* [[Seldovia Police Department (Alaska)|Seldovia Police Department]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cityofseldovia.com Seldovia] city government website
* [http://www.seldoviachamber.org Seldovia. Alaska] Chamber of commerce
* {{GNIS|2419467|City of Seldovia}}

{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

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