Galena, Alaska

**Galena** is a small village in Alaska with a population of 500+ people. Galena is located on the Yukon River about 270 miles west of Fairbanks Alaska by plane and 350 miles north of Anchorage, AK. During the summertime, the only way to get to Galena is by plane, boat, or barge, and during winter, the only ways in are by plane, snow-machine, dogsled, or other all-terrain vehicles. Galena has only two stores that get their materials in only by barge or plane. The two store names are Sweetsirs and Alaska Commercial Company.

## History

Galena was established in 1918 as a trading station and became an Air Force base on July 1, 1943, until 1993. After the military retired from the old Air force base, the townspeople turned the building and facilities into a boarding school. The retired Air force base was put into new ownership of the school in September 2008. Galena's community school was named after an Athabascan elder who is famous throughout all of Alaska who also served on the board of fish and wildlife for a total of 9 years. It is also the home of two schools called Galena Interior Learning Academy (GILA) and the Sidney C. Huntington School.

## Iditarod

Galena is also one of the checkpoints for the famous Iditarod sled dog race but the trail changes its route every other year. Like the Iditarod, Galena is also another checkpoint for another race called the Iron Dog Race which is an off-road snow-machine race that takes place over 2,600 miles across Alaska.

## Climate

During the summer Galena can have temperatures of 90 above and in the winter the temperatures of minus 40 below zero with a record of negative 64 below freezing. In May 2013 Galena had a massive flood event that most of the buildings in the village had significant flood damage, and many were flooded by at least seven feet of water. On June 25, 2013, President Barack Obama issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the village. The people of Galena continue to clean up and rebuild to this day. The total cost for repairs was over three and a half million but, a FEMA grant was given to reimburse only 75% of the repairs and the State of Alaska Disaster Relief Fund would cover the remaining costs to rebuild. The flood was caused by an ice jam in the Yukon during the break-up season. Which caused the water underneath to come pouring out from the sides spilling into the village.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **official name**: Galena
- **native name**: Notaalee Denh
- **settlement type**: City
- **image skyline**: Galena IMG 5655 (8906317261).jpg
- **image caption**: Galena following the 2013 flood
- **pushpin map**: USA Alaska
- **pushpin map caption**: Location in Alaska
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision name**: United States
- **subdivision type1**: U.S. state, State
- **subdivision name1**: Alaska
- **subdivision type2**: List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska, Census Area
- **subdivision name2**: Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, Yukon-Koyukuk
- **leader title**: Mayor
- **established title**: Municipal corporation, Incorporated
- **established date**: October 26, 1971
- **area total km2**: 63.47
- **area land km2**: 45.72
- **area water km2**: 17.75
- **area total sq mi**: 24.51
- **area land sq mi**: 17.65
- **area water sq mi**: 6.85
- **population as of**: 2020 United States Census, 2020
- **population total**: 472
- **population density sq mi**: 26.74
- **timezone**: Alaska Time Zone, Alaska (AKST)
- **utc offset**: -9
- **timezone dst**: AKDT
- **utc offset dst**: -8
- **elevation m**: 39
- **elevation ft**: 128
- **postal code type**: ZIP code
- **postal code**: 99741
- **area code**: Area code 907, 907
- **area code type**: North American Numbering Plan, Area code
- **blank name**: Federal Information Processing Standard, FIPS code
- **blank info**: 02-27530
- **blank1 name**: Geographic Names Information System, GNIS feature ID
- **website**: http://www.ci.galena.ak.us/
- **unit pref**: Imperial
- **population density km2**: 10.32
- **native name lang**: Denaakk'e Athabascan