Barrow City
Information
Overview
Barrow is one of the largest Eskimo settlements
and is also the farthest north frontier
settlement in the United States. Barrow
enjoys 24-hour daylight when the sun rises on
May 10 and does not set again until August 2.
On the other hand, the sun sets on November 18
and does not rise again until January 24.
Attractions in
Barrow
The Inupiat Heritage Museum tells the story of
the Iņupiat people. They thrived for thousands
of years in one of the harshest climates on
Earth, hunting the bowhead whales. The
Heritage Center was dedicated in February 1999
and houses exhibits, artifact collections, a
library, a gift shop, and a traditional room
where people can demonstrate and teach
traditional crafts.
The Will Rogers and Wiley Post Monument,
dedicated in 1982 to commemorate the 1935
airplane crash of the American humorist and the
famous pilot, is located across from the
airport. The accident happened 15 miles
southwest of Barrow where the men had landed
seeking directions to Barrow, a planned stop on
their trip from Fairbanks to Siberia. Upon
takeoff their plane rose to 50 feet, stalled and
then plunged into a river below, killing both
men. Two monuments, both on the National
Register of Historic Places, are located where
the men died.
The Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station in
nearby Browerville was built as a whaling
station in 1893 and is the oldest frame building
in the Arctic.
The Birnirk archaeological site is located
roughly 2 miles north of the Barrow airfield.
The Birnirk culture, which existed about 500-900
A.D., is represented by a group of 16 dwelling
mounds and is considered a key link between the
prehistoric cultures of Alaska and Canada.
Attractions
around Barrow
During the summer months, tours of the area are
offered that can include polar bear watching,
photographing snowy owls or watching Inupiat
Eskimos pull bowhead whales up the beach.
History
Traditionally, Barrow is known as Ukpeagvik,
“place where owls are hunted.” Barrow takes its
name from Point Barrow, named for Sir John
Barrow of the British Admiralty by Captain
Beechey of the Royal Navy in 1825. Beechey had
been assigned the task of plotting the Arctic
coastline of North America in the HMS Blossom.
Barrow was incorporated as a first-class city in
1959. Visitors also may see the Eskimos heading
for whale camps in April and May. Despite the
fact that the village is very much in step with
modern times, hunting of whales, seals, walrus,
caribou and ducks is still important for both
traditional and economic reasons. It provides a
great portion of the food for the residents. If
the whalers are successful, there is a festival
called “Nalukataq” when whaling season ends in
May.
Other
information
Population: 4,351
Location: On the Chukchi Sea coast, the
community is located 10 miles southwest of Point
Barrow which is the northernmost point of the
United States; 725 air miles from Anchorage, 3
hours by jet via Fairbanks.
Access: Scheduled jet service from Anchorage and
Fairbanks, air taxi service.
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