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Homer Alaska
Location and Climate
Homer is located on the north shore of Kachemak Bay on
the southwestern Kenai Peninsula. The Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile
long bar of gravel, extends from the Homer shoreline. It is
227 road miles south of Anchorage, at the southern-most
point of the Sterling Highway. Homer is located in the Homer
Recording District. The area encompasses 11 sq. miles of
land and 16 sq. miles of water. Homer lies in the maritime
climate zone. During the winter, temperatures range from 14
to 27; summer temperatures vary from 45 to 65. Average
annual precipitation is 24 inches, including 55 inches of
snow.
History, Culture and Demographics
The Homer area has been homes to Kenaitze Indians for
thousands of years. In 1895 the U.S. Geological Survey
arrived to study coal and gold resources. Prospectors bound
for Hope and Sunrise disembarked at the Homer Spit. The
community was named for Homer Pennock, a gold mining company
promoter, who arrived in 1896 and built living quarters for
his crew of 50 on the Spit. Their plans were to mine the
beach sands along Cook Inlet, from Homer to Ninilchik. The
Homer post office opened shortly thereafter. In 1899, Cook
Inlet Coal Fields Company built a town and dock on the Spit,
a coal mine at Homer's Bluff Point, and a 7-mile-long
railroad which carried the coal to the end of Homer Spit.
Various coal mining operations continued until World War I,
and settlers continued to trickle into the area, some to
homestead in the 1930s and 40s, other to work in the
canneries built to process Cook Inlet fish. Coal provided
fuel for homes, and there is still an estimated 400 million
tons of coal deposits in the vicinity of Homer. After then
Good Friday earthquake in 1964, the Homer Spit sunk
approximately 4 to 6 feet, and several buildings had to be
relocated.
3.6% of the population are Alaska Natives. Homer is a
non-Native community. Although commercial and sport fishing
are the center of the economic activity, Homer has a large
community of artists. The Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby runs
from May 1 through Labor Day each year. Homer is the
"Halibut Capital of the World."
Economy and Transportation
Homer is primarily a fishing, fish processing, trade and
service center, and enjoys a considerable seasonal tourist
industry. Approximately 10 cruise ships dock in Homer each
summer. During summer months, the population swells with
students and others seeking cannery or fishery employment.
Sport fishing for halibut and salmon contributes
significantly to the economy. 520 area residents hold
commercial fishing permits. The fish dock is equipped with
cold storage facilities, ice manufacturing and a vacuum
fish-loading system. A sawmill processes borough timber, and
Circle De Pacific Corp. is exporting wood chips from Homer
to Japan. Plans for a multi-million dollar U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Visitors Center for the Alaska Maritime National
Wildlife Refuge are underway.
Homer is accessible by the Sterling Highway to Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Canada and the lower 48 states. It is often
referred to as "The End of the Road," because it lies at the
terminus of the Sterling Highway. The State owns and
operates the Homer Airport, with a 6,700' asphalt runway and
float plane basin, and a seaplane base at Beluga Lake. The
City is served by several scheduled and chartered aircraft
services. There are four additional private landing strips
in the vicinity. The Alaska Marine Highway and local ferry
services provide water transportation. The deep-water dock
can accommodate 30-foot drafts, and 340-foot vessels. There
is a boat harbor with moorage for 750 vessels, and a 5-lane
boat launch ramp.
< Back to Alaska
Communities
Source: Department of Community & Economic
Development
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