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Barrow - Alaska- Culture |
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Barrow,
the northernmost community in North America, is located on the Chukchi Sea
coast, 10 miles south of Point Barrow from which it takes its name. It
lies 725 air miles from Anchorage. It lies at approximately 71d 17m N
Latitude, 156d 14m W Longitude (Sec. 06, T022N, R018W, Umiat Meridian).
The community is located in the Barrow Recording District. The area
encompasses 19 sq. miles of land and 2 sq. miles of water. Barrow
is the economic center of the North Slope Borough, the city's primary
employer, and numerous businesses provide support services to oil field
operations. State and federal agencies also provide employment. The
The
climate of Barrow is arctic. Precipitation is light, averaging 5
inches, with annual snowfall of 20 inches. Temperatures range from -56 to
78, averaging 40 during summer. The sun does not set between May 10th and
August 2nd each summer, and does not rise between Nov. 18th and January
24th each winter. The daily minimum temperature is below freezing 324 days
of the year Regularly-scheduled
jet services provide Barrow's only year-round access. The
State-owned Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport serves as the regional
transportation center for the Borough. The airport has a 6,500' asphalt
runway, and has recently undergone major improvements. Marine and land
transportation provide seasonal access. The City has requested funds for
construction of a small boat harbor. Water
is derived from a dam on Isatkoak Lagoon and is stored in a tank. Most
residents have piped water, but nearly one-half use honeybuckets for
sewage disposal. Funds have been requested to serve the remaining houses and
to construct a second water reservoir
The
majority of residents are Inupiat Eskimos. Traditional marine mammal hunts
and other subsistence practices are an active part of the culture.
Bowhead, gray, killer and beluga whales migrate near Barrow each summer.
The sale of alcohol is banned in the community, although importation or
possession is allowed.
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midnight
sun has attracted tourism, and arts and crafts provide some cash income.
Six residents hold commercial fishing permits. Many resident rely upon
subsistence food sources: whale, seal, polar bear, walrus, duck, caribou
and grayling and whitefish are harvested from the coast or nearby rivers
and lakes. 
