Current Population: 3,497 (2007 DCCED Certified Population) Location: Nome was built along the Bering Sea, on the south coast of the Seward Peninsula, facing Norton Sound. It lies 539 air miles northwest of Anchorage, a 75-minute flight. It lies 102 miles south of the Arctic Circle, and 161 miles east of Russia. Nome is located in the Cape Nome Recording District. The area encompasses 12.5 sq. miles of land and 9.1 sq. miles of water. January temperatures range from -3 to 11; July temperatures are typically 44 to 65. Average annual precipitation is 18 inches, including 56 inches of snowfall. History: Malemiut, Kauweramiut and Unalikmiut Eskimos have occupied the Seward Peninsula historically, with a well-developed culture adapted to the environment. Around 1870 to 1880, the caribou declined on the Peninsula and the Eskimos changed their diets. Gold discoveries in the Nome area had been reported as far back as 1865 by Western Union surveyors seeking a route across Alaska and the Bering Sea. But it was a $1500-to-the-pan gold strike on tiny Anvil Creek in 1898 by three Scandinavians, Jafet Lindeberg, Erik Lindblom, and John Brynteson, that brought thousands of miners to the "Eldorado." Almost overnight an isolated stretch of tundra fronting the beach was transformed into a tent-and-log cabin city of 20,000 prospectors, gamblers, claim jumpers, saloon keepers, and prostitutes. The gold-bearing creeks had been almost completely staked, when some entrepreneur discovered the "golden sands of Nome." With nothing more than shovels, buckets, rockers and wheel barrows, thousands of idle miners descended upon the beaches. Two months later the golden sands had yielded one million dollars in gold (at $16 an ounce). A narrow-gauge railroad and telephone line from Nome to Anvil Creek was built in 1900. The City of Nome was formed in 1901. By 1902 the more easily reached claims were exhausted and large mining companies with better equipment took over the mining operations. Since the first strike on tiny Anvil Creek, Nome's gold fields have yielded $136 million. The gradual depletion of gold, a major influenza epidemic in 1918, the depression, and finally World War II, each influenced Nome's population. A disastrous fire in 1934 destroyed most of the City. Culture: The population of Nome is a mixture of Inupiat Eskimos and non-Natives. Although many employment opportunities are available, subsistence activities are prevalent in the community. Former villagers from King Island also live in Nome. Nome is the finish line for the 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race from Anchorage, held each March. Economy: Nome is the supply, service and transportation center of the Bering Strait region. Government services provide the majority of employment. 60 residents hold commercial fishing permits. Retail services, transportation, mining, medical and other businesses provide year-round income. Several small gold mines continue to provide some employment. NovaGold Resource Inc.'s new mine at Rock Creek, 8 miles north of Nome, should be producing by 2006. The Rock Creek mine will require $40 million in capital investment, and is expected to create 100 jobs. Subsistence activities contribute to the local diet. Facilities: A well at Moonlight Springs supplies water to the community, which is treated at the Snake River Power Plant and stored in a 50,000-gal. tank. A million-gallon back-up tank is also available. Water is heated and pumped to residences via a wooden utilidor; trucks also deliver water. Sewage is piped from most homes. Over 95% of residences currently have complete plumbing. Construction has begun on a six-phase upgrade -- to drill additional wells at Moonlight Springs, replace the water storage tank and pumping station, and to replace the 1960's-erawooden utilidor distribution system with buried Arctic piping. The City wants to develop a water source closer to New Town. Some homes still haul their own honeybuckets (service is not provided) and have water delivered to home tanks. Funds have been requested to expand water and sewer to these areas. Refuse collection services are provided by a contractor, hauled to a new landfill on Beam Road. Transportation: Nome is a regional center of transportation for surrounding villages. There are two State-owned airports. The Nome Airport has a two paved runways, one is 6,001' long and 150' wide, and the other is 5,576' by 150' wide. An $8.5 million airport improvement project is nearing completion. Scheduled jet flights are available, as well as charter and helicopter services. The City Field offers a 1,950' long by 110' wide gravel airstrip. The entire seaward side of the City is protected by a 3,350-foot-long sea wall of granite boulders. These huge rocks were trucked in from Cape Nome, 13 miles distant, at a cost of more than one million dollars. A port and berthing facilities accommodate vessels up to 18 feet of draft. Lighterage services distribute cargo to area communities. The Corps of Engineers is currently designing a new harbor channel entrance and breakwater. Local development groups and the City are funding harbor dredging, two seasonal floating docks, and a boat launch. Local roads lead to Teller, Council and the Kougarok River. *Information provided by the ADCCED