ome
Nome, Alaska Overview
Nome is situated on the southern coast of the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska along the Norton Sound, and is a vital hub for Northwest Alaska. The city originated as a gold-mining camp in 1896 called Anvil Creek and attracted thousands of prospectors during its boom - in 1899 the population of Nome swelled from a handful to 28,000. Today the population is 3,500 and some gold mining still takes place. Nome's colorful Gold Rush history is set within the framework of 10,000 years of Inupiaq Eskimo history. A subsistence lifestyle that remains to this day underscores the vibrancy of the Eskimo culture. The culture currently manifests itself in the world's finest ivory carving, vibrant drum-vocal music and some of the best Eskimo dancing in Alaska. Today, Nome is known for its wild and scenic coast - see it while driving the 73-mile Council Road - as well as being the finish line for the annual Iditarod dogsled race. It is home to impressive attractions both natural and man-made, including the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum. Birding in Nome is excellent during the summer months with the greatest number (200 migratory species) from May 15th- June 15th and again in the fall as the cranes and swans exit. Villages on the Seward Peninsula are all accessible by local airlines and Teller accessible by the road system out of Nome. Nome's roads also allow the traveler to get out into the spectacular tundra which beginning in June blooms with wonderful wild flowers and ends with magnificent fall colors in September and October. Visit http://www.visitnomealaska.com for more information.
Photo 2 Photographer: Kristen Kemmerling