“Unalaska, North Pole, Mary’s Igloo, and Deadhorse are all names of towns in Alaska.”

5,000 Awesome Facts, National Geographic

This particular fact took me a few days to write about because there was so much yet so little information regarding each little town. The North Pole and Deadhorse were the most interesting to me for they seem very mysterious. I’ve compiled some facts about the 4 towns listed above down below. The more I research Alaska the more I am intrigued. I’m starting to see why it is called “The Last Frontier.”

Unalaska

As of the 2020 census, Unalaska, or it’s original name Agunablaksh, has a population of about 4,254. It’s a 75 mile long volcanic land that stretches into 2 different islands and accounts for 81% of the Aleutians West Census Area. It also is referred as Dutch Harbor which hosts the popular show The Deadliest Catch and a large amount of bald eagles. It has become a very favorite tourist spot.

The North Pole

The North Pole is basically a shifting ice block that is 6-10 feet deep with 13,400 feet of water underneath that is surrounded by the Arctic Sea. Because of the ever shifting ice there is nobody that has a stable facility or town there, but people are allowed to visit during the summer (June and July) when the ice is thinner. (Forget that! I want the ice thick as possible!) Only 434 light years away lies the famous North Star, which has been used for navigational purposes for years. Because it is the northern most point of the Earth, opposite the South Pole, and the tilt of the Earth’s axis at 23.5 degrees there are periods of the year, 30 days or so, that the land is completely exposed or silent from the sun.

Taking a cruise to the North Pole usually costs 30 to 40 thousand dollars, for there are not many ships that want to venture out to this frozen floating island. I can’t see why many would want to go unless you might want to go find Santa.

Mary’s Igloo

Mary’s Igloo is a village that has been abandoned and is now used as a fish camp. It got its name from non-natives after an Inupiaq woman named Mary offered her hospitality to miners and trappers into her home for coffee in the gold prospecting time of the early 1900’s. The population, which was few, got wiped out by a 1918 and 1919 flu epidemic and has remained inhabited ever since. It first appeared as just “Igloo” in the 1910 census, but appeared as “Mary’s Igloo” in 1950 even though population is zero.

Deadhorse

The origin of the name of this town varies, but the most “cited theory” was that it was named from a local business called “Dead Horse Haulers” that was up and running in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I can only imagine why it was named that.

It has a permanent population of 25-50 residents. Other non-permanent residents, people with local interests(?) or employed by various firms, can reach up to 3,000. Facilities are built on man made gravel pads consisting of pre-fabricated modules shipped to Deadhorse via air cargo or barge.

A slogan for the town is “All that far, and no bar!” due to no alcoholic beverages being sold on Deadhorse.

It is mainly an area that is designated for housing for drilling operations to transport oil to the Alaskan pipeline. Prudhoe Bay Oil field, the largest oil field in North America, was discovered around this terrain.

There is not too much tourism during the year but the summer when visitors can arrange for tours to the Arctic Ocean via guided tour. They must be booked 24 hours in advance to check for background checks on all passengers through the oilfield check point! (Wikipedia)

*In 2023, president Joe Biden ordered a “high-altitude object” to be shot down right in the area around Deadhorse, Alaska.

Hmm….Deadhorse seems like a very interesting destination….

Sources: Wikipedia