59-567: Kennecott , also known as Kennicott and Kennecott Mines , is an abandoned mining camp in the Copper River Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska that was the center of activity for several copper mines . It is located beside the Kennicott Glacier , northeast of Valdez , inside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve . The camp and mines are now a National Historic Landmark District administered by
118-612: A limited entry permit system . The first fish processing plant near Cordova opened in 1887. In 2009 there were 159 purse seine, 511 drift gillnet, and 27 set gillnet permits fished in the Prince William Sound and Copper River Delta area. Various festivals and celebrations take place throughout the year. The Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival, hosted by the Cordova Chamber of Commerce, takes place each year in early May. Millions of migrating shorebirds stop in
177-533: A survival suit race. Copper River Wild Salmon Festival takes place in July at the Mt. Eyak ski area and includes various events. Salmon Jam Music Festival serves as one of the main events and a fund raiser for Cordova Arts, where local musicians perform followed by professional acts and takes place over the course of Friday and Saturday nights. Taste of Cordova, a wild food and Copper River salmon cook off, usually starts
236-543: A National Park. A recommendation to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 18, 1940, for the establishment of the Kennecott National Monument went nowhere. However, December 2, 1980, saw the establishment of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve . From 1939 until the mid-1950s, Kennecott was deserted except for a family of three who served as the watchmen until about 1952. In
295-593: A family was $ 65,625. Males had a median income of $ 40,444 versus $ 26,985 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 25,256. About 4.3% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under the age of 18 and 6.2% of those 65 and older. Cordova is located within the Chugach National Forest at 60°32′34.1″N 145°45′36.59″W / 60.542806°N 145.7601639°W / 60.542806; -145.7601639 (60.542805, −145.760164). According to
354-678: A financial interest in the copper. The Alaska Syndicate traded its Wrangell Mountains Mines assets for shares in the Kennecott Copper Corporation , a "new public company" formed on April 29, 1915. A similar transaction followed with the CR&;NW railway and the Alaska Steamship Company . Birch was the managing partner for the Alaska operation. Kennecott Mines was named after the Kennicott Glacier in
413-696: A footbridge is available for pedestrian traffic to McCarthy. From McCarthy, it is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to Kennecott, and shuttles are available. Copper River Census Area, Alaska Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 213965526 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:40:43 GMT Cordova, Alaska Cordova ( / k ɔːr ˈ d oʊ v ə , ˈ k ɔːr d ə v ə / kor- DOH -və, KOR -də-və )
472-425: A ghost town. From 1909 until 1938, except when it closed temporarily in 1932, Kennecott mines "produced over 4.6 million tons of ore that contained 1.183 billion pounds of copper mainly from three ore bodies: Bonanza, Jumbo and Mother Lode." The Kennecott operations reported gross revenues above $ 200 million and a net profit greater than $ 100 million. In 1938, Ernest Gruening proposed Kennecott be preserved as
531-478: A large die-off in 1958. The 1964 Good Friday earthquake effectively obliterated the industry; in some areas, the ground was thrust up by as much as six feet, exposing the already depleted clam beds. There has been no commercial harvest in the area since 1988 with the exception of a brief harvest in 1993. In March 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef north of Cordova causing one of
590-538: A property tax as well as a 6 percent sales tax. The Cordova School District operates the schools in the community. Mt. Eccles elementary school is the only public primary education facility in Cordova and had an enrollment of 206 students in 2008. Public secondary education is served by a single combined junior and senior high school . The high school had an enrollment of 205 students in 2008. The Cordova School District has 26 employed teachers. Post secondary education
649-674: A somewhat terrifying scramble along cliffs overlooking the Stairway Icefall. Local guide services offer all of these hikes if one would like some route-finding assistance. Kennecott is now accessible by air (McCarthy has a 3,500 foot (1,100 m) meter gravel runway) or by driving on the Edgerton Highway to the McCarthy Road , an unimproved gravel road. The McCarthy Road ends at the Kennicott River and
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#1732779643156708-419: A translator at 88.1 FM that serves Cordova public radio programming. The Cordova area is often featured in ski films by director Warren Miller . Despite being on the mainland, Cordova is only accessible via boat or aircraft, as there is no road connecting the city to any other. It was previously accessible by railroad however the railway is no longer in use largely due to the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and
767-542: Is a 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 2,239 in 2010. Cordova was named Puerto Córdoba by Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo in 1790. No roads connect Cordova to other Alaskan communities, so a plane or ferry
826-493: Is a popular activity in the winter. The surrounding Chugach Mountains provide excellent back country ski slopes. The Mt. Eyak ski area operates a single chair ski lift and rope tow. It is the oldest working ski lift in North America. Snowshoeing and ice skating are very popular sports around the Cordova area when conditions are right. Hiking is available year-round on many trails. Some are within walking distance of
885-433: Is a state-owned airport located 11 miles (18 km) east of the city. It has regular jet service provided by Alaska Airlines . Its main runway is 7,500 feet (2,300 m) long with an asphalt surface. The Cordova Municipal Airport is 1 mile (1.6 km) from the city and is also state owned. It is located on Lake Eyak which also has a seaplane landing area. The sole runway has a length of 1,800 feet (550 m) with
944-572: Is found as polymetallic replacement deposits in the fault planes , fractures and joints of the Triassic Nikolai greenstone, which consists of basaltic lava flows, and in the base of the Upper Triassic Chitistone limestone . Minerals include chalcocite , bornite and chalcopyrite , with associated malachite , azurite and cuprite . Native copper can also be found in the greenstone. Copper extraction
1003-531: Is presided over by the Mayor. The Mayor is the ceremonial head of city government and has the power to veto any ordinance . The city council appoints the City Manager for an indefinite term (he may be removed at any time by the council). The City Manager is head of the administrative branch of the city government. He executes all ordinances and laws and administers the government of the city. The city levies
1062-763: Is provided by the Prince William Sound College , a community campus of University of Alaska Anchorage . The independently owned city newspaper, the Cordova Times , established in 1914 is published weekly and distributed every Friday. There are three radio stations in the area. KLAM (1450 AM) began broadcasting in 1954 and generally plays classic rock, country, and news and talk shows. KCDV (100.9 FM) started in 1997 and plays top hits, '80s, and '90s music. Both stations are owned by Bayview Communications Inc. KCHU , based in Valdez operates
1121-480: Is required to travel there. In the Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 1989, an oil tanker ran aground northwest of Cordova, heavily damaging ecology and fishing. It was cleaned up shortly after, but there are lingering effects, such as a lowered population of some birds. In 1790, the inlet in front of the current Cordova townsite was named Puerto Cordova by Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo . The city of Cordova
1180-672: Is very heavy year round. The cool temperatures and heavy rainfall are caused by orographic lift . Westerly winds coming off the North Pacific Ocean are forced upwards by the Chugach Mountains which causes the air mass to cool and creates clouds and precipitation. Yearly average precipitation is 148.37 inches (3,769 mm), with 125 rainy days out of the year. Snow falls mostly from December to March, and an average of 127 inches or 3.2 metres falls yearly. Winter temperatures reach lows of 15 °F or −9.4 °C and
1239-550: The National Park Service . It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. In the summer of 1900, two prospectors , "Tarantula" Jack Smith and Clarence L. Warner, a group of prospectors associated with the McClellan party, spotted "a green patch far above them in an improbable location for a grass-green meadow." The green turned out to be malachite , located with chalcocite (aka "copper glance") , and
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#17327796431561298-584: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 75.6 square miles (196 km ), of which, 61.4 square miles (159 km ) of it is land and 14.3 square miles (37 km ) of it is water. The total area is 18.87% water. Cordova has a maritime-influenced subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfc ) bordering on both a humid continental climate ( Dfb ) and a subpolar oceanic climate ( Cfc ), characterised by cool to mild, rainy summers and moderately cold, snowy winters. Precipitation
1357-463: The 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated city. It incorporated the year before in 1909. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 2,239 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 68.3% White, 0.4% Black, 8.7% Native American, 10.7% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander and 7.6% from two or more races. 4.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,454 people, 958 households, and 597 families living in
1416-517: The 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It appeared again in 1930 and 1940, and after its abandonment, it has not reported separately since. It is now within the McCarthy CDP. Copper ore was discovered in a lode on Chief Nikolai's house at the mouth of Dan Creek in July 1899. The geological formations in the area were described and identified by a USGS geologist by the name of Oscar Rohn in 1899. This original copper find became
1475-550: The 339 bridge. The following 13.5 miles may still be accessed via a river crossing by boat. Cars and trucks can be transported to Cordova by ferry. Regular ferry service is provided by the state owned Alaska Marine Highway System to Valdez and Whittier with whistle stops (the ferry only stops if there are prior reservations) in Tatitlek and Chenega Bay . The M/V Aurora operates in Prince William Sound year round. Cordova has two airports. Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport
1534-500: The Bidarki Fitness Center, which has a gym with basketball court upstairs, a weight room, and multiple spaces with cardio training equipment The Meals Reservoir Disc Golf Course is a public disc golf course erected in the summer of 2018, located near Meals Reservoir off Whitshed Rd. The City of Cordova has a Council-Manager type government. The City Council is the legislative body and has 7 seats. The council
1593-484: The Copper River and Northwestern Railway, the local fishing industry, and Alaska Natives . They also host a juried art show called "Fish Follies". The Ilanka Cultural Center museum features exhibits on Eyak, Alutiiq, Ahtna and Tlingit history and contemporary life – including artifacts, photographs, and oral histories. The 24-1/2-foot orca whale, Eyak, is one of only five fully rearticulated orca whale skeletons in
1652-490: The Prince William Sound and Copper River Delta area. There are various fisheries in the area, the most economically important of which is the salmon fishery. All Pacific salmon species except for the cherry salmon are caught. Fishermen use either a purse seine , drift gillnet , or set gillnet to catch the fish. All fisheries are regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game . The fisheries in Alaska have
1711-514: The area to rest and feed before finishing their journey north. The most numerous species are the western sandpiper , least sandpiper , and dunlin . This is a popular time for avid and casual bird watchers to visit. Activities, workshops, and bird watching tours are held throughout the week. The Cordova Iceworm Festival takes place each February. Activities include a parade, talent show, royal crowning ceremony, and various competitions such as an oyster shucking contest, ping pong tournament, and
1770-419: The average family size was 3.17. The age distribution was 28.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 50,114, and the median income for
1829-772: The basis of the Nikolai Mine in 1900. Simultaneously, placer gold was discovered on the Dan and Young Creeks. The Bonanza ore body was discovered in Aug. 1900 by Warner and Smith. Almost simultaneously, another USGS geologist named Arthur Spencer, came across the ore when mapping the area with Frank Schrader. In 1901, the Dan Creek was staked by C.L. Warner and "Dan" L. Kain. Gold was found on Chititu Creek in April 1902 by Frank Kernan and Charles Koppus. Besides placer deposits, copper
Kennecott, Alaska - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-667: The city while many others are a leisurely drive away."Easy Trails" include: In the summer kayaking in Prince William Sound is popular. The Sound has more tidewater glaciers than any other region in North America. 1,900,000 acres (7,700 km ) of the western Sound are designated as the Nellie Juan College Fjord Wilderness Study Area . Indoor recreation includes the Bob Korn Memorial Pool, and
1947-414: The city. The population density was 40.0 per square mile (15.4/km ). There were 1,099 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile (6.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 71.1% White , 23.6% Alaska Native and other Native American , 10.1% Asian , 0.4% Black or African American , 1.3% from other races , and 6.7% from two or more races . Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.1% of
2006-506: The events. Entries are made with a variety of wild, locally harvested foods and are judged by a panel of guest chefs and food writers. The Alaska Salmon Runs start Saturday morning and include a marathon , half marathon, 10k, 5k, and a 1-mile race on the Copper River Highway . Small Fry activities are educational events for children and families that take place during the races. The Cordova Historical Museum has exhibits on
2065-480: The fine material. The ammonia leaching plant was built in 1915, where ammonia liquefied the copper but kept the limestone in solid form. The ammonia-copper solution was heated to drive off the ammonia, which left behind a copper oxide containing 75% copper. This was then sacked for shipment. The flotation plant was built in 1923 to process the "fines", which were less than 0.3 cm in size. These fines were mixed with water, oil, and buffering chemicals , before air
2124-443: The late 1960s, an attempt was made to reprocess the tailings and to transport the ore in aircraft. The cost of doing so made the idea unprofitable. Around the same time, the company with land rights ordered the destruction of the town to rid them of liability for potential accidents. A few structures were destroyed, but the job was never finished and most of the town was left standing. Visitors and nearby residents have stripped many of
2183-647: The location of the Bonanza claim. A few days later, Arthur Coe Spencer, U.S. Geological Survey geologist independently found chalcocite at the same location, but was too late to stake any valuable claims. Stephen Birch , a mining engineer just out of school, was in Alaska looking for investment opportunities in minerals. He had the financial backing of the Havemeyer Family , and another investor named James Ralph, from his days in New York. Birch spent
2242-595: The mines. In Nov. 1906, the Alaska Syndicate bought a 40 percent interest in the Bonanza Mine from the Alaska Copper and Coal Company and a 46.2 percent interest in the railroad plans of John Rosene's Northwestern Commercial Company. Political battles over the mining and subsequent railroad were fought in the office of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt between conservationists and those having
2301-401: The most devastating environmental disasters in North America. The Exxon Valdez oil spill severely affected the area's salmon and herring populations leading to a recession of the local fishing-reliant economy as well as a disruption to the area's ecology. After many years of litigation, 450 million dollars were awarded for compensatory and punitive damages . Cordova first appeared on
2360-457: The native people, as well as their traditions and lifestyle, continue to thrive in the region. Cordova was also once the home of a booming razor clam industry. Between 1916 and the late 1950s, it was known as the "Razor Clam Capital of the World". Commercial harvest in the area reached as high as 3.5 million pounds. Returns began declining in the late 1950s, presumably due to overharvesting and
2419-472: The peak year for production, the mines produced copper ore valued at $ 32.4 million. In 1925 a Kennecott geologist predicted that the end of the high-grade ore bodies was in sight. The highest grades of ore were largely depleted by the early 1930s. The Glacier Mine closed in 1929. The Mother Lode was next, closing at the end of July 1938. The final three, Erie, Jumbo and Bonanza, closed that September. The last train left Kennecott on November 10, 1938, leaving it
Kennecott, Alaska - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-403: The population. There were 958 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and
2537-561: The resulting destruction it caused to the Million Dollar Bridge . The longest road is the Copper River Highway which follows the old railbed of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway for 49.5 miles (79.7 km). The first 11 miles (18 km) east of Cordova is paved and the rest is gravel. As of the summer of 2011, vehicle traffic can only reach the 36 mile mark as changes in the river course washed out
2596-528: The site and construction of a 33,929-square-foot (3,152.1 m ) community center, to be named the Cordova Center, began. The Cordova Center hosts a new library, museum, auditorium, conference and meeting space, plus city hall offices. It finally opened in the winter of 2015 for the residents of Cordova. Various events take place in the walls of this building such as community movie nights in the theater, winter bazaars, art shows, and many more. Skiing
2655-399: The small items and artifacts. Some have since been returned and are held in various archives. KCC sent a field party under the geologist Les Moon in 1955. They agreed with the 1938 conclusion, "no copper resource of a size and grade sufficient to interest KCC remained." The mill and other structures remain, however, and many are in the process of being restored. Kennecott first reported on
2714-417: The summer. Bonanza and Jumbo were on Bonanza Ridge about 3 mi (4.8 km) from Kennecott. The Mother Lode mine was located on the east side of the ridge from Kennecott. The Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode and Erie mines were connected by tunnels. The Erie mine was perched on the northwest end of Bonanza Ridge overlooking Root Glacier about 3.7 mi (6.0 km) up a glacial trail from Kennecott. Ore
2773-516: The surrounding area. The area was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 and the National Park Service acquired much of the land within the Kennecott Mill Town in 1998. Popular tourist activities while visiting Kennecott include glacier hiking, ice climbing , and touring the abandoned mill. Visitors may also hike to the abandoned Bonanza, Jumbo and Erie mines, all of which are strenuous full-day hikes, with Erie Mine being
2832-420: The valley below. The geologist Oscar Rohn named the glacier after Robert Kennicott during the 1899 US Army Abercrombie Survey. A "clerical error" resulted in the substitution of an "e" for the "i", supposedly by Stephen Birch himself. Kennecott had five mines: Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode, Erie and Glacier. Glacier, which is really an ore extension of the Bonanza, was an open-pit mine and was only mined during
2891-509: The warmest summer temperatures are around 77 °F or 25 °C. Most official climate data is recorded at the airport, which is 11 miles from the settlement. Temperatures and precipitation vary drastically between the city and the airport, and precipitation at the city is commonly twice that of the airport. Commercial fishing is the main industry in Cordova. Half of all households in Cordova have at least one person involved in commercial fishing or processing. The fishing fleet mainly fishes
2950-474: The winter of 1901-1902 acquiring the "McClellan group's interests" for the Alaska Copper Company of Birch, Havemeyer, Ralph and Schultz, later to become the Alaska Copper and Coal Company. In the summer of 1901, he visited the property and "spent months mapping and sampling." He confirmed the Bonanza mine and surrounding by deposits were, at the time, the richest known concentration of copper in
3009-555: The world. By 1905, Birch had successfully defended the legal challenges to his property and he began the search for capital to develop the area. On June 28, 1906, he entered into "an amalgamation" with the Daniel Guggenheim and J.P. Morgan & Co., known as the Alaska Syndicate , eventually securing over $ 30 million. The capital was to be used for constructing a railway, a steamship line, and development of
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#17327796431563068-470: The world. The Cordova Ikumat Alutiiq group was formed in 1995, composed of youth and adults, and is open to anyone who wants to join; the group performs songs from the past as well as original pieces. The Ilanka Cultural Center offers traditional arts and skills still practiced including skin sewing, beadwork; mask, totem, and ivory carving; "putting up" fish and deer; berry-picking and jam-making; and subsistence and commercial fishing. In late 2010, clearing
3127-493: Was a many step process in an attempt to be as efficient as possible. Chalcocite and covellite were sent directly to the smelting plant in Tacoma. Malachite , azurite , and other forms of copper within the limestone needed separation in the 14-story mill building before shipment. The mill was mainly built between 1909 and 1923. Ore arrived at the mill via aerial tramways, where the high-grade portion (approximately 60% copper)
3186-458: Was a poor harbor. Heney and his crew held a brief ceremony to organize the town on March 26, 1906. A week later, crews arrived to begin work on the railroad. The first lots in the new town site, making up the heart of present-day Cordova, were sold at auction in May 1908. As the railroad grew, so did the town. Eventually schools, businesses, a hospital, and utilities were established. After the railroad
3245-410: Was bubbled through the solution. Copper ore attached to the air bubbles, and floated to the top, where it was skimmed off, dried and sacked. In the 1980s, Kennecott became a popular tourist destination, as people came to see the old mines and buildings. However, the town of Kennecott was never repopulated. Residents involved in the tourism industry often lived in nearby McCarthy or on private land in
3304-486: Was completed, Cordova became the transportation hub for the ore coming out of Kennecott. From 1911 to 1938, more than 200 million tons of copper ore were transported through Cordova. The area around Cordova was historically home to the Eyak , with a population of Chugach to the west, and occasional visits from Ahtna and Tlingit people for trade or battle. The last fluent Eyak speaker Marie Smith Jones died in 2008, but
3363-402: Was crushed and placed in a chute to carry it directly to the bottom to be placed in burlap sacks . Lower-grade ore was further crushed, sized and sorted. The denser ore was separated from the less dense waste via Hancock jigs and shaker tables. The tailings left over after gravity separation were further treated via ammonia leaching , for the coarse material, or via froth flotation for
3422-565: Was hoisted to Kennecott via the trams which head-ended at Bonanza and Jumbo. From Kennecott the ore was hauled mostly in 140-pound sacks on steel flat cars to Cordova , 196 rail miles away, via the Copper River and Northwestern Railway (CRNW). In 1911 the first shipment of ore by train transpired. Before completion, the steamship Chittyna carried ore to the Abercrombie landing by Miles Glacier . Initial ore shipments contained "72 percent copper and 18 oz. of silver per ton." In 1916,
3481-481: Was named after it, although the inlet itself was later renamed the Orca Inlet . Cordova proper was founded as a result of the discovery of high-grade copper ore at Kennecott , north of Cordova. A group of surveyors from Valdez laid out a town site and Michael James Heney purchased half the land for the terminus of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway after determining that the neighboring town of Katalla
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