name	Anchorage
official name	Municipality of Anchorage
settlement type	Unified Borough and City
image seal	Seal of Anchorage, Alaska.svg
nickname	The City of Lights and Flowers
motto	Big Wild Life
coordinates region	US-AK
coordinates display	inline,title
subdivision type	Country
subdivision name	United States
subdivision type1	State
subdivision name1	Alaska
subdivision type2	Borough
subdivision name2	Anchorage
established title	Settled
established title2	Incorporated
established date	1914
established date2	November 23, 1920 (City of Anchorage);January 1, 1964 (Greater Anchorage Area Borough);September 15, 1975 (current Municipality of Anchorage, which combined the two)
named for	the anchorage at the mouth of Ship Creek
leader title	Mayor
leader name	Dan Sullivan
unit pref	US
area total sq mi	1961.1
area land sq mi	1697.2
area water sq mi	263.9
Area urban sq mi	78.8
Area metro sq mi	26312.5
elevation ft	102
population as of	2010
population	291826 (64th in U.S.)
population density sq mi	171.9
Population urban	225,744
population metro	380,821
timezone	AKST
utc offset	-9
timezone dst	AKDT
utc offset dst	-8
postal code type	ZIP code
postal code	99501–99524, 99530
area code	907
blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	02-03000
geocode	[ 1398242]
map caption	Location of Anchorage within Alaska
website	www.muni.org }}

Anchorage (officially called the Municipality of Anchorage) is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States. With 291,826 residents in 2010 (and 380,821 residents within its Metropolitan Statistical Area, which combines Anchorage with the neighboring Matanuska-Susitna Borough), it is Alaska's largest city and constitutes more than 40 percent of the state's total population; amongst the 50 states, only New York has a higher percentage of residents who live in the state's largest city.

Anchorage has been named All-America City four times, in 1956, 1965, 1984/1985 and 2002, by the National Civic League. It has also been named by Kiplinger as the most tax friendly city in the United States.

History

Russian presence in south central Alaska was well established in the 19th century. In 1867, U. S. Secretary of State William H. Seward brokered a deal to purchase Alaska from a debt-ridden Imperial Russia for $7.2 million (about two cents an acre). The deal was lampooned by political rivals as "Seward's folly", "Seward's icebox" and "Walrussia". By 1888, gold was discovered along Turnagain Arm.

In 1912, Alaska became a United States territory. Anchorage, unlike every other large town in Alaska south of the Brooks Range, was neither a fishing nor mining camp. The area within tens of miles of Anchorage is barren of significant economic metal minerals. While a number of Dena'ina settlements existed along Knik Arm for years, only two white men, Bud Whitney and Jack Brown, were reported to have lived in the Ship Creek valley in the 1910s prior to the large influx of settlers.

The city grew from its happenstance choice as the site, in 1914, of a railroad construction port for the Alaska Engineering Commission. Construction of the railroad, to be known as the Alaska Railroad, continued until its completion in 1923. The area near the mouth of Ship Creek, where the railroad headquarters was located, quickly became a tent city. A townsite was platted on higher ground to the south of the tent city, greatly noted in the years since for its order and rigidity compared with other Alaskan townsites. Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920.

The city's economy in the 1920s and 1930s centered on the railroad. Col. Otto F. Ohlson, the Swedish-born general manager of the railroad for nearly two decades, became a symbol of residents' contempt for the firm control he maintained over the railroad's affairs, which by extension became control over economic and other aspects of life in Alaska.

Between the 1930s and the 1950s, the city experienced massive growth as air transportation and the military became increasingly important. Aviation operations in Anchorage commenced along the firebreak south of town (today's Delaney Park Strip), which was also used by residents as a golf course. An increase in air traffic led to clearing of a site directly east of townsite boundaries starting in 1929, which became Merrill Field. Merrill Field served as Anchorage's primary airport during the 1930s and 1940s, when it was replaced by Anchorage International Airport upon its opening in 1951. Merrill Field still serves a significant amount of general aviation traffic to this day.

Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson were constructed in the 1940s, and served as the city's primary economic engine until the 1968 Prudhoe Bay discovery shifted the thrust of the economy towards the oil industry. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process led to the combining of the two bases (along with Kulis Air National Guard Base) to form Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

On March 27, 1964, Anchorage was hit by the magnitude 9.2 Good Friday Earthquake, which killed 115 Alaskans and caused $311 million ($1.8 billion in 2007 U.S. dollars) in damage. The earth-shaking event lasted nearly five minutes; most structures that failed remained intact the first few minutes, then failed with repeated flexing. It was the second largest earthquake in the recorded history of the world. Rebuilding dominated the remainder of the 1960s.

In 1968, oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay, and the resulting oil boom spurred further growth in Anchorage. In 1975, the City of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough (which includes Eagle River, Girdwood, Glen Alps, and several other communities) merged into the geographically larger Municipality of Anchorage. The city continued to grow in the 1980s, and capital projects and an aggressive beautification campaign took place.

Geography

Anchorage is located in Southcentral Alaska. At 61 degrees north, it lies slightly farther north than Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki and Saint Petersburg, but not as far north as Reykjavík or Murmansk. It is northeast of the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, and Cook Inlet, due north of the Kenai Peninsula, northwest of Prince William Sound and the Alaska Panhandle, and nearly due south of Mount McKinley/Denali.

The city is on a strip of coastal lowland and extends up the lower alpine slopes of the Chugach Mountains. Point Campbell, the westernmost point of Anchorage on the mainland, juts out into Cook Inlet near its northern end, at which point it splits into two arms. To the south is Turnagain Arm, a fjord that has some of the world's highest tides. Knik Arm, another tidal inlet, lies to the west and north. The Chugach Mountains on the east form a boundary to development, but not to the city limits, which encompass part of the wild alpine territory of Chugach State Park.

The city's seacoast consists mostly of treacherous mudflats. Newcomers and tourists are warned not to walk in this area because of extreme tidal changes and the very fine glacial silt. Unwary victims have walked onto the solid seeming silt revealed when the tide is out and have become stuck in the mud. The two recorded instances of this occurred in 1961 and 1988.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the municipality has a total area of 1,961.1 square miles (5,079.2 km²); 1,697.2 square miles (4,395.8 km²) of which is land and 263.9 square miles (683.4 km²) of it is water. The total area is 13.46% water.

Boroughs and census areas adjacent to the Municipality of Anchorage are Matanuska-Susitna Borough to the north, Kenai Peninsula Borough to the south and Valdez-Cordova Census Area to the east. The Chugach National Forest, a national protected area, extends into the southern part of the municipality, near Girdwood and Portage.

Climate

Anchorage has a subarctic climate (the Köppen climate classification is ''Dfc'') but with strong maritime influences that moderate temperatures. Average daytime summer temperatures range from approximately ; average daytime winter temperatures are about . Anchorage has a frost-free growing season that averages slightly over 101 days.

Average January low and high temperatures at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC) are with an average winter snowfall of . The 2011–2012 winter had , which made it the snowiest winter on record. The 1954–1955 winter had , which made it the second snowiest winter on record. The coldest temperature ever recorded at the original weather station located at Merrill Field on the East end of 5th Avenue was on February 3, 1947.

Summers are typically mild (although cool compared to the contiguous US and even interior Alaska), and it can rain frequently. Average July low and high temperatures are and the highest reading ever recorded was on June 25, 1953. The average annual precipitation at the airport is . Anchorage's latitude causes summer days to be very long and winter daylight hours to be very short. The city is often cloudy during the winter, which decreases the amount of sunlight experienced by residents.

Owing to its proximity to active volcanoes, ash hazards are a significant, though infrequent, occurrence. The most recent notable volcanic activity centered on the multiple eruptions of Mount Redoubt during March–April 2009, resulting in a high ash cloud as well as ash accumulation throughout the Cook Inlet region. Previously, the most active recent event was an August 1992 eruption of Mount Spurr, which is located west of the city. The eruption deposited about of volcanic ash on the city. The clean-up of ash resulted in excessive demands for water and caused major problems for the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility.

Wildlife

A diverse wildlife population exists in urban Anchorage and the surrounding area. Approximately 250 black bears and 60 grizzly bears live in the area. Bears are regularly sighted within the city. Moose are a common sight. In the Anchorage Bowl, there is a summer population of approximately 250 moose, increasing to as many as 1000 during the winter. They are a hazard to drivers, with over 100 moose killed by cars each year. Two people have been stomped to death by moose in recent years in Anchorage. Cross-country skiers and dog mushers using city trails have been charged by moose on numerous occasions; the Alaska Dept of Fish and Game has to kill some individual aggressive moose in the city every year. Mountain goats can be commonly sighted along the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood, and Dall sheep are often viewed quite close to the road at Windy Point. Approximately 30 wolves live in the Anchorage area, in 2007 several dogs were killed by wolves while on walks with their owners. There are also beaver dams in local creeks, and it is common to see foxes and kits in parking lots close to wooded areas in the spring. Along the Seward Highway headed toward Kenai, there are common sightings of whales in the Turnagain Arm. Lynx are occasionally sighted in Anchorage as well. Within the Municipality there are also a number of streams that host salmon runs. Fishing for salmon at Ship Creek next to downtown is popular in the summer.

Demographics

As of the 2005–2007 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, White Americans made up 69.8% of Anchorage's population; of which 66.4% were non-Hispanic whites, down from 83.6% in 1980. Blacks or African Americans made up 6.3% of Anchorage's population; of which 6.1% were non-Hispanic blacks. American Indians and Alaska Natives made up 5.5% of the city's population; of which 5.3% were non-Hispanic.

Asian Americans made up 6.1% of the city's population; of which 6.0% were non-Hispanic. Pacific Islander Americans made up 1.0% of the city's population. Individuals from some other race made up 2.7% of the city's population; of which 0.1% were non-Hispanic. Individuals from two or more races made up 8.5% of the city's population; of which 7.4% were non-Hispanic. In addition, Hispanics and Latinos made up 7.7% of Anchorage's population.

As of the 2000 census, there were 260,283 people, 94,822 households and 64,099 families residing in the municipality. The population density was 153.4 per square mile (59.2/km²). There were 100,368 housing units at an average density of 59.1 per square miles (22.8/km²). The racial makeup of the municipality was 72.2% White, 5.8% African American, 7.3% Native American (a category that includes both Alaska Natives and American Indians not of Alaskan origin), 5.6% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 6.0% from two or more races. 5.7% were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. 4.0% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.5% speak Tagalog and 1.4% Korean.

There were 94,822 households out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.19.

The age distribution was 29.1% under 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.

The median income for a household in the municipality was $55,546, and the median income for a family was $63,682. Males had a median income of $41,267 versus $31,747 for females. The per capita income for the municipality was $25,287. About 5.1% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.4% of those 65 and older.

As of September 7, 2006, 94 languages were spoken by students in the Anchorage School District.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census Anchorage had 300 Hmong people. The average Hmong household size was 7 people, and almost all Hmong lived in rental units. For Hmong households, the median income was below the overall Anchorage median by $25,500 to $30,000. Every Hmong in Anchorage lived below the poverty line. Of the 203 Hmong who were over 25 years of age, 13 of them had a bachelor's degree. All Hmong spoke languages other than English.

A 2006 ''Anchorage Daily News'' article stated that the Hmong population had increased to around 1,200. Hmong community leaders estimated that the Hmong population in Anchorage was almost 2,000. Schools in Anchorage enrolled about 700 Hmong students in 2006. At that time, many Mormon missionaries in Anchorage provided assistance to Hmong, aiming to convert several of them to Mormonism. |city1= Chitose, Japan |country1=Japan |city2= Darwin, Australia |country2=Australia |city3= Harbin, PRC |country3=China |city4= Incheon, South Korea |country4=South Korea |city5= Magadan, Russia |country5=Russia |city6= Tromsø, Norway |country6=Norway |city7= Whitby, United Kingdom |country7=United Kingdom }} Anchorage's largest economic sectors include transportation, military, municipal, state and federal government, tourism, corporate headquarters (including regional headquarters for multinational corporations) and resource extraction. Large portions of the local economy depend on Anchorage's geographical location and surrounding natural resources. Anchorage's economy traditionally has seen steady growth, though not quite as rapid as many places in the lower 48 states. With the notable exception of a real estate-related crash in the mid to late 1980s, which saw the failure of numerous financial institutions, it does not experience as much pain during economic downturns.

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (TSAIA) is the world's third busiest airport for cargo traffic, surpassed only by Memphis and Hong Kong. This traffic is strongly linked to Anchorage's location along "great circle" routes between Asia and the lower 48. In addition, the airport has an abundant supply of jet fuel from in-state refineries located in North Pole and Kenai. This jet fuel is transported to the Port of Anchorage, then by rail or pipeline to the airport.

The Port of Anchorage receives 95 percent of all goods destined for Alaska. Ships from Totem Ocean Trailer Express and Horizon Lines arrive twice weekly from the Port of Tacoma in Washington. Along with handling these activities, the port is a storage facility for jet fuel from Alaskan refineries, which is utilized at both TSAIA and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER).

The United States military used to have two large installations, Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson, which originally stemmed from the branching off of the U.S. Air Force from the U.S. Army following World War II. In a cost cutting effort initiated by the 2005 BRAC proceedings, the bases were combined. JBER was created, which also incorporated Kulis Air National Guard Base near TSAIA. The combination of these three bases employ approximately 8,500 civilian and military personnel. These individuals along with their families comprise approximately ten percent of the local population. During the Cold War, Elmendorf became an important base due to its proximity to the Soviet Union, particularly as a command center for numerous forward air stations established throughout the western reaches of Alaska (most of which have since closed).

While Juneau is the official state capital of Alaska, there are actually more state employees who reside in the Anchorage area. Approximately 6,800 state employees work in Anchorage compared to about 3,800 in Juneau. The State of Alaska purchased the Bank of America Center (which it renamed the Robert B. Atwood Building) to house most of its offices, after several decades of leasing space in the McKay Building (currently the McKinley Tower) and later the Frontier Building.

Tourists are drawn to Alaska every year and Anchorage is commonly the first initial stop for most travelers. From Anchorage people can easily head south to popular fishing locations on the Kenai Peninsula or north to locations such as Denali National Park and Fairbanks.

The resource sector, mainly petroleum, is arguably Anchorage's most visible industry, with many high rises bearing the logos of large multinationals such as BP and ConocoPhillips. While field operations are centered on the Alaska North Slope and south of Anchorage around Cook Inlet, the majority of offices and administration are found in Anchorage. The headquarters building of ConocoPhillips Alaska, a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, is located in downtown Anchorage. It is also the tallest building in Alaska. Many companies who provide oilfield support services are likewise headquartered outside of Anchorage but maintain a substantial presence in the city, most notably Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and CH2M HILL.

Four small airlines, Alaska Central Express, Era Aviation, Hageland Aviation Services, and PenAir, are headquartered in Anchorage. Alaska Airlines, at one point headquartered in Anchorage, has major offices and facilities at TSAIA, including the offices of the Alaska Airlines Foundation. Prior to their respective dissolutions, airlines MarkAir and Reeve Aleutian Airways were also headquartered in Anchorage. The Reeve Building, at the corner of West Sixth Avenue and D Street, was spared the wrecking ball when the city block it sits on was cleared to make way for the 5th Avenue Mall, and was incorporated into the mall's structure.

Anchorage does not levy a sales tax. It does, however, charge a 12% bed tax and an 8% tax on car rentals.

Arts

Located next to Town Square Park in downtown Anchorage, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is a three-part complex, hosting numerous performing arts events each year. The facility can accommodate more than 3,000 patrons. In 2000, nearly 245,000 people visited 678 public performances. It is home to eight resident performing arts companies and has featured mega-musical performed by visiting companies. The center also hosts the International Ice Carving Competition as part of the Fur Rendezvous festival in February.

The Anchorage Concert Association brings 15 to 20 events to the community each winter, including Broadway shows like Disney's The Lion King and Mamma Mia! The Sitka Summer Music Festival presents an "Autumn Classics" festival of chamber music for two weeks each September on the campus of Alaska Pacific University.

Annually in January, the Anchorage Folk Festival takes place at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, featuring concerts, dances, and workshops with featured guest artists and over 130 performances by volunteer singers, dancers, musicians, and storytellers.

Alaska Native Heritage Center Alaska Museum of Natural History

Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum

Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center Imaginarium: Science Discovery Center Oscar Anderson House Museum Wells Fargo Alaska Heritage Library & Museum

The city of Anchorage currently provides three municipal facilities large enough to hold major events such as concerts, trade shows and conventions. Downtown facilities include the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center and the recently completed Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, which will be connected via skybridge to form the Anchorage Civic & Convention District. The Sullivan Arena hosts sporting events as well concerts and annual trade shows. The Anchorage Football Stadium and Mulcahy Stadium are also noteworthy sports venues

Sports

National attention is focused on Anchorage on the first Saturday of each March, when the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race kicks off with its ceremonial start downtown on Fourth Avenue. Better known as simply "The Iditarod", the event is the longest sled dog race in the world. Anchorage is also home to the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship Sled Dog Races, a three-day dog sled sprint event consisting of 3 timed races of each. Held each February, the event is part of the annual Fur Rendezvous, a winter sports carnival.

Anchorage is the home of two teams in the Alaska Baseball League. The Anchorage Bucs and Anchorage Glacier Pilots both play at Mulcahy Stadium.

Anchorage currently has one professional sports team: the Alaska Aces of hockey's ECHL.

The University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves are a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. UAA has Division I teams in gymnastics and hockey, as well as several other Division II teams. There are four rugby clubs, including the Bird Creek Barbarians RFC, Anchorage Thunderbirds, Mat Valley Maulers RFC, and Spenard Green Dragons. The season runs from April through September.

The Anchorage Northern Knights gained national attention when they joined the eight-team Eastern Basketball Association in 1977, a league whose nearest competitor was from Anchorage. The Knights captured the 1979–80 league championship, and featured several players who would play in the NBA, most notably Brad Davis, a future player and broadcaster for the Dallas Mavericks. They competed in the renamed Continental Basketball Association for five seasons until the economic recession ended their run in 1982.

UAA sponsors the annual Great Alaska Shootout, an annual NCAA Division I basketball tournament featuring colleges and universities from across the United States along with the UAA team. Anchorage is the finish line for the Sadler's Ultra Challenge wheelchair race, and holds the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The city was the U.S. candidate for hosting the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, but lost to Albertville, France and Lillehammer, Norway respectively. Anchorage is a premier cross-country skiing city, in terms of density of groomed trails within the urban core. There are of maintained ski trails in the city, some of which reach downtown. The same trail system also provides access to Chugach State Park, a high alpine park. The Tour of Anchorage is an annual 50-kilometer ski race within the city. and is the Host for the 2009 and 2010 US Senior National Cross Country Ski Championship.

Anchorage is also home to Alaska's first WFTDA flat track women's roller derby league, the Rage City Rollergirls.

Parks and recreation

Parks and gardens

Alaska Native Heritage Center The Alaska Botanical Garden contains over 900 species of hardy perennials and 150 native plant species Alaska Zoo Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Delaney Park Strip

Kincaid Park

Point Woronzof Park

Earthquake Park

Russian Jack Park

Flattop Mountain Recreation Area

Westchester Lagoon/Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park

Valley of the Moon Park

Lyn Ary Park

Pop Carr Park

Minnesota Park

Fairview Lions Park

Roosevelt Park

Hanna Cove Park

University Lake Park

Goose Lake Park

Conifer Park

Muldoon Park

McPhee Park

Williwaw Park

Connors Lake Park

Jewel Lake Park

Ocean View Park

Cutty Sark Park

Taku Lake Park

Bancroft Park

Campbell Park

Meadow Park

Storck Park

Forsythe Park

Charles Smith Park

Al Miller Memorial Park

Lloyd Steele and Balto Seppala Parks

Tikishla Park (which includes the Scotty Gomez Skating Rink)

Nunaka Valley Park

Sitka Park

Centennial Park

Sand Lake Park

De La Vega Park

Southport Park

Ocean Bluff Park

Ruth Arcand Park

Meadow Park

Abbott Loop Park

Recreational facilities

Alpenglow Ski Area Alyeska Resort Hilltop Ski Area Kincaid Park

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Government and politics

Anchorage is governed by an elected mayor and 11 member assembly, with the assistance of a city manager. These positions are non-partisan (as is the case with all municipal elected offices in Alaska), and thus no candidates officially run under any party banner. All eleven members are elected from districts known as sections. Five of the sections elect two members from designated seats, while the remaining section elects one member. Prior to the 1980 United States Census, the single-member section was the one centered around the northern Anchorage communities of Chugiak and Eagle River. Since that census, the area encompassing Downtown Anchorage and surrounding neighborhoods has served as the city's single-member section. The mayor (along with members of the school board) is elected in a citywide vote. In practice, however, the party affiliation and political ideology of major candidates are usually well known, and is highlighted by local media for the purposes of framing debate. The city's current mayor is Dan Sullivan, a registered Republican as well as the son of Anchorage's longest-serving mayor, George M. Sullivan. Along with 7 sister cities in the SCI program, Anchorage has a cultural exchange program with the former Yugoslavia nation of Montenegro.

Anchorage generally leans toward Republican candidates in both state and presidential elections. However, since the establishment of the municipality in 1975, there have been two Democratic mayors (Tony Knowles and Mark Begich) who have been elected to two consecutive terms. Downtown, Girdwood, and much of both the west and east parts of town trend Democratic. However, areas closest to the military bases – including Eagle River – and south Anchorage are the most Republican areas of the Municipality. Midtown is relatively moderate by comparison.

Anchorage-Eagle River sends 16 representatives (currently six Republicans and 10 Democrats) to the 40-member Alaska House of Representatives and eight senators (currently four Republicans and four Democrats) to the 20-member Senate. When seats from the neighboring Mat-Su Borough are added, more than half of the Alaska state legislature comes from the Anchorage metropolitan area. This is often used as an argument in favor of moving the state capital from Juneau to a location in the Anchorage area.

+ Presidential Election Results for the City and Borough of Anchorage (Central/Downtown)2004–2008
! Year	Democratic Party (United States)>Democrat	Republican Party (United States)>Republican
style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"
style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"

Voting trends show that Downtown Anchorage votes Democratic in large margins, while Spenard, Turnagain/Inlet View, and University/Airport Heights are relatively moderate and swing in elections. The remaining Anchorage area votes Republican.

Public safety

+ Anchorage crime rate (2005), compared		! Violent crimesper 100,000 pop.	! Property crimesper 100,000 pop.
! Anchorage
! Alaska
! U.S. cities,pop. 100,000–249,999
! U.S. cities,pop. 250,000–499,999
! U.S. total

With a reported strength of 383 sworn officers, the Anchorage Police Department is the largest police department in the state, serving an area of 159 square miles  with a population of over a quarter million people. The Fire & EMS Operations Division of the Anchorage Fire Department (AFD) includes thirteen fire stations with over 300 personnel covering three rotating 24-hour shifts. Additionally, there are volunteer fire departments in Girdwood and Chugiak and fire departments on Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson, as well as the Airport Police and Fire Department.

In 2005, the latest year for which data is available, Anchorage reported 735.6 violent crimes per 100,000 population and 4,116.1 property crimes per 100,000 population (see table). Anchorage's crime rate, both for violent and property crimes, is higher than for Alaska as a whole or for the U.S. as a whole. When compared with U.S. cities of similar size, Anchorage has a comparable rate of violent crime and a lower rate of property crime. Anchorage, and Alaska in general, have very high rates of sexual assault in comparison with the rest of the country, with Anchorage's annual rate of forcible rapes over twice as high as for the U.S. as a whole. Alaska Natives are victimized at a much higher rate than their representation in the population.

The Anchorage Community Survey, a public survey conducted in 2004–2005 by the Justice Center at University of Alaska Anchorage, found that overall, Anchorage residents are fairly satisfied with the performance of the Anchorage Police Department. Most survey respondents perceived the justice system to be "somewhat effective" or "very effective" at apprehending and prosecuting criminal suspects, bringing about just outcomes, and reducing crime.

Federal representation

The United States Postal Service operates the Anchorage Main Post Office on the grounds of Ted Stevens International Airport. In addition the service operates other post offices in Anchorage.

The National Transportation Safety Board operates the Anchorage Field Office in Anchorage; it is the regional headquarters of the NTSB Aviation Alaska Region.

Education

Public education in Anchorage, Eagle River, Chugiak, Fort Richardson and Elmendorf Air Force Base is managed by the Anchorage School District, the 87th largest district in the United States, with nearly 50,000 students attending 98 schools. There are also a number of choices in private education, including both religious and non-denominational schools.

Anchorage has four higher-education facilities that offer bachelor's or master's degrees: the University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Pacific University, Charter College, and the Anchorage campus of Texas-based Wayland Baptist University. The University of Alaska Fairbanks also has a small Center for Distance Education center downtown. Other continuing education facilities in Anchorage include the Grainger Leadership Institute, Nine Star Enterprises, CLE International, Nana Worksafe, and PackBear DBA Barr & Co.

Ninety percent of Anchorage's adults have high-school diplomas, 65 percent have attended one to three years of college, and 17 percent hold advanced degrees.

Transportation

Roads

There is one numbered state highway in Anchorage, Alaska Route 1. Southbound from the Fairview neighborhood, it is known as the Seward Highway, connecting Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula. Eastbound from the Mountain View neighborhood and then northerly through and beyond Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eagle River, it is known as the Glenn Highway. Within the city center, Alaska Route 1 is known as Gambell and Ingra Streets, and East Fifth and East Sixth Avenues. With the exception of the Portage Glacier Highway and Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which connects the Alaska Marine Highway and Whittier to the Seward Highway, there is no other road access to Anchorage. A portion of the Seward Highway, approximately long and stretching from 36th Avenue in midtown Anchorage to 154th Avenue near Potter Marsh, is built to freeway standards.

The Glenn Highway carries commuter traffic to and from Eagle River, Chugiak, and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley cities of Palmer and Wasilla. It also leads further to connect to the Richardson Highway and Tok Cut-Off, with further connections to the contiguous North American highway system via the Alaska Highway. Beginning as a six-lane expressway near Merrill Field and becoming a freeway near the Northway Mall (as well as being formally designated the Glenn Highway as opposed to East Fifth Avenue at this point), the highway reduces to four lanes where it crosses the Eagle River. After leaving municipal limits, the freeway crosses the Knik and Matanuska Rivers as well as the Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge before coming to an interchange with the George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3). The interchange, completed in 2004, continues the freeway along the Parks Highway. The freeway ends in the eastern reaches of Wasilla city limits; the Parks Highway continues to Fairbanks. The Glenn Highway becomes a two-lane highway shortly beyond this interchange. Part of Alaska Route 1, as well as parts of other Alaska state highways, are eligible for federal funding under the Interstate Highway System.

Highway to Highway

On and off since the 1960s, the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration and the Municipality of Anchorage (or the lineal predecessors of those entities), have been exploring the concept of a roadway connecting the endpoints of the Seward and Glenn highways. The project is called "Highway to Highway", and the most recent concept for this project is that of a "trenched" freeway through the heart of Anchorage.

Highway to Highway is included in the 2005 Long Range Transportation Plan, and would cost at least $575 million dollars (2005 dollars) – by far the largest urban infrastructure project in Alaska's history. The project is currently undergoing development of the Environmental Impact Statement as required by NEPA for all federal highway projects. This scoping process will cost around $18 million and will take approximately 3 years; expected to be completed by 2011.

Public transit

Anchorage has a bus system called People Mover, with a central hub in downtown Anchorage and satellite hubs at Dimond Center and Muldoon Mall. The People Mover provides carpool organization services. The public paratransit service known as AnchorRides provides point-to-point accessible transportation services to seniors and those who experience disabilities.

Rail

The Alaska Railroad offers year-round freight service along the length of its rail system between Seward (the southern terminus of the system), Fairbanks (the northern terminus of the system), and Whittier (a deep water, ice-free port). Daily passenger service is available during summer (May 15 – September 15), but is reduced to one round-trip per week between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter. Passenger terminals exist at Talkeetna, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, and other places. These communities are also served by bus line from Anchorage. The Ship Creek Shuttle connects downtown with the Ship Creek area, including stops at the Alaska Railroad depot.

Anchorage also is currently conducting a feasibility study on a commuter rail and light rail system. For the commuter rail system, Anchorage would use existing Alaska Railroad tracks to provide service to Whittier, Palmer, Seward, Wasilla, and Eagle River.

Air transport

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, six miles (10 km) South from downtown Anchorage, is the airline hub for the state, served by many national and international airlines, including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines as well as a many intrastate airlines and charter air services. The airport is the primary international air freight gateway in the nation, by weight. Twenty-six percent of the tonnage of U.S. international air freight moves through Anchorage. Next to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is Lake Hood Seaplane Base, the largest Seaplane Base in the world. Merrill Field, a general aviation airport on the edge of downtown, was the 86th-busiest airport in the nation in 2006. There are also ten smaller private (mostly Department Of Transportation) general aviation airports within the city limits.

List of airports in the Municipality of Anchorage

Health and utilities

Providence Alaska Medical Center on Providence Drive in Anchorage is the largest hospital in Alaska and is part of Providence Health & Services in Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. It features the state's most comprehensive range of services. Providence Health System has a history of serving Alaska, beginning when the Sisters of Providence first brought health care to Nome in 1902. As the territory grew during the following decades, so did efforts to provide care. Hospitals were opened in Fairbanks in 1910 and Anchorage in 1937.

Alaska Regional Hospital on DeBarr Road in Anchorage opened in 1958 as Anchorage Presbyterian Hospital, located downtown at 825 L Street (now home to the municipal health department). This predecessor to Alaska Regional was a joint venture between local physicians and the Presbyterian Church. In 1976 the hospital moved to its present location on DeBarr Road, and is now a 254-bed licensed and accredited facility. Alaska Regional has expanded services and in 1994, Alaska Regional joined with HCA, one of the nation's largest healthcare providers.

Alaska Native Medical Center located on Tudor Road, provides medical care and therapeutic health care to Alaska natives – 229 tribes – at the Anchorage site and at 15 satellite facilities throughout the state. ANMC specialists also travel to clinics in the Bush to provide care. The 150-bed hospital is also a teaching center for the University of Washington's regional medical education program. ANMC houses an office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Southcentral Foundation jointly own and manage ANMC.

The Municipal Light & Power (ML&P) and Chugach Electric Association provide electricity to the city. A municipally owned utility since 1932, ML&P supplies electric power to more than 30,000 residential and commercial customers in the Anchorage area. Chugach Electric Association is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative that was formed in 1948.

Most homes have natural gas-fueled heat. ENSTAR Natural Gas Company is the sole provider for Anchorage, servicing some 90-percent of the city's population.

The Municipality of Anchorage owns and operates the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility, serving some 55,000 customer accounts with water from the glacier-influenced Eklutna Lake. Anchorage Municipal Solid Waste Services and Anchorage Refuse conduct trash removal in the city depending on location.

Media

Anchorage's leading newspaper is the ''Anchorage Daily News'', a citywide daily newspaper. Other newspapers include the ''Alaska Star'', serving primarily Chugiak and Eagle River, the ''Anchorage Press'', a free weekly covering mainly cultural topics, and ''The Northern Light'', the student newspaper of the University of Alaska Anchorage. Anchorage's major network television affiliates are KTUU 2 (NBC), KTBY 4 (Fox), KYES 5 (MyNetworkTV), KAKM 7 (PBS), KTVA 11 (CBS), KYUR 13 (ABC/CW), and KDMD 33 (Ion/Telemundo). The city's only cable television provider is General Communication, Inc. (GCI). However, Dish Network and DirecTV offer satellite television service in Anchorage and the surrounding area. A fictional version of Anchorage is mentioned in the Fallout 3 DLC 'Operation Anchorage'.

There are many radio stations in Anchorage; see List of radio stations in Alaska for more information.

See also

"Anchorage" (song) by singer Michelle Shocked.

List of aerospace museums

List of tallest buildings in Anchorage

National Register of Historic Places listings in Anchorage, Alaska

Notes and references

Further reading

Preston Jones. ''City For Empire: An Anchorage History, 1914-1941'' (University of Alaska Press, 2010) 214 pages

External links

The Municipality of Anchorage

Borough map: Alaska Department of Labor

The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau

Category:Alaska boroughs Category:Cities in Alaska Category:Populated places established in 1914 Category:Port settlements in the United States Category:Anchorage metropolitan area Category:Consolidated city–counties in the United States

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