Gustavus, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gustavus, Alaska
Wanachích T’aak Héen
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 Gustavus, Alaska
Location in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Unorganized Borough in Alaska |
| Incorporated | 2004 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 56.96 sq mi (147.53 km2) |
| • Land | 36.36 sq mi (94.17 km2) |
| • Water | 20.61 sq mi (53.37 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 655 |
| • Density | 18.02/sq mi (6.96/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99826
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| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-30940 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1403078, 2419393 |
Gustavus (pronounced gus-TAY-vəs) is a small city in Alaska, a state in the United States. Its name in the Tlingit language is Wanachích T’aak Héen. In 2020, about 655 people lived there. This was a big jump from 2010, making Gustavus one of Alaska's fastest-growing communities!
Contents
History of Gustavus
Gustavus was once known as "Strawberry Point." It sits on a flat area of land that was formed by huge glaciers that used to fill Glacier Bay. Hundreds of years ago, this area was mostly a large beach. The native Tlingit people and others used the land for fishing and picking berries.
Early Settlers and Name Change
The first settlers arrived in 1914 but didn't stay long. The first family to make Gustavus their permanent home was the Parker family in 1917. Many people living in Gustavus today are related to these early settlers.
In 1925, the U.S. Post Office asked for the name to be changed to "Gustavus." Even after the official change, many locals still called it "Strawberry Point" for a long time. The new name came from Point Gustavus, a nearby landmark at the entrance to Glacier Bay.
How Gustavus Got Its Name
The name "Gustavus" has an interesting story. In 1793, a famous explorer named George Vancouver named Point Adolphus (an area known for humpback whales) after Prince Adolphus Frederick, a son of King George III.
Later, in 1878, a surveyor named William Healey Dall saw "Adolphus" on a map. He thought it was named after the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus. Since the point across from Point Adolphus wasn't named, Dall decided to call it "Gustavus." Another idea is that Dall named it after Gustavus C. Hanus, a U.S. Navy officer who knew a lot about southeast Alaska.
Nature Around Gustavus
Gustavus still has a large beach with many wild strawberries. The city is surrounded on three sides by Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. On the fourth side, it's bordered by water. The area is a temperate rain forest, which means it gets a lot of rain and has tall trees like spruce and hemlock. You can also find alders, balsam poplar, ferns, mosses, and colorful flowers like fireweed and lupine.
Because it's on the coast, Gustavus has mild winters. Summer temperatures are usually between 11 and 17 degrees Celsius (52-63°F). Winter temperatures are typically between -3 and 4 degrees Celsius (27-39°F).
Geography of Gustavus
Gustavus is located at 58°24′59″N 135°44′44″W. The city covers an area of about 95.7 square kilometers (36.9 square miles). Most of this area is land, but about 11% is water.
The Salmon River
The Salmon River flows through Gustavus. A bridge crosses this small river, carrying the paved road that leads to Glacier Bay National Park. You can often catch Coho salmon, Dolly Varden trout, and other fish in this river. The river's water level changes with the ocean tides within the city limits.
Climate in Gustavus
Gustavus has a wet, cool climate. It has short, mild summers and long, cold winters.
| Climate data for Gustavus, Alaska (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1923–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 54 (12) |
57 (14) |
60 (16) |
70 (21) |
81 (27) |
88 (31) |
87 (31) |
87 (31) |
75 (24) |
65 (18) |
58 (14) |
56 (13) |
88 (31) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 41.7 (5.4) |
43.6 (6.4) |
47.5 (8.6) |
59.6 (15.3) |
69.8 (21.0) |
76.6 (24.8) |
74.7 (23.7) |
74.5 (23.6) |
65.4 (18.6) |
56.4 (13.6) |
46.2 (7.9) |
42.5 (5.8) |
80.2 (26.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.1 (0.1) |
35.7 (2.1) |
39.9 (4.4) |
48.7 (9.3) |
56.5 (13.6) |
61.4 (16.3) |
62.9 (17.2) |
62.7 (17.1) |
56.5 (13.6) |
47.1 (8.4) |
37.8 (3.2) |
33.8 (1.0) |
47.9 (8.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.4 (−3.1) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
38.8 (3.8) |
46.0 (7.8) |
51.9 (11.1) |
54.8 (12.7) |
54.3 (12.4) |
48.4 (9.1) |
40.1 (4.5) |
31.9 (−0.1) |
28.7 (−1.8) |
40.1 (4.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.6 (−6.3) |
21.2 (−6.0) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
35.4 (1.9) |
42.4 (5.8) |
46.6 (8.1) |
45.9 (7.7) |
40.3 (4.6) |
33.0 (0.6) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
32.2 (0.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −0.3 (−17.9) |
4.8 (−15.1) |
5.8 (−14.6) |
19.0 (−7.2) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
34.3 (1.3) |
39.0 (3.9) |
37.5 (3.1) |
28.7 (−1.8) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
9.5 (−12.5) |
6.2 (−14.3) |
−6.8 (−21.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −25 (−32) |
−16 (−27) |
−13 (−25) |
4 (−16) |
17 (−8) |
25 (−4) |
24 (−4) |
25 (−4) |
22 (−6) |
2 (−17) |
−15 (−26) |
−21 (−29) |
−25 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.94 (151) |
3.76 (96) |
3.17 (81) |
3.01 (76) |
2.98 (76) |
2.90 (74) |
4.41 (112) |
5.44 (138) |
8.21 (209) |
8.43 (214) |
6.79 (172) |
7.25 (184) |
62.29 (1,582) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 18.1 (46) |
11.4 (29) |
11.7 (30) |
1.8 (4.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
10.8 (27) |
18.0 (46) |
72.3 (183.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 20.2 | 16.7 | 16.9 | 17.9 | 15.9 | 16.2 | 17.8 | 19.4 | 21.5 | 23.1 | 21.0 | 20.8 | 227.4 |
| Average snowy days | 8.7 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 5.6 | 8.2 | 36.2 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Population of Gustavus
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 27 | — | |
| 1950 | 82 | 203.7% | |
| 1960 | 107 | 30.5% | |
| 1970 | 64 | −40.2% | |
| 1980 | 98 | 53.1% | |
| 1990 | 258 | 163.3% | |
| 2000 | 429 | 66.3% | |
| 2010 | 442 | 3.0% | |
| 2020 | 655 | 48.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Gustavus first appeared on the U.S. Census in 1940 as "Strawberry Point." In 1950, it was listed as Gustavus. It became an official city in 2004.
In 2000, there were 429 people living in Gustavus. About 28% of the homes had children under 18. The average age of people in the city was 40 years old.
Economy in Gustavus
The economy of Gustavus relies heavily on its natural surroundings. Tourism and commercial fishing are the main ways people make a living.
Main Industries
- Tourism: Many people visit Gustavus because it's so close to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
- Commercial Fishing: Fishermen catch salmon and halibut here. The Dungeness crab fishery in Glacier Bay National Park closed in the early 2000s, which changed the fishing industry.
Local Jobs
People who don't work in tourism or fishing often have jobs with the government. This includes working at the local public school, the post office, the National Park Service, or for the City of Gustavus itself.
Local Businesses
Gustavus has a hardware and grocery store called ToshCo. It's named after its owner, and many of its products come from the Costco store in Juneau.
Transportation to Gustavus
Gustavus is not connected to Alaska's main road system. This means you can't drive there directly from other major cities.
How to Get There
- By Air: The Gustavus Airport is the main way people fly in and out of the city.
- By Ferry: The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system also provides a way to travel to Gustavus by boat. During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, the ferry system stopped running, which made Gustavus even more isolated. People had to rely on private boats to bring in groceries and other supplies.
