Nome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of Alaska, United States. The city is located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. In 2018 the population was estimated at 3,866, a rise from the 3,598 recorded in the 2010 Census, up from 3,505 in 2000. Wikipedia
- Elevation: 19.69′
- Founded: April 9, 1901
- Weather: 37°F (3°C), Wind E at 7 mph (11 km/h), 83% Humidity
- Population: 3,841 (2017)
- Zip code: 99762
- Local time: Monday 10:26 PM
- Mayor: Richard Beneville
- Area: 21.49 mi² (12.8 mi² Land / 8.69 mi² Water)
Posted in Alaska November 03, 2016
This Tiny Town In Alaska Has A Dark And Evil History That Is Impossible To Forget
Roughly two dozen beloved residents of this remote Alaska town went missing between 1960 through 2004 and sparked a nationwide uproar. So much so that Universal Pictures hopped on filming a major motion picture that was released in 2009. With rumors circulating of UFO involvement, alien abduction and even a serial killer – the community was desperate for answers.
Welcome to Nome, Alaska! Where the greatest claim to fame is being home to the 'world's largest gold pan' and the ending point of the most famous sled dog race the world - the Iditarod.
The northwestern town of Nome, Alaska is located on the southern edge of the Seward Peninsula on Norton Sound. This particular area is said to have more reported UFO sightings than anywhere else in the last frontier.
Nome sits right on the coast of the Bering Sea and is incredibly isolated and relatively desolate with less than 22 square miles of land and water that make up the city. So you'd think that if a UFO was going to show up, it would be in an area such as this that has minimal human life.
What is surprising is that there are actually no roads or even a ferry system leading into (or out of) Nome, so once you're there - you're stuck until the next flight comes along. That's right, an airplane is by far your best means of transportation to and from this small community. So if you think you see a UFO, consider that it might just be a plane.
Nome is also known for its incredibly hard winters. Between November and March it is common to have temps sitting well below zero degrees and ranging between -10 and -55 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can surely imagine, the frozen wonderland and dark sky can take its toll on even the most seasoned sourdoughs.
With a year round population under 4,000 residents, the small community of Nome isn't known for being a major economic hub or a place that tourists flock to. In fact, what seems to have gotten the most people talking about this isolated community is the mysterious disappearances of 24 people that happened between the 1960's and 2004. These all occurred in Nome and throughout surrounding villages.
Initially many locals were convinced that a serial killer had to be involved due to the large number of people that had gone missing. Family and friends of the missing people, as well as the whole community, was on edge 24/7 thinking about who could be lurking around their community and praying on the innocent.
Although you might not expect these large numbers of disappearances to occur in such a remote and desolate area, you might be surprised to learn that there are roughly 350 miles of roads radiating from Nome that lead deep into some of Alaska’s most scenic, pristine country. The rugged and lonely vastness would be easy to disappear into and never be found. Translation: hundreds of miles of private roads that are perfect for a UFO abduction or worse, dumping a body.
In fact, these disappearances gained such worldwide attention that a Hollywood movie called 'The Fourth Kind' was even released in 2009. The sci-fi thriller was set in Nome and largely told the tale of these disappearances being UFO related. It was later found to be largely misleading as it was marketed as a documentary and in fact was just a misrepresentation of actual facts surrounding these disappearances. The movie is in essence a conspiracy theory that centers around the reason for the missing people being alien abduction.
So what is the truth behind all of these missing people? Is it a UFO, alien abduction, serial killer or simply human error? Through FBI investigation, it was determined that these disappearances were largely a combination of excessive alcohol consumption and harsh winter climate. So if you head to the bar and load up on booze thinking that you will just walk home afterwards, don't bank on making it too far in the bone chillingly cold weather that awaits you outdoors.
Although these tragic events have left a dark stain history, the community of Nome is tough and resilient through even the toughest of times. May all those that disappeared and lost their lives forever rest in peace.
History of Nome, Alaska
In 1898 the “three lucky Swedes,” Jafet Lindberg, Erik Lindblom, and John Brynteson, discovered fabulous deposits of gold in Anvil Creek above present-day Nome. Word reached Dawson the next spring, and by fall 10,000 stampeders had arrived and set up tents on the beach, only to have them blown away by a fierce September storm that prompted a migration inland. There, more gold was found; in fact, placer deposits were carried by most streams that emptied into the Bering Sea.
Twenty thousand prospectors crowded the coast by 1900, fully one-third of the white population in Alaska at the time. For a time it was the territory’s largest city. A railroad had been built to Anvil Creek, which produced several dozen million-dollar claims. Some became rich, but many people who had bought one-way passage to the gold fields found themselves destitute, and the Army had to be brought in to get them home before the winter of 1901. Judge James Wickersham brought law and order to Nome in 1902 after the first judge was convicted of corruption. Several devastating fires and storms have destroyed most of Nome’s historic downtown buildings, but a few of the original buildings survive.
In 1925 a diphtheria epidemic required emergency delivery of serum from Nenana, 650 miles overland by dogsled. Through the heroic efforts of mushers and dogs, the serum arrived in time to save many lives. This event is commemorated today in the famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome. The race takes place every March and turns Nome into a late-winter carnival.
During World War II, Nome was a major transfer point for lend-lease aircraft being sent to Russia from the United States. The planes were flown up to Alaska from the Lower 48 states, transferred to Russian pilots in Fairbanks, and then flown on to Nome and the Soviet Union. Almost 8,000 planes came through Nome 1942–1945, with most making it to the front for use in the war against Germany.
Today, Nome survives on small-scale gold mining, tourism, and as a regional center for the Seward Peninsula. Many visitors try their luck at panning for gold along the beaches here. Nome is a good place to buy ivory and other artwork in the various gift shops, along with imported crafts from Russia. Of course, the Iditarod Race focuses international attention on Nome every March.
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