Hyder (Alaska)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hyder
Alaska-British Columbia border on the outskirts of Hyder
Alaska-British Columbia border on the outskirts of Hyder
Location in Alaska
Hyder (Alaska)
Hyder
Hyder
Basic data
Foundation : 1907
State : United States
State : Alaska
Borough : Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
Coordinates : 55 ° 55 ′  N , 130 ° 1 ′  W Coordinates: 55 ° 55 ′  N , 130 ° 1 ′  W
Time zone : Alaska ( UTC − 9 / −8 )
Residents : 87 (as of 2010)
Population density : 2.3 inhabitants per km 2
Area : 38.4 km 2  (approx. 15 mi 2 ) of
which 38.4 km 2  (approx. 15 mi 2 ) is land
Height : 45 m
Area code : +1 250
FIPS : 02-34570
GNIS ID : 1422711

Hyder is a settlement of the type of a census-designated place (CDP) in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area , in the extreme south of the state of Alaska . In the 2000 census, 97 people named Hyder their primary residence.

location

Hyder is about 3 kilometers southwest of Stewart, British Columbia at the end of the Portland Canal , which forms the border between the United States of America and Canada ; the nearest major settlement in Alaska is Ketchikan, 120 kilometers (as the crow flies) northwest .

population

Information collected as part of the last census shows that more than half of the population has an income below the poverty line ; the per capita income was then below $ 11,500 per year. This is one of the lowest rates for a community whose population is more than 95 percent white.

history

Already the Nisga'a used the area at the confluence of the Bear River in the Portland Canal as a temporary hunting and gathering place, and possibly as an escape area on the occasion of the Haida raids . Exploration of the area did not begin until 1896 when an expedition led by David du Bose Gaillard explored the region and built a warehouse that still exists near the border. Prospectors discovered numerous mines in the following years , most of which were located in British Columbia , but were more easily accessible from Hyder, as a road connection to the south was not established until 1974. In addition, the Riverside Mine in Alaska produced gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc and tungsten from 1924 to 1952.

The settlement, which was partially built on stilts in the ocean - this then uninhabited district fell victim to a major fire in 1948 - was originally baptized Portland, but the United States Postal Service informed residents that there were already too many places with this name which is why the place was named after the Canadian mining engineer Frederick Hyder.

Economy and Transport

Tourism, fishing and a modest mining industry are the main sources of income for the residents.

In the past, the ice-free port was called once a month in the Alaska Marine Highway system ; this service has now been discontinued. There is a connection to Highway 37 via Stewart . The nearest airport is in Terrace .

The two films "The Thing" ( John Carpenter , 1982) and "Insomnia" ( Christopher Nolan , 2002) were shot in Hyder .

Trivia

The border crossing to Stewart is only monitored by Canadian customs , as the geographical location of the place makes it impossible to travel to another location on the territory of the USA, but the differences in the taxation for alcohol make smuggling lucrative.

Web links

Commons : Hyder (Alaska)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files