Wainwright (Alaska)

North Slope Borough

02-82750

Wainwright is a city in North Slope Borough in the state of Alaska in the United States.

Geography

Wainwright is located on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. 72 miles northeast of Wainwright is the town of Barrow, the administrative seat of the North Slope boroughs. In the area there is an arctic climate with little rainfall. The Chukchi Sea is ice-free during the months of June to September.

History

The area around Wainwright was settled in the 19th century, the present village of Wainwright, however, was not founded until 1904, when the Alaska Native Service built a school and offered medical and other services. 1916 a post office was built in 1962 and was incorporated as a city Wainwright. Coal was mined for local needs, but today most homes are heated with oil.

Economy and infrastructure

Offering employment opportunities primarily the administration of the boroughs. Seals, walruses, whales, caribou, polar bears and ptarmigan are caught and traded. Many residents, however, are dependent on government assistance. To supplement their income, act the inhabitants with Eskimo crafts. In Wainwright, there is a public operated by the North Slope Borough airfield, which guarantees the only year-round availability of the isolated by land area. For local transport skiffs, umiaks and snow machines are used. Wainwright has a school and a hospital, the Wainwright Health Clinic.

Demography

At the time of the census in 2000 ( U.S. Census 2000) Wainwright had 546 inhabitants on a land area of 45.5 km ². The median age was 24.5 years ( national U.S. average: 35.3 years ). The per capita income ( per capita income engl. ) amounted to U.S. $ 16,710 ( U.S. National Average: U.S. $ 21,587 ). 12.5 % of residents were with their income below the poverty line ( national U.S. average: 12.4% ) .93 % of the residents of Wainwright are indigenous descent from the tribe of the Inupiat Eskimo, which in the nationally recognized Indian Reservation Village of Wainwright live and preserve their ancient traditions. So the trade and consumption of alcohol in the reserve is not allowed.

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