Petersburg (Alaska)
| Petersburg | |||
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| Nickname : Little Norway | |||
![Petersburg with Sons of Norway Hall (right). This building has been registered in the NRHP since July 1979. [1]](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Petersburg_Alaska_1.jpg) Petersburg with Sons of Norway Hall (right). This building has been registered in the NRHP since July 1979. |
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| Location in Alaska | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | 1910 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Alaska | ||
| Borough : | Petersburg Borough | ||
| Coordinates : | 56 ° 48 ′ N , 132 ° 57 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Alaska ( UTC − 9 / −8 ) | ||
| Residents : | 3,020 (as of 2004) | ||
| Population density : | 26.6 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 119.2 km 2 (approx. 46 mi 2 ) of which 113.6 km 2 (approx. 44 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 11 m | ||
| Area code : | +1 907 | ||
| FIPS : | 02-60310 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1424228 | ||
| Website : | ci.petersburg.ak.us | ||
Petersburg is a census-designated place in the Petersburg Borough in the US state of Alaska . It is located at the northern end of Mitkof Island , which is part of the Alexander Archipelago , halfway between Juneau , which is 190 km north, and Ketchikan , which is 180 km south. It is located in the so-called Alaska Panhandle .
The place has around 3000 inhabitants and lives mainly from fishing. Indian groups recognized this possibility at least 2000 years ago, in the 19th century the Norwegian Peter Buschmann, from whom the place owes its name, ran a factory for canned fish. In addition, tourism has become an important economic factor.
history
At least 2000 years ago, at the northern end of Mitkof Island, there was a summer camp of the Tlingit who lived on Kupreanof Island and was used for fishing. It later became a year-round settlement on Sandy Beach. Petroglyphs can also be found here .
The immigrant from Norway , Peter Buschmann, settled in the place later named after him in 1897 and built a canning factory and a port facility in 1898. The LeConte Glacier provided the ice needed to cool the fish of the Icy StraitsPacking Co. It is the predecessor of today's Petersburg Fisheries Inc. , which in turn belongs to Icicle Seafoods Inc. in Seattle . In 1900 Buschmann also built a sawmill.
More Norwegian immigrants followed, so that the place was nicknamed Little Norway . In 1910 he was raised to town (incorporated). May 17th, the Norwegian National Day, has been celebrated since 1958.
In 1916, Alaskan Glacier Seafoods, which is now Trident Seafoods, Inc., was added. Founded by Earl Ohmer and Karl I. Sifferman, it burned down in 1943 and relocated to the corner of Main and Excel Street. In 1985 it burned down again. In 1990 it merged with Silver Lining Seafoods from Ketchikan , and in 1992 with Lafayette Fisheries Inc. Trident now mainly processes salmon, halibut and shrimp.
Civil rights activist Elizabeth Peratrovich , who helped enforce a first anti-discrimination law in the United States in 1945 and advocated civil rights for local Indians , bequeathed her home to the Petersburg Indian Association . Their cultural center has therefore been called the Elizabeth Peratrovich Center since October 2008 .
Petersburg is Alaska's largest fish producer, but the boom of the 1980s is over. According to the American Fisheries Agency, 103 million pounds of fish were handled in 2004, which corresponds to approximately 46,720 tons. This made Petersburg the twelfth largest fishing port in the United States. In 2008, the port turned over $ 34.2 million in marine life. The wood industry, on the other hand, fell behind, while tourism expanded steadily. In 2008, 40,000 visitors came to Petersburg.
Between 1972 and 1984 the port was expanded considerably.
From 2000 an Interpretive Center , a visitor's museum, was built, plus two 12 m tall totem poles by Tommy Joseph from Sitka. They were the starting point for Totem Park and are dedicated to eagles and ravens, corresponding to the clans of the local Tlingit .
Four buildings and constructions of the borough are registered in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) (as of April 24, 2020): the boats and ships CHUGACH and F / V CHARLES W , the Five Finger Islands Lighthouse and the Sons of Norway Hall .
Demographics
The population development of the place can be traced back to 1920. Petersburg had around 900 inhabitants at the time, a number that rose to around 1,600 by 1950. There the number stagnated until the 1960s, only to exceed 2000 in 1970. In 1990 there were 3200 inhabitants.
traffic
Petersburg can be reached by ferry and plane. The airfield is connected to Anchorage and Seattle twice a day. The ferry services are operated by ships from the Alaska Marine Highway and the Inter-island Ferry Authority (May to September).
environment
One of the most important protected areas is the Tongass National Forest , which is part of the Petersburg Ranger District. In this are the two easily accessible glaciers Baird and Patterson .
Culture and science
Clausen Museum
The Clausen Memorial Museum was established in 1968, with the aim of presenting the culture of the Tlingit as well as groups from Europe and the USA. The house holds over 5,000 artifacts, 45,000 photos and has around 200 collections.
Petersburg Marine Mammal Center
The Marine Mammal Center , established in 1998, is engaged in research into and protection of the marine mammals in the area. It offers exhibitions and lessons.
literature
- Kathy Lee: A History of Petersburg Settlers, 1898–1959 , Port Townsend, Washington: Sand Dollar Press 2004.
- Donald R. Nelson: Little Norway. The Story of Petersburg , Petersburg: Pilot Publishing 2001.
Web links
Remarks
- ^ Sons of Norway Hall in the National Register Information System. National Park Service , accessed April 24, 2020.
- ↑ The location is recognizable today by the so-called Buschmann Historical Marker that was attached in 1967 .
- ↑ Visitor Guide 2008, p. 1.
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↑ Search mask database in the National Register Information System. National Park Service , accessed April 24, 2020.
Weekly List on the National Register Information System. National Park Service , accessed April 24, 2020. - ↑ Population Statistics