| Bethel, Alaska Mamterillermiut Orutsararmuit |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Unorganized |
| Census Area | Bethel |
| ANCSA regional corporation | Calista |
| Incorporated | 1957 |
| Government [1][2] | |
| - Type | 2nd Class City |
| - Mayor | Mary Kenick |
| - City Manager | Wally Baird |
| Area [2] | |
| - Total | 48.9 sq mi (126.5 km²) |
| - Land | 43.8 sq mi (113.3 km²) |
| - Water | 5.1 sq mi (13.1 km²) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 6,356 |
| - Density | 125.0/sq mi (48.3/km²) |
| - % Alaska Native | 62% |
| Time zone | AST (UTC-9) |
| - Summer (DST) | ADT (UTC-8) |
| ZIP code | 99559 |
| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-06520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1398908 |
| Website: City of Bethel | |
Bethel (Mamterilleq in Central Alaskan Yup'ik) is a city located near the west coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, 340 miles (540 km) west of Anchorage. It is the main port on the Kuskokwim River and is an administrative and transportation hub for the 56 villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Bethel is the largest community in western Alaska and the 9th largest in the state, with a population estimated to be 6,356 in 2006.[3] Annual events in Bethel include a noted dogsled race, the Kuskokwim 300, and a traditional dance festival held each spring.
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History
Bethel, at its original location, was a Yup'ik village called Mamterillermiut, meaning "Smokehouse People," after the nearby fish smokehouse. It was an Alaska Commercial Company trading post during the late 1800s. It had a population of 41 people in the 1880 U.S. Census. The Moravian Church established a mission in the area in 1885, under the leadership of Rev. John Henry Kilbuck, Jr. Kilbuck learned Yup'ik, which greatly enhanced his effectiveness as a missionary. Missionaries moved Bethel from Mamterillermiut to its present location on the west side of the Kuskokwim River. A United States Post Office was opened in 1905. Alaska Natives in this area also have a long Christian history, in part from Russian Orthodox, Catholic and Moravian influence. As in many Alaskan villages, Christian tradition has become interwoven with its cultural history. On February 19, 1997, a school massacre attracted widespread media attention to Bethel when then-sixteen-year-old Evan Ramsey, a student at Bethel High School, shot and killed his principal and one student and wounded two others, for which he later received a 198-year prison sentence.
Geography
Bethel is located at (60.792222, -161.755833)GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50 square miles (126 km²), of which, 44 square miles (113 km²) of it is land and 5 square miles (13 km²) of it is water. The total area is 10% water. Though the region is flat and generally treeless, Bethel lies inside the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, the largest wildlife refuge in the United States
Climate
Precipitation averages 16 inches a year in this area, with snowfall of 50 inches. The average low in July is 49 °F and the average high is 63 °F, although temperatures as low as 32 °F or as high as 87 °F have been recorded in July. In January, the average low is 1 and the average high is 12 °F, while extremes of -49 to 49 °F have been recorded[1][2].
Demographics
In 2006, there were an estimated 6,356 people living in Bethel. As of the 2000 census there were 5,471 people, 1,790 households, and 1,190 families residing in the city. The population density was 125.0 people per square mile (49/km²). There were 2,310 housing units at an average density of 46/sq mi (18/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 27% White, 1% Black or African American, 62% Native American, 3% Asian (mostly South Korean), 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 7% from two or more races. 2% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 1,790 households out of which 46% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% are married couples living together, 18% have a female householder with no husband present, and 30% are non-families. 25% of all households are made up of individuals and 3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.0 and the average family size is 3.7. In the city the population is spread out with 33% under the age of 18, 12% from 18 to 24, 31% from 25 to 44, 20% from 45 to 64, and 6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 29 years. For every 100 females there are 110 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 110 males. The median income for a household in the city is $56,900, and the median income for a family is $62,400. Males have a median income of $44,900 versus $39,000 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,300. 11% of the families and 11% of the population are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10% of those under the age of 18 and 18% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Transportation and economy
The state-owned Bethel Airport is the regional transportation center, and is served by six passenger carriers: Alaska Airlines, Arctic Circle Air Service, Grant Aviation, Hageland Aviation Service, Yute Air and Frontier Flying Service. It also receives service from five cargo operators: Everts Air Cargo, Northern Air Cargo, Alaska Central Express, Arctic Transportation Services, and Lynden Air Cargo, and numerous small air taxi services. The airport ranks third in the state for total number of flights. It offers a 6,400' asphalt runway and 1,850' gravel crosswind runway, and is currently undergoing a $7 million renovation and expansion. Three float plane bases are nearby, Hangar Lake and H Marker Lake and the Kuskokwim River. The Port of Bethel is the northernmost medium-draft port in the United States. River travel is the primary means of local transportation in the summer. A Bethel-based barge service provides goods to Kuskokwim villages. Within Bethel there are approximately 16 miles of roads, which are not connected to any contiguous highway system. Winter ice roads lead to several local villages, but their condition varies depending on temperature and snow fall. An extensive network of snow machine trails connects Bethel to villages all over the Delta, from the Bering Sea to the Yukon. The town's single paved road--about 10 miles--supports a surprisingly large taxicab industry. With 93 taxi drivers, the town has more cab drivers per capita than any other city in the country, making it the unlikely taxicab capital of the United States. Just as surprising, most local cab drivers are Albanian or South Korean immigrants, lured north by reports of good money.[4] Bethel is also the site of a proposed major, relative to Alaska, coal powered generating station, and a unique 8.5 mile prototype single wire ground return electrical intertie to Napakiak, Alaska, constructed in 1981.
Sports and recreation
Bethel is home to a noted mid-distance dogsled race, the Kuskokwim 300. Held every January since 1980, the race commemorates an early mail route that once tied the settlement to the outside world. Top mushers and hundreds of sled dogs participate in the race for a purse of $100,000, the largest offered by any 300-mile sled dog race.[5] Local recreational activities include snowmachineing, skiing, bicycling, kayaking, caribou hunting, and salmon fishing.
Arts and culture
Traditional dancers from all over Alaska and beyond participate every March in the Camai Dance Festival. Hundreds of costumed dancers, drummers, and singers perform traditional Yup'ik story dances during the three-day festival, sponsored by the Bethel Council on the Arts. "Camai" ((pronounced Cha-Mai) translates as "a warm hello."
Media
Bethel has a television station, KYUK-TV, and two radio stations, KYUK-AM and KYKD. It is also home to the weekly regional newspapers Delta Discovery and Tundra Drums.
References
- ^ City of Bethel. (2006-10-27). "Bethel City Council Member List." Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
- ^ a b Community Information Summaries: Bethel. Alaska Community Database Online, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Alaska ( CSV). 2006 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (2007-06-28). Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
- ^ Tizon, Tomas Alex. "America's Taxi Capital: Bethel, Alaska", Los Angeles Times, 2007-11-30. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
- ^ Kuskokwim 300. Retrieved on 2007-11-30.
