Wales, Alaska
Wales
Kiŋigin ( FIPS code | 02-82860 | |
---|---|---|
GNIS feature ID | 1404755, 2418870 |
Wales (
History
A
In 1827, a Russian Navy report listed the
In 1890, the American Missionary Association established a mission at the site of present-day Wales. In the 1890s, reindeer (domesticated caribou) were brought to the area and in 1894 a reindeer station was established. Wales became an important whaling center due to its location along whale migratory routes, and it was the region's largest and most prosperous village, with more than 500 residents. Wales is named after the country Wales.[citation needed]
The
In 2002 a
On November 9, 2011, the city experienced the
On January 17, 2023, a polar bear entered the community of Wales and chased multiple residents. The bear fatally attacked a woman and her 1-year-old son. It was shot and killed by a local resident as it mauled the pair. This was Alaska's first reported polar bear attack in over 30 years.[7]
Geography
Wales is located at 65°36′44″N 168°5′21″W / 65.61222°N 168.08917°W (65.612116, −168.089285).[8]
Wales is located on the
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 400 | — | |
1890 | 488 | 22.0% | |
1900 | 396 | −18.9% | |
1910 | 337 | −14.9% | |
1920 | 136 | −59.6% | |
1930 | 170 | 25.0% | |
1940 | 193 | 13.5% | |
1950 | 141 | −26.9% | |
1960 | 128 | −9.2% | |
1970 | 131 | 2.3% | |
1980 | 133 | 1.5% | |
1990 | 161 | 21.1% | |
2000 | 152 | −5.6% | |
2010 | 145 | −4.6% | |
2020 | 168 | 15.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[9] |
Wales first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Kingigamute."[10] It was returned in 1890 as "Kingaghee." In 1900 and 1910, it was returned as Cape Prince of Wales (Settlements). In 1920, it was shortened to its present name of Wales. It formally incorporated in 1964.
At the
Of the 50 households 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.0% were non-families. 40.0% of households were one person and 6.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 4.43.
The age distribution was 38.2% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 3.3% 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 141.0 males.
The median household income was $33,333 and the median family income was $39,583. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $22,188 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,877. About 17.2% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the
Climate
Wales is located within the polar climate zone (Köppen ET).
Climate data for Wales, Alaska (1971–2000 normals, extremes 1925–1995) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 53 (12) |
49 (9) |
42 (6) |
48 (9) |
57 (14) |
72 (22) |
75 (24) |
73 (23) |
66 (19) |
54 (12) |
67 (19) |
44 (7) |
75 (24) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 35.1 (1.7) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
34.7 (1.5) |
44.8 (7.1) |
57.4 (14.1) |
63.7 (17.6) |
61.5 (16.4) |
53.3 (11.8) |
43.0 (6.1) |
37.7 (3.2) |
33.3 (0.7) |
65.2 (18.4) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 7.2 (−13.8) |
4.3 (−15.4) |
5.4 (−14.8) |
16.0 (−8.9) |
32.2 (0.1) |
43.4 (6.3) |
51.9 (11.1) |
51.0 (10.6) |
44.1 (6.7) |
32.6 (0.3) |
22.0 (−5.6) |
9.9 (−12.3) |
26.7 (−2.9) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 3.0 (−16.1) |
−2.5 (−19.2) |
−1.4 (−18.6) |
9.7 (−12.4) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
38.5 (3.6) |
47.4 (8.6) |
47.0 (8.3) |
40.5 (4.7) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
16.5 (−8.6) |
3.8 (−15.7) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −6.7 (−21.5) |
−9.3 (−22.9) |
−8.2 (−22.3) |
3.4 (−15.9) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
33.5 (0.8) |
42.9 (6.1) |
43.0 (6.1) |
36.8 (2.7) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
10.9 (−11.7) |
−2.3 (−19.1) |
16.0 (−8.9) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −27.0 (−32.8) |
−30.5 (−34.7) |
−28.2 (−33.4) |
−16.7 (−27.1) |
4.2 (−15.4) |
25.6 (−3.6) |
34.8 (1.6) |
36.1 (2.3) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
9.7 (−12.4) |
−8.0 (−22.2) |
−20.9 (−29.4) |
−33.3 (−36.3) |
Record low °F (°C) | −44 (−42) |
−44 (−42) |
−42 (−41) |
−32 (−36) |
−11 (−24) |
20 (−7) |
23 (−5) |
30 (−1) |
19 (−7) |
−7 (−22) |
−28 (−33) |
−35 (−37) |
−44 (−42) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.41 (10) |
0.45 (11) |
0.48 (12) |
0.27 (6.9) |
0.54 (14) |
0.73 (19) |
1.47 (37) |
2.46 (62) |
1.99 (51) |
1.41 (36) |
0.68 (17) |
0.52 (13) |
11.41 (290) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.1 (10) |
3.8 (9.7) |
4.5 (11) |
3.3 (8.4) |
2.2 (5.6) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.4 (3.6) |
6.2 (16) |
7.7 (20) |
4.6 (12) |
38.2 (97.32) |
Source 1: NOAA (normals, 1971–2000),[12] Weather.com (extremes)[13] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: WRCC [14] |
Education
Wales is served by the Bering Strait School District. Wales Kingikmiut School serves grades Pre-K through 12.
References
- Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs: 85. January 1974.
- ^ 2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League. 2015. p. 162.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ a b "Wales city, Alaska". Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^
"Alaska Taxable 2011: Municipal Taxation – Rates and Policies" (PDF). Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. January 2012. Archived from the original(PDF) on April 25, 2013.
- ^ "Life on the edge of America: Scenes from the village of Wales, Alaska". USA Today. April 21, 2016.
... an estimated 200 residents of Wales, Alaska were buried after being killed in the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic. Wales was once one of the largest Eskimo villages in Alaska; today only about 150 people live there, and the town never recovered from the massive losses it suffered during the flu epidemic.
- ^ Whittle, Patrick (January 18, 2023). "Mother, 1-year-old son killed in Alaska polar bear attack". Associated Press. p. 1. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Geological Survey Professional Paper". U.S. Government Printing Office. August 26, 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Climatology of the United States No. 20 1971–2000: Wales, AK". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original (txt) on December 14, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
- ^ "Daily Climate Summary for Wales, AK − Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
- ^ Wales, Alaska – Period of Record : 10/10/1925 to 8/31/1995 Archived May 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2019.