Healy, Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Healy, Alaska
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Healy from Parks Highway
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Location in Denali Borough and the state of Alaska.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Borough | Denali |
| Named for | John Healy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 687.17 sq mi (1,779.75 km2) |
| • Land | 686.96 sq mi (1,779.23 km2) |
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,342 ft (409 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 966 |
| • Density | 1.41/sq mi (0.54/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−9 (Alaska (AKST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−8 (AKDT) |
| ZIP code |
99743
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| Area code(s) | 907 |
| FIPS code | 02-32150 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1403275 |
Healy is a small community in Alaska, a state in the United States. It's the main town of Denali Borough. In 2020, about 966 people lived there. This number was a bit lower than in 2010, when 1,021 people lived in Healy.
Contents
- Healy's Early Days: A Look at History
- Healy's Location and Size: Exploring Geography
- Healy's Weather: Understanding the Climate
- Healy's Work: Understanding the Economy
- Healy's People: Demographics and Population
- Healy's Schools: Education for Kids
- The Famous "Supertramp" Bus: A Story of Adventure
- See also
Healy's Early Days: A Look at History
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Healy's story began around 1918 and 1919. This was when coal mining and the building of the Alaska Railroad started in the area. These two activities were very important for the town's growth.
The town was first called Healy Fork. It got this name from the Healy River. The river itself was named after Captain John J. Healy. He was a manager for a company called the North American Trading and Transportation Company.
Healy's Location and Size: Exploring Geography
Healy is located in a specific spot in Alaska. You can find it at 63°58′15″N 149°7′37″W. The main road, the George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3), goes right through the community.
If you drive south on this highway, you'll reach Denali Park in about 18 miles. Going north for about 56 miles will take you to Nenana. Healy is quite large in terms of land area. It covers about 687 square miles (1,779.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water. It is the second-largest "census-designated place" in the United States by area.
Healy's Weather: Understanding the Climate
Healy has a subarctic climate. This means it has very long and cold winters. The summers, however, are short and warm. Temperatures are usually below freezing from early October to mid-April.
Sometimes, warm winds called chinook winds can make the temperature rise. Even in the middle of winter, it can reach about 45°F (7°C). The coldest temperature in a year is often around -40°F (-40°C).
| Climate data for Healy, Alaska (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1976–2017) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 52 (11) |
59 (15) |
64 (18) |
69 (21) |
85 (29) |
93 (34) |
90 (32) |
90 (32) |
74 (23) |
71 (22) |
54 (12) |
51 (11) |
93 (34) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 40.6 (4.8) |
45.9 (7.7) |
46.3 (7.9) |
60.1 (15.6) |
73.2 (22.9) |
82.6 (28.1) |
82.0 (27.8) |
77.2 (25.1) |
66.8 (19.3) |
55.4 (13.0) |
43.3 (6.3) |
40.5 (4.7) |
85.1 (29.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 8.0 (−13.3) |
18.3 (−7.6) |
23.6 (−4.7) |
41.0 (5.0) |
55.9 (13.3) |
66.5 (19.2) |
67.3 (19.6) |
61.7 (16.5) |
50.8 (10.4) |
33.0 (0.6) |
15.8 (−9.0) |
11.6 (−11.3) |
37.8 (3.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | −0.4 (−18.0) |
8.3 (−13.2) |
12.6 (−10.8) |
31.3 (−0.4) |
45.4 (7.4) |
55.5 (13.1) |
58.0 (14.4) |
52.9 (11.6) |
42.7 (5.9) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
8.3 (−13.2) |
2.7 (−16.3) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −8.8 (−22.7) |
−1.6 (−18.7) |
1.7 (−16.8) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
34.9 (1.6) |
44.5 (6.9) |
48.6 (9.2) |
44.1 (6.7) |
34.6 (1.4) |
18.0 (−7.8) |
0.8 (−17.3) |
−6.1 (−21.2) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −37.9 (−38.8) |
−28.8 (−33.8) |
−22.4 (−30.2) |
−1.0 (−18.3) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
33.9 (1.1) |
41.1 (5.1) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
17.9 (−7.8) |
−2.7 (−19.3) |
−20.1 (−28.9) |
−29.9 (−34.4) |
−40.0 (−40.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −56 (−49) |
−51 (−46) |
−40 (−40) |
−25 (−32) |
4 (−16) |
27 (−3) |
32 (0) |
20 (−7) |
−2 (−19) |
−20 (−29) |
−41 (−41) |
−44 (−42) |
−56 (−49) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.53 (13) |
0.67 (17) |
0.36 (9.1) |
0.62 (16) |
0.87 (22) |
2.48 (63) |
3.04 (77) |
2.75 (70) |
1.57 (40) |
0.95 (24) |
0.70 (18) |
0.84 (21) |
15.38 (390.1) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.9 (28) |
7.6 (19) |
8.3 (21) |
4.7 (12) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.3 (3.3) |
12.1 (31) |
15.1 (38) |
14.8 (38) |
76.2 (193.9) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 14.9 (38) |
15.3 (39) |
14.6 (37) |
12.2 (31) |
2.6 (6.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.8 (4.6) |
9.4 (24) |
12.5 (32) |
14.8 (38) |
20.9 (53) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.3 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 3.8 | 6.7 | 11.5 | 13.7 | 13.2 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 8.7 | 104.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 6.8 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 6.2 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 41.9 |
| Source: NOAA (snow depth 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Healy's Work: Understanding the Economy
Several large organizations are the main employers in Healy. These include the Usibelli Coal Mine, which is a big coal mining company. Also, the Golden Valley Electric Association provides electricity. The Denali Borough School District and the National Park Service also employ many people.
Healy is very close to Denali National Park & Preserve. This means many tourists visit the area. Because of this, there are many local businesses like RV parks, hotels, restaurants, and bed and breakfasts. The Denali Chamber of Commerce works to help these businesses and the economy of Healy. In 2013, the Eva Creek Wind Farm opened nearby. It helps produce clean energy for the area.
Healy's People: Demographics and Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 36 | — | |
| 1940 | 46 | 27.8% | |
| 1950 | 102 | 121.7% | |
| 1960 | 67 | −34.3% | |
| 1970 | 79 | 17.9% | |
| 1980 | 334 | 322.8% | |
| 1990 | 487 | 45.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,000 | 105.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,021 | 2.1% | |
| 2020 | 966 | −5.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Healy first appeared in the U.S. Census in 1930. Back then, it was called "Healey Fork." Its name was shortened to Healy starting in 1950. In 1980, it became known as a "census-designated place" (CDP).
In 2000, there were 1,000 people living in Healy. Most people were White (90.20%). There were also smaller groups of Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 33.9% of homes had children under 18 living there. The average age of people in Healy was 38 years old. The median income for a household was $60,000 per year. This means half of the households earned more, and half earned less.
Healy's Schools: Education for Kids
Students in Healy from kindergarten through 12th grade go to Tri-Valley School. This school is run by the Denali Borough School District. The main office for the school district is also located in Healy.
The Famous "Supertramp" Bus: A Story of Adventure
Just outside Healy, about 6 miles away, there was a famous bus. This was Fairbanks City Transit bus 142. It became well-known because a young man named Christopher McCandless, also known as Alexander "Alex" Supertramp, lived in it during his adventure in Alaska.
Many people wanted to find this bus because of its story. However, trying to reach it was very dangerous. Sadly, two people died trying to get to the bus after Chris McCandless. Because of these dangers, the bus was airlifted out of Healy. It is now kept at the University Campus in Fairbanks, Alaska, where it is safe and can be seen without risk.
See also
In Spanish: Healy (Alaska) para niños
