General information
Utqiagvik is the economic, transportation and administrative center for the North Slope Borough. Located on the Chukchi Sea coast, Utqiagvik is the northernmost community in the United States. Traditionally, the community is known as Ukpeaġvik, “place where snowy owls are hunted.” Utqiagvik was incorporated as a first-class city in 1959.
An important historical site in the area is the Birnick archaeological site which contains 16 dwelling mounds of a culture believed to have existed between 500-900 AD. The archaeological findings are considered a key link between the prehistoric cultures of Alaska and Canada.
During the 1940s and 1950s the military played an influential role in the area. Construction of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) system and exploration in the Naval Petroleum Reserve brought new people to the region. During the same time, the Naval Arctic Research Lab (NARL) was built near Utqiagvik.
Visitors to Utqiagvik will arrive at the Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport. This airport was named to commemorate Will Rogers and Wiley Post who died in an airplane crash just 15 miles south of Utqiagvik in 1935. The Will Rogers and Wiley Post Monument sits across from the airport.
Population/Economy
The largest city in the North Slope Borough, Utqiagvik is home to 4,933 residents (as of 2015), of which 63 percent are Iñupiat Iñupiaq. Although Utqiagvik is a modern community, subsistence hunting, fishing and whaling are still very important to the local economy. Many residents who work full- or part-time continue to hunt and fish for much of their food.
In 2014, the public sector employed 55 percent of all workers. Other employers include the numerous businesses that provide support services to oil field operations as well as state and federal agencies.
Quality of Life
Most Utqiagvik homes are heated by natural gas from nearby gas fields, and have modern water and sewer systems. Utilities are available through Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative, a local member-owned cooperative, which offers electric power, natural gas, and water and sewer services. Water is also delivered by a privately owned company to homes beyond the piped distribution system. The NSB provides trash pick-up free of charge.
The community is served by several churches, elementary, middle and high schools and a post-secondary education center, Ilisaġvik College. On evenings and weekends, the high school’s swimming pool, weight room and gym are open to the public. Residents also use Utqiagvik’s Piuraaġvik, or recreation center, which boasts a gym, racquetball courts, weight room and sauna.
Communications in Utqiagvik include phone, mail, a public radio station and cable TV station. The community has three hotels, several restaurants, a dry cleaners and a bank. Utqiagvik has a large grocery/merchandise store and several convenience stores. Utqiagvik bans the sale of alcoholic beverages. Diesel, propane, marine gas, aviation fuel, unleaded, regular and supreme gas are available for purchase.
During the summer months, tour operators offer package tours of Utqiagvik and the surrounding area. Visitors might be interested in purchasing such arts and crafts as baleen boats, etched baleen, carved ivory, masks, parkas and fur mittens.
Utqiagvik is served by passenger jet service from Anchorage and Fairbanks. Freight arrives by barge in the summer and air cargo year-round.
Links
Contact
City of Utqiagvik
PO Box 629
Utqiagvik, AK 99723
Phone Number: (907) 852-5211
Website: www.utqiagvik.us
Native Village of Barrow
PO Box 1139
Utqiagvik, AK 99723
Phone Number: (907) 852-4411
Website: https://nvb-nsn.gov/
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
PO Box 129
Utqiagvik, AK 99723
Phone Number: (907) 852-8633
Website: www.asrc.com
Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation
PO Box 890
Utqiagvik, AK 99723
Phone Number: (907) 852-4460
Website: https://uicalaska.com/
