Current Population: 712 (2007 DCCED Certified Population)
Savoonga is located on the northern coast of St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, 164 miles west of Nome. It lies 39 miles southeast of Gambell. It lies at approximately 63.694170� North Latitude and -170.478890� West Longitude. (Sec. 08, T021S, R061W, Kateel River Meridian.) Savoonga is located in the Cape Nome Recording District. The area encompasses 6.1 sq. miles of land and 0.0 sq. miles of water. Savoonga has a subarctic maritime climate with some continental influences during the winter. Summer temperatures average 40 to 51; winters average -7 to 11. Temperature extremes from -34 to 67 have been recorded. Average precipitation is 10 inches annually, with 58 inches of snowfall. The island is subject to prevailing winds, averaging 18 MPH. Freeze-up on the Bering Sea occurs in mid-November, with break-up in late May.
St. Lawrence Island has been inhabited intermittently for the past 2,000 years by Yup'ik Eskimos. The island had numerous villages with a total population of around 4,000 by the 19th century. A tragic famine occurred on the island in 1878-80, severely reducing the population. In 1900 a herd of reindeer was moved to the island, and by 1917 the herd had grown to over 10,000 animals. A reindeer camp was established in 1916 at the present village site, where grazing lands were better, and the herd tended to remain. Good hunting and trapping in the area attracted more residents. A post office was established in 1934. The City was incorporated in 1969. When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was passed in 1971, Gambell and Savoonga decided not to participate, and instead opted for title to the 1.136 million acres of land in the former St. Lawrence Island Reserve. The island is jointly owned by Savoonga and Gambell.
The
information provided on this page was obtained from:
The
Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development, Community Database Online |
