Valdez ( ;
Alutiiq
The Alutiiq (pronounced in English; from Promyshlenniki Russian Алеутъ, "Aleut"; plural often "Alutiit"), also called by their ancestral name ( or ; plural often "Sugpiat"), as well as Pacific Eskimo or Pacific Yupik, are a Yupik ...
: ) is a city in the
Chugach Census Area in the U.S. state of
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
. In 2020, the population of Valdez was 3,985, up slightly from 3,976 in 2010.
It is the
third most populated city in Alaska's
Unorganized Borough.
Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish Navy Minister
Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán. A former
Gold Rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...
town, it is located at the head of
Port Valdez on the eastern side of
Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound ( Sugpiaq: ''Suungaaciq'') is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the ...
. Valdez was incorporated in 1901, and flourished after the road link to
Fairbanks was constructed in 1910. It suffered catastrophic damage during the
1964 Alaska earthquake
The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaska earthquake and Good Friday earthquake, occurred at 5:36 PM Alaska Standard Time, AKST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964. , and is located near the site of the disastrous 1989 ''
Exxon Valdez''
oil tanker spill. Today, it is one of the most important ports in Alaska, a
commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for Commerce, commercial Profit (economics), profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice ...
port as well as a freight terminal. Valdez is the terminus for the
Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is an oil transportation system spanning Alaska, including the trans-Alaska crude-oil pipeline, 12 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. TAPS is one o ...
.
History
Spanish beginnings
The port of Valdez was named in 1790 by the Spanish explorer
Salvador Fidalgo after the Spanish naval officer
Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán.
In 1790, within the framework of the
expeditions of Spain in the Pacific Northwest, under the direction of
Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo
''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of '' John''. The name is of Hebrew origin and has the meaning "God has been gracious." It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking countries around the world and in the Phili ...
, then viceroy of
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...
, Salvador Fidalgo was sent to San Lorenzo de
Nootka where they founded the Fort of Saint Michael (Nutka). On May 5, 1790, Fidalgo sailed with the San Carlos de Nutka towards Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, off the coast of Alaska. A few weeks later, he anchored off present-day
Cordova, Alaska
Cordova ( ) is a port city in Chugach Census Area, Alaska, United States. It lies near the mouth of the Copper River, at the head of Orca Inlet on the east side of Prince William Sound. The population was 2,609 at the 2020 census, up from 2 ...
. The expedition found no signs of a Russian presence and traded with natives in the area.
On June 3 they disembarked on the coast of present-day
Orca Inlet. In a solemn ceremony, Fidalgo erected a large wooden cross and reaffirmed Spanish sovereignty over the territory, naming it "Puerto Córdova." Fidalgo continued along the Alaskan coast, until he reached Point Gravina on June 10, where he celebrated another act of reaffirmation of Spanish sovereignty. On June 15, they discovered a port, which they named Puerto Valdés, in honor of Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán, then "
Secretary of State of the Universal Office of the Navy and the Indies", a position equivalent to Minister for the affairs of the Spanish Navy and the four
Spanish Viceroyalties of the Americas, including the
Captaincy General of the Philippines
The Captaincy General of the Philippines was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire in Southeast Asia governed by a governor-general as a dependency of the Viceroyalty of New Spain based in Mexico City until Mexican independence when i ...
.
In the 1790s
Nootka Convention
The Nootka Sound Conventions were a series of three agreements between the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Great Britain, signed in the 1790s, which averted a war between the two countries over overlapping claims to portions of the Pacific No ...
s, which followed the
Nootka crisis
The Nootka Crisis, also known as the Spanish Armament, was an international incident and political dispute between Spain and Great Britain triggered by a series of events revolving around sovereignty claims and rights of navigation and trade. It ...
, Spain granted Great Britain access rights to the Pacific Northwest. It did not establish the boundary with Spanish California, nor did it cede Spanish rights in the area. In 1819, Spain relinquished any remaining claim to territory north of the 42nd parallel to the United States, as part of the
Adams–Onís Treaty
The Adams–Onís Treaty () of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty, the Spanish Cession, the Florida Purchase Treaty, or the Florida Treaty,Weeks, p. 168. was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that ceded Florida to ...
.
Mining town
In 1898, a scam to lure prospectors off the Klondike Gold Rush trail led to a town being developed there. Some steamship companies promoted the Valdez Glacier Trail as a better route for miners to reach the
Klondike gold fields and discover new ones in the Copper River country of interior Alaska than that from
Skagway. The prospectors who believed the promotion found that they had been deceived. The glacier trail was twice as long and steep as reported, and many men died attempting the crossing, in part by contracting
scurvy
Scurvy is a deficiency disease (state of malnutrition) resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, fatigue, and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, anemia, decreased red blood cells, gum d ...
during the long cold winter without adequate supplies.
The town did not flourish until after the construction of the
Richardson Highway in 1910, which connected Valdez and Fairbanks. With a new road and its
ice-free port, Valdez became permanently established as the first overland supply route into the interior of Alaska. The highway was open in summer-only until 1950, when it started operating as a year-round route.
[Paragraph edited by the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive Mar 2009]
In 1907, a shootout between two rival railroad companies ended Valdez's hope of becoming the railroad link from tidewater to the Kennicott Copper Mine. The mine, located in the heart of the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, was one of the richest copper ore deposits on the continent. The exact location of the right-of-way dispute, in which one man was killed and several injured, is located at the southern entrance of
Keystone Canyon on the Valdez side. A half-completed tunnel in the canyon marks the end of railroad days in Valdez. A rail line to Kennicott was later established from the coastal city of Cordova.
Good Friday earthquake
In 1964, Valdez was badly shaken and damaged by the
Good Friday earthquake.
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction occurs when a cohesionless saturated or partially saturated soil substantially loses Shear strength (soil), strength and stiffness in response to an applied Shear stress, stress such as shaking during an earthquake or other s ...
of the glacial silt that formed Valdez's foundation led to a massive underwater landslide, which caused a section of Valdez's shoreline to break off and sink into the sea. The underwater soil displacement caused a local
tsunami
A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...
high that traveled westward, away from Valdez and down Valdez Bay. 32 men, women, and children were on Valdez's main freight dock to help with and watch the unloading of the SS ''Chena,'' a supply ship that came to Valdez regularly. All 32 people died as the dock collapsed into the ocean with the violent landslide. There were no deaths in the town.

Residents continued to live there for an additional three years while a new site was being prepared on more stable ground away. The new construction was supervised by the
Army Corps of Engineers. They transported 54 houses and buildings by truck to the new site, to re-establish the new city at its present location. The original town site was dismantled, abandoned and eventually burned down.
In the early 1900s, city leaders George Cheever Hazelet and Andrew Jackson Meals dreamed of moving the original site of Valdez to higher, more stable ground. Long after they were gone, their vision was realized. The 1964 earthquake was the defining moment. What is now known as "Old Town" was devastated. The descendants of both men responded by revitalizing the old partnership of 1898. They formed The Port Valdez Company to donate 115 acres of land, where the failed "Hazeletville" development once stood, so the City of Valdez could rebuild and thrive again.
Trans-Alaska pipeline
From 1975 to 1977, the
Trans-Alaska pipeline was built to carry oil from the
Prudhoe Bay oil fields in northern Alaska to a
terminal in Valdez, the nearest ice-free port.
Oil is loaded onto tanker ships for transport. The construction and operation of the pipeline and terminal boosted the economy of Valdez. The first tanker to be loaded with pipeline oil was the ''
ARCO Juneau'' in early August 1977, bound for the
Cherry Point Refinery in
The 1989
''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill occurred as the oil tanker ''
Exxon Valdez'' was leaving the terminal at Valdez full of oil. The spill occurred at
Bligh Reef, about from Valdez. Although the oil did not reach Valdez, it devastated much of the marine life in the surrounding area. The clean-up of the oil caused a short-term boost to the economy of Valdez.
2014 avalanches
On January 24, 2014, a major avalanche occurred just outside Valdez at Mile 16 near Keystone Canyon, prompting the closure of the only highway in or out of town. On January 25, Alaska DOT triggered another massive slide that further choked the roadway. Due to weather conditions at the time, the avalanche dammed the Lowe River, creating a half-mile-long lake that stalled snow removal efforts for nearly a week. The blockage was dubbed the "Damalanche" by local city officials after a name coined by local resident, Joshua Buffington. News of this event spread to media outlets nationwide. Once the water receded, crews worked around the clock to clear about 200,000 cubic yards of snow in five days. No one was injured during this incident.
Geography
Valdez is located at . According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, Valdez has a total area of , of which is land. , comprising 19.88%, is water.
Valdez is located near the head of a deep
fjord
In physical geography, a fjord (also spelled fiord in New Zealand English; ) is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Antarctica, the Arctic, and surrounding landmasses of the n ...
in the
Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound ( Sugpiaq: ''Suungaaciq'') is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the ...
in Alaska. It is surrounded by the
Chugach Mountains
The Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska are the northernmost of the several mountain ranges that make up the Pacific Coast Ranges of the western edge of North America. The range is about long and wide, and extends from the Knik and Turnag ...
, which are heavily glaciated. Nearby Shoup Glacier, which feeds
Shoup Bay, served as a source of ice for residents of the town at the turn of the 20th century.
Valdez is the northernmost port in North America that is ice-free year-round. The northernmost point of the coastal
Pacific temperate rain forest is in Valdez, on
Blueberry Hill
"Blueberry Hill" is a popular American song published in 1940 and first recorded and released by Sammy Kaye in 1940 on RCA Victor. It is best remembered for its 1950s rock and roll version by Fats Domino.
Glenn Miller peaked at no. 2 on the ' ...
. The only road access is via the
Richardson Highway, which traverses
Thompson Pass and
Keystone Canyon to end at Valdez.
Climate
Despite the presence of temperate rainforest, Valdez under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
has a
subarctic climate
The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...
(''Dfc''): its winters, though much warmer than most climates of this type, are not sufficiently mild, as those of, say,
Ketchikan,
Kodiak, or even nearby
Cordova are, to fit into the
oceanic or
subpolar oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring co ...
category.
According to the Weather Channel and NOAA, Valdez is the snowiest city in the United States, with an average of over per year. There have been more than of snow in five separate months (not all in the same year).
Demographics
Valdez first appeared on the 1900 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Valdes." It formally incorporated as Valdez in 1901, and has reported in every successive census. The original townsite was relocated in 1967 from the east side to the north side of Port Valdez after the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, but still lays within the present city limits.
In the
2020 United States census, there were 3,985 people living in Valdez. The racial makeup of the city was 75.7%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.8%
Black
Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
, 7.8%
Native American or Alaska Native, 2.6%
Asian, 0.8%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 2.0% from some other race, and 10.3% from two or more races. 6.8% were
Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,758 housing units in the city, with 1,610 total households. The median age was 40 years. The median income for a household was $99,151. The median income for a family was $102,832. 4.4% of the population was below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those over 65.
In the
2010 census, there were 3,976 people. The racial makeup was 78.6% White, 0.6% Black, 7.6% Native American or Alaska Native, 1.9% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander and 5.8% from two or more races. 4.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Economy
Valdez is a
fishing port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manche ...
, both for commercial and
sport fishing.
Freight
In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in ...
moves through Valdez bound for the interior of Alaska. Sightseeing of the marine life and glaciers, together with both deep-sea fishing, and heli skiing support a tourist industry in Valdez. The oil from the
Trans-Alaska pipeline is loaded onto ships at the Valdez oil terminal.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company is one of the biggest employers in Valdez.
Valdez is connected to the interior of Alaska by the
Richardson Highway, and is a port of call in the
Alaska Marine Highway
The Alaska Marine Highway (AMH) or the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service operated by the U.S. state of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska.
The Alaska Marine Highway System operates along the south-central ...
ferry system. Just north of Valdez on the highway is
Thompson Pass, which has spectacular waterfalls and glaciers next to the highway. Thompson Pass is known for treacherous driving conditions during the winter.
The
Valdez Airport, also known as Pioneer Field, has regular scheduled service with
Ravn Alaska.
Valdez hosted the
World Extreme Skiing Championship (WESC) in the early 1990s.
Government
Media and culture
Despite its small size, Valdez was at one time home to two weekly newspapers, the ''Valdez Star'' and the ''Valdez Vanguard''. In 2004, the ''Star'' bought out the ''Vanguard''.
Valdez is home to radio broadcasters
KCHU,
KVAK, and
KVAK-FM.
Valdez is home to the
Last Frontier Theatre Conference, hosted by the
Prince William Sound College. The annual conference attracts playwrights and actors from around the United States.
''
On Deadly Ground'' (1994) was filmed near Worthington Glacier, as well as the Valdez Civic Center and Valdez Airport, and outside Valdez on Thompson Pass in the
Chugach Mountains
The Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska are the northernmost of the several mountain ranges that make up the Pacific Coast Ranges of the western edge of North America. The range is about long and wide, and extends from the Knik and Turnag ...
.
Oil terminal

The Valdez Marine Terminal is an
oil port in Valdez, at the southern end of the
Alaska Pipeline. The terminal was the point of departure for the ''Exxon Valdez'' just prior to the oil spill.
There are 14 active aboveground crude oil storage tanks at the terminal, and an average of three to five
oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk cargo, bulk transport of petroleum, oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quant ...
s depart from the terminal each week. Since the pipeline became operational in 1976, more than 19,000 tankers full of oil have left the terminal.
The terminal has 2 operational loading berths.
Notable people
*
Neva Egan (1914–2011), first
First Lady of Alaska (1959–1966, 1970–1974).
*
William A. Egan (1914–1984), first
Governor of Alaska
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
(1959–1966, 1970–1974)
*
Margaret Keenan Harrais (1872–1964), United States Commissioner at Valdez, and after Alaska became a state, she became a deputy magistrate at Valdez
*
Robert Campbell Reeve (1902–1980), Valdez-based bush pilot and founder of
Reeve Aleutian Airways
*
Bill Walker (born 1951), former
Governor of Alaska
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
*
Ed Walker (1917–2011), second-to-last surviving member of
Castner's Cutthroats, former member of the Valdez city council.
See also
*
Tanerliq
*
Valdez Blockade
*
Valdez High School
Footnotes
References
External links
*
Visitor informationTourism informationValdez Museum & Historical ArchiveMaxine & Jesse Whitney Museum
{{Authority control
Cities in Alaska
Cities in Chugach Census Area, Alaska
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Mining communities in Alaska
Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean
Populated places established in 1898