About King Cove Alaska

King Cove (Agdaaĝux̂ in Aleut; Russian: Кинг-Коув) is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 938. This was up from 792 in 2000. The 2018 estimate was 1065.

Geography

King Cove is located on a sand spit on the south of the Alaska Peninsula, with water feeding into the north pacific Ocean. King Cove is located about 625 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, and 18 miles southwest of Cold Bay, Alaska. The City is located in the Aleutians East Borough and is accessible only by boat or plane.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.8 square miles,of which, 25.3 square miles is land and 4.5 square miles (15.23%) is water.

History

King Cove was founded in 1911 when Pacific American Fisheries built a salmon cannery. Early settlers were Scandinavian, European and Unangan fishermen. Of the first ten founding families, five consisted of a European father and an Aleut mother. The City was incorporated in 1949. The cannery operated continuously between 1911 and 1976, when it was partially destroyed by fire. The adoption of the 200-mile fisheries limit spurred rebuilding. King Cove remains tied to fishing and fish processing.

Demographics

The 2020 U.S. Census reported 757 residents living in King Cove. The community was founded in 1911 and incorporated in 1949. King Cove is mix of non-Native and Unangan residents. According to the 2020 census data, 327 residents identified as Alaska Native or American Indian, 213 identified as White, 109 identified as Asian, 29 identified as some Other Race, 10 identified as Black or African American, 6 identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 63 identified as two or more races, with 48 of those residents identifying as White and Alaska Native or American Indian.

The category employing the highest number of residents was Production, Transportation, and Material Moving Occupations, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year Estimates Subject Tables. The ACS survey shows the estimated number of employed U.S. citizens 16 years old and older from 2017 to 2021. The category employed 287 people – 268 of whom were un der the Production Occupation. Natural Resources, Construction, and Maintenance Operations was the third-highest employment category. Of 120 people reported under the category, 53 were employed in Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations, 50 were employed in Construction and Extraction Occupations, and 17 were employed in installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations.

Culture

Scandinavians have historically influenced the cultural, economic and social structures. King Cove is a mixed non-Native and Unangan community.

Economy

King Cove is almost entirely dependent on year-round commercial fishing and seafood processing. Peter Pan Seafood’s Co., LLC (Peter Pan Seafoods) operates its largest processing facility out of King Cove, which employs primarily non-King Cove residents and can ramp up to 500 employees during peak winter and summer seasons. According to Peter Pan Seafoods’ website, (www.ppsf.com) the plant has the largest salmon canning capacity in Alaska. The plant can also processes crab, halibut, cod, and pollock.

Facilities

The city gets water from $9 million project a well field at Delta Creek and storage tank. All residents are connected to the piped water system. A piped sewage collection system connects all homes and facilities to central septic tanks. Two lift stations and tanks provide primary (20,000 gallons) and secondary treatment (84,000 gallons) of waste, with discharge through an outfall line. All homes are fully plumbed. The City collects garbage twice a week. Aluminum is recycled. The landfill is nearing capacity. the city has and operates two hydroelectric power plants can supply 1.3 megawatt of power to the city most of the year. The city also has a powerplant which it operates and can provide 2.5 megawatts of power. Peter Pan Seafoods operates its own electric system.

Transportation

King Cove is accessible only by air and sea. A State-owned 3,360 foot gravel runway is available. Gale force crosswinds are common, as the airport lies in a valley between two volcanic peaks. A local priority is to construct a 27-mile road to Cold Bay, through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, to access their airport. The $14 million road has drawn state and national controversy. The State Ferry operates bi-monthly between May and October. The ferry and marine cargo services use one of three docks owned by Peter Pan Seafoods. A deep water dock is also operated by the City. The North Harbor provides moorage for 90 boats, and is ice-free all year. A new harbor and breakwater is under construction by the Corps of Engineers and Aleutians East Borough. Upon completion, the new Babe Newman Harbor will be operated by the City, and will provide additional moorage for 60′ to 150′ fishing vessels.

Healthcare

The King Cove Community Health Clinic is run by the Eastern Aleutian Tribes and provides routine medical care, behavioral health, and emergency care services. The clinic is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours, closed for all Alaskan and Federal holidays. After hours emergencies are handled by on-call practitioners. There is an active local emergency medical services group who provide ambulance service. Care is also provided through Community Health Aide Practitioners, which are unique to Alaska.

Education

Aleutians East Borough School District (AEBSD) operates the King Cove School (preschool – 12th grade)

As of 2019 the King Cove School had 14 teachers and 85 students.

Climate

King Cove is in maritime climate zone and experiences cold and windy short summers and freezing, snowy, and windy long winters. The temperature throughout the year ranges from 26 to 56 degrees Fahrenheit. The wetter season in King Cove is nearly 7 months long from July to February, with over 33% chance of a given day being a wet day, which is characterized by liquid or liquid-equivalent precipitation of at least 0.04 inches. King Cove is generally rainy, with the least monthly rainfall averaging 1.4 inches in march and the most averaging 3.5 inches in September. The snowy season runs from November to April, with an average snowfall of 5.1 inches in February, the month with the most snow.

The winds prevail from the east and west with some strong northernly winds in the summer months. The average hourly wind speed varies greatly from season to season. The windier season in King Cove (September to April) leads to average wind speeds of more than 14.8 miles per hour. November, the windiest month, experiences 18.4 mile-per-hour winds on average.