White Mountain () is a city in Nome Census Area,

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 ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The population was 190 at the 2010 census, down from 203 in 2000. The city is an Iġaluŋmiut (Fish River tribe) Inupiat village, with historical influences from and relationships with Qawiaraq (Mary's Igloo) Inupiat and Golovin and Elim Yup’iks. 86.2% of the population is Alaska Native or part Native. Subsistence activities are prevalent. White Mountain is the only village on the

Seward Peninsula The Seward Peninsula is a large peninsula on the western coast of the U.S. state of Alaska whose westernmost point is Cape Prince of Wales. The peninsula projects about into the Bering Sea between Norton Sound, the Bering Strait, the Chukchi ...

located inland, not on the ocean.

History

The area that is present day White Mountain began as the Eskimo fish camp ''Nachirvik'' which means "mountain look-out point." The bountiful resources of both the Niukluk and the

Fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

rivers supported the Native populations there. The community grew with the influx of white prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush. The first non-Native structure was a warehouse built by the miner Charles D. Lane to store supplies for his claim in the Council District. It was the site of a government-subsidized orphanage, which became an industrial school in 1926. The Covenant Church was built in 1937. A

Russian Orthodox Church The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...

was built about 1920 (although no longer utilized, the church log cabin building is still standing). A post office was opened in 1932. The tribal government re-organized under the

Indian Reorganization Act The Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of June 18, 1934, or the Wheeler–Howard Act, was U.S. federal legislation that dealt with the status of American Indians in the United States. It was the centerpiece of what has been often called the "Indian ...

(IRA) in 1939. The city was incorporated in 1969. Today, White Mountain is most notable as the last of three mandatory rest stops for teams competing in the annual Iditarod. All mushers are required to take an 8-hour rest stop at White Mountain before making the final push to the end of the race, away in Nome.

Geography

White Mountain is located at (64.680856, -163.406538). The city is located on the eastern bank of the Fish River. 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 ...

, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.3 km²), of which 1.8 square miles (4.6 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) (11.82%) is water.

Demographics

White Mountain first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1969. As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 203 people, 69 households, and 46 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 75 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 13.30%

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 ...

, 83.74% Native American, 0.49% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population. Of the 69 households, 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 26.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.55. In the city, the population was spread out, with 40.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 132.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,833, and the median income for a family was $29,688. Males had a median income of $41,250 versus $31,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $10,034. About 16.3% of families and 22.4% of the population were 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 15.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 12.5% of those 65 or over.

Education

White Mountain is served by the Bering Strait School District. White Mountain School serves grades Pre-K through 12. Prior to the 2009 school year, students were housed in two different buildings, the high school building and the elementary building. In February 2006, the high school building burned down as a result from a fire in the furnace room. High school and Jr. High students moved to three separate buildings and schooled there until the end of the 2008 school year. The elementary school was the oldest operating school building in Alaska up until 2009 when the new school building was completed. The old elementary building was burned down in the summer 2010 because there was no longer a use for it. The new White Mountain School is one building that has three elementary rooms for K-6 students, a Jr. High room, two Sr. High rooms, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, library, a staff room and storage rooms.

References

External links

{{authority control Cities in Alaska Cities in Nome Census Area, Alaska Mining communities in Alaska Populated places in the Seward Peninsula