So you will see a lot of different articles on this site and pages about towns around Alaska that are pretty small. This does not make them insignificant as much as people might have you think. The area that White Mountain currently sits on was originally a fish camp that Eskimo’s used. The Niukluk and Fish rivers supported all of the Native populations, but it is not known at what point this area was settled. It wasn’t until the Klondike Gold Rush that the area became popular. Charles D. Lane was the first non-native to build anything out there when he decided to store goods and supplies for his claim. In 1926 an orphanage was turned into the first school. The Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) in 1939 re-organized most of the tribal governments in the area. The city was then incorporated in 1969 and has been used as a stop on the Iditarod ever since. This stop is significant as it’s the final stop for most teams as they attempt to complete the race just 77 miles away in Nome, Alaska.
Population: 185
Elevation: 62ft (19m)
Things to Do
- White Mountain Native Store
- Kawerak Head Start
- White Mountain Airport
