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Seward, Alaska

 
Seward, Alaska

 
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Seward, Alaska
 
 
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Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough
Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Kenai Peninsula Borough is a Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska with a population of 49,700 as of the United States Census 2000. The borough seat is Soldotna, Alaska, its third-largest incorporated community....
 in the U.S. state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 of Alaska
Alaska

Alaska is the largest U.S. state of the United States by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait....
. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,016.

It was named after William H. Seward
William H. Seward

William Henry Seward, Sr. was a Governor of New York, United States Senate and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson....
, early member of the United States Republican Party, United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State

The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the President's United States Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in United States presidential line of succession and United States order of precedence....
 under Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery....
. As Secretary of State, he fought for the U.S.






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Seward Docks
Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough
Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Kenai Peninsula Borough is a Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska with a population of 49,700 as of the United States Census 2000. The borough seat is Soldotna, Alaska, its third-largest incorporated community....
 in the U.S. state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 of Alaska
Alaska

Alaska is the largest U.S. state of the United States by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait....
. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,016.

It was named after William H. Seward
William H. Seward

William Henry Seward, Sr. was a Governor of New York, United States Senate and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson....
, early member of the United States Republican Party, United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State

The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the President's United States Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in United States presidential line of succession and United States order of precedence....
 under Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery....
. As Secretary of State, he fought for the U.S. purchase of Alaska
Alaska purchase

The Alaska Purchase by the United States from the Russian Empire occurred in 1867 at the behest of Secretary of State William H. Seward. The territory purchased was 586,412 square miles of the modern state of Alaska....
 which he finally negotiated to acquire from Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the city has a total area of 21.5 square miles (55.8 km˛), of which, 14.4 square miles (37.4 km˛) of it is land and 7.1 square miles (18.4 km˛) of it (32.93%) is water.

Adjoining communities include Bear Creek
Bear Creek, Alaska

Bear Creek is a census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Alaska, United States. At the United States Census 2000 the population was 1,748....
 and Lowell Point
Lowell Point, Alaska

Lowell Point is a census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 United States Census the population was 92....
.

Economy

  • Seward is the seventh most lucrative fisheries port in the United States per value. In 2004, 49.7 million dollars worth of fish and shellfish passed through Seward according to the National Marine Fisheries Service
    National Marine Fisheries Service

    The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the United States' Exclusive Eco...
    .
  • Another major industry in Seward is tourism.


Demographics

As of the census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
 of 2000, there were 2,830 people, 917 households, and 555 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 196.0 people per square mile (75.7/km˛). There were 1,058 housing units at an average density of 73.3/sq mi (28.3/km˛). The racial makeup of the city was 72.12% White
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 2.44% Black
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 or African American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 16.68% Native American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 1.84% Asian
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.18% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.88% from other races
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 5.87% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 or Latino
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 of any race. There were 917 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 150.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 166.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,306, and the median income for a family was $54,904. Males had a median income of $36,900 versus $30,508 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 for the city was $20,360. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

 Population of Seward
Year Population
1920 700
1930 800
1940 900
1950 2,100
1960 1,900
1970 1,600
1980 1,800
1990 2,700

Transportation

Seward Welcome Sign 500
Seward is unique among most small Alaskan communities in that it has road access in the Seward Highway
Seward Highway

The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends 127 miles from Seward, Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula and Turnagain Arm, for which it was designated an National Scenic Byway by the U.S....
, a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road, which also brings it bus service, albeit most buses are marketed towards tourists and the costs are higher and service decreases or ceases in the winter. Seward is also the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad
Alaska Railroad

The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad which extends from Seward, Alaska and Whittier, Alaska, in the south of the state of Alaska, in the United States, to Fairbanks, Alaska, and beyond to Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the interior of that state....
. This keeps the port busy with freight coming on and off the trains, but also makes Seward a primary end point for north-bound cruise ship
Cruise ship

File:MSMajestyOfTheSeasEdit1.JPGA cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience....
s. Cruise ship passengers get off the boats and take the train farther north to Denali or other Alaskan attractions.

Seward used to receive service from the Alaska Marine Highway
Alaska Marine Highway

The Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System is a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska....
 (ferry) system, however, service was discontinued at the end of the 2005 season due to budget cuts and "under utilization." Ferry connections are available in Whittier
Whittier, Alaska

Whittier is a city in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 182....
 (90 miles North) or Homer
Homer, Alaska

Homer is a city located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 5,364....
 (150 miles by highway).

Seward Airport (PAWD/SWD) is home to (general aviation) services and flight-seeing operators. Scheduled commercial service is available at Kenai Municipal Airport
Kenai Municipal Airport

Kenai Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located in Kenai, Alaska, a city in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska of the U.S. state of Alaska....
 in Kenai
Kenai, Alaska

Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464....
 and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the major airport in the United States state of Alaska located 4 miles southwest of downtown Anchorage, Alaska....
, both about 100 miles away. Seasonal bus connections are also available.

International sister cities

  • Obihiro, Japan
    Japan

    Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
     - (1968)


Notable people from Seward


  • In 1927, thirteen-year old Seward resident and Native Alaskan, Benny Benson
    Benny Benson

    John Ben "Benny" Benson, Jr. was the designer of the flag of Alaska. Benny was 13 when he won in a contest to design the flag for the territory of Alaska, which became a state in 1959....
    , won a territory-wide American Legion contest to design a flag for Alaska. Born in Chignik in 1913, he was three when his mother died of pneumonia. Soon after her death the family's house burned and his Swedish fisherman father sent Benny and his brother to the Jesse Lee Home in Seward. Winning the contest changed Benny’s life. The prize for designing the flag included a $1000 scholarship which he used to become an airplane mechanic. He married, raised a family, and died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 58. His design became the territorial flag and eventually the state flag. He is memorialized in Seward by the Benny Benson Memorial Park.


  • Chad Bentz
    Chad Bentz

    Chad Robert Bentz is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Bentz grew up in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska, and he made history on April 7, by becoming the second pitcher, after Jim Abbott, to play in the major leagues after being born without one of his hands....
    , Major Leauge Baseball Player


Attractions

  • Mount Marathon
    Mount Marathon

    Mount Marathon or Marathon Mountain is a mountain two miles west of Seward, Alaska in the Kenai Mountains of Alaska.The mountain actually derives its name from the ever-popular Mount Marathon Race held every Fourth of July....
     and its famous Mount Marathon Race
    Mount Marathon Race

    The Mount Marathon Race is a mountain running that is run every Fourth of July in Seward, Alaska....
  • Kenai Fjords National Park
    Kenai Fjords National Park

    Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park covers an area of approximately 1,760 mi2 on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska near the town of Seward, Alaska....
     with its easily accessible Exit Glacier
    Exit Glacier

    Exit Glacier is a glacier derived from the Harding Icefield in the Kenai Mountains of Alaska.It received its name because it served as the "exit" for the first recorded crossing of the Harding Icefield....
  • Alaska SeaLife Center
    Alaska SeaLife Center

    The Alaska SeaLife Center is an aquarium located on the shores of Resurrection Bay in Seward, Alaska in the U.S. state of Alaska. Open since May 1998, it is dedicated to understanding and maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem of Alaska through research, rehabilitation, conservation, and public education....


  • Alaska Vocational Technical Center
    Alaska Vocational Technical Center

    The Alaska Vocational Technical Center, also known as AVTEC, is a technical school in Seward, Alaska.AVTEC is subsidized by the Alaska Department of Labor....
  • 4th of July Festival


  • Seward Silver Salmon Derby
  • Seward Polar Bear Jump-Off
  • Spring Creek Correctional Center
    Spring Creek Correctional Center

    Spring Creek Correctional Center is the only maximum security correctional facility in Alaska. It is located in Seward, Alaska, USA, about south of Anchorage, Alaska....


External links

  • Sewards citizen journalism site