Adak Community Page

Location Adak is located on Kuluk Bay on Adak Island. It lies 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage and 350 miles west of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, in the Aleutian Island Chain. Flight time to Anchorage is three hours. Adak is the southern-most community in Alaska, on the latitude of Vancouver Island in Canada. It lies at approximately 52d 25m N Latitude, 176d 01m W Longitude. (Sec. 10, T096S, R195W, Seward Meridian). Adak is located in the Aleutian Islands Recording District. The area encompasses 72 sq. miles of land and 4.9 sq. miles of water.

History: The Aleutian Islands were historically occupied by the Unangas. The once heavily-populated island was eventually abandoned in the early 1800s as the Aleutian Island hunters followed the Russian fur trade eastward, and famine set in on the Andreanof Island group. However, they continued to actively hunt and fish around the island over the years, until World War II broke out. Adak Army installations allowed U.S. forces to mount a successful offensive against the Japanese-held islands of Kiska and Attu. After the War, Adak was developed as a Naval Air Station, playing an important role during the Cold War as a submarine surveillance center. Large earthquakes rocked the Island in 1957, 1964 and 1977. At its peak, the station housed 6,000 naval personnel and their families. In 1994, severe cut-backs occurred, and family housing and schools ere closed. The station officially closed on March 31, 1997, and currently houses civilians. The Aleut Corporation acquired Adak's facilities under a land transfer agreement, pending with the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Navy/Department of Defense. Properties are currently under lease. About 30 families with children relocated to Adak in September 1998, most of them Aleut Corp. shareholders, and a school was reopened. Aleut Corp. is currently developing Adak as a commercial center. The community formed a Second Class City government in April 2001. The preliminary land transfer from the U.S. Navy should occur near the end of 2001, after the environmental clean-up is completed.

Culture: Since World War II, the U.S. Navy developed outstanding facilities and recreation opportunities at Adak. A movie theater, roller skating rink, swimming pools, ski lodge, bowling alleys, skeet range, auto hobby shop, photo lab, racquetball and tennis courts were developed. A new $18-million hospital was built in 1990. Most of these facilities, except a swimming pool, are now closed. The Aleut Corporation is the facility's new owner, and the City operates existing facilities.

Economy: A land exchange between Aleut Corp., the U.S. Navy, and the Department of the Interior will transfer most of the naval facilities to the Aleut Corp. A portion of the Island will remain within the National Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife. Adak currently provides a fueling port and crew transfer facility for foreign fishing fleets -- an airport, docks, housing facilities and food services are available. A grocery and ship supply store and restaurant opened in February 1999. Aleut Corporation maintains the facilities. Contractors are performing an environmental clean-up. Alaskan-owned Norquest-Adak Seafood Co. processes Pacific cod, pollock, mackerel, halibut, albacore and brown king crab. Four residents hold a commercial fishing permit, primarily for groundfish.

Facilities: Water is derived from Lake Bonnie Rose, Lake De Marie and Nurses Creek, stored in any 10 water tanks throughout the community, and piped to facilities and housing units. The wastewater treatment system discharges through a marine outfall line to Kuluk Bay. There are two landfills, one for hazardous wastes. Refuse is burned or baled before disposal in the landfill. Most of the family housing units measured in the 1990 U.S. Census are no longer occupied.

Transportation: Mitchell Field has two 7,800 foot paved runways at 19' elevation, and a control tower. Commercial cargo jet service is currently provided by Evergreen International Airlines. Passenger service began in late 2001. There are three deep water docks, and fueling facilities. There are approximately 16 miles of paved roads, and other gravel and dirt roads.

Climate: Adak lies in the maritime climate zone, characterized by persistently overcast skies, high winds, and frequent cyclonic storms. Winter squalls produce wind gusts in excess of 100 knots. During the summer, extensive fog forms over the Bering Sea and North Pacific. Average temperatures range from 20 to 60, but wind chill factors can be severe. Total precipitation is 64 inches annually, with an average accumulated snowfall of 100 inches, primarily in the mountains.